Principal's Message

Good Morning Garth Webb:

Winter is back! Hopefully this is short lived and we can get back to enjoying more spring-like weather soon. It was great to see the large parent/guardian turnout for Parent Teacher Interviews last Thursday. The Open House format seems to be working to maximize the number of interviews within the 2 hour time slot. Here is a two second Google form for parents/guardians to give us feedback on the timing of these interview nights to see what time window suits the majority. I will also poll teachers to see their preference.

The options will be:

5:00 - 7:00 pm

5:30 - 7:30 pm

6:00 - 8:00 pm

Please click here to complete this quick survey. Thank you!

We wish the best of luck to the Robotics team that is competing in their first event up in North Bay this weekend. Go Chargers!!

Don't forget there is a late start this Wednesday morning due to the Collaborative Planning day. Graduates, please make sure you purchase your Grad Packages before March 29th for this year's commencement!!!! March is flying by!

Take care,

Jacquie Pece

CP Day This Wednesday

This Wednesday, March 27 is a Collaborative Planning day (“CP” day). CP Days are for staff and happen 4 times each semester. This is the second one in semester 2. On CP Days, students start school one hour later at 9:30 am, our periods will be shortened slightly, and lunch time is from 11:40 am—12:40 pm.

The CP schedule and dates are on our website here and in the school calendar for your reference. Please put these dates into your calendar.

From Your Student Services Department

Tuesdays @Ten

On Tuesday, March 5, a representative from Niagara College presented on what colleges have to offer. Including general information, the difference between academic vs applied, credential types, how to apply, and how to bridge from college to university. If you missed the presentation a recording of the session can be found here.

Scholarships and Awards

Community Awards: (Rotary, Halton Learning Foundation, Maycourt, CFUW, Lion's Club, Chinese Canadian Association).

It's that time of year when applications open for the various community awards.  All information can be found on the online awards hub.  Please take a look at the site and direct any questions you may have to your guidance counsellor.  Students are encouraged to create an account and review the various award criteria.  Please note that most application deadlines are in the Spring.

Awards Hub

Summer School

Summer school registration with the HDSB will open on April 17. Students will be able to register for courses through myBlueprint. Further information will be available in the coming weeks.

Commencement Package Deadline this Friday, March 29

We wanted to remind you that the graduation packages are available for purchase on School Cash Online. The fee is called “GWSS - Commencement 2024” and includes: venue, grad gown package, and one professional printed photograph per student which will be taken as they cross the stage. There is a firm purchase deadline of March 29 to allow time for ordering the gowns from our vendor. This order deadline cannot be extended, so please purchase your package ASAP. If you need financial assistance with this purchase, please reach out to our Principal Jacquie Pece directly.

All students who are attending commencement will need to purchase this package. If your student is NOT planning to attend commencement, please send an email to Kerri Lee to inform us.

Commencement Details:

Monday, June 10, 2024 @4:30 pm at the Meeting House (2700 Bristol Circle, Oakville). Students will be given 2 tickets each for guests to attend. At this time, we do not know if there will be any extra tickets available. Once that is determined (likely sometime in early May), we will communicate with families about how they can add their name to the list for one extra ticket to be given out by lottery.

Please visit School Cash Online today to purchase the GWSS - Commencement 2024 fee.

Volunteer Club

Volunteer club dedicates to provide more volunteering opportunities to our students. Our goal is to make the information more accessible for everyone. We post opportunities weekly with all of the information included in our google classroom! If you want to learn more about our club and wish to find more opportunities, please join our google classroom through code: dtpah5l.

 You can also find us on instagram (@gwss.volunteer), LinkedIn (GWSS Volunteer Club), and Twitter (@gwss_volunteer)! If you have any question, feel free to email us at gwssvolunteerclub@gmail.com.

Opportunity for This Week:

Earth Keepers Club (April 2024)

Spend a day at the Cedar Haven Eco-Centre with the EarthKeepers Club!

The EarthKeepers Club is a program that focuses on serving, reflecting on, and learning about the natural world. It is a space for youth (ages 12-16) to connect with others their age that have similar interests in the environment and conservation. 

The EarthKeepers Club  has no cost to join and runs from April-November, on the second Saturday of each month. We are able to offer 3 volunteer hours for high school students that participate in a program day.

If this interests you or if you have any questions about our programming, please reach out to cedar.haven@arocha.ca.

Address: 1039 97 Freelton, ON L0R 1K0 

Date: Saturday, April 13, 2024 

Time: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM 

Click here to reserve a spot.

