Friday, Feb. 7, 2025
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.
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We are excited to announce that kindergarten registration is now open at all of our schools for the upcoming academic year. Families can choose from our engaging English programming or our exceptional French Immersion programming, designed to provide young learners with a strong foundation for their educational journey.
Parents and guardians can register their child for kindergarten by calling their local school directly or by completing the online registration form available at this link.
Early registration ensures families have access to essential information about kindergarten readiness and programming options. NNDSB is committed to creating inclusive and supportive learning environments where every child can thrive.
We look forward to welcoming your child to one of our schools and beginning this exciting journey of learning together.
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The NNDSB math team is hosting a math night for parents/caregivers of Grade 7-12 students. The event will include information about TVO Mathify (a free online tutoring support), an overview of secondary math courses and pathways, sharing of virtual resources and tools for students and information about the Grade 9 EQAO math assessment.
The event will be held over Microsoft Teams on Wednesday, Feb. 19 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Here is the registration link.
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School Mental Health Ontario (SMHO) launched a new parent/caregiver learning hub called By Your Side, designed to meet the needs of Ontario’s families.
The resource was created by Ontario parents/caregivers and school mental health professionals and includes information and supports in many formats, including web content, PDFs and videos to make sure families can easily access information and strategies that promote mental health and well-being at home.
Key topics include understanding mental health, promoting mental health at home, supporting mental health at school, stress and anxiety management, substance use prevention, navigating digital technology use and reaching out for help.
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Nominations are now open for the 2025 OTIP Teaching Awards. Presented by the Ontario Teachers Insurance Plan (OTIP) and the Ontario Teacher’s Federation (OTF), the awards recognize the excellence of teachers in publicly funded education.
There are three categories of awards: elementary teacher, secondary teacher and beginning teacher (in the first five years of teaching). Teachers may be nominated by professional colleagues, students, parents or the public.
The deadline for nominations is March 31, 2025.
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Many NNDSB secondary schools are planning open houses for prospective students and their families.
Below is a list of upcoming open houses:
West Ferris Secondary School (WFSS) is advising students that specialized program applications are open until Feb. 14, 2025. In addition to its full slate of course offerings, WFSS has several specialized programs, including STEAM, Arts Nipissing, Near North Sports, Extended French and French Immersion.
These programs are available to students across North Bay, with busing available. Here are the programs with application information hyperlinked: STEAM; Arts Nipissing; Near North Sports; Extended French/French Immersion.
There will also be a Grade 7 information night being held Thursday, May 1 from 6 to 8 p.m.
F.J. McElligott will be hosting an information night/dinner event for Grade 6 and Grade 8 students and their parents on March 4, 2025, beginning at 6 p.m. (the snow date will be March 5). This information night will be an opportunity to see the school, hear about the programs offered at F.J. McElligott at both the intermediate and secondary levels, and enjoy a dinner that will be prepared by the Grade 6 and Grade 8 students earlier that day, as part of a transition day activity. Families are asked to call the school at 705-472-5720 to RSVP for the dinner.
Chippewa Secondary School (CSS) is planning its Grade 7 information night for May 1 from 6 to 8 p.m. More information will be available closer to the event.
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A reminder that Monday, Feb. 17 is the Family Day statutory holiday. All schools and the board office will be closed. We hope you enjoy the long weekend, and we will welcome students back to school on Tuesday, Feb. 18.
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The next meeting of the Board will be held Tuesday, Feb. 11 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.
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In addition to staying informed via the board’s website, families can find NNDSB on Facebook and Instagram.
Sincerely,
Near North District School Board
