MENUMENU
  • Board
    • Find a School
    • Contact Us
    • Site Map
  • Students
    • Edsby
    • Office 365
    • Virtual Library
    • LMS
    • Clever
  • Parents
    • Parent Portal
    • Bus Delays/Cancellations
    • School Cash Online

Near North District School Board

MENUMENU
  • Go to homepage
  • Schools
        • Find Your School
        • District Map
        • How do I Register?
        • Contact Us
  • Programs
        • Programs

        • Adult and Alternative Education
        • Adult English as a Second Language
        • e-Learning
        • English as a Second Language
        • Equity and Well-Being / Safe and Accepting Schools
        • Equity and Well-Being
        • Extended French
        • French Immersion
        • Indigenous Education
        • Kindergarten
        • Mathematics for Families
        • Programs (cont.)

        • Mental Health Resources
        • Mental Health Support Services
        • Safe and Accepting Schools
        • Special Education
        • Summer School
        • Specialized Programs

        • Arts Nipissing
        • Dual Credits
        • International Baccalaureate
        • Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program
        • Near North Sports
        • Personal Support Worker (PSW)
        • Specialist High Skills Major
        • STEAM Program
  • Parents
        • General Information

        • Diploma Requirements
        • Indigenous Student Self-Identification
        • School Calendar
        • Stay informed
        • Xello Parent
        • Starting at NNDSB

        • Childcare & School-Aged Programs
        • Parent Involvement
        • School Registration
        • Transportation
        • Login

        • Manage My Account
        • Parent Portal
        • School Cash Online
        • Edsby
        • Who should I talk to?
        • P.A. Activities
  • Board
        • Administration

        • Senior Administration
        • Board and Committee Meetings
        • Board Governance
        • Board of Trustees
        • Director’s Annual Report
        • Multi-Year Plan
        • Operations

        • Capital Planning
        • Financial Information
        • Tenders & RFPs
        • Ventilation Report
        • School Renewal Investment Report
        • Staff Portal
        • General Information

        • ​Accessibility
        • Administrative Guidelines
        • Community Use of Schools
        • Concussion Resources
        • Energy Management
        • Safe and Accepting Schools
        • FOI and Transcripts
  • Learning Resources
        • Clever
        • Copyright Decision Tool
        • Edsby
        • Brightspace LMS
        • Passport to Learning
        • Learn 360
        • Manage my Account
        • Microsoft Teams
        • Ontario Education Resource Bank
        • Office 365 Apps
        • Office 365 Mail
        • TVO Mathify
        • Virtual Library
        • Xello
  • Communications
        • About Communications
        • Social Media at NNDSB
        • Media Contact
        • Media Releases
        • Blog
  • Join Our Team

Chair and Vice acclaimed at annual organizational meeting

November 13, 2024 By Brett

Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024

Chair and Vice acclaimed at annual organizational meeting

The trustees of Near North District School Board (NNDSB) met Tuesday night for their annual organizational meeting.

Indigenous Trustee Ashley St. Pierre and Zone 4 Trustee Howard Wesley were acclaimed as the Board’s Chair and Vice-Chair respectively, positions they held last year. They will serve for the third year of the Board’s four-year term. The 2022-2026 Board of Trustees is composed of these trustees.

Chair St. Pierre was nominated by Trustee Bill Steer, and Vice-Chair Wesley was nominated by Trustee Jeanie Fuscaldo.

Following her acclamation, Chair St. Pierre thanked Trustee Steer for the nomination, and said, “It’s been an honour to learn the work. I look forward to another year of working with everyone.”

Similarly, Vice-Chair Wesley thanked Trustee Fuscaldo for the nomination, and said he looks forward to continuing the work of the Board.

Membership of trustees to the Board’s various committees was also determined and approved at last night’s meeting.

-30-

Filed Under: Media Releases, News and Announcements, NNDSB Featured, NNDSB Shared News

November Letter to Families

November 1, 2024 By Brett

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The monthly Letter to Families is intended to keep you apprised of news that affects all students and families of Near North District School Board (NNDSB) and is distributed on the first Friday of the month.