Holi - March 25

Monday, March 25th marks Holi. Known as the Festival of Colours, Holi is one of the grandest and most popular celebrations amongst Hindu people in Canada. While the day is not an official public holiday, it is being increasingly observed across the country.

The Holi festival traditionally celebrates the victory of good over evil. Many Hindus believe that this holiday shows that the devotion of Hindu people can augment the power of Lord Vishnu. This celebration also honours Lord Krishna, a reincarnation of Lord Vishnu.

In addition to its religious aspects, Holi also celebrates the end of winter and the arrival of spring. The holiday is officially celebrated on the full moon day of the month of Phalguna of the Hindu Calendar, meaning it usually falls in March on the Gregorian Calendar.

In 2017, the Hindu festival of Holi was given special recognition by members of the Canadian parliament who took part in the celebrations themselves. But every year, Indo-Canadian communities across the country keep up this colourful Indian tradition.

Holi is somewhat like New Year’s Eve in that people resolve to live better in the year ahead and to leave the worries of last year behind them. They also decorate their homes with bright colours, sing and dance in small groups in the streets, attend special Hindu services, and often throw colourful chalk powder at one another.

Source

Hola Mohalla - March 25 -27

Hola Mohalla or Hola Mahalla or simply Hola is a Sikh festival that takes place on the first of the lunar month of Chet which usually falls in March. This, by a tradition established by Guru Gobind Singh, follows the Hindu festival of Holi by one day; Hola is the masculine form of the feminine sounding Holi.

The word "Mohalla" is derived from the Arabic root hal (alighting, descending) and is a Punjabi word that implies an organized procession in the form of an army column. But unlike Holi, when people playfully sprinkle colored powder, dry or mixed in water, on each other, the Guru made Hola Mohalla an occasion for the Sikhs to demonstrate their martial skills in simulated battles.

Together the phrase "Hola Mohalla" stands for "mock fight". During this festival, processions are organised in the form of army type columns accompanied by war-drums, standard-bearers, who proceed to a given spot or move in state from one gurdwara to another. The custom originated in the time of Guru Gobind Singh who held the first such mock fight event at Anandpur in February 1701.

Source

Khordad Sal - March 26

Khordad Sal is the birthday of Zoroaster (Zarathustra), the prophet and founder of Zoroastrianism. The holiday usually falls sometime after Nowruz and is often called “Greater Nowruz.” Celebrants pray, hang fresh flowers in their home, and make vibrant drawings (rangoli) on the floor. 

This holiday is celebrated by Zoroastrians worldwide. The largest Zoroastrian populations today are in Iran and in India.

Guan Yin Birthday - March 28

Guan Yin is the revered embodiment of the Goddess of Mercy. Guan Yin holds profound significance in Buddhism, emerging as a prominent figure within its diverse branches, cultures, and traditions. Held in great esteem for her boundless compassion and role in alleviating universal suffering, Guan Yin is admired by her devotees for her grace in bestowing limitless blessings upon those seeking to fulfil their dreams and achieve their greatest potential.

Transcending the boundaries of Buddhism, Guan Yin’s immense cultural importance carries throughout Chinese society, crossing generational divides and extending among the global Chinese diaspora. Temples and shrines dedicated to Guan Yin have been established across the world, serving as enduring tributes to her and all her manifestations, which are deeply embedded in the folklore of diverse communities.

Source

Good Friday March 29 

& Easter March 31

Easter is a Christian holiday that celebrates the belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the New Testament of the Bible, the event is said to have occurred three days after Jesus was crucified by the Romans and died in roughly 30 A.D. The holiday concludes the “Passion of Christ,” a series of events and holidays that begins with Lent—a 40-day period of fasting, prayer, and sacrifice—and ends with Holy Week, which includes Holy Thursday (the celebration of Jesus’ Last Supper with his 12 Apostles, also known as “Maundy Thursday”), Good Friday (on which Jesus’ crucifixion is observed), and Easter Sunday. Although a holiday of high religious significance in the Christian faith, many traditions associated with Easter date back to pre-Christian, pagan times. This year, Good Friday is on March 29, and Easter Sunday is on March 31. 

Click here to read more on History.com. Happy Easter to all who are celebrating.

Ram Navami - March 30

Rama Navami is the day on which Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu, incarnated in human form in the land of Ayodhya. He is the ardha ansh of Vishnu or has half the divinitive qualities of Lord Vishnu. The word “Rama” literally means one who is divinely blissful and who gives joy to others, and one in whom the sages rejoice.

