Near North District School Board

NNDSB RELEASES DIRECTOR’S ANNUAL REPORT

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The 2017/2018 Director’s Annual Report was presented to the Board of Trustees at the December 18, 2018 Regular Board Meeting in accordance with the requirements of the Education Act.  The Education Act, 1990 stipulates that a Director’s Annual Report must be prepared and presented to the Board of Trustees at the first regular meeting in December.

The attached report meets all of the Ministry of Educations requirements with respect to the Annual Report including, but not limited to:

  • The Board’s strategic goals and progress made towards those goals.
  • Action taken towards the promotion of a positive school climate and prevention of bullying.
  • Training and professional development for employees with respect to equity and inclusive education.
  • Efforts to actively engage and integrate feedback from students, parents and community partners.

The information contained in the attached report is only a snapshot of all work, programming and accomplishments of the NNDSB over the past year.   We are fortunate to have such dedicated and competent educators within our schools and Board.

Director’s Annual Report 2017-2018

For more information, please contact:

Mairghread Knought
Information/Communications Officer
Near North District School Board
Tel:  705-472-8170 ext. 5010
Email: Mairghread.Knought@nearnorthschools.ca

Reflecting on Treaties Recognition Week

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All Near North Schools are situated on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabe. We value the cultures, histories and relationships with Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island (North America).

Our commitment and focus on truth and reconciliation is incorporated into learning activities that take place throughout the year and support cross curricular learning in our schools. We continue to provide Professional Development for our educators and work with support from our local First Nation Knowledge Keepers.

Treaties Recognition Week, which took place November 5th to November 9th, presents us with a significant opportunity to promote understanding about Treaties and Treaty relationships throughout schools in Ontario. The week provides a reoccurring opportunity to gain deeper knowledge and understanding of history, culture and contemporary issues.

During this year’s Treaty Education Week, 50 educators within the NNDSB had the opportunity to participate in a professional development opportunity with Kelly Crawford, Education Director for the Anishinabek Education System. This learning supported the History Curriculum, cross curricular connections and the Truth & Reconciliation: Calls to Action. We are grateful for the opportunity to engage in this learning.

In addition, many elementary schools across all regions of the Board had the opportunity to host Treaty Knowledge Keepers, Artist and Elders in Residence in order to foster deeper understanding of Treaty relationships. This included local Knowledge Keeper, Maurice Switzer, who shared our locally developed resource, authored by Mr. Switzer: “Grandpa, what is a treaty anyway? ” The book directly supports the elementary social studies curriculum.

Veterans’ Week November 5-11, 2018

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Canada remembers Canada’s  Hundred Days and the First World War Armistice

In many ways, Canada’s military efforts over the years can be seen as a “road to peace.”  2018 marks the centennial of “Canada’s Hundred Days”—the series of impressive battlefield victories by the Canadian Corps over the last three months of the First World War.  It is also the 100th anniversary of the Armistice that finally brought an end to four years of brutal conflict.

Our service members displayed great courage during the last hundred days of the conflict.  Thirty men from Canada and Newfoundland earned the Victoria Cross—the highest award for military valour they could receive—during this period.  This Remembrance Day, bells in Canadian communities from coast to coast to coast will again ring out to mark the 100th anniversary of this important milestone.

This Veterans’ Week, we honour those who served and died as our country has steadily pushed forward on the long and difficult road to peace—a precious yet fragile ideal. How will you remember?
For more information visit Veterans Affairs Canada

Photo credits (top to bottom): Library and Archives Canada

PA-003286, PA-003022 and PA-040231
© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Veterans Affairs, 2018.

Board of Trustees Election Results

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The following persons have been elected/acclaimed to the Board of Trustees for the Near North District School Board:

Zone 1 (4 Representatives)
Jay Aspin
Donna Breault
Louise Sargent
Bill Steer

Zone 2 (1 Representative)
Greg Barnes

Zone 3 (1 Representative)
Rob Learn

Zone 4 (1 Representative)
John Cochrane

Zone 5 (1 Representative)
Al Bottomley

Nipissing First Nations (1 Representative)
Nichole King

Elected Trustees will officially be sworn in and take office at 5 p.m. on December 4, 2018 during the Inaugural Meeting.  The Inaugural Meeting is a public meeting and will take place at the Board Office located at 963 Airport Road and will be followed by the Annual Organizational Meeting at 6.p in which the Board will confirm, Board Chair, Vice-Chair and Committee appointments.

Almaguin Highlands SS to be Featured on Cogeco YourTV Remembrance Day

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The students in the Grade 11/12 Theatre Production Class at Almaguin Highlands Secondary School (“AHSS”) will be featured in a docu-drama created as part of Cogeco’s YourTV Remembrance Day programming.  Marking the 100 years since the Halifax harbour explosion in 1917, AHSS students researched, wrote and performed the play, “Halifax:1917”, last year.

The play was written to commemorate the 1917 disaster that occurred in the Halifax harbour, killing over 1500 people and injuring (and blinding) thousands more.

YourTV’s Jake Forsyth approached AHSS to produce a docu-drama featuring the students of today and their research, and connections to the stories of 100 years ago.  YourTV of North Bay subsequently filmed a docu-drama featuring the students and their teacher Allison Green to be aired November 8th, 2018. Check your local listings for times of airing.

AHSS will hold its’ own screening on November 9th, 2018 at 7 p.m.  The screen will be free and open to the public. Students and staff involved in the play and docu-drama will be on hand to share their experience.