*

NNDSB’s Parent Involvement Committee (PIC), alongside the NNDSB math team, is sponsoring a virtual presentation by Dr. Marian Small called Supporting Your Children in Learning Math. The presentation will be held Wednesday, Nov. 6 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

This presentation is geared towards parents/guardians of children in Grades 1 to 8. To register for this event, click here.

*

Elementary school report cards will be available online through Edsby. This includes all kindergarten communication of learning reports, Grades 1-8 progress reports and Grades 1-8 term 1 and term 2 reports. Students and parents/guardians will be able to access progress reports by 3 p.m. on Nov. 13, 2024.

Please visit our parent portal to access Edsby. You can also reset your password for your Edsby parent account from the parent portal. If you require an Edsby account, please contact your child’s school.

*

NNDSB’s annual Bullying Awareness and Prevention week is happening Nov. 18-22, 2024. This year’s theme is Call It Out! Students will engage in a variety of activities to support them in identifying and responding to incidents of racism, discrimination and bullying. By teaching students how and when to call it out, we can empower them to hold each other, and themselves, accountable to creating inclusive spaces for all learners.

We are thankful to community partners including the North Bay Battalion, North Bay Police Services and Amelia Rising for supporting us in this work. Pink Shirt Day will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. We look forward to everyone’s participation in this important week of learning.

The safe schools team will also be hosting a parent and caregiver workshop on addressing harmful and discriminatory language on Tuesday, Nov. 19 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. More information will be forthcoming from your child’s school.

*

The nomination period for the 2025 Prime Minister’s Awards is now open, and families are encouraged to submit nominations. The awards celebrate educators who empower Canada’s youth, and celebrate educators for the leadership and exemplary education practices.

The three categories of nomination are Teaching Excellence, Teaching Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, and Excellence in Early Childhood Education.

More information about nominations can be found in the link above.

*

Have you ever considered hosting an international student?

There are four Japanese students arriving and staying for only six weeks from Feb. 1 until March 8. They will be attending West Ferris and Chippewa Secondary Schools, and are eager to experience life in our community. They are looking for fun, welcoming families to stay with. Make a difference in their lives while enriching your own family’s experience!

If you’re interested or would like more information, please contact local coordinator Kayla Knight at kknight@mlihomstay.com. Open your home, share your culture, and create unforgettable memories!

*

The next meeting of the Board will be held Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public and you are welcome to attend in person or join via Zoom. The link and login information can be found at the top of the Board and committee meetings page.

Information about the Board, committees and their meetings can be found here.

*

In addition to staying informed via the board’s website, families can find NNDSB on Facebook and Instagram.

Sincerely,

Near North District School Board

Filed Under: Letter to Families, News and Announcements, NNDSB Featured

Board Highlights – October 8, 2024

October 11, 2024 By Brett

Friday, Oct. 11, 2024

The following are the highlights of the Near North District School Board (NNDSB) meeting of Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024.

Governance manual updated

Former Ministry of Education Special Advisor Wayne Joudrie lent his expertise to the Board in its revision of its governance manual.

The governance manual is a document that guides the Board in the performance of its duties. Mr. Joudrie outlined suggested amendments to bring the document’s language more in line with current Ministry guidelines and regulations.

New process for community partnership available space

The board has created an updated process for communicating the availability of space within NNDSB facilities for community partnership opportunities.

By November each year, NNDSB will notify partners of space available for possible partnership agreements. The full process including a list of available spaces can be found on the NNDSB website.

Class size and student enrolment data presented

The board is required to submit elementary class size reporting to the Ministry of Education by the end of October every year. As per ministry regulation the board is required to maintain 100 per cent of its primary classes at or below 23, and 90 per cent at or below 20. Additionally, the board’s average full day kindergarten classes must not exceed 26 students while individual class sizes cannot exceed 29 pupils. The board submitted the 2024-25 Elementary Class Size report which indicates that all class size requirements were met.

