Friday, Feb. 3, 2023
Dear Parents and Guardians,
The monthly Letter to Families, distributed on the first Friday of the month, is intended to keep you apprised of news that affects all students and families of Near North District School Board (NNDSB).
*
Kindergarten registration: It is that time of year again when we look to welcome our newest and youngest learners into the NNDSB family! If you have a child who was born on or before Dec 31, 2019, they are eligible to begin school this September.
Registration has never been easier; visit our kindergarten registration page and complete the form. We strongly recommend that families register as soon as possible.
Your child’s school will be conducting Journey into Learning events this spring to share information about your child’s kindergarten classroom, program and school community: call your local school to find out more.
*
Semester 1 Exams: As a result of the consecutive inclement weather days across our district this past week, many students have not been able to complete their exams within the scheduled Semester 1 examination period. This has created several challenges and will require adjustments to the start of the Semester 2 schedule in some schools.
The revised Semester 1 exam timeline acknowledges that each region of our district has been uniquely impacted by inclement weather. The adjusted start of the second semester schedule will only affect students in Grades 9-12. Elementary students are unaffected.
| School: | Semester 1 Final Exam Date: |
Semester 2 Schedule Start Date: |
|---|---|---|
| Almaguin Highlands Secondary School | Feb. 6, 2023 | Feb. 7, 2023 |
| Chippewa Secondary School | Feb. 6, 2023 | Feb. 7, 2023 |
| F.J. McElligott Intermediate/Secondary | Feb. 2, 2023 | Feb. 6, 2023 |
| Northern Secondary School | Feb. 6, 2023 | Feb. 7, 2023 |
| Parry Sound High School | Feb. 7, 2023 | Feb. 8, 2023 |
| West Ferris Intermediate/Secondary | Feb. 6, 2023 | Feb. 7, 2023 |
Student Success activities and additional instructional support will be communicated by the school administration. These opportunities will vary from school to school according to the exam schedule.
*
Term 1 – Semester 1 report cards: NNDSB is proud to offer all families the ability to access their child’s report cards via Edsby.
Secondary Semester 1 reports will be available after 2 p.m. on Feb. 13, 2023. Elementary reports, including the Term 1 reports (Grades 1-8) and the communication of learning reports (kindergarten), will be available to parents after 2 p.m. on Feb. 16, 2023.
Please be aware that as schools work to get these reports online, there may be a slight delay. If you do not see your child’s report by Feb. 17, please reach out to your school.
If you have not yet logged into Edsby or created an account, please see this page on our website for more details about how to do so. This page also shares information on how to contact the family help desk to troubleshoot account issues.
*
NNDSB’s Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) is pleased to present two sessions for families. Save the dates for these events; details, including links, will be available in upcoming monthly letters to families.
A bullying and prevention presentation will be held Wednesday, Feb. 8 from 6:30-8 p.m. via Zoom. The board’s safe schools team will discuss the board’s safe schools framework, provide information and resources from the Ministry of Education, highlight board and school initiatives and provide resources and supports for bullying support and prevention.
Here is the link to join the Feb. 8 meeting. For more information, email Krista.Holmes@nearnorthschools.ca.
On March 8, PIC is hosting a presentation about what the board and schools have been doing to support equity and inclusion. There will be a discussion on identity and anti-oppressive education and the importance of ensuring all students are accepted and have the support in place to succeed. Watch for more info and a Zoom link in next month’s Letter to Families.
*
The Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA) is sharing news about a new benefit for families who do not have dental insurance.
The Canada Dental Benefit provides eligible parents or guardians with a direct tax-free payment of up to $650 per year for two years to help cover dental expenses for children under 12. This is a temporary benefit for families without private dental insurance who have a net family income under $90,000.
The benefit is for children who are covered by provincial or federal programs if they and their family meet all criteria to qualify, as long as they have out-of-pocket expenses that are not covered by another program.
Applications for the new benefit are now open.
*
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
