Friday, Aug. 29, 2025
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). The September letter is issued on the Friday prior to the start of the first day of school.
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Craig Myles, Director of Education for Near North District School Board, welcomes students and staff back to school for the 2025-2026 school year. An extra special welcome is extended to students and staff who are joining NNDSB for the first time.
We hope that everyone had a wonderful summer and is now ready to start a great school year.
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School transportation is provided by Nipissing Parry Sound Student Transportation Services (also called the consortium). The board does NOT operate the buses or make decisions about cancellations.
On Aug. 20, the consortium issued a media release about the availability of route information. As of Aug. 20, parents and guardians with portal accounts can go in and review the transportation details for their children.
All parents and guardians are encouraged to create a portal account and subscribe to NPSSTS Notifications to receive alerts through email and text messages. Instructions can be found on their website at www.npssts.ca.
The consortium suggests reviewing transportation details periodically leading up to the first day of school, as changes will continue to be made.
Any inquiries regarding changes to routing can be directed to the NPSSTS via email at info@npssts.ca. They will be reviewed and forwarded to the appropriate NPSSTS route planner or school board for processing.
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Educators from NNDSB were featured in a recent episode of the Reading Road Trip, a podcast of the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) of Ontario.
NNDSB educators are leaders in literacy, and last year, the literacy team was chosen as one of the recipients of the Dyslexia Canada Educational Excellence Awards by the Dyslexia Canada Board of Directors.
NNDSB educators Lisa Rogers, Courtney Berger and Kristen Roy participated in the IDA Ontario podcast that launched Monday, Aug. 18. The podcast is hosted by Kate Winn, classroom teacher and host of IDA Ontario’s podcast Reading Road Trip. The podcast is for “travellers” on the road to evidence-based literacy instruction.
The episode discusses how the board’s literacy team transformed reading outcomes for intermediate students through a targeted, data-driven, structured literacy intervention.
The podcast can be found here.
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Looking for a unique cultural experience for your family? Try hosting an international high school student this coming school year!
Student exchange organization, YES Canada, in partnership with NNDSB, is welcoming international students from a wide range of countries to study at local high schools in North Bay, Parry Sound, Mattawa, Sturgeon Falls, South River and surrounding areas. Students are arriving to begin programs in November, January and April and will be staying for a range of durations, so apply now to ensure your family is considered to welcome a student.
Host families provide a home away from home in a safe and nurturing environment, three meals per day and the opportunity for the student to become a family member. A monthly stipend to offset the cost of hosting is provided, as well as ongoing guidance and support from the experienced YES Canada team before and during a student’s stay.
Hosting is a fantastic way to experience another country and culture in your own home, and it is also a great way to establish life-long friendships and connections.
Hosting opportunities are available for possible durations of two, three, five, 10 and 12 months.
For more information or to become a YES Canada Host Family, email homestay@youthedservices.ca or call 416-624-6220 ext. 410 or visit the YES Canada website.
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NNDSB’s Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) is holding its first meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 24, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. All families are welcome and encouraged to attend. You can join the PIC meeting with this link.
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The next meeting of the Board will be held Tuesday, Sept. 9 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public, and you are welcome to attend in person or join via Zoom.
Information about the Board, committees and their meetings can be found here.
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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
