Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023

TOROS return a ‘totally awesome’ success

After a three-year hiatus, Near North District School Board’s (NNDSB) Theatre Outreach On Stage (TOROS) made a triumphant return this month with its production of Back To The 80s: The Totally Awesome Musical.

The troupe put on four very well-attended performances at the West Ferris auditorium earlier this month; the show delighted audiences with its mixture of humour, dancing and hit songs from the 1980’s.

“TOROS has been legendary in our North Bay community since 1987, so it’s great to have it back in production after three years of being on pause. For many TOROS alumni, it has been a life-changing event. Some have gone on to work as professional artists or promote the arts within their own communities,” TOROS producer Shannon Falconi said.

Back to the 80s director and Chippewa Secondary School graduate Jessica Soule participated in numerous theatrical productions during high school.

“We chose to do the musical Back to the 80’s because it was fun and lively. The play is a jukebox musical, which means that it features popular songs, in this case, from the ‘80’s. It also featured a large cast with various speaking roles, so we were able to be inclusive while casting,” Soule said.

About 30 students ranging from Grades 8 to 12 were involved in the production, contributing their talents as both cast and stage crew. The troupe worked hard throughout the summer, rehearsing five days a week since the beginning of July.

First-time TOROS participant Simon Lawrence was new to musical theatre and played Feargal, the class geek and comic relief.

“I really enjoyed my drama classes and wanted to do more shows,” Lawrence said. “It was a challenge to be prepared with props and not thrown off when you can’t find them on stage, but the first performance was incredible, the audience was full of laughter and delight. I would love to do more productions.”

“The audience seemed to enjoy the performances and some even dressed up in their best ‘80s outfit. Opening night was a hit, with a nearly full house. This fueled a lot of excitement among the cast for their first show,” Falconi said.

“We are in a rebuilding phase of TOROS, most cast members have never been on stage or in a musical production before,” Falconi said. “This was a completely new experience for some of the students and we are very proud of their courage to step outside of their comfort zones to try something different. This production is all about the students and celebrating their talent.”

Seasoned performer Abby Alexander has participated in West Ferris’s last three productions, Sponge Bob The Musical, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, Pippin, as well as two summer challenge shows, Newsies and Chicago. Alexander played the lead female role of Tiffany Houston in Back to the 80s.

“The highlight of my experience was the cast. I had never had a cast that was so close-knit before. We became one big family, and I enjoyed coming to rehearsals to be with this group of people,” Alexander said. “The performances went well. The audience was very excited to be there and very lively. We had a very receptive audience.

“I plan on doing theatre for the rest of my life,” Alexander said. “It’s so worth it to meet people. In theatre it’s important to make connections. The more connections you have the more work you will get.”

“Programs like TOROS are important because they give students a sense of belonging. By the final show, we really became a family, and all the students had made lifelong friends. It’s a safe space for them to express their creativity. It also gives them career options, some of these students may go on to be professional performers,” Soule said. “The highlight for me has been seeing the growth in the students. Some of them have never done a production like this and most were terrified to audition. Together, we worked through their fears and in the end, everyone really came out of their shell to shine on stage.”

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Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We hope you and your students are enjoying the summer. We look forward to seeing your students on Sept. 5, the first day of the 2023-2024 school year.

This letter is being sent to advise you of the professional development activities that educational staff will be participating in on Wednesday, Aug. 30 and Thursday, Aug. 31. Notifying families at least 14 days in advance is a requirement of Provincial Bill 98 that came into effect July 27, 2023.

Below is a table that outlines what elementary and secondary educators will be covering, how the professional development is taking place and who is providing the training.

This letter is being sent in order to meet the 14-day window. For the rest of the school year, upcoming professional development activities will be included in the monthly letter to families, distributed on the first Friday of the month.

Professional development activities can be found here on the board website and will be posted at individual schools.

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

Sincerely,

Near North District School Board

Tuesday, July 18, 2023

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Student exchange company YES Canada, in partnership with Near North District School Board, is seeking families to host international secondary school students from Japan, Sweden, Italy and Australia in September 2023 who will study for three or 10 months.

Welcoming an international student to your home is a great way to learn about another country and culture, build lifelong relationships, and share your home, language and culture with a secondary school student. During their stay, students will live with a local family and experience daily life in Canada while developing their English language skills through this immersion experience.

Host families provide a home away from home for these secondary school students, providing a safe and nurturing environment, three meals per day and the opportunity to become a family member. Host families are compensated with a monthly stipend to offset the cost of hosting. Host families are supported by a local coordinator and YES Canada staff during their student’s stay.

If you are interested in hosting an international high school student or would like to learn more about YES Canada’s homestay program and the benefits of becoming a host, please contact homestay@youthedservices.ca or call 416-623-6220 ext. 410.

