Principal's Message

Topic: Helping and Supporting Students at Home

Dear Students, Families, and Staff:

As we move further into semester two, it is important to highlight that, as a parent or guardian, your involvement and support play a crucial role in your student’s success in school. By taking an active interest in their education and fostering a positive learning environment at home, you can help ease their transition and ensure they feel confident in their academic journey. 

Here are some practical ways you can support your student and encourage their growth both inside and outside the classroom:

• Discussing the differences in teaching styles and methods between teachers from semester one and semester two. Encourage them to reach out to their teacher and/or guidance counsellor and share what teaching methods or strategies work best for them, so they can receive the support they need.

• Encouraging them to talk to the teachers about how they are doing. This will give them an opportunity to receive more individualized guidance and assistance for their learning.

• Letting them know that it is appropriate for them to ask for help from teachers. Students can be encouraged to ask questions when they don’t understand something or need help. They can ask questions during class, either by speaking up when they need clarification, approaching the teacher after class, or by asking a classmate for help.

• Creating opportunities for family conversations so that everyone can participate; for example, at mealtime.

• Encouraging them to tell you about their opinions and to explain them. When these kinds of discussions take place at home it is good practice for classroom discussions and written assignments.

For more information about ways that parents can support their children’s learning, see the Ways that Parents Can Help section in this guide. Many brochures for parents are available on the Ministry of Education’s website about parent involvement. In the section entitled Tips and Tools for Parents you will find suggestions on how to help your children in school. For more information visit https://www.ontario.ca/page/programs-for-student-success.

Kindly,

Luisa Botelho

This year, we have been sharing our Equity & Inclusive Education section on a standalone page on our site. Please click here to read about the various days of significance throughout the year.

Days of significance added this week:

• Eid-ul-Fitr - Mar 30-31

• International Transgender Day of Visibility - Mar 31

• Sikh Heritage Month - April

• World Autism Awareness Day - April 2

2SLGBTQIA+ Parent/Guardian Advocacy and Support Group

This month's meeting for our group will be on Thursday, April 3 from 7-8 pm (online). 

The goal of the group is to provide a safe space to share resources, expand our education, learn how to better advocate for and support our children, and to share our challenges and victories. We will work together to advocate for all students who experience social and systemic discrimination based on their 2SLGBTQIA+ identity. We have a zero tolerance policy for any kind of discrimination within our group. 

We are always happy to welcome new members so if you would like to attend our meeting on Thursday, April 3 or would like more information about the group, please email Kerri Lee at leeke@hdsb.ca. A link for the meeting will be sent to the group members prior to Thursday.

Graduation Packages - Deadline this Monday, March 31!

Grade 12 Graduation will be on Wednesday, June 25 at 7:30 pm at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex (3070 Neyagawa Blvd, Oakville, ON L6M 4L6). More details will be shared closer to the time.

Grad packages are now ready for purchase on School Cash Online for $50 and the package includes 2 tickets each for guests to attend, a gown and Class of 2025 cap, as well as a professional photo that will be taken at commencement. Please order your packages as soon as possible and before the deadline on March 31.

Please note that all students who are attending Commencement must purchase a grad package. If you need financial assistance with this purchase, please reach out to our Principal Luisa Botelho directly.

NEW INFORMATION ABOUT TICKETS:

Students will now be allowed up to 3 tickets (paperless) so that 3 guests can attend commencement. We will run a lottery for the chance to get 1 additional ticket. We will communicate with families through email, google classrom, the Principal's Blog, and our website when the sign up for the lottery opens in May 2025. It is not first come first served, just a random lottery system. 

Halton Skills 2025

Congratulations to Our Outstanding Students at the Halton Skills Competition and thank you to our tech coaches and coordinators. These events would not be possible without you: Mr, Sauve, Mr. Brooks Prenger, Mr. Carrescia, Mr. Douglas and Ms. Patterson and the tech department.

