Principal's Message

Good Morning Garth Webb:

I lost my voice cheering between all the championship wins last week and the two BIG wins this week!!! The Sr. Boys Volleyball team won the GHAC challenge game in three straight sets and then went on to win the GHAC Championship Final over Bishop Reding High School in three straight sets again!!! Both best of 5 games were played at home. The bleachers were packed with overwhelming support for the team!! Thank you to the fans!! They are now moving on to the all Ontario Championship (OFSAA) next week in Windsor. Good Luck Chargers!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Grade 8 Program Night was a big success last Thursday with standing room only. The community and school have a great reputation and this seems to be the place where people want to be!! Thank you to the Link Leaders for their guided tours and the teachers for the classroom displays. I was excited to have a chance to drive our robot and taste the cookies from the Foods class. I think everyone followed their nose and ended up in that room at some point.

On a more serious note - we recognize that families may be struggling to support their children with anxiety due to loss and suffering caused by recent events in the news that have impacted their family and friends. We would encourage parents/guardians to reach out to the following community services: Naseeha and Jewish Child and Family Services for support.

Our Halton District School Board student well-being staff, Social Workers and CYC's, including members of the BIEHR well-being team (Black, Indigenous, Equity, Human Rights) are also available to support students. Please reach out to your student's Guidance Counsellor for a referral for Board services as needed. We are here to help students.

Midterm Report Cards were sent home electronically on Friday, November 17 at 4:00 pm. I look forward to reviewing the student achievement to date.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Take care,

Jacquie Pece

From Your Student Services Department

Grade 8 Open House

On Thursday, Nov 16 Garth Webb Student Services hosted our annual Program Night.  If you missed the session (or know of a family with students attending GWSS next year) the slide deck is shared below.

Grade 8 Open House

Full Disclosure - Grade 11/12 Students

The full disclosure date for semester one is Monday,  Nov 27, 2023.  Courses dropped after this date will appear on a high school transcript.  If you are considering dropping a course, we encourage you to speak with your guidance counsellor and be mindful of the deadline.

Tuesdays @Ten

Our November parent engagement session was geared towards families of students in Grades 9 and 10.  We covered the various graduation requirements and programs available in the HDSB.

If you weren’t able to join us, you can access the slides and recording below.

Slides

Recording

Post Secondary Applications

Applications to Universities (through OUAC) and Colleges (through OCAS) are now open.  Students can apply anytime between now and the deadline

University Application Portal – applications are due prior to Jan 15, 2024

College Application Portal – applications are due prior to Feb 1, 2024

School Musical - Into the Woods

Tickets on Sale Now!

Join us for the school musical Into the Woods happening on November 30, December 1, 2, 8 & 9. Our students and staff have been working hard to bring you this entertaining production. 

One of Sondheim's most popular works, Into the Woods is a musically sophisticated show. James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim take everyone's favorite storybook characters and bring them together for a timeless, yet relevant, piece... and a rare modern classic. The Tony Award-winning book and score are both enchanting and touching.

The story follows a Baker and his wife, who wish to have a child; Cinderella, who wishes to attend the King's Festival; and Jack, who wishes his cow would give milk. When the Baker and his wife learn that they cannot have a child because of a Witch's curse, the two set off on a journey to break the curse. Everyone's wish is granted, but the consequences of their actions return to haunt them later with disastrous results.

Don't miss out on seeing this production! Buy your tickets on School Cash Online now!

Graduation Photos - Book Now

Graduation Photo Bookings Are Filling up Fast!

Our graduation photos are happening this month. To be included in the GRADUATION COMPOSITE PHOTO and the GRADUATION SECTION of the yearbook, please be sure to book your photo during this Fall Grad Photo Session. Once this fall photo session closes, students can book a photo at the studio in Burlington, but we cannot guarantee that photos taken in Burlington will be included in the composite and/or yearbook.

Please click here to book your photo sitting ASAP (School Code is GWE). Please put your booking date/time into your calendar at the time of booking and students should plan to arrive 5-10 minutes before their session already dressed in the clothing they will be wearing for the photo (including a tied tie if you're wearing one). There will be a grad gown and sash for students to borrow during their photo shoot. 

Please be sure to double check your appointment date and time confirmation email as we have had many students showing up on the wrong day.

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:

Milton Youth Soccer Club would like students to join their dedicated team of Volunteer Coaches for their recreational House League Winter Program. They believe that soccer is not just a sport but a platform to foster teamwork, skill development, and a sense of community. 

If any students are interested in volunteering they can send an email to ldigennaro@miltonmagic.com to sign up. 

