1000 NEW WESTMINISTER DR, THORNHILL, ON, L4J 8G3
Westmount CI
Message from Admin 2
This week & News 3 - 4
Guidance 5
School Bus Info 6
Looking Ahead 7
Events and Misc Info 8 - 18
Inside this issue:
Please check our website regularly for updates.
� NEWS & EVENTS
� PARENTS
� SCHOOL CALENDAR
March 7 - 18, 2016
Attendance: 905.882.0277 x 238
Principal: Sheri Epstein
Vice-Principal: Lisa Wargo
Vice-Principal: Sheldon Zelsman
Dear Families and Community Members: It has been a cold and snowy few weeks, but the good news is, is that spring is just around the corner. I am sure everyone is looking forward to the March Break to enjoy some relaxation and family time. Over the last few weeks Westmount CI has been vibrant and alive with activity! Course selections for next year have been submitted and Career Cruising is now closed. Next week verifications forms will be distributed to students and they will have an opportunity to make changes and verify their course selections for next year. All signed verification forms must be re-turned no later than Friday, March 11. It is very important that students submit their verifications, as they directly impact our staffing for next year. This past Monday students attended Individual Pathway Planning (IPP) assemblies to learn about alternative programs that are offered at Westmount CI. Some include: College Dual Credit: Experience college while still in high school at no extra cost Earn high school credits AND college credits at the same time in the same course Learn in college state-of-the-art facilities Try something new Advanced Placement (AP):
AP courses occur at the grade 12 level provide students with background and knowledge equivalent to a first-year university
course give students the opportunity for enriched, intensive study in one or more subjects Based on their performance on the standardized AP exam, students may earn a transfer
credit, advanced placement or both for university. Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM):
SHSM is a Ministry of Education approved specialized program that allows students to fo-cus their learning on a specific economic sector while
assists in their transition after graduation to apprenticeship training, college, university or the workplace
Westmount has SHSM programs in Arts & Culture and Business
Co-operative Education: A unique educational program that integrates classroom course expectations with practical
experience in the workplace A full semester planned learning experience for which credits are earned
Please contact the school for further information about these programs.
Message from Admin Team
Up-coming Dates:
Wednesday, March 9 - Interim report cards distributed to students. These reports will give you an indication of your child’s progress to date. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s progress do not hesitate to contact their teachers.
Thursday, March 10 – Semester 1 Award’s Assembly at 9:00 a.m. in the school cafeteria. Invita-tions have been handed out to students receiving awards.
Wednesday, March 23 – School Council Meeting at 7:00 p.m. in the Westmount Library. Please join us!
Thursday, March 31 – OSSLT – modified school day (memo to follow)
Thursday, March 31 – Parent’s Night. Information about making appointments with teachers for that night will be handed out with the Interim Report Cards.
We hope that you have the opportunity to spend some quality time with your family during March break which begins Saturday, March 12. We look forward to everyone’s safe return on Monday, March 21.
Sincerely,
Lisa Wargo
Vice-Principal
Coming Up in The Next 2 Weeks
Monday-Friday, March 14-18 March Break
Tuesday, March 8 Cadbury Factory - Rosen, Popiel, Katyshev, Hamilton
Wednesday, March 9 Western University - Katyshev, Knight
Thursday, March 10 SNAP Floor Hockey Festival - Vaughan SS - Santos
Co-op is still open for applications which can be found at Bit.ly/WCICoop. Students will be given information on the verification notices that come out March
8. Once Co-op has been selected or added to verification sheets, the next step is to go online and complete the application form. Please note that the application form has changed. You must select two teachers for references. Please print off the reference sheet to be given to the teach-ers. Once the application and references have been submitted to the Co-op office, interviews will take place after the March break. Please ask your child if he/she has completed the application form online, and if not, please assist him/her with this process.