Current enrolment in NNDSB secondary schools for the 2024-25 school year is 3,058 students and elementary school actual enrolment is 6,794 for a total of 9,852 NNDSB students overall.

Director highlights achievements in report

In his remarks, Director of Education Craig Myles noted that Assistant Deputy Minister of Education Clayton La Touche was highly impressed with NNDSB’s collaboration with many community partners during his visit last month.

Director Myles also congratulated all involved in a successful radio broadcast of CBC’s Morning North with Markus Schwabe live on location at F.J. McElligott Secondary School in September.

Myles went on to share with the Board how West Ferris Secondary School continues to meet the priority of Excellence in Innovation by once again being recognized by Apple as an Apple Distinguished School for the 2024–2027 program term.

Work of Indigenous Youth Circle highlighted

In her report to the Board, Indigenous Student Trustee Riley Trudeau noted the secondary school participation in Truth and Reconciliation Day events, which included in-class lessons and planning for a Walk for Wenjack event.

Future plans for the Indigenous Youth Circle (IYC) include beading workshops and ribbon skirt and shirt making at West Ferris and Northern Secondary Schools, and hunt camp and hide camp events at Parry Sound Secondary School.

This year’s major IYC initiative will be a “Stuff the Cruiser” event in partnership with Anishinabek Police Service, which will endeavour to collect toys and financial assistance for the Indigenous Friendship Centre to give to families in need at Christmas.

NNDSB students busy with back-to-school events

NNDSB Student Trustee Nanak Sidhu’s report to the Board detailed a strong start to the school years for NNDSB students. Sidhu detailed student group’s back to school events in September which included Chippewa Secondary School’s annual scarlet and gold tournament, Parry Sound Secondary School movie nights, and Almaguin Highlands Secondary School’s senior sunrise.

Also mentioned in the report were West Ferris Secondary School’s cancer walk which raised an astonishing $50,000 for cancer research and treatment and the annual West Ferris food drive which accumulated 11,000 pounds of food for area food banks.

Sidhu also reports a smooth implementation of the board’s new cell phone policy to which students, staff and families are reacting positively.

-30-

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.

Filed Under: News and Announcements, NNDSB Featured, NNDSB Shared News

Sundridge Centennial Public School to create Halloween community hub with Trunk or Treat event

October 9, 2024 By Brett

Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024

Sundridge Centennial Public School to create Halloween community hub with Trunk or Treat event

Halloween in Northern Ontario is often subject to whims of Mother Nature with trick-or-treating sometimes looking more like Christmas caroling.

Last year, cold weather and snow forced some trick-or-treaters to end the Halloween fun early. It was with this in mind that Sundridge Centennial Public School (SCPS) staff and parent council decided to open up the school to the community on Halloween with Sundridge’s first ever Trunk or Treat event.

SCPS Principal Jill Cooper said, “The school should act as the critical part of the community. When identifying needs that best support our community and our students, we should act creating a reasonable solution. We identified the need for a warming station and washroom in this area of town to benefit those out for the evening.”

Principal Cooper and the parent council then leaned into the school’s role as a critical part of the community by expanding the initial idea to include serving hot chocolate and creating a safe space for kids and a Halloween hub for the community.

Parent Council Deputy Chair JP Bressan proposed creating a venue for rural community members to participate and enjoy Halloween by creating a Trunk or Treat in the SCPS parking lot. Rural community members are invited to fill the trunks of their cars with Halloween candy they would ordinarily not have the opportunity to give out and congregate in town at the more centrally-located school. Visitors can now warm up, use the restroom, enjoy hot chocolate, and trick or treat all at one convenient location.

“Many of our rural community members do not get to experience trick-or-treaters. They want to show support and enjoy seeing the young community members dressed up, excitedly enjoying the evening,” Cooper said. “A Trunk or Treat provides an opportunity to connect all community members making a safe and enjoyable evening for all.”

Student volunteers from Almaguin Highlands Secondary School, the OPP, Sundridge Strong Volunteer Fire Fighters, Town Councilor Sharon Smith, Mayor Justine Leveque and the Village of Sundridge recreation committee will be present at this event and are all contributing their time and effort to organizing and managing the event.

