Near North District School Board

Letter to families: Students asked to take learning supplies, work and resources home

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March 31, 2021

Dear Parents and Guardians,

In light of the rising number of COVID cases provincially, NNDSB is asking all staff and students to take all of their learning supplies, work and resources home with them tomorrow after school.

Being pro-active means that if there is either a provincial shutdown imposed or a move to remote learning after the Easter weekend, everyone has what they will need to continue learning from home.

We hope everyone enjoys a restful and safe long weekend.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Near North District School Board

 

Message to Families: COVID-19 Testing Information

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March 31, 2021

Dear Near North Parents and Guardians,

COVID-19 rapid antigen testing is now available at select Shoppers Drug Mart and Loblaw Pharmacy locations for students, children and staff of the four school boards in the Nipissing and Parry Sound District.

COVID-19 testing is voluntary and will help to identify cases early, inform Public Health decisions, and manage outbreaks. Participants will need to be asymptomatic in order to be eligible to receive a COVID-19 rapid antigen test.

If you are interested in participating or are interested in having your child or dependent participate, please review the attached letter and provide your written consent to participate. For individuals under the age of 18 years old, signed consent by a parent or guardian will be required.

To book an appointment for a rapid antigen test, please call one of the locations from the participating list in the letter attached. Please remember to bring a printed copy of the Consent form included in this letter on the day of your test.

Please contact your child’s school if you require a hard copy of this letter.

Sincerely,

Near North District School Board

Education Minister visits North Bay elementary school

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March 26, 2021

Minister Lecce visits Sunset Park Public SchoolStudents at North Bay’s Sunset Park Public School hosted special dignitaries for a lesson in social studies.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce, along with Vic Fedeli, MPP for Nipissing, joined Mme. Anna Pearson’s Grade 6 French Immersion class on March 17 for a lesson on the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

“As a strong believer in the value of parliamentary democracy and informed debate, it was an honour for me to engage with the students of Sunset Park Public School in a thoughtful conversation about the importance of human rights, freedom and Canada’s role on the world stage,” said Education Minister Stephen Lecce. “I sincerely thank Anna Pearson for the opportunity to meet her incredible students – they are today’s leaders.”

“It was really enlightening because some of the information that Minister Lecce told us was new,” exclaimed student Aerynn Kelly, who noted, “It was a really good learning experience for me.”

Echoing her classmate, Rory Corbeil shared, “It was really cool to meet with and ask the Minister a question. People don’t get to do that often and it was really exciting and fascinating to hear what he knew about human rights and the United Nations.”

Students asked Minister Lecce several questions including What is a right? In what ways are human rights important to Canadian citizens? and What do you think is the most important human right in Ontario?

Student Wilson Garbutt shared his experience with meeting the Minister. “It was really cool and exciting to have the Minister of Education visit us because for a lot of students, it’s a once in a lifetime experience.” He added, “I really liked when he answered all of our questions and gave us some questions to answer.”

“The students were very impressive. Their knowledge of Canadian rights and freedoms was inspiring,” said MPP Fedeli. “It was a pleasure to have this opportunity to chat with them, and share that those freedoms were hard-fought, and not found in every country around the globe. It was a fun experience.”

A thrilled Mme. Pearson noted Sunset Park Public School is an amazing school with awesome students and it was great to have Minister Lecce and MPP Fedeli see it first-hand.

“It was really nice that Minister Lecce touched upon some things that we are going to learn about in the rest of our unit on Canada and the global community,” she said, Mme. Pearson added that having Minister Lecce ask the students thought-provoking questions will help students make a connection later on in the unit. “It will be really neat because I’ll be able to pull those into the lesson and say ‘Do you remember when Minister Lecce was talking about this? Well, we’re going to explore that in further detail now.’”

NNDSB Board Chair Jay Aspin expressed his appreciation for the visit. “Our board is pleased that Education Minister Stephen Lecce and MPP Vic Fedeli provided their time to interact, in a most meaningful way, with our Grade 5-6 French Immersion students at Sunset Park Public School. We are very proud of the quality of our students and this opportunity provided first-hand evidence of that pride for our provincial leaders.”