Ram Navami falls on the ninth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Chaitra (April/May) (8 days after Yugādi) and coincides with Vasant Navratri or Chait Durga Puja. Therefore in some regions, the festival is spread over nine days. This day, marking the birthday of Lord Rama, is also observed as the marriage day of Rama and Sita and thus also referred to as Kalyanotsavam.

Source

HDSB 2024-2025 School Year Calendar Approved

The Halton District School Board and the Halton Catholic District School Board have received final approval from the Ontario Ministry of Education for the 2024-2025 school year calendar. 

To view the 2024-2025 school year calendar, visit:

• HDSB School Year Calendar webpage

The school year calendar is developed with input from the School Year Calendar Committee consisting of representatives from the school communities including parents/guardians and employee groups. Trustees of the Halton District School Board and Trustees of the Halton Catholic District School Board approved the calendar dates for the 2024-2025 school year at the February Board meeting. 

The calendar outlines the Professional Activity days (PA) for staff when schools will be closed to students, as well as school breaks and holidays. The first day of school for the 2024-2025 school year is Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024.

Additional resources and information

HDSB 2024-2025 School Year Calendar

HDSB Hosting Mental Health & Well-Being Information Sessions for Parents/Guardians

The Halton District School Board has announced additional Mental Health & Well-Being Information Sessions for parents/guardians this Spring. 

The upcoming sessions include: 

• Celebrating Neurodiversity - Tuesday, March 26 from 6 - 7 p.m. 

• How to Access Mental Health Services in Halton with Access and Service Navigation (ASN)  - Thursday, April 4 from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. 

• Supporting Elementary Students (K - Grade 8) with Anxiety: Practical Strategies and Interventions - Tuesday, April 9 from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. 

• How to Identify Youth at Risk of Suicide - Wednesday, April 10 from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

• Supporting Secondary Students (Grade 9-12) with Anxiety and Depression: Practical Strategies and Interventions - Wednesday, April 10 from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

• Black, Mixed Race and Identity - Thursday, April 11 from 6 - 7 p.m.

• Healthy and Unhealthy Stress - Monday, April 15 from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

• Storytime and Strategies - Thursday, May 9 from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Learn more about the sessions available by visiting our Mental Health & Well-Being Information Sessions webpage and register online by completing the registration form. When you register, you can also submit a question for the presenters.

Registration is required for these sessions as limited spots are available. Registrants will be emailed a Google Meet link to access the session. Captioning in various languages is available.

Director's Cut

For the past several years, we have been bringing the HDSB's 2020-2024 Multi-Year Plan into greater focus through our Director's Cut video series.

In 2021-2022, we introduced staff, students, and the community to the framework of the Multi-Year Plan and how it drives learning across the system. In 2022-2023, we took a closer look at the classroom level, showing how each of the five areas of focus are integrated and implemented into everyday instruction. In this final year of the MYP, we are digging even deeper by having students show us from their point of view - literally - how the plan is strengthening their learning and making their educational experience successful and engaging. 

Tune in now: EPISODE #13: Director's Cut | MYP - Mental Health & Well-Being: Student Point of View.

Thank you for being a part of this exciting learning journey.

Upcoming Key Dates

Mar 27 CP Day - Classes start at 9:30 am

Mar 29 Good Friday (School Closed)

Apr 1 Easter Monday (School Closed)

Apr 2 Tuesdays @Ten

Apr 8 PA Day - no school for students

Apr 17 Last Day of Term 1

Apr 18 First Day of Term 2

Apr 24 OUAC / OCAS Semester 2 Midterm Mark Upload

Apr 24 CP Day - Classes start at 9:30 am

Apr 26 Semester 2 Midterm Report Card Distribution

May 3 Full Disclosure

May 7 Tuesdays @Ten

May 20 Victoria Day Holiday (School Closed)

May 22 CP Day - Classes start at 9:30 am

May 23 15th Week Report Distribution

May 23 Grade 12 Prom

May 27 - Jun 19 Protected Time

Jun 4 Tuesdays @Ten

Jun 10 Class of 2024 Commencement

Jun 20 - 26 Exam Block

Jun 27 Exam Review Day/Last Day of School (early dismissal)

Jun 28 PA Day - no school for students

Jul 3 OUAC / OCAS Semester 2 Final Mark Upload

Jul 8 Semester 2 Final Report Card Distribution

Jul 9-11 Diploma Pick up