“Community members are invited to come and bring Halloween treats. We respectfully request they provide prepackaged and labeled treats that have been manufactured in a nut-free facility to ensure we are following the school’s anaphylaxis guidelines,” Cooper said. “Those participating will park in the school parking lot with their trunks open and treats ready for children to visit and show off their costumes.”

Community members interested in participating can contact Principal Cooper at the school 705-472-5101 ext. 8023 to register before Oct. 25.

The event will run from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on October 31st.

-30-

Filed Under: Media Releases, News and Announcements, NNDSB Featured, NNDSB Shared News

NNDSB system principal Emily Samuel appointed as executive member of Ontario Principals’ Council

October 8, 2024 By Brett

Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024

NNDSB system principal Emily Samuel appointed as executive member of Ontario Principals’ Council

Near North District School Board (NNDSB) is proud to recognize the appointment of Principal Emily Samuel as an executive member of the Ontario Principals’ Council (OPC). She was appointed to a member-at-large position and will serve for the 2024-2025 school year.

OPC represents more than 5,400 principals and vice-principals in public education districts across the province. As an executive member, Samuel will support OPC in achieving its mission of developing, supporting and promoting exemplary leadership for student success in our schools. Prior to this year, Samuel served as an elected provincial councillor with OPC.

“Having the opportunity to work as an executive member means so much to me because it provides another opportunity to positively influence public education,” Samuel said. “Changing education from the inside out is my goal and thanks to this opportunity with OPC, I will have a deeper understanding of the systemic issues that exist provincially and how we might develop solutions to address them. I am passionate about developing creative pathways that will allow all students to achieve success in school.”

Samuel works as a system principal with NNDSB and holds responsibility in the safe schools, early years and leadership development portfolios.

-30-

 

Filed Under: Media Releases, News and Announcements, NNDSB Featured, NNDSB Shared News

October Letter to Families

October 4, 2024 By Brett

Friday, Oct. 4, 2024

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The monthly Letter to Families is intended to keep you apprised of news that affects all students and families of Near North District School Board (NNDSB) and is distributed on the first Friday of the month.

Students in Grades 7-12 and their families are invited to Level Up! at a skilled trades career fair presented by Skilled Trades Ontario. The fairs are taking place across the province, with one being held at Nipissing University, 100 College Dr., North Bay on Wednesday, Oct. 16.

The event runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with an evening open house from 3 to 7:30 p.m. Local Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP-PAJO) recruiters are also hosting OYAP-PAJO breakout information sessions at the event.

Many NNDSB schools will be sending students to learn more about the skilled trades, and families are welcome to attend, too. This is a great opportunity to explore the potential for a career in the skilled trades.

*

The NNDSB Parent Involvement Committee (PIC), alongside the NNDSB math team, is sponsoring a virtual presentation called Supporting Your Children in Learning Math (Grades 1 to 8) with Educational Leader Dr. Marian Small.

The presentation will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 6 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dr. Marian Small is the author of many Ontario and Canadian classroom math resources, and is an expert on student learning in mathematics. In her very clear and approachable manner, Dr. Small will address how and why math teaching has changed in the last 20 years and how parents/caregivers can best support their children to build their math confidence and math success.

To register for this event, please click here.

*

The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) has released the board- and school-level results of the testing done in the 2023-2024 school year. These results are the Grades 3 and 6 assessments of reading, writing and mathematics, the Grade 9 mathematics, and the Grade 10 Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT).

Schools are required to share this information, so families can expect to get individual results for students who wrote the tests last year. Please note that only students who fully participated in the assessments of reading, writing and mathematics (primary and junior divisions) will receive individual results.

*

NNDSB supports its students all year long!

The board was able to provide summer learning supports for students with special education needs and offered them in coordination with NNDSB’s program team. Seven virtual summer assistive technology learning camps were offered during the summer of 2024, including assistive technology and literacy, studying and test taking skills, high school transitions and social coding and robotics.