“NNDSB has so many incredible learning opportunities happening in our classrooms each and every day,” said Director of Education Craig Myles. “We are thrilled to have Minister Lecce take notice and have him experience some of our offerings.”

“I would like to extend a sincere thank you to Sunset Park’s Grade 6 French Immersion students for welcoming our guests into their classroom, Mme. Pearson, and Principal Kim Pauli for their strong leadership and commitment to NNDSB’s core values,” acclaimed Director Myles, who shared his appreciation. “I also want to thank Minister Lecce and MPP Fedeli for attending Sunset Park Public School and actively engaging with our students. We look forward to welcoming you to NNDSB again in the future.”

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Information about Near North District School Board:

Near North District School Board is an English-language public school board serving the North Bay – Parry Sound – Nipissing area. The Board consists of approximately 10,000 students in 27 elementary schools, seven secondary/senior schools and various alternative learning centres. For more information, please visit nearnorthschools.ca and follow Near North District School Board on social media.

For more information, please contact:

Josh Casey
Information/Communication Coordinator
Near North District School Board
P. (705) 472-8170, extension 5083
E. josh.casey@nearnorthschools.ca

Four NNDSB students acknowledged as Students Who Make a Difference

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Congratulations to the four NNDSB students who were recognized yesterday as Students Who Make a Difference during the North Bay and District Multicultural Centre’s International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination event.

Vibha Srinivasa, Jane Lathangue, Nick Goulard and Abigail Truong were nominated by their school communities to be recognized at the event.

COVID-19 forced the celebration to be held virtually instead of in person, but that meant many people were able to attend virtually from their homes and schools. The event was recorded and can be found on the North Bay and District Multi-Cultural Centre’s website.

Below are synopses of the nomination details of the four NNDSB students acknowledged during the ceremony.

Vibha Srinivasa is a student at E.T. Carmichael Public School. She was recognized for making exceptional contributions to the classroom and enriching the lives of people around her. Her plaque reads, “Vibha is often seen helping her peers academically withing the classroom and socially during recess breaks.” She is someone who seeks out challenges and is happy to try new things. “Vibha is recognized for her ongoing commitment to supporting others, working hard on everything she does, and always coming to school with a positive attitude”.

Jane Lathangue is a student at Alliance Public School, who was recognized for her willingness to help peers and educators. Her classmates have described her at “a hard-working student who is loyal, genuine and kind”. In addition to working hard to improve her reading and writing fluency, Jane enjoys daily outdoor education time in the school’s forest area, where she is curious about her surroundings. Jane wants to make the world a better place and is seen as “one of Alliance’s students who makes a difference every day with her kind heart and positive attitude.”

Nick Goulard from Northern Secondary School was acknowledged for his infectious positive attitude. His plaque reads in part that he is a “natural leader and shows great school spirit and he encourages all students to participate in activities offered at the school.” In addition to being a peer tutor, Nick has been part of student council, the cross-country, badminton and curling teams, helped homeowners with sandbagging during the Jocko Point flood, and regularly helps at the local food bank.

Abigail Truong of West Ferris Intermediate Secondary School was nominated by the Grade 7-8 teachers for being a student “who goes above and beyond and does a lot to help out in her school and community.” Abigail has built a virtual animal and plant cell model that you can walk through in Minecraft, and completed the Duke of Edinburgh Challenges, which is a physical fitness and skills challenge with civics and leadership components. Abigail is recognized as “an all-round good person and helpful student in her class.”

Education Minister visits Parry Sound High School’s prestigious culinary arts program

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March 25, 2021

Minister Lecce virtually visits Parry Sound High SchoolCulinary arts students at Parry Sound High School had some special guests join them recently. Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, and Norm Miller, MPP for Parry Sound-Muskoka dropped in for a virtual lunch-hour tour on March 16 to explore the school’s renowned Specialized High Skills Major (SHSM) tourism and hospitality program and state-of-the-art industrial kitchen.

“I want to thank Parry Sound High School and Blair Cousins for inviting me to speak to his impressive class of culinary arts students as they diligently prepared a veritable feast of dishes,” said Education Minister Stephen Lecce. “We want to ensure students consider all available career options, including those in the skilled trades, and have the opportunity to explore them as they consider their futures. Parry Sound High School’s prestigious program is the gold standard of practical skills training.”