We are thrilled to announce the incredible achievements of our students at the Halton Skills Competition! Their dedication, hard work, skills and techniques were on full display, and we couldn't be more proud of their accomplishments. Please join us in congratulating the following students for their outstanding skill performances in…

2-D Character Animation

Tegan Tao - Gold

Bella Zhao - Gold

Architectural Technology & Design

Ashley NcNeilly - Gold

Claira Edelman - Silver

Coding

Brandon Namgoong - Silver

Savir Singh - Silver

Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM)

Jessica Wang - Gold

Tanush Sarun - Silver

Juncheng Wu - Silver

Leah Stepanek - Bronze

Electronics

Jacob Li

Nirosh Vilathgamuwa

Graphic Design - Presentation

Zoe Dennison - Gold

IT Network Systems Admin

Kevin Dalli - Silver

Mechanical CAD

Mady Luren

Arav Mathur

Photography

Walid Abu Rayseh - Bronze 

Precision Machining

Aritra Sarkar - Bronze

TV & Video Production

David Monteith

Cedric Yarnell

Welding 

Aidan Carby

Luca Mitri

Order Your Yearbook Today

Don't forget to order your copy of the 2024-2025 yearbook before it's too late. Yearbooks are available to order on School Cash Online only. We do not order extra copies so you must order online before the deadline of May 1, 2025 to be able to get a copy of the 2024-2025 yearbook.

If you don't see the fee available on School Cash Online it is most likely because you have already purchased the yearbook for this year. Please check in your purchase history to confirm. 

Don't miss out on ordering this keepsake!

Fashion Forward Open Houses

Thank you to everyone who was able to donate formal wear to the Fashion Forward project. The open houses are scheduled in February through May for students to select, at no cost, donated formal wear for upcoming prom/graduation celebrations.

Students will have the opportunity to view and try on formal wear in a friendly and welcoming environment. Students may select from a variety of new and gently-used attire that has been donated for proms, graduations, and other special events. Many different styles, colours, and sizes of formal dresses will be available as well as suits, shirts, ties, shoes, and accessories.

The Open Houses will be held on the following dates:

• Monday, March 31 from 3:30 - 8 p.m at Rolling Meadows Public School (1522 Mountain Grove, Burlington)

• Wednesday, April 2 from 3:30 - 8 p.m at Rolling Meadows Public School (1522 Mountain Grove, Burlington)

• Wednesday, May 7 from 3:30 - 8 p.m. at W.I. Dick Middle School (351 Highside Dr., Milton)

An opportunity will be made available for gender diverse youth who require a private shopping experience between the hours of 3 - 3:30 p.m.

5409 FIRST Robotics Update

Last weekend the Garth Webb Robotics Team 5409 competed in the North Bay District Event. It was AMAZING!!!

The competition was truly unforgettable for the entire team. Their relentless hard work, dedication, and exceptional professionalism shone brightly throughout every moment of the event, being recognized with 3 Gracious Professionalism badges! Thank you to all our mentors, parents, sponsors, and guest community members for your amazing support. This accomplishment would not have been possible without you!

In North Bay we placed first overall, winning our second gold medal of the season, and earning us a place in the top 12 teams in the world!!! For a thorough overview of this thrilling adventure, please make sure to watch our newest YouTube video (coming soon to our channel) for a detailed walk through!

We are also the recipients of the Excellence in Engineering Award, which celebrates the team that demonstrates a professional approach to the design process. We’re extremely proud of our design team for their amazing work on not only our robot, but our robot cart too!

We were incredibly honored to host our principal Ms. Botelho, in North Bay. Her visit meant so much to our team, and we are extremely grateful for everything she does to support our program. 

Stay tuned as we head off to Provincials!

Grade 10, 11, 12 PAF Field Trip

The fitness classes took a trip to Aspire Milton to try indoor rock climbing, bouldering and a Ninja course. The students had a blast participating in climbing challenges, competitions and overcoming fears. We look forward to sending kids to Aspire next year! 