As well, August transition supports were offered to NNDSB students with special education needs during the last two weeks of the month prior to the start of school. Transition visits were planned and coordinated wherein individual students and groups of students were welcomed into our elementary and secondary schools. Staff provided school tours and program overviews. They joined together for both formal and informal transition meetings to support and facilitate successful entry to school for students with special education needs/considerations.

Staffing supports included school administrators, teachers, early childhood educators, educational assistants and support staff. At each participating school, individual school program offerings were determined, and transition activities were planned in response to individual student needs.

*

The next meeting of the Board will be held Tuesday, Oct. 8 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public and you are welcome to attend in person or join via Zoom. The link and login information can be found at the top of the Board and committee meetings page.

Information about the Board, committees and their meetings can be found here.

*

In addition to staying informed via the board’s website, families can find NNDSB on Facebook and Instagram.

Sincerely,

Near North District School Board

Filed Under: Letter to Families, Media Releases, News and Announcements, NNDSB Featured, NNDSB Shared News

EQAO releases 2023-2024 school- and board-level results

September 30, 2024 By Brett

Monday, Sept. 30, 2024

EQAO releases 2023-2024 school- and board-level results

The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) has released the results of the Grades 3 and 6 assessments of reading, writing and mathematics as well as the Grade 9 mathematics and Grade 10 Ontario secondary school literacy test (OSSLT).

“We are pleased to see that the gains made in 2022-23 by first-time eligible students on the Ontario secondary school literacy test and the Grade 6 math assessment remained largely intact. Staff continue to support all students in developing foundational literacy and math skills. Newly implemented diagnostic reading assessments will continue to help to ensure that students with reading difficulties are identified early, and the appropriate interventions are put in place,” said Near North District School Board (NNDSB) Superintendent of Teaching and Learning, Melanie Gray.

In the 2023-24 school year, 91 per cent of NNDSB’s kindergarten to Grade 2 students were screened for reading difficulties. “As a system, we continue to deepen our understanding of how to effectively use this student data to inform instruction and programming decisions. We have seen incredible gains in educator capacity to provide targeted reading instruction and interventions,” noted Stephen Krause, principal of student achievement and well-being.

To help more students succeed in reading and writing, the province has modernized the language curriculum with an emphasis on ensuring students at an early age can master basic literacy skills. The new Elementary Language curriculum includes a focus on foundational instruction to support reading and writing, critical thinking and digital media literacy skills.

NNDSB results: reading and writing

Grades 3 and 6: While results vary by school, the overall trends showed stability in Grade 3 reading and writing achievement when compared to 2022-23. Ninety-eight per cent of NNDSB’s Grade 3 students and 97% of Grade 6 students participated in the EQAO assessments.

  • Grade 3: 58 per cent of Grade 3 students met the provincial standard in reading; 47 per cent of Grade 3 students met the provincial standard in writing.
  • Grade 6: 73 per cent of Grade 6 students met the provincial standard in reading; 69 per cent of Grade 6 students met the provincial standard in writing.
  • OSSLT: 90 per cent of first-time eligible students participated in the OSSLT and 77 per cent of first-time eligible students who wrote the assessment were successful.

NNDSB results: mathematics

Key actions implemented across NNDSB have started strengthening students’ mathematics skills and are encouraging positive attitudes toward mathematics in many of our schools. Tailored and innovative professional learning strategies are growing teacher’s math content knowledge and promoting the use of quality, evidence-based instructional and assessment strategies.

  • Grades 3: 41 per cent of students met the provincial standard in the Grade 3 EQAO mathematics assessments.
  • Grades 6: 33 per cent of students met the provincial standard in the Grade 6 EQAO mathematics assessments.
  • Grade 9: 28 per cent of students who wrote the Grade 9 de-streamed math test met the provincial standard in 2023-24.

“We will continue to use EQAO assessment data, alongside a variety of data to identify student strengths and focus our efforts on areas where additional attention and resources are needed,” said Kim Pauli, NNDSB math lead. “Our continued focus on priority actions of the Ministry’s Math Achievement Action Plan will help us determine next steps for improvement at the system and school levels with the goal of removing barriers to success for all mathematics learners,” she said.