An impressed Minister Lecce spoke with students about the hands-on learning opportunities and real-world experiences captured during their lunchtime cooking.Parry Sound High School students showcase culinary skills for Minister of Education

Student Kendra Potvin said, “It was an honour to speak on behalf of SHSM and as a co-op student in the hospitality course, since hospitality and tourism has been one of my favourite courses to take in high school. It was great to show what hard work goes into our kitchen each and every weekday.”

Students in the program run the cafeteria, which sees the entire school community enjoy nutritious meals, all while learning how to cook and bake.

“It was pretty cool to be able to talk to Minister Lecce and talk about my Cookie Monster cake,” said student Dakota Walker. “It was cool that he took an interest in our class out of the many classes he could have chosen.”

NNDSB Chair Jay Aspin said, “Our board was exceptionally pleased to host Minister Lecce and Mr. Miller to view and appreciate first-hand our fabulous culinary program at Parry Sound High School. The program has a long 30-year history of success and is regarded as one of the best culinary programs in the province.”

Dakota Walker and Mckenna Sproule showcase their cake decorating skills.“It was a real pleasure to virtually tour Mr. Cousin’s Culinary Program at Parry Sound High School with the Minister Lecce and board members of Near North Public School Board,” said MPP Norm Miller. “The knowledge and skill the student’s displayed were truly impressive. When I was hiring in hospitality, I would have loved to have had access to young people with this training. These skills will serve them very well whatever path they choose to pursue.”

Along with the professional-grade kitchen and excellent programming available for students, teacher Blair Cousins leads students to explore their passions for cooking, decorating, and possible career avenues after secondary school.

“We were honoured to have Minister Lecce and MPP Miller choose our class to visit,” said Mr. Cousins. “We had the opportunity to showcase how we operate both as a classroom and a working kitchen.”

Mr. Cousins added students were happy to have Minister Lecce engage with them and talk about their work. “I was also able to discuss the SHSM program with Minister Lecce and appreciated his support for this valuable program,” Mr. Cousins noted.

“It was an honour to have Minister Lecce visit our highly acclaimed culinary program,” said Director of Education Craig Myles. “Having the Minister take notice of the incredible SHSM programming offered for students at Parry Sound High School reinforces the high calibre of learning for students and the strong leadership of Blair Cousins.”

Mckenna Sproule showcases their cake decorating skills.SHSM supports students in planning for a career in the skilled trades. The hospitality and tourism program allows students to build a foundation of sector-focused knowledge and skills before graduating and entering apprenticeship training, college, university, or an entry-level position in the workplace.

Students learn about food preparation and hospitality services, connect with hospitality employers, participate in training and certification in customer service and safe food handling, and gain apprenticeship opportunities upon graduation.

Closing out the visit, Mr. Cousins presented Minister Lecce with the school’s cookbook ‘PSHS Eats’ as a token of appreciation for his time.

Dakota Walker showcases their cake decorating skills.

This cookbook was the fourth edition, first created by former teacher Nancy Beers and updated by Mr. Cousins and Ms. Ina Greenwood. The cookbook includes many recipes created or improved by students over the past 10 years with the Grade 11/12 class using these cookbooks for about 80 per cent of recipes used in class.

“I would like to extend a sincere thank you to Parry Sound High School’s tourism and hospitality students for welcoming our guests into their classroom, Mr. Cousins, and Principal Dawn Buckland for their strong leadership and commitment to NNDSB’s core values,” shared Director Myles, who offered his appreciation. “I also want to thank Minister Lecce and MPP Miller for attending and seeing the first-hand experience students are receiving at NNDSB. We look forward to welcoming you to NNDSB again in the future.”

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Information about Near North District School Board:

Near North District School Board is an English-language public school board serving the North Bay – Parry Sound – Nipissing area. The Board consists of approximately 10,000 students in 27 elementary schools, seven secondary/senior schools and various alternative learning centres. For more information, please visit nearnorthschools.ca and follow Near North District School Board on social media.