Sincerely,

Near North District School Board

Monday, July 17, 2023

TOROS Tickets On Sale Now!

The Near North District School Board’s Theatre Out Reach On Stage (TOROS) is proud to announce that tickets for their annual summer musical production Back to the 80’s The Totally Awesome Musical, are now on sale. Celebrate the history of TOROS while enjoying a pop culture trip down memory lane to an era that brought the world the Rubik’s Cube and some of the greatest musical hits ever!

Some of North Bay’s most talented intermediate and high school students will act, sing and dance their hearts out. Throw in a Star Wars dream sequence, high-energy dance routines, an 80’s dance party scene, large amounts of blue eyeshadow and hairspray, as well as some of the most popular songs ever written, and the result is a musical that will delight and amuse audiences of any age. Back To The 80’s is a high-energy musical with contemporary flair that you won’t want to miss!

Shows run at 7p.m. on August 10th to August 12th along with a special matinee performance on Sunday, August 13th at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $15.00 and are available for purchase online and in person at approved community events.

Contact TOROS@nearnorthschools.ca for full ticket information.

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Friday, July 7, 2023

NNDSB’s youngest learners connect with nature thanks to unique forest practitioner course

Over the course of the last two years, 19 kindergarten teachers and early childhood educators from the Near North District School Board (NNDSB) have participated in a forest practitioner course provided by the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada (CNAC) held at the Canadian Ecology Center and supported by the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit.

South Shore Education Centre kindergarten teacher Rhonda Hyatt said that many of the principles of the forest and nature school are incorporated in the kindergarten program.

“Early in the spring, when a few dandelions are popping up, we talk about one of our harvesting rules, are there a few or many? Some creatures depend on food from these plants early in the spring. Once there are many, many more dandelions in the yard, it’s a better time for us to pick some for bouquets or dandelion chains,” Hyatt said. “We chat about plants and berries that some people gather for food and other reasons.”

While engaged in outdoor learning, students are making decisions, pursuing their interests, learning from and connecting with the land, developing respect, and exploring relationships. Time spent in nature encourages children’s curiosity, and nurtures connectedness with the land and each other.

Educators learn about the principles of the Forest and Nature School through CNAC’s Practitioners Course. CNAC is committed to truth-telling and reconciliation. Connecting with Indigenous Peoples locally, building relationships, and co-creating programming with Indigenous partners are among CNAC’s commitments to responsibilities on this land. These understandings guide the learning and experiences of the practitioner’s course.

Aspects of the course focus on recognizing risk as an important part of play, reflecting on our own relationship with the land and engaging with local Indigenous Peoples.

Hyatt said that important lessons for these youngest learners are drawn from providing regular and repeated access to nature, offering time and space for children to dive deeply into play, and from teachers learning alongside children in play-based and inquiry-driven experiences. Importance is placed on always recognizing children as competent, capable, and curious.

“We walk gently in the bush, being careful not to damage young or fragile plants, or other living things. If we come across an animal such as a grouse or a bee, we give them space so that they don’t feel threatened by us,” Hyatt said. “The children are also reminded to give others space when they want time on their own, sometimes friends want a quiet spot, or some space to themselves.”

Hyatt said students’ observational skills are encouraged while engaging in outdoor learning with a philosophy of “look up, look down, look all around.

“When we do this, we might be looking to notice changes in plants, or we might be focusing on risks to be aware of. This can include checking the underside of the leaves on milkweed plants for monarch butterfly larvae, looking at leaves on the trees and on the ground, noticing low branches and thorn bushes and deciding together that it is not an area for running.” Hyatt said.

When gathered together to talk about their outdoor time together students discuss what they did that day such as following deer tracks, making a home for an animal, or climbing a log for a lookout point. They also talk about what they want to do and learn the next time, like, playing in puddles, investigating a hole in a tree or why there is a trail of tiny fluffy webs on the grass.

As the school year ends these young students can take their learning and appreciation of nature with them on their summer adventures and continue to connect with the land with their families.

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For more information contact:

Brett Hanson
Communications Coordinator
Near North District School Board
P. (705) 472-8170, extension 5083
E. Brett.Hanson@nearnorthschools.ca

Wednesday, June 28, 2023

NNDSB awards Parry Sound JK-12 construction contract after funding increase by Ministry of Education

Near North District School Board (NNDSB) is pleased to announce that a tender has been awarded for work on the Parry Sound High School site. At a special meeting on Tuesday, June 27, trustees voted to accept the recommendation of the Parry Sound Building Committee and award the tender to Van Horne Construction Ltd.

Last week, Minister of Education Stephen Lecce announced the investment of $58.5 million for the project, which will see the construction of a JK-12 school, with $54.8 committed by the Ministry of Education and $3.775 million committed by the board. The investment includes $53.3 million for the school and $5.2 million for the childcare centre. Total funding was increased by $14.6 million in May of this year.

