Principal's Message

Good Morning Garth Webb:

Fall sports are wrapping up with some excellent showings in the playoffs. Notably, we had 3 athletes at OFSAA for Cross Country yesterday, the Sr. Boys Volleyball team will advance to the Halton finals on Wednesday, which will be held at Sheridan College, and the Senior Football team will also advance to the Halton finals and that game will be played on Friday at McMaster Stadium. Woo hoo!! We will sell tickets to both Halton Championship games and arrange some buses so that fans can attend....with signed parent permission forms of course. Gooooooooooooooooo  Chargers!!!

Students showed their spirit this week by having fun with the fall colours, Halloween costumes, PJs/Comfy clothes day, the food trucks, and Flannel Day. Thank you to the Arts & Student Activities Councils!!   

I want to thank YOU all for heeding my message about lateness in last week's blog. We did notice a marked improvement in the morning!! Keep on working at it, we still have at least a 100 more students to nudge to be on time!!   

By the way, the "traffic congestion" in the bathrooms has also improved 1000% !!!!! Thank you to students, staff, and parents for helping to make such a marked improvement for everyone in a very short amount of time!! Old habits CAN be broken and healthier habits embraced!!

I hope you enjoyed the extra hour of sleep last night. Students will need it based on what this week has in store for us here at Garth Webb from sports, activities, and beyond the classroom to in our communities with Treaties Recognition Week, Holocaust Education Week, and Remembrance Day Ceremonies. We honour our namesake through observances during Remembrance Week. It is an important time to recognize the contributions that Canadian Veterans made to the safety and security of our country and beyond. Their service to Canada and the world has helped to build the nation we live in today. We honour all of them, and in so doing, we carry on the legacy of Garth Webb himself. 

Thank you,

Jacquie Pece

Halloween Fun!

Halloween was another success at Garth Webb this past week. We had so many staff members participate in the annual Halloween costume contest at lunch. There were many Barbies & Kens, zoo animals with the zookeeper, GW  high school students, cafeteria food, M&Ms, and the Golden Bachelor.

Congratulations to the Arts, Tech & Business departments who won with their cafeteria food (farm to table? 😂) costume! Great job to all the departments on their amazing group costumes. It was another fabulous Halloween at Garth Webb. Thank you to the Student Activies and Arts Councils for all their work to organize the costume contest.

From Your Student Services Department

Grade 8 Program Night

This year’s Grade 8 program night will occur on the evening of Thursday, November 16 from 6:30-8:00 pm.  Following the presentation in the gym, families will have an opportunity to tour the school and ask any questions they may have with regards to programming at Garth Webb. Please feel free to share the information with anyone interested in attending Garth Webb next year.

Tuesdays @Ten

Please join us on Tuesday, November 7 for our next parent engagement session. Our session for the month of November is geared towards families of students in Grades 9 and 10. We will be covering the various graduation requirements and programs available in the HDSB.

A link to the virtual meeting will be shared on the Monday prior.

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

National Scholarships - Grade 12 students

Information around scholarships will be shared via the google classroom throughout the year. Most National Scholarship deadlines are in the fall. Please feel free to investigate these Scholarships to see if you are eligible.

Deadlines:

Queen's - Dec. 8

Lester B. Pearson - School Nomination Nov. 30

Schulich - School Nomination Jan. 30

Western National - TBD but usually mid-February

Graduation Photos - Book Now

Graduation Photo Bookings Are Filling up Fast!

Our graduation photos start this week and will be running for the rest of the 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 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.

Parent Workshop Survey

The Parents Reaching Out (PRO) Grants program provides funding to school boards to lead projects with a focus on the identification and removal of barriers that prevent parents and families from participating and engaging fully in their student's learning.

There are 5 possible workshops that School Council would like to offer the Garth Webb parent/guardian community. Once we have feedback from our parents/guardians, we will choose the most popular workshop and start planning. Stay tuned for more information soon.

Please complete this form before Friday, November 10, 2023. Thank you.

THIS SURVEY IS ONLY FOR GARTH WEBB PARENTS/GUARDIANS TO COMPLETE PLEASE.

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:

The City of Burlington

The City of Burlington offers a variety of volunteer opportunities. After applying, your application will be reviewed within 5 business days by City staff. You will then be notified to provide any certifications, documents, etc., for the position(s) you applied for. Currently, the available one for high school students is:

Festivals and Events

Must be a minimum of 14 years old

To apply, make an account on their website: https://app.betterimpact.com/Application?OrganizationGuid=91ee155f-e17b-4b99-b286-f1023f8ddd79&ApplicationFormNumber=1 

There will be more opportunities available throughout the year. Check out their website for more information: https://www.burlington.ca/en/council-and-city-administration/volunteering-opportunities.aspx#Swimming-programs

Treaties Recognition Week

Did You Know? November 5—12 is Treaties Recognition Week. It’s an opportunity to continue to learn and engage in what it means to be a Treaty partner and in a Treaty relationship.

Treaties Recognition Week was introduced to recognize and understand the importance of treaty education and to help everyone in Ontario learn about treaty. 

Here are a few facts about Treaties:

• Treaties are legal agreements made between two or more Nations.

• Treaty-making preceded North American settlement.

• Treaty outlines the terms, relationship, and conditions of settlement in Indigenous Territories.

• Both Settler and Indigenous Nations have a responsibility for knowing and upholding the Treaty obligations. United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples recognizes, “the urgent need to respect and promote the rights of Indigenous peoples affirmed in treaties, agreements, and other constructive arrangements with States”.

To learn more about why Treaty Education is important, consider reading The Importance of Treaty Education or watching Ontario Students Talk About Why Treaties Are Important.

Do you know what Treaty land you are on? If not, check it out here.

Holocaust Education Week

The first week of November is Holocaust Education Week. We encourage all students to learn about the Holocaust and address antisemitism - both this week and beyond.

Holocaust Awareness Week was started by the Holocaust Remembrance Committee in Toronto. It is now an internationally recognized week that seeks to honour the survivors of the Holocaust and remember all those who lost their lives. 

Toronto Holocaust Museum

From November 1-9, Neuberger HEW 2023 will present a thoughtful array of public programs and commemorations that offer compelling ways to engage with the history of the Holocaust and its legacy. Join us to explore contemporary approaches to Holocaust education and remembrance in innovative ways, delving into issues and dialogues that offer new perspectives on this nuanced and essential history.

Neuberger Holocaust Education Week (HEW) is one of the Toronto Holocaust Museum’s most well-known annual signature public events. It is internationally recognized as a best practice in the field. It takes place throughout the month of November to coincide with the commemoration of Kristallnacht (the Night of Broken Glass). For more than 40 years, HEW has provided high impact Holocaust education programming across the GTA to students, intercultural groups and the general public.

Hamilton Jewish Federation

The Hamilton Jewish Federation and Margaret's Legacy is planning the 5th Annual Marvin Caplan Jewish Book Festival for those who are interested. Click here for more information.

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 6-Dec 1 Grad Photos

Nov 7 Tuesdays @Ten

Nov 9 First Day of Semester 1, Term 2

Nov 10 Remembrance Day (Observed)

Nov 11 Remembrance Day

Nov 15 OUAC / OCAS Midterm Mark Upload 

Nov 15 CP Day - Classes start at 9:30 am

Nov 16 Grade 8 Information Night

Nov 17 Midterm Report Distribution

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