For more information, please contact:

Allison Green
Almaguin Highlands Secondary School
Phone: (705)492-9744
Email: allison.green@nearnorthschools.ca

Director of Education Response to Candidate Media Release

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Earlier this week articles were published in local media sources based on a media release issued by a candidate for the Board of Trustees.  The media release contained a number of statements with respect to the current and future employment of the Director of Education with the Near North District School Board.  This information contained below is in response to those articles and is being issued for clarification purposes.

Mr. O’Hagan contacted Ms. Young this summer and requested a meeting to discuss issues and priorities for the Near North District School Board.  However, as Mr. O’Hagan was and is currently a candidate for Trustee, his request for a meeting was declined. During the election campaign period employees of the Board, including the Director of Education, must remain non-partisan in order to ensure the integrity of the election process and our residents democratic rights.  Requests for meetings from other candidates and for information that is not readily and/or publicly available have also been declined.

The Director of Education and Board staff are looking forward to working with all elected Trustees to ensure that the Board remains accountable to students, parents and community partners.  Openness and transparency are at the core of public government and Ms. Young is supportive of all initiatives that uphold these values.

“We have a large number of schools with talented students, excellent teaching staff and leading-edge technology and programming.  Our focus at the administrative level is, and has always been, ensuring that we provide our students with the education, opportunities, resources and supports they need.  Any review of our office and our efforts either externally or internally is, and always, has been welcome.”– Jackie Young

Ms. Young was contacted by media sources for comment on Mr. O’Hagan’s media release but unfortunately could not address the timelines offered in time for publication.

For more information, please contact:

Mairghread Knought
Information/Communication Officer
Near North District School Board
(705) 472-8170, extension 5010
Mairghread.knought@nearnorthschools.ca

NNDSB Students Participate Annual Terry Fox Walk/Run Events

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The annual Terry Fox Runs  is days away, and our students are gearing up to raise money for cancer research and help keep Terry Fox’s dream alive.

Terry Fox’s Marathon of Hope might have ended in 1980 but the spark he lit in the hearts and minds of Canadians ignited into a campaign of hope that has lasted more than three decades. Once again this September hundreds of thousands of Terry Fox supporters will participate in their favourite Canadian fall tradition at one of more than 700 Terry Fox Runs from coast to coast to coast to ensure that cancer research continues to forge ahead.

The students and staff at the Near North District School Board appreciate your support with this important initiative.

Terry Fox had a single dream: a world without cancer. Come and join us as we work together in pursuit of this dream. For more information on the Terry Fox Run and Foundation, visit www.terryfox.org

 

Every Child Matters Orange Shirt Day

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Orange Shirt Day

Recognized annually on September 30th

What is Orange Shirt Day?

Orange Shirt Day, which started in 2013, was designed to educate people and promote awareness about the Indian Residential School system and the impact on Indigenous communities. in Canada. We wear orange in affirmation of our commitment to truth and reconciliation.

Indian residential schools operated in Canada between 1831 and 1996 at over 130 sites. The schools were unsafe physically, cognitively, social/emotionally and spiritually. More than 150 000 children were forced to attend the schools. Children suffered ongoing, often severe abuse & neglect and thousands of children died. The schools were a direct cause of loss of language, culture, traditional knowledge and community. The effects continue to echo through our nation.

One Child’s Story

Phyllis was only 6 years old when she was forced to attend residential school in the early 1970’s. The first day at the school was tragic and one she would never forget. Alone and frightened, all her items were taken away, including her best and favourite shiny orange shirt. “The colour orange has always reminded me of that day….how my feelings didn’t matter, how no one cared and how I felt like I was worth nothing. All of us little children were crying and no one cared”.

On September 30th, the same time of year children were taken to Residential schools, we remember and acknowledge this painful legacy. We wear orange to symbolize the journey towards healing, truth and reconciliation, in honour of the children who survived residential schools and those who did not.

Every Child Matters
Moving Towards Reconciliation

Fore more information please visit:

 www.orangeshirtday.org 

Wear Purple on Rowan’s Law Day

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Rowan Stringer loved rugby. A competitive and keen athlete, she was captain of her high school’s team. Tragically, in May 2013, 17-year old Rowan died as the result of head injuries she sustained while playing rugby. In the week before her last game, Rowan was hit twice while playing, likely sustaining a concussion after each blow. Her concussions went unreported, and she continued to play. Rowan suspected something wasn’t right—she texted a friend about her condition and used Google to search for information about concussions. When she was hit again in her final game, Rowan suffered what is known as Second Impact Syndrome—catastrophic swelling caused by a second injury to a brain still healing from previous trauma. Rowan collapsed on the field on May 8, 2013, and died four days later.

What is Rowan’s Law Day?

Rowan’s Law Day was established in 2018, and will be observed across Ontario on the last Wednesday in September each year. The purpose of Rowan’s Law Day is to increase concussion education awareness, especially in schools.

Thank You! – 2018 Kindergarten Parent Survey

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Thank you to all the parents and caregivers who participated in the 2018 Kindergarten Parent Survey.

The ten winners of a $50 gift card have been contacted.

The information gathered will assist community organizations and school boards to better tailor community programs and services and reduce barriers to access.

A report to the community will be available in late Fall 2018.

Thank you to all parents and caregivers who participated in the 2018 Kindergarten Parent Survey.

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