Board Chair Erika Lougheed said, “This is an exciting time for NNDSB. The new JK-12 school in Parry Sound will bring a state-of-the-art learning facility to students in Parry Sound and area. Being able to award brings us a step closer to opening this school.”

A request for proposal was posted on Feb. 2, 2023, with a closing date of March 30, 2023. The Parry Sound Building Committee met on Thursday, June 22 to approve a motion to move the recommendation to award forward to the Board.

“We appreciate the Ministry of Education’s support of this capital project,” said NNDSB Director of Education Craig Myles. “We look forward to working with the contractor to see the Parry Sound school come to fruition. We are so happy to progress with our vision of providing a new and modern 21st-century teaching and learning facility for staff, students, partners and the greater community.”

The Parry Sound JK-12 school will have 815 student spaces, 49 childcare spaces and one EarlyON room to support local families. The new school is scheduled to open September 2025.

Parry Sound-Muskoka MPP Graydon Smith said, “This investment speaks to our government’s commitment to small and rural communities. We are determined to ensure that kids across Parry Sound-Muskoka have access to modern, state-of-the-art learning environments.”

NNDSB is grateful to the Government of Ontario for its support of this project.

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Monday, June 26, 2023

Return of powwow a profound event for PSHS community

The Parry Sound High School (PSHS) powwow is a significant and deeply meaningful event for the school’s Indigenous students and the broader school and local community.

The annual powwow has a decades-long history in the Parry Sound community, having first originated as a social organized by Wasauksing First Nation and the Anishinaabek Club.

PSHS Indigenous Studies and Anishinaabemowin teacher Johna Hupfield explained the creation of the powwow. “Many years ago, knowledge carrier Luci Rice worked on Wasauksing and ensured Indigenous youth had a safe space every Thursday at PSHS to drum, share cultural ideas and overcome racial challenges.”

The creation of the school drum and the importance of the school powwows and socials was documented in a book created by five PSHS students called Building Our Bridge: Our Journey of Reconciliation and received national recognition.

The event has long been organized by members of the PSHS student group Oshki Shkode. Having been on hiatus during the pandemic, this year’s event was meaningful for the school, and particularly for outgoing Indigenous Student Trustee Allen Lewis Trodd.

“We haven’t had the powwow since I started high school in Grade 9. We needed to have it again and bring the youth together. It’s a big part of our culture and our high school history,” Trodd said. “For me, this shows resilience. It makes me happy and proud to see what the youth can do when they come together. It’s amazing to see the students come together to drum, to sing and to dance. It’s also an opportunity to show their culture, who they are to Parry Sound.”

The event also plays an important role in student learning with course connections being made throughout the planning and execution of the event.

“It is a teaching powwow where youth are learning about First Nation culture, values and beliefs,” Hupfield said. Students learn about cultural identity, worldview, life skills, community connections and collaborations, respect for rights of Indigenous people and land reclamation.

“Typically, a group of students step forward to take on the roles planning coordinators for and other students and classes complete work as part of class projects and learning,”

Hupfield said. “It’s super meaningful. Powwow gathers us, we share skills in cooking, share First Nation culture and history.”

Students Reese Pamajewong, Kaiden Tabobondung, Karly Stevens, Korbin King and Tristan Lajambe facilitated and coordinated the budget, community invitations, communication with local media, organized teachers and students and much more to make the powwow a reality.

“We are a unique school with five First Nations attending but also with Indigenous, Métis and a small Inuit community who attend as well, Hupfield said. “Reclamation of culture and identity is happening in this generation. It is part of the reason the youth have called themselves Oshki Shkode, the New Fire.”

“We’ve been planning since last year. It takes a long time. We have to arrange the agenda, organize drummers and emcees, the invitation list and secure funding from the board,” Trodd said.

Supported by the Near North District School Board Indigenous Education team, additional funding for the event was also provided in partnership with the Anishinaabek Education System’s Niigaan Gdizhaami Fund of which Wasauksing First Nation is the grant holder.

“I’m a drummer so seeing all the drum groups come together is a highlight. We have groups from Moose Deer First Nation, the high school and Wasauksing First Nation, Trodd said. “It’s different, being able to wear our regalia in front of everyone. It used to be shunned but now it’s our pride, we are here to show off. It takes a lot of bravery and courage.

“I’m happy to see elders and babies here, I’m happy that the high school is able to bring this kind of event not just to the school but the whole community,” Trodd said.

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Friday, June 16, 2023

The following are the highlights of the Near North District School Board (NNDSB) meeting of Tuesday, June 13, 2023.