For more information, please contact:

Josh Casey
Information/Communication Coordinator
Near North District School Board
P. (705) 472-8170, extension 5083
E. josh.casey@nearnorthschools.ca

Highlights from March Board Meeting

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March 18, 2021

Highlights from March Board Meeting

The following are the highlights of the Near North District School Board meeting of Tuesday, March 16, 2021.

Professional development available to trustees

There are many on-going professional development opportunities available to trustees serving boards of education. In addition to its monthly online sessions, Ontario Public School Board’s Association (OPSBA) offers trustee development modules.

Trustees are able to take advantage of training from the Ministry of Education (governance and election resources) and from the Canadian School Boards Association (CSBA).

New registration process is equitable, accessible

A report provided by Superintendent Gay Smylie explained that NNDSB’s new online registration process is a move towards an inclusive and equitable registration process that demonstrates excellence in relationships, communication and innovation.

Updates to the registration form include the option of non-binary choices, including non-disclosed and self-identified under the gender section. This follows a school community survey conducted in 2019 titled This is Us. There is a space on the registration form to reflect any student’s chosen identity. The report on the new process states, “We want all students to feel welcomed and accepted; registering a self-identified gender should be as easy as registering a binary gender type.”

The form now allows for the selection of the language stream the student is entering, with a drop-down menu for the selection of English, French Immersion, and Extended French.

Sections of the form now reflect the acceptance of digital documentation. Parents and guardians are able to attach photos of the student’s proof of age and proof of address, and digital signatures are acceptable. These modifications, approved by legal counsel, will alleviate the need for identification to be seen and verified by school staff.

Additionally, the new form can be utilized by students registering in elementary and secondary schools and streamlines the process. Rather than going to a central location and being forwarded to schools, parents and guardians will now email the complete package to the secretary at the student’s school.

The new registration process came into effect on Monday, March 8, 2021. 

Board seeks new Superintendent of Business

Recruitment has begun to select a Superintendent of Business at NNDSB, overseen by the ad hoc SBO Search Committee.

The committee endorsed the use of the Ontario Education Services Corporation executive search firm and has set a timeline that would tentatively see the potential candidate selected by mid-April 2021.

The search committee is comprised of the Interim SBO, the Director of Education, the Interim Manager of Human Resources, Board Chair Jay Aspin, Board Vice-Chair John Cochrane, and Trustee Nichole King.

Update provided on new W.J. Fricker School

Trustees were provided with a report from Interim Superintendent of Business Wally Easton on the progress of the construction of a new W.J. Fricker School.

The school has been closed and is scheduled for demolition with a new school to be built on the same site. With input from board staff, the architect’s design is 80 per cent completed, which allows the design to be submitted to the Ministry of Education for approval. The 20 per cent to be finalized allows for tweaking before the project goes to tender.

The estimated cost of construction is $14.8 million, which is $2.4 million over the amount allocated by the Ministry. The shortfall has been discussed with the Ministry, which suggested trying to reduce the cost of the school.

The construction of the new school will take at least 10 months, and a delay to the already tight deadline with a redesign will not allow for a September 2022 opening. The report states there is money in reserve to cover the construction shortfall, but permission is required from the Ministry to do that. It was also pointed out that the tender could include requests for separate pricing on some finishes, which would allow for flexibility in choices.

The report recommends proceeding with the design as it is and completing the process for Ministry approval.

Multi-Year Plan Committee adopts terms of reference

The Multi-Year Planning Committee, responsible for developing, setting the direction for and assessing the framework of the 2021-2026 multi-year plan, has become a standing committee of the Board. The committee re-appointed Trustee Bill Steer as its Chair, and adopted its terms of reference, which was approved by the Board of Trustees.

The move to a standing committee means that once the strategic plan is developed, it will be monitored to ensure all departments were on track. Board Chair Jay Aspin called the multi-year strategic plan “a key goal we would like to accomplish this year…it’s our five-year anchor”. The committee has established its chair and adopted its terms of reference, which was approved by the Board of Trustees. Members of the committee are one trustee appointed as chair, one trustee as a general member, the Chair of the Board of Trustees is an ex-officio member, and the Director of Education or designate.

Other parties may attend as observers but are not able to participate or vote.