Transgender Day of Remembrance & Resilience

This week, we are asking our community to honour the lives and humanity of all transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming (TNBGNC) people. 

Transgender people, and particularly transgender women of colour, are disproportionately affected by hate violence. Sadly, the tragedy of these incidents is often compounded by reporting that does not respect (or even exploits and sensationalises) the victim's gender identity.

What does transgender mean?

Transgender is an umbrella term for people whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. A person's medical history has no bearing whatsoever on whether or not they should be considered transgender.

The Transgender Day of Remembrance & Resilience (TDOR) was started in 1999 by transgender advocate Gwendolyn Ann Smith as a vigil to honor the memory of Rita Hester, a transgender woman who was killed in 1998. The vigil began an important tradition that has become the annual Transgender Day of Remembrance.

"Transgender Day of Remembrance seeks to highlight the losses we face due to anti-transgender bigotry and violence. I am no stranger to the need to fight for our rights, and the right to simply exist is first and foremost. With so many seeking to erase transgender people -- sometimes in the most brutal ways possible -- it is vitally important that those we lose are remembered, and that we continue to fight for justice."

- Transgender Day of Remembrance founder Gwendolyn Ann Smith

Participate in Transgender Day of Remembrance & Resilience by attending and/or organizing a vigil on November 20 to honor all those transgender people whose lives were lost to anti-transgender violence that year, and learning about the violence affecting the transgender community. The vigil often involves reading a list of the names of those lost that year. 

In 2021 the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board hosted a webinar for the TDOR. Its aim was to help participants learn more about transgender identity and to hear stories of resilience from transgender folks who are thriving. You can check out the webinar here. 

TDoRR at Garth Webb:

Garth Webb’s SAGE club organised a Q & A survey so that the student population could ask questions related to trans issues. They also make this landing page and shared it with teachers so that there was an opportunity to acknowledge this day and learn more about trans issues in classes.

Sources/Resources: 

• GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation)

• Center for Constitutional Rights (USA)

• Trans Wellness Ontario

Albanian Heritage Month

Ontario is home to more than 28,000 Albanian Canadians. Since the early 20th century, the Albanian-Canadian community has made and continues to make significant contributions to the growth and prosperity of the Province of Ontario.

November is a significant month for the Albanian community. Each year, during the month of November, people of Albanian origin celebrate the Albanian Declaration of Independence, which declared Albania an independent sovereign nation on November 28, 1912.

In November, Albania also commemorates Liberation Day, which is the day that Albania was liberated from Nazi Germany forces after the Albanian resistance on November 29, 1944.

By proclaiming the month of November as Albanian Heritage Month, the Province of Ontario recognizes the meaningful contributions immigrants have made in building Ontario's communities and the social, economic, political and cultural achievements of Albanian-Canadians throughout the province. Albanian Heritage Month is an opportunity to remember, celebrate and educate future generations about Ontario's rich history.

Source

Hindu Heritage Month

Ontario is home to a large and vibrant Hindu community. Since the first Hindu immigrants arrived in Canada at the beginning of the 20th century, Hindu Canadians from across Ontario have made significant contributions across all fields: science, education, medicine, law, politics, business, culture and sports. Hindu Canadians have helped build Ontario into the multicultural success story that it is and have helped to build this province into the best place to live, work and raise families. They continue to help foster growth, prosperity and innovation throughout Ontario.

"Deepawali" or "Diwali" is the biggest of all celebratory festivals that members of the Hindu community celebrate. It falls in either November or October each year, depending on the cycle of the moon. It's observed on the 15th day of Kartik, the holiest month in the Hindu lunar calendar. Diwali commemorates the victory of good over evil. In addition, during this time of the year, Hindus also celebrate other significant festivals such as Navratri and Durga Puja.

By proclaiming the month of November as Hindu Heritage Month, the Province of Ontario recognizes the important contributions that Hindu Canadians have made to Ontario's social, economic, political and cultural fabric. Hindu Heritage Month is an opportunity to remember, celebrate and educate future generations about Hindu Canadians and the important role that they have played and continue to play in communities across Ontario.

Source

Gyan Panchami

The 5th day after Diwali is known as "Gyan Panchami". Gyan Panchami is celebrated as a day of honoring knowledge and holy books. In Jainism, this day is a time for students,scholars and everyone to celebrate Jnana, the divine or transcendent knowledge or wisdom. It is a day of worship of pure knowledge.