Tuesdays @Ten

Please join us on Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at 10 am online for our next monthly community engagement session. This month’s topic will be IEPs - Successful Transitions from High School to Post-Secondary. We’ll be joined by Alison Parker from the RARC. Alison is the Clinical Manager of the Regional Assessment and Resource Centre (RARC), which provides assessments, training, research, and transition programming to support students with neurodevelopmental disabilities as they pursue post-secondary studies. 

A link to the session will be sent to families on Monday.

Important Information for the Class of 2025

This past week, we sent some important information out to our Grade 12 families about:

• Graduation Fee

• Students over 18 consent to sharing information with parents/guardians

• 40 Community Service hours

• 2 mandatory online learning credits (including the opt-out process)

• Courses taken outside of the Halton District School Board

Please click here to read the message in full.

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 awards criteria. Please note that most application deadlines are in the spring.

Awards Hub

Grade 12 - Graduation Requirements

This message is a reminder of some important information as you navigate the postsecondary application process and completion of the final graduation requirements.

Community Hours

Students need to submit 40 community hours no later than May 1, 2025 for completion of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma. Students can submit their hours HERE. If needed, they can complete our recording form found HERE.

Online Learning Requirement

Students are also required to take two e-learning credits to graduate. However, students can opt out by returning this form to Student Services.

Scholarships

Information will be posted on the Grade 12 Google Classroom stream as well as in a document in Classwork. Information can also be found via the HDSB website: HDSB Scholarship Resources.

More details and resources on the above information can be found in our Grade 12 Presentation and Resource Slide Deck: Grade 12 Presentation 2024.

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:

Celebrate Earth Day with Oakvillegreen by joining us for a community cleanup and tree planting event at Preserve Woods (Preserve Dr & Sawmill St, Oakville) on Saturday, April 26 from 10am-1pm. If you wish to volunteer, please confirm your attendance by signing our registration form/waiver. The event will be on rain or shine, and participating high school students will get volunteer hours.

Please note that:

• Participants under 13 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.

• Participants aged 13-17 must have the waiver signed by a parent/guardian.

Flyer

Google Maps

Google Form

April is HLF Month at HDSB!

The Halton Learning Foundation (HLF) is excited to launch our second annual HLF Month, “The Start of Potential,” in April 2025. Building on last year’s success, this month is packed with opportunities for our community to unite, raise awareness, and tackle the financial challenges that prevent students from accessing a full education.

Mark your calendars for the “Students in the Spotlight” live performance on April 30, 2025, at Burlington Central High School!

For further details, please check out HLF Month page. Let’s make this HLF Month unforgettable—together, we can unleash the potential in every student!

Loss and Grief Virtual Workshop for Parents and Caregivers

Join Lighthouse for a free presentation and discussion about how children and youth grieve, and ways to support them as they confront and mourn the loss of the person who died.

Monday, April 14, 2025

7 pm Online

Click here for more information and to register.

Upcoming Key Dates

Apr 1 Tuesdays @Ten

Apr 4 Professional Activity Day – No Classes

Apr 16 First Day of Semester 2, Term 2

Apr 18 Good Friday - No Classes

Apr 21 Easter Monday - No Classes

Apr 23 CP Day (late start at 9:30 am)

Apr 23 OUAC/OCAS Upload

Apr 25 Semester 2 Mid-Semester Reports Issued

May 2 Full Disclosure Date

May 6 Tuesdays @Ten

May 19 Victoria Day Holiday - No Classes

May 21 CP Day (late start at 9:30 am)

May 22 15th Week in Danger Reports Emailed

Jun 3 Tuesdays @Ten

Jun 19-25 Semester 2 Final Evaluation Block

Jun 25 Class of 2025 Commencement @Sixteen Mile Creek 7:30 pm

Jun 26 Exam Review Day

Jun 26 Last Day of Classes for Semester 2

Jun 27 Professional Activity Day – No Classes

Jul 2 OUAC/OCAS Upload

Jul 4 Final Report Cards Sent Electronically