Course Verification Form Attention all parents and guardians of students in grades 9, 10 and 11. A course verification form will be distributed by your child’s homeroom teacher on Tuesday, March 8. Any changes are to be made on the form, then it is to be signed and returned to the main office by Thursday, March 10.
Guidance Appointments
Need an appointment with your Guidance Counselor?
Here’s how to book an appointment: https://sites.google.com/site/wciguidance/
Follow us on twitter @WCIGuidance or check the website regularly for updates as to when you can begin booking Guid-ance appointments.
Your Guidance Team UPDATE
GRADE 12 GRADUATION PREPARATION SEASON April is the start of Graduation Preparation Season. It’s time to get our Grade 12 stu-dents ready for their big day, Wednesday, June 29, 2016. Graduation Awards of Excellence Nomina-tions are due: Friday, April 1 Graduation Preparation Assembly is Wednesday, April 6 Graduation/Prom Ticket night is Wednes-day, April 20 Valedictorian Nominations open Monday, April 25 and close Friday, April 29 Check out https://sites.google.com/site/wciguidance/graduation #wcigrad #wciawards
WCIGuidance
Stay in the Loop Follow WestmountGuidance on Facebook and @WCIGuidance on Twitter. Visit the Guidance website regularly for important news, infor-mation and announcements. https://sites.google.com/site/wciguidance/home
COURSE SELECTION VERIFICATION All students will get a verification form listing the courses they selected for the next school year. Please note: The verification form is NOT a timetable It must be signed by a parent/guardian It must be signed by the student AND Corrections are to be made directly on the form the form must be returned to the Guidance department even if there
are no changes It must be returned by Thursday, March 10, 2016
More information can be found at https://sites.google.com/site/
MARCH BREAK 2016
Looking for something to do? Ontario colleges and universities will be holding Open Houses for prospective students. Simply Google the school of interest and find out the date and time of their Open House. #oncollege #onuniversity
To ensure the safety of students, school bus service may be cancelled due to inclement weather, extreme temperatures and/or poor road conditions. In these cases, parents and students should develop alternate care/transportation arrangements.
Since some busing schedules begin by 7:00 a.m., cancellation decisions must be made by 6:00 a.m. to allow time to communicate this message to bus drivers. Cancellation decisions will only be made after thorough consultation with the Safety Officers of school bus companies servicing York Region and are based on several factors including precipitation, air temperature, road conditions and weather forecast.
Please note the following:
A decision to cancel school bus service will be region-wide — meaning all school buses, vans and taxis will not operate
When bus service is cancelled, all school tests and/or examinations will be cancelled and rescheduled
Student trips involving the use of school buses will also be cancelled
School bus routes may be cancelled when severe weather may not be affecting all municipali-ties in York Region. Both the YRDSB and YCDSB operate many regional educational programs. Stu-dents attending these programs are transported over large attendance areas encompassing several mu-nicipal boundaries. This limits the ability to cancel bus service using a municipality or zone methodology.
Unless otherwise stated, schools will remain open and parents can make arrangements to transport their children to and from school even if school bus service is cancelled. If buses are cancelled in the morn-ing, they will not operate in the afternoon. Therefore, students transported to school by parents will require the same transportation home.
Parents, students and school staff are asked to access the following radio and television stations after 6:00 a.m. to receive bus cancellation information:
RADIO
590 AM 640 AM 680 AM 860 AM 1010 AM 1050 AM
1540 AM 1580 AM 88.5 FM 89.9 FM 92.5 FM 93.1 FM
94.9 FM 95.9 FM 97.3 FM 98.1 FM 99.1 FM 99.9 FM
101.1 FM 102.1 FM 104.5 FM 100.7 FM 107.1 FM
TELEVISION
CITY TV CTV Barrie CTV Toronto CP24 GLOBAL NEWS
A bus cancellation message will also be available at www.schoolbuscity.com and by calling 1-877-330-3001, or by follow-ing the YRDSB and YCDSB on twitter.