Improving student achievement across all divisions will continue to be a system-wide focus as staff work to implement evidence-based systematic and explicit instructional approaches in language classrooms and high impact instructional practices in math.

EQAO results are just one among many assessment tools that both schools and boards use to measure and improve upon the quality of student programming and student success. The new modernized, digital assessments and reporting tools will continue to inform efforts to close gaps in learning and strengthen literacy and math skills.

-30-

Learn More:

  • Language, Grades 1 to 8: a guide for parents
  • A Parent’s Guide to the 2020 Math Curriculum – Grades 1 to 8
  • The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8
  • Grade 9 math: a guide for parents
  • TVO Mathify offers FREE 1:1 online Grade 4-12 math tutoring

Filed Under: Media Releases, News and Announcements, NNDSB Featured, NNDSB Shared News

NNDSB Letter to Families – Truth and Reconciliation Day

September 30, 2024 By Brett

Monday, Sept. 30, 2024

To Near North District School Board families, staff, and community partners,

Today is National Truth and Reconciliation Day – recognized across the country as a day on which Canadians pause, acknowledge and reflect upon the truths of the history of settlement. European-based history, while praising the efforts of the settlers that came to this land, overlooked the incalculable toll that settlement took on the Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island.

Among the injustices done to Indigenous Peoples was the implementation of the residential school system, which took children from their homes to attend schools far from home. Thousands of those children never returned, and tens of thousands more were never the same. The generational trauma caused by residential schools continues to this day.

We wear orange today in honour of the survivors and lost children, and to bring further awareness to the history and legacies of the residential school system.

The Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair, who chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, stated that “Education got us into this mess and education will get us out of it.”

Near North District School Board is committed to ensuring that the board, its schools, and staff are actively engaged in responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action, specifically 62 and 63.

We are grateful for the partnerships of First Nations and community organizations that support Indigenous Peoples. Mino Bimaadiziwin – the concept of living a good life, and/or having a good mind – is central to the work that settler Canadians must continue. Together, we will continue to move forward in a good way.

The board supports all students, staff, and community members in learning about the truth and devastating legacy caused by residential schools. We wear our orange shirts to show our commitment to reconciliation and trust that our schools will provide education that is relevant and meaningful to their communities.

Sincerely,

Ashley St. Pierre
Chair of the Board

Craig Myles
Director of Education

Filed Under: Letter to Families, Media Releases, News and Announcements, NNDSB Featured, NNDSB Shared News

West Ferris Secondary School has been designated an Apple Distinguished School

September 17, 2024 By Brett

Tuesday, September 17, 2024                                                                                                 

West Ferris Secondary School has been designated an Apple Distinguished School

West Ferris Secondary School is pleased to announce it has been recognized as an Apple Distinguished School for the 2024–2027 program term. Schools apply and are selected for this distinction based on their commitment to continuous innovation in education and using Apple products to inspire, imagine, and impact teaching and learning.

Apple Distinguished Schools are centres of leadership and educational excellence, with a clear vision for how technology-rich environments support learning goals. In Apple Distinguished Schools, forward-thinking leaders and their communities work to inspire, imagine, and impact teaching and learning, and they have documented results of academic accomplishments.

Schools all over the world are using iPad and Mac to transform learning. As teachers incorporate technology into their lessons, they empower students to lead, learn, and thrive, to discover new opportunities, and to make their world a better place.

The West Ferris Secondary School STEAM Program promotes innovation, creativity, and problem-solving through the integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math in hands-on, real-world learning experiences. The program focuses on interdisciplinary collaboration, critical thinking, and the use of cutting-edge technology. Students participate in practical projects such as coding, robotics, and design, while engaging with innovative learning spaces like labs and maker spaces.

The program also provides leadership-building opportunities through school outreach events, where students lead workshops and demonstrate STEAM projects to the broader community. Through these experiences, students not only develop technical skills but also enhance their communication, teamwork, and leadership abilities. Graduates leave the program with a strong foundation in STEAM, well-prepared for post-secondary education or the workforce, equipped with essential skills in problem-solving, digital literacy, creativity, and leadership.

