December 10, 2023
WEEK A
Principal's Message
Good Morning Garth Webb:
The school musical "Into the Woods" concluded its run last night in grand form with a full house and a standing ovation. What a fantastic show! I couldn't get over how well the students sang and acted. At times you forgot that you were watching a high school production! This particular musical offers opportunities for many lead singers to showcase their talent ...and talent we definitely have here at GW!! There were a lot of cheers, tears, and laughter after the show. Students and teachers have been working hard since September to put this show together. Congratulations to the cast and crew, and to the many staff from various departments who helped to make this show so wonderful!! BRAVO!!! And to all our ticket purchasers, thank you for supporting our musical!
There are always lots of activities going on in the school on any given week. It was fun to see many cultures from around the world represented in our Cultural Fashion Show celebration at lunch last week. A shout out to Jamaica who won this year for their lively red carpet walk!!! Thank you to the Grade 12 Leadership class for organizing the event!!
I just wanted to remind all students that they are not to go to other schools during the school day, or to sporting events after school, that our school is not participating in. Students will be trespassed from other schools. In case you are wondering, the same goes for our school. Students from other schools are not welcome to visit GW during the school day or at events that their school is not participating in. We too will trespass students from other schools. Schools will be asking students to show their student ID at the door.
Snowflakes may not be flying outside, but they were flying in the Library! We had so many students who volunteered to make them this year that there were snow piles everywhere!! Thank you to those who made it snow! Not a bad way to earn some Community Service hours.
Take care,
Jacquie Pece
From Your Student Services Department
McMaster iSTEP is Back
Mac iSTEP is an After-School STEM Club for Black high school students. Students in grades 10-12 come to McMaster Campus to engage in STEM workshops and gain professional development skills.
If interested in more information, check out the information package and students can register using this link.
Tuesdays @Ten
December’s Tuesdays @Ten session took place on Tuesday, December 5. This month's topic was Scholarships and Financing Post Secondary Education. During the presentation, we shared information on the various scholarships that exist, resources available to help support applications, and a quick summary on OSAP.
Course Selection
Student Services will be running Grade presentations for students around the course selection process for the 2024/2025 school year this week. Information around the process and considerations will be shared with families in the coming weeks. Students will be able to select their courses using myBlueprint throughout the month of January.
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
Guidance Counsellors
For the 2023-2024 school year, the following counsellors are working with each group of students:
Ms. Tolton (A-E)
Ms. Mactaggart (F-L)
Mr. Sanderson (M-Q)
Ms. Hosany (R-Z)
Google Classrooms
Grade 9 - euk4ho6
Grade 10 - bix3yen
Grade 11 - krgiixa
Grade 12 - reyclkl
GW Grad Wear & Swag Store Open for 1 More Day!
We have opened up our grad wear store one last time for the Class of 2024! If you missed purchasing your items in September, now is your chance to get some swag. There are three styles of Class of 2024 sweaters available along with our very popular flannel plaid pants that are not specific to our graduating class. Don't miss out as this will be the last opportunity this year to purchase spirit wear.
Please place orders directly through this website. The online store will close tomorrow on MONDAY, DECEMBER 11 and orders will arrive at the school approximately 6 weeks after that.
Winter Concert
Don't miss the upcoming Winter Concert on Thursday, December 14 at 7 pm. Join us for some free music. The show will feature our Friday Choir, Junior Band, Senior Band, Jazz Band, Rock Band, and various student features. You don't want to miss this wonderful evening of entertainment with our talented Garth Webb musicians and teachers.
Grade 11 Physics Rollercoaster Fair
On Friday, December 1, GWSS stepped into the thrilling world of the SPH3U Rollercoaster Fair, where students showcased their physics prowess by designing and constructing exhilarating rollercoasters. From gravity-defying loops to heart-pounding drops, these young engineers push the limits of physics to deliver an unforgettable experience. We witnessed the marriage of science and excitement as students demonstrated their understanding of forces, energy, and motion in the adrenaline-fueled carnival of knowledge.
This semester the top 3 finishers were as follows:
1) Under the Sea
2) Blue Lagoon
3) Fast and The Furious
Thank you for your support and see you next semester!
Culture Day Thank You
A huge thank you to everyone who made Culture Day 2023 a huge success. We were amazed by everyone's beautiful outfits and cultural attire. We are so thankful for everyone who showcased their culture and taught us all something new! We can’t wait for next year.
~ Hafsah A. & Danica S. (Leadership Students)
5409 Chargers Robotics Update
BMP METALS! Bet that caught your eye! Our squad recently toured their jaw-dropping shop, mingled with some extraordinary folks, and soaked up the stellar mentorship vibes woven into their everyday plant culture. It was nothing short of epic. BMP has supported us in education for over a decade, and the journey has been nothing short of amazing. Here's to the past 10 years and the countless exciting endeavors yet to come!