School Bus Cancellation Notice
Looking Ahead
Wednesday, March 23 OSSLT Prep Assembly
School Council
Thursday, March 24 Student Council Dance
Friday, March 25 Good Friday
Monday, March 28 Easter Monday
Wednesday, March 30 SHSM Certification (Arts & Business)
Thursday, March 31 OSSLT
Parents Night
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1
IPP Assembly 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 Interim Reports distributed
10 Sem 1 Awards assembly
11 12
13 14
M B
15
A R
16
R E
17
C A
18
H K
19
20 21 22 23 OSSLT Prep Assembly
School Council
24 Student Council Dance
25 Good Friday
26
27 28 Easter Monday
29 30 SHSM Certification
(Arts & Business)
31 OSSLT
Parents Night
March 20 16
Student absences have increased recently within several schools in York Region, related to ill-nesses with respiratory and enteric symptoms.
To protect staff, students and families from getting ill, remember to:
Stay at home when you are sick, and keep your child home if they are sick Keep healthy by eating healthy foods, being physically active and ensuring your immuniza-
tions are up-to-date, including the seasonal flu shot Avoid close contact with people who are sick Wash your hands often with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer
when soap and water are not available Cough and sneeze into your sleeve or a tissue, not your hand, and throw away used tis-
sues immediately Avoid touching your face Clean and disinfect common surfaces
Symptoms of respiratory and/or enteric illness can include:
Headache Chills Fever (over 38 degrees Celsius or 100 degrees Fahrenheit) Muscle aches and fatigue Runny nose Sneezing Sore throat Watery eyes Loss of appetite Nausea and vomiting Diarrhea
If you or your child are sick and do not improve, contact your health care provider.
Many viruses are commonly active at this time of year, for example norovirus and influenza (flu). Both viruses are very contagious and can be spread by contact with contaminated surfaces, such as door knobs or eating utensils. For more information, read the norovirus and flu fact sheets online at the following links:
Norovirus fact sheet
Flu fact sheet
Message from Public Health
Cognitive Behavior Therapy Group for Teens Aged 15 - 17 (Grade 10 - 12)
Managing Your Anxiety and Worry
In this group your child will learn practical skills to cope with anxiety, including:
How to understand and identify the cycle of anxiety and worry How to use worry management techniques in everyday life How to use relaxation techniques to reduce anxiety How to challenge and reframe thinking patterns that promote anxiety How to effectively deal with fear and other emotions traiggered by
anxiety There will be a number of concurrent parent sessions to help you learn how to support your adolescent in dealing with their anxiety. Time: 6:00 - 7:40 pm Mondays beginning April 4, 2016 (11, 18, 25, May 2, 9, 23, 30, June 6 and 13) Location: Rm 102, Behavioral Sciences Building, York University, Keele Campus (Steeles and Keele) Fee: $300.00 for 10 sessions (which includes your child receiving a workbook, Chilled: Cool Kids Anxiety Program Workbook and you receiving Cool Kids Adolescent Anxiety Program Parent Companion) Important note regarding fees: There are financial bursaries for families with limited financial re-sources and fees for psychological services are reimbursable through most workpalce extended health plans. Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions Please Note: A brief assessment interview will be conducted prior to the group starting in order to ensure that your child will benefit from the program. The registration form is attached for your convenience or can be downloaded from the clinic's web-site http://www.yorku.ca/yupc/group-programs.htm
Thornhill Secondary School School Council Speaker Series
Laughing & Learning – The Power of Parenthood
TSS School Council is very excited to invite all parents to a presentation by Andy Thibodeau
on the
Power of Parenthood.
Andy uses powerful and hilarious stories to highlight the power of the individual to make a difference.
Please join us…..
March 31st at 7:15pm in the Library
Thornhill Secondary School, 167 Dudley Ave.
Everyone welcome, refreshments provided
RSVP at [email protected]