-30-

Filed Under: Media Releases, News and Announcements, NNDSB Featured, NNDSB Shared News

Board Highlights – September 9, 2024 meeting

September 16, 2024 By Brett

Monday, Sept. 16, 2024

The following are the highlights of the Near North District School Board (NNDSB) meeting of Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2024.

New student trustees appointed

Two new student trustees were welcomed to the Near North District School Board.

Nanak Sidhu of Chippewa Secondary School is the Student Trustee and Riley Trudeau of Northern Secondary School is the Indigenous Student Trustee for the 2024-2025 school year.

They were sworn into office by Director of Education Craig Myles, after which an honour song was performed by Zachary Beaudette.

School climate survey results

Every two years, school boards must administer voluntary and anonymous school climate surveys to their students, parents/guardians and staff. The surveys help school boards assess perceptions of safety, make informed planning decisions about programs to help prevent bullying and promote safe and inclusive schools, determine the effectiveness of programs on an ongoing basis and build and sustain positive school climates. The survey was available between April 29 and May 17, 2024 for students in Grades 4-6, 7-8, and 9-12.

The results from the survey identify areas for further growth, including a larger variety of clubs, teams and initiatives for secondary school students, tailoring bullying prevention initiatives, modeling kindness and initiatives to help students feel safer in school washrooms.

In a presentation to the Board, Principal of Safe Schools, Early Years and Leadership Development, Emily Samuel, explained that using the software program PowerBI allows the data to be broken down to school and grade levels, so administration is better able to determine needs and address them with the appropriate groups.

Trustees move March 2025 meeting

Looking ahead to the March Break, Trustees agreed to move the March 2025 Board meeting (which falls on the Tuesday of March Break) to the following Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

New guideline outlines elementary outdoor learning

Trustees were provided with a new administrative guideline that covers outdoor learning for elementary students. The 30-day consultation period for the draft Guideline concluded in May. It was co-authored with the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit.

The guideline is grounded in experiential learning theory and provides guidance and tools for teachers and administrators, so they feel confident supporting inquiry and experiential learning approaches to outdoor learning experiences.

Director welcomes all to a new school year

Director Myles welcomed the Board to the 2024-2025 school year.

He reported that over the summer, NNDSB saw a new playground installed at MacTier Public School. Families on school council and volunteers from the community had been fundraising for eight years. The Shania Twain Foundation and Mitch Marner Assist Foundation donated the $65,000 required to complete the installation of the accessible playground. Myles remarked on the incredible community support.

TOROS and other summer school courses were offered, helping students either get ahead or catch up in credit courses. Myles noted the community collaboration and the involvement of TOROS and Dreamcoat alumni.

Myles also noted that Trustee Bill Steer is Chair of the Northern Caucus of the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA), giving NNDSB two votes at the OPSBA table.

Revised Code of Conduct accepted by Board

Trustees voted to accept the revised code of conduct, which now addresses personal mobile devices and vaping. The Ministry of Education announced changes to PPM 128 Provincial Code of Conduct and School Board Codes of Conduct, which boards were to  bring into effect by Sept. 1, 2024.

The updated PPM places new measures on student use of personal mobile devices while at school or attending school events. NNDSB is requiring that students keep their phones turned off or set to silent in lockers, if applicable, or in backpacks. Phones may not be kept in pockets or other easily accessible areas.

Elementary students (Grades K-8) are not permitted to access their personal device during the instructional day, including recess and nutritional breaks. Secondary students (Grades 9-12) are not permitted to access their phones during instructional time, but can access their phones during breaks and lunch.

-30-

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.

Filed Under: News and Announcements, NNDSB Featured, NNDSB Shared News

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • …
  • 57
  • Next Page »
NNDSB Indigenous Education Logo

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
MENUMENU
  • Contact Us
  • Find Your School
  • Parent Portal
  • ​Accessibility Standards

Login with IDP
Copyright © 2025 · Near North District School Board