Oh, and did we mention the new toolboxes built by students. Huge shoutout to our fantastic partners at BMP METALS for valuing our students and making their dreams shine. Your support, including the vibrant touch of pink powder coating, means the world to us. Thank you for making it happen!
Grade 11 Field Trip to Brock
On Thursday, December 7 our students in the Grade 11 Anthropology, Sociology, and Psychology class went to Brock University for their Social Science Day! The students participated in a welcome session in the Sean O'Sullivan Theatre where the Dean of Social Sciences and some of the TA's introduced the academic and experiential learning opportunities at Brock. After this session, students participated in interactive lessons led by faculty members.
The first student lecture was geography, tourism, economics, and the impact of the cruise industry in Vancouver. The second lecture was psychology based and was called: Beyond Clinical Psychology - which looked at all of the areas in psychology one can study and the amazing research that Brock University is looking into including forensic psychology. They end their day with a free lunch and a delicious ice cream bar. Excited to do this trip again next year!
Cafeteria Update
There is currently a worker shortage in the cafeteria. As a result, starting on Monday, December 11, 2023 the cafeteria will serve “on the go” food only, for example sandwiches, yogurt, cookies, hamburgers. Hot food such as french fries, tacos, etc. will not be available. Students should plan their lunches and snacks accordingly.
Also, the cafeteria will be closed December 22, the last day before the winter break.
International Human Rights Day
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights Turns 75
10 December 2023 marks the 75th anniversary of one of the world's most groundbreaking global pledges: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). This landmark document enshrines the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being - regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
The Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948 and sets out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected.
Available in more than 500 languages, it is the most translated document in the world.
A year-long initiative focusing on universality, progress and engagement, will culminate in a high-level event in December 2023, which will announce global pledges and ideas for a vision for the future of human rights.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a milestone document in the history of human rights.
2023 Theme: Freedom, Equality and Justice for All
In the decades since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948, human rights have become more recognised and more guaranteed across the globe. The UDHR has since served as the foundation for an expanding system of human rights protection that today focuses also on vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and migrants.
However, the promise of the UDHR, of dignity and equality in rights, has been under a sustained assault in recent years. As the world faces challenges new and ongoing – pandemics, conflicts, exploding inequalities, morally bankrupt global financial system, racism, climate change – the values, and rights enshrined in the UDHR provide guideposts for our collective actions that do not leave anyone behind.
The year-long Human Rights 75 initiative seeks to shift the needle of understanding and action towards greater knowledge of the universality of the UDHR and the activism associated with it.
Click here to read more.
Birthday of Imam Aga Khan - December 13
The birthday of the Aga Khan — who turns 87 this year — is one of the most important dates in the calendar for approximately 100,000 Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims across Canada. It is an occasion to celebrate and reflect on the benevolence of their leader and how they, too, can give back. [Source]
Click here to learn more.
Reminder from Oakville Transit
In order for students to ride free on Oakville Transit, they must have a PRESTO card. Please visit the Oakville Transit website for further information. Here is a link to the PRESTO site with information on how you can get a PRESTO card.
Please note that the school is not collecting any immunization information.
Please report all immunizations directly to Halton Region Public Health.
Any inquiries about immunizations should be directed to the health department.
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.
Links to Community Resources
School Calendar & Sports Schedule
Chargers at the Next Level
We, at Garth Webb, celebrate the achievements of our athletes after they have left our school. If you know of a former student who has gone onto play sports at the next level after graduation, please reach out to the Health and Physical Education Department Leader Jay Anderson (andersonja@hdsb.ca) with the information.
Important Dates for Your Calendar
Upcoming Key Dates
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 9 Semester 1 Final Report Card Distribution
Feb 13 OUAC / OCAS Semester 1 Final Mark Upload
Feb 16 PA Day - no school for students
Feb 19 Family Day (School Closed)
Feb 20 Semester 2 Photo Day (new students)
Feb 21 CP Day - Classes start at 9:30 am
Mar 5 Tuesdays @Ten
Mar 7 5th Week Report Distribution (grade 9 students)
Mar 11 - 15 Spring Break (School Closed)
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 17 Last Day of Term 1
Apr 18 First Day of Term 2
Apr 22 PA Day - no school for students
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 and Diploma Pick up
If you have any questions or suggestions for improving the school, our virtual door is always open. Please feel free to contact our admin team by email anytime.
Jacquie Pece, Meg Carey, Nancy Annibale, Eric Keunne