Gyan Panchami is the festival celebrated by Jains to recognize the importance of their scriptures. The books preserved in the religious libraries are cleansed and worshipped.. "Gyan" is the natural light of inner soul. It is this light that is believed to help us differentiate between good and bad. Hence, Gyan is also known as 'the third eye' or 'the second sun'. It is this natural inner light that is prayed to ward off ignorance and reveal the knowledge of karma, thus, wisdom replaces ignorance or foolishness. Like most festivals celebrated in India, Houses are cleaned, temples are lit with lamp. Special poojas are performed in homes

Many Jains fast on this day. They do dev vandan (offering veneration to the Gods). Holy recitation and Pratikraman is performed. On this day, many take a vow to do a fast every month on the fifth day of the fortnight of the waxing moon for continuous five years and five months.

Following sloka is recited on this day:

"Samkit Shrddhavantane Upanue Gyan Prakash, Pranamu Pad ha; Tehana, Bhav Dhari Ullas"

Source

Inclement Weather Reminders for HDSB Families

With cooler weather approaching, we are writing to provide you with information on how decisions are made on days of inclement weather. 

In case of inclement weather, the decision to close schools and/or cancel buses is communicated by 6:30 a.m.  We use a variety of methods to communicate this important information including the SchoolMessenger email system, social media, TV, radio, the HDSB website and the HDSB Mobile App. 

We encourage all families to review the HDSB Inclement Weather Reminders. A printable version of this information is also available. 

Please note that when schools are closed due to inclement weather, both in-person and e-learning support will not be provided. If buses are canceled, in-person and e-learning courses will continue.

Coyote Safety

The Municipal Enforcement Services Department with the Town of Oakville is reaching out to schools as we get closer to the winter season.  We are hoping schools could assist with coyote awareness by sending out the attached Winter Fact Sheet to all parents. 

We would like to remind students to never feed wildlife. It’s one of the main reasons conflict arises between people and animals.  All garbage including organic waste should be placed in receptacles with lids.

For quick tips about coyotes, watch this short video or visit the Coyotes page at oakville.ca.

Wishing everyone a safe winter season.

Ensure Immunization Records are Up to Date with Halton Region Health

Students in Grades 9 to 12 must have up-to-date immunization records with Halton Region Public Health.

Ontario’s Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) requires that all children and adolescents attending school be fully immunized against several designated diseases. All immunization requirements for school attendance align with Ontario’s publicly funded immunization schedule. Vaccines required for school attendance are free, safe and effective.

Parents/guardians of all students born in 2006 to 2009 (Grades 9 to 12) must complete the following steps:

1. Review your student's online record at halton.ca/immunize.

2. If your student has missed any vaccines, make an immunization appointment with a health care provider.

3. Report vaccines online at halton.ca/immunize. Every time a health care provider immunizes a student, parents/guardians must report the vaccines to Public Health. Healthcare providers do not report the vaccines they give to their patients.

Students born in 2006 to 2009 must have up to date immunization records (or a valid medical or non-medical exemption) against the following ISPA designated diseases:

• Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Polio;

• Measles, Mumps, Rubella; and

• Meningococcal Disease.

Halton Region Public Health is reviewing the immunization records of Halton students born in 2006 to 2009. Parents/guardians will be notified by mail if their student's record is not up-to-date, starting in October 2023. This school year, students in Grades 9 to 12 may be suspended from school in early 2024 if their immunization records are not updated by the December 2023 deadline.

Please note, at this time COVID-19 vaccines are not required to attend school. You cannot report COVID-19 vaccines using the online reporting tool.

If your student is unable to be immunized for medical reasons or if you choose not to immunize your student, you must submit a vaccine exemption to Halton Region Public Health. For more details about this process, please visit halton.ca/immunize.

To learn more about immunizations, including translated resources, visit ontario.ca/vaccines, immunize.ca/resources or download A Parent's Guide to Vaccination at canada.ca/vaccines.

Upcoming Key Dates

Nov 24 PA Day - no school for students

Nov 27 Full Disclosure

Dec 5 Tuesdays @Ten

Dec 13 CP Day - Classes start at 9:30 am

Dec 14 15th Week Report Distribution

Dec 18 - Jan 24 Protected Time

Dec 22 Early Dismissal

Dec 25 - Jan 5 Winter Break (School Closed)

Jan 25 - 31 Exam Block

Feb 1 Exam Review Day (early dismissal)

Feb 2 PA Day - no school for students

Feb 5 First Day of Semester 2

Feb 6 Tuesdays @Ten

Feb 16 PA Day - no school for students

Feb 19 Family Day (School Closed)

Feb 22 OUAC / OCAS Mark Upload