Among the committee’s responsibilities are developing a multi-year planning process, establishing timelines (benchmarks) to evaluate the current plan and assist in planning new strategic direction, providing recommendations to the Board of Trustees regarding facilitator options and their costs, developing the 2021-2026 NNDSB multi-year plan, and discussing/co-ordinating with the Director of Education regarding the need for and use of staff resources.

The Multi-Year Plan Committee will meet as required and provide regular reports to the Board.

Update on status Multi-Year Strategic Plan

In March 2021 the Multi-Year Plan Committee met with the executive team and the system principals to refine the Board Improvement Plans for Student Achievement and Well-being. Feedback from the system team has shown the necessity of refining departmental improvement plans to include more specific process (action) goals to the objectives.

Communications, Program and Facilities will be aligned to the MYSP in late March and will ensure the creation of SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound). Progress will be monitored and adjustments made as appropriate.

The managers of the HR, Business/Finance and IT departments will be supported in building capacity to engage in the planning that aligns to the MYSP.

Department planning is scheduled to begin in late March after Ramsay Partners has engaged in sessions to redefine board office department roles and task performance in addressing operational gaps. Teams must feel settled before engaging in collaborative plans that ask them to see their place in the work toward the department goals.

In a presentation to the Board, Corporate Affairs Officer Liana Blaskievich, who is a member of the committee, said all departments and the work they do will lead to student achievement and well-being. “Everyone is aware of the destination, and all paths lead to that destination,” she said.

KPMG appointed as Board’s external auditors

Acting on the recommendation of the Audit Committee, trustees approved the appointment of KPMG as the Board’s external auditors for a period of three years, with the option of two one-year extensions.

Parry Sound Build Committee takes over

The Parry Sound Architect Selection Committee has been dissolved, and the Parry Sound Build Committee has assumed oversight for the construction of the new Parry Sound build.

At February’s Board meeting, +VG Architects (The Ventin Group) was announced as the successful bidder of the tender to design the new facility, which will include a childcare centre, an EarlyON Child and Family Centre, and a JK-12 school.

Trustee Initiative Fund supports Team 1305

Trustees approved a $15,000 application to the NNDSB Trustee Initiative Fund, which supports organizations and projects that encompass students from across the board, to Near North Student Robotics Initiative (NNSRI), FIRST Team 1305, a competitive robotics team.

NNSRI supports STEM programming for students aged 6 through secondary school, from communities around the board’s catchment area.

Funding for 2021 was requested to buy tooling and materials for prototyping and building a robot at the high school level for this year’s competition, and next year’s expected full season.

The money will also support the establishment of a FIRST Tech Challenge team, buy LEGO equipment to support less able teams at the elementary school level, help fund registration costs at the provincial level for two levels of FIRST Teams, support event costs of 180 students from ages 9-14 to participate in a FIRST Lego League, and support team and event costs for the potential annual FIRST Lego league tournament.

The application says students get real-time experience that offers experiences in designing, building, programming and driving robots, learn engineering, scientific and business principles, interactions with professionals from the community, creating team businesses and presentation documents, developing written and verbal communication skills and the ability to compete at local, provincial and international level competitions.

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Note: the full agenda package is posted on the website prior to meetings, and official minutes are posted after they are approved at the next board meeting.

For more information, please contact:
Deb Bartlett (she/her)
Information Communication Officer
Near North District School Board
P. (705) 472-8170 ext. 5010
E. Deb.Bartlett@nearnorthschools.ca

Letter to Families: Ministry Changes to Community Involvement Policy

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March 16, 2021

Dear Parents and Guardians,

This letter is to advise you of temporary changes that the Ministry of Education has made to the community involvement graduation policy, to remove barriers for students who are facing challenges due to COVID-19.

Students graduating in the 2020-2021 school year will be required to have a minimum of 20 (reduced from 40) community involvement hours. Several policy restrictions have been waived, allowing principals discretion to: allow students to earn hours during the time allotted for the instructional program on a school day (for example, students with a spare, or on alternative programming); to earn hours through duties normally performed in the home; and to allow students aged 14 and older to count up to a maximum of 10 hours from paid employment to count towards their graduation requirement if they complete a reflection exercise on how their work provided service.

Students are encouraged to continue to seek out volunteer opportunities, keeping in mind public health unit recommendations.