Board recognizes PSHS hospitality program educator

Blair Cousins, hospitality and culinary teacher and Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM)  lead for hospitality and tourism at Parry Sound High School (PSHS), was honoured at Tuesday’s Board meeting.

Cousins leads one of the largest SHSM programs in the board, providing students with hands-on learning opportunities. This year, he and his students hosted two SHSM dinners at PSHS. One was to encourage connections to the hospitality and tourism sector in the area, and one was to highlight the trade-related learning and opportunities in the community.

Cousins has also supported leadership in the health and wellness SHSM and hockey programs, further enriching the opportunities for students at PSHS.

The Board is pleased to recognize Cousins for his innovative, caring, and passionate leadership. 

Work of Laurentian Learning Centre highlighted

Trustees learned of the work that takes place at the Laurentian Learning Centre (LLC), which provides secondary programming to disengaged, marginalized, at-risk and struggling secondary school students whose attempts to attend and succeed at mainstream secondary schools have not been successful.

Once students are admitted to LLC the goal is to maintain regular attendance, connect students with supports, improve academic achievement and develop readiness skills to experience academic success to return to mainstream secondary school.

LLC’s timetables are offered in octomesters (one course per day) and quadmesters (two courses per day) which allows students to enrol throughout the school year.

Continuing education programs like non-credit English as a Second Language, adult literacy and basic skills, personal support worker, custodial services programs and self-study continuing education are also offered at LLC.

LLC was also able to support 19 students in writing the Ontario Secondary Student Literacy Test which is required for graduation (the highest number in a school year to date). This school year, 18 students will graduate from LLC.

Director’s report recognizes work of student trustees

This month’s Director’s report included acknowledgements for the work that has gone into another successful school year. Within the report, Director of Education Craig Myles noted that as the school year wraps us, staff and students are celebrating student success, graduations, staff retirements, 25-year employee milestone recognition and summer learning. Myles also thanked trustees for their leadership through the first year of their term.

The director also noted that he’s been visiting schools throughout NNDSB. His experiences have reconnected him with the essence of the board’s mission, vision and values, and he’s found that witnessing the students’ passion for learning has been enlightening.

Student Trustee Cecilia Darling and Indigenous Student Trustee Allen Lewis Trodd received praise for their dedication to serving as the bridge between NNDSB’s student body and the Board of Trustees. Both will be leaving their roles as their two-year terms are completed. The director wished both success in their future endeavours.

MYSP committee presents year-end report

The Board received the Multi-Year Strategic Planning (MYSP) committee’s year-end report.

The report is created twice annually and demonstrates the positive direction NNDSB is moving in across the four priority areas.

As NNDSB wraps up the second year of working under the five-year plan, there have been many accomplishments made in embedding the plan into the culture of the board, including multiple methods of embedding the four priorities (excellence in communication, excellence in teaching and learning, excellence in relationships and excellence in innovation) into all aspects of NNDSB.

This year, the six-week cycle process was implemented throughout the system; all staff are involved in the cycle of plan, act, observe and reflect. At school level, this results in regular assessments of student learning, and the ability to modify.

Of note in the report is the completion rate of English and math courses; the board projected an ambition 86 per cent and 91 per cent but achieved 90 per cent and 94 per cent.

Board approves compliant deficit budget 

Trustees approved a compliant deficit budget at the meeting. The deficit is just under $1 million. Boards are allowed to budget a one per cent deficit.

A report in the agenda notes that the board has budgeted a large transportation deficit for several years. It was felt that it was not appropriate to continue to reallocate funding from other areas when there are cost pressures in those areas, too.

There was also a media release issued about the budget.

Trustees approve sale of two elementary schools

With the completion of the new North Bay elementary school, Maple View Public School, E.T. Carmichael and E.W. Norman Public Schools have been declared as surplus property as of  September 1, 2023. Each property is slightly more than five acres.

Under the Education Act, when schools are declared as property surplus and the decision is made to sell them, they must be offered to specific government-funded agencies before offering the property to sale to the public. The schools will be offered to preferred agencies for a period of 90 days (ending in mid-September). If no offers are received, then NNDSB will submit a request for Ministry approval to offer the property(ies) for sale to the public via a request for proposal.

Updates to NNDSB Special Education Plan approved

Updates to the NNDSB 2022- 2023 Special Education Plan were approved by the Special Education Advisory Committee on May 18, and then by the Board of Trustees at the June 13 Board meeting.

Under the Education Act, all Ontario School Boards are required to prepare and approved a report on the special education programs and services provided by the board, and to submit it to the Ministry for review.

The Plan outlines the Special Education model, roles and responsibilities, the Identification, Placement, and Review Committee (IPRC) Process, Staff Development, and other key elements of programming and services to support students with special education needs. The plan can be found on the Special Education page of the NNDSB website.

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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.