Students may be able to fulfill the graduation requirement by volunteering virtually. There are many ways in which students can develop an awareness of civic responsibility while supporting and strengthening their communities. They might consider:

  • mentoring younger people through online tutoring
  • connecting and supporting seniors through a letter-writing campaign
  • delivering groceries to elderly or immunocompromised neighbours
  • helping in donation pick-ups for non-profit organizations
  • sewing masks for donation to social agencies.

Students are encouraged to speak to their school administration about fulfilling these requirements.

Sincerely,

Near North District School Board

Evergreen Heights students engage in scientific learning

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March 15, 2021

 

Evergreen Heights Education Centre students in Mr. McMurray’s Grade 4/5 class recently explored the forces of tension and compression when building bridges.

Students were tasked to use the technological problem-solving skills to design, build, and test a frame structure (e.g., a bridge, a tower) that would withstand the application of an external force. Blake and Avery designed a bridge that was so strong it was able to hold up Mr. McMurray’s truck!

Way to go, students!

 

 

 

Students in Parry Sound are benefitting from generosity of local Rotary Club

By

March 12, 2021

Students in Parry Sound are benefitting from generosity of local Rotary Club

Students at Parry Sound High School are receiving additional help in math and literacy thanks to the generosity of the Rotary Club of Parry Sound.

Fundraising efforts by the Rotary Club have allowed for a donation of $15,000 for online tutoring services. Math, literacy, and tutoring for success are just some of the opportunities available for students needing extra support in those areas.

Operated by the school’s student services department, students are tutored by qualified individuals. Students who were previously struggling in their classes were able to pass them and receive the class credit thanks to the tutoring service.

“Parry Sound High School is very thankful that the Rotary Club of Parry Sound identified a need for our students early on in the pandemic,” said Parry Sound High School Principal Dawn Buckland. “In doing so, the Rotary Club of Parry Sound has provided support to bridge learning gaps for many of our students through free tutoring.”

The service has helped at least eight students achieve and exceed their goals, with more students expected to join. One student, who was not struggling in their class, wanted to increase their grade beyond a 70 per cent and they were able to do that thanks to the additional supports.

Rotary Club of Parry Sound member Karen Cox said “Our Rotary Club is dedicated to helping our community meet unexpected needs during the COVID pandemic. We knew our local Parry Sound High School students were struggling with the challenges of learning online and in school at this time.”

Cox added “We acquired enough funding to underwrite an online tutoring program to assist those most in need. We reached out to the caring staff at PSHS so they could help get the program up and going. We believe the program has been gaining traction and will hopefully meet our intent that no student will lose a year of learning due to COVID.”

This isn’t the first act of generosity from the Rotary Club of Parry Sound. Earlier this year, Near North District School Board (NNDSB) was able to offer support for purchasing healthy snacks for at-home learners through grocery gift cards thanks to the Rotary Club.

Whether students learn remotely or in-class, a nutritious breakfast and snacks are imperative to learning. NNDSB has offered a robust nutrition program in the form of snack and/or breakfast programs to students for years in all school. These programs allow students to choose a variety of healthy foods each day while at school. The support of the Rotary Club has allowed NNDSB to expand on that program to include at-home learners.

Thank you to the Rotary Club of Parry Sound for your continued generosity to NNDSB schools, students, and their families.

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Information about Near North District School Board:

Near North District School Board is an English-language public school board serving the North Bay – Parry Sound – Nipissing area. The Board consists of approximately 10,000 students in 27 elementary schools, seven secondary/senior schools and various alternative learning centres. For more information, please visit nearnorthschools.ca and follow Near North District School Board on social media.

For more information, please contact:
Josh Casey
Information/Communication Coordinator
Near North District School Board
P. (705) 472-8170, extension 5083
E. josh.casey@nearnorthschools.ca

Biindigen

Mii gwi Anishinabek wewena nkenmaaminak dependajig maa kiing.
"We acknowledge in a good way, the original people of the land here"
We value the cultures, histories and relationships with the Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island (North America)

Connect With Us

Near North District School Board
963 Airport Road, P.O. Box 3110, North Bay, ON P1B 8H1
[P] 705-472-8170   [TF] 1-800-278-4922   [F] 705-472-9927