May 28, 2023
WEEK B
Equity & Inclusive Education
May is Dutch Heritage Month
Ontario is home to about 500,000 Dutch Canadians. Since the early 1800s, the Dutch Canadian community has made and continues to make significant contributions to the growth and prosperity of the Province of Ontario.
By proclaiming the month of May as Dutch Heritage Month, the Province of Ontario recognizes the important contributions that Dutch Canadians have made to the economic, political, social, and cultural fabric of Ontario’s society. [source]
May is a historically significant month for the Dutch Canadian community. On May 5, 1945, the Canadian forces were instrumental in the liberation of the Netherlands from occupation during World War II. The Netherlands celebrates its independence and liberty, along with the heroic efforts of the Canadian forces, with a national holiday known as Liberation Day, which takes place annually on May 5. Read more about the significance of this day here.
Pride Month Starts June 1st
June 1st marks the start of Pride month and we would like to wish all of our 2SLGBTQ+ students, families and allies a very happy Pride! In this month, 2SLGBTQ+ communities come together to spotlight the resilience, celebrate the talent, and recognize the contributions of 2SLGBTQ+ community members.
Why is Pride month important?
According to The Trevor Project’s 2022 Survey on LGBTQ Mental Health, “LGBTQ youth who felt high social support from their family reported attempting suicide at less than half the rate of those who felt low or moderate social support” and “LGBTQ youth who live in a community that is accepting of LGBTQ people reported significantly lower rates of attempting suicide than those who do not”.
As such, Pride is a time of celebration and recognition in our community. It began as a display of resistance and collaboration, and continues to chronicle the struggles, and accomplishments of 2SLGBTQ+ people in Canada and around the world.
Why is Pride in June?
In June, 1969 there were a series of riots for gay liberation that took place after a police raid of the Stonewall Inn in New York. Each June we continue to honour this act of resistance. The Stonewall riots are a symbol of the ongoing struggle for acceptance, visibility, and the freedom to live freely as our truest selves.
How can you support 2SLGBTQ+ communities during Pride month at Garth Webb?
Participate in the activities we have planned!
Join our flag raising ceremony on June 1st at 7:45am. Meet us at the flagpole. Garth Webb will fly our rainbow Pride flag proudly throughout the month of June.
Show your support by wearing the rainbow on Thursday June 1st
Do the scavenger hunt! Look for flags hidden around the school, submit your answers, and win a price
Check out our banner “We’ve always been here” in the foyer
Class of 2023 Prom
Last Thursday was the prom for the Garth Webb Class of 2023. It was great to see all of our Grade 12 students dressed up and ready to enjoy their evening! The theme was city lights and the prom committee did an excellent job decorating the space.
A huge thanks to the staff members on the prom committee: Alex Cardona, Jill Hand, Sophie Maras, Jen Patterson, and Laura Pedlar. Thank you to all of the students who helped to plan prom and to all of the staff supervisors who were able to join us. It was a wonderful evening celebrating and having fun together.
Commencement Info
Date/Time/Location
Commencement will be held on Monday, June 12, 2023 at 4:30 pm at The Meeting House (2700 Bristol Circle, Oakville). With such a large class of over 450 students, tickets will be limited to 2 guests per student.
Grad Rehearsal Assembly
On Tuesday morning Student Services met with the Grade 12 cohort to share some information around the commencement ceremony, commencement awards, as well as the Valedictorian nomination speeches.
If you weren’t able to attend, please review the slide deck below as it contains relevant information with regards to the ceremony.
Self Nomination for Awards
If you are interested in being considered for any of the graduation awards, please complete the google form prior to Monday, June 5. All award recipients will be shared with the community at the end of June. Both in-person and VSS students will be considered for all awards.
Ticket Information
On Wednesday, May 31 graduation packages (with caps and gowns) will be distributed to students and they will contain the tickets for commencement. Each student will receive 2 tickets for guests to attend. Each guest attending (no matter the age) must have their own ticket so please keep these tickets in a safe place and bring them with you on June 12.
On Tuesday morning we conducted our lottery for extra tickets and all recipients were notified by email that afternoon. Students who entered the lottery but did not receive an extra ticket were also notified.
Important: if you no longer require an extra ticket, or if you do not need one of the 2 guest tickets that you will receive, please let Mrs. Lee in the main office know ASAP. We were not able to accommodate all requests for extra tickets so we still have students in our ticket lottery who would like one.
Accessible Seating at Commencement
If you require an accessible seat at commencement (e.g. wheelchair seating), please inform Mrs. Lee in the office ASAP.
Last Chance to Buy Kernel's Popcorn
The Youth in Action club is selling Kernels Popcorn to raise money to support the Lighthouse, an organization in Oakville that supports children dealing with grief. Their mission is to help children, youth and their families who are grieving a death, find a sense of belonging, connection and understanding from others experiencing a similar loss.
You can support this initiative by purchasing a bag (or more) of Kernels Popcorn from our online cashless system. Bags are $2.50 each. Please place your order by Tuesday, May 30 for pickup in room 2018 at lunch on Wednesday, May 31. The Youth in Action club thanks you for your support!
Click here to order today.
Bike / Walk to School Week
Bike / Walk to School week is May 29 - June 2 this year and is for all schools in Halton and is supported by HDSB and our municipalities.
Bike / walk to school week is important because it supports students and their families using active transportation as a way to get to and from school. Students who are active on the way to school lead healthier lifestyles, are more alert and ready to learn. It is also a positive way students can participate in taking climate action, reducing traffic and pollution, and making school zones safer for the whole community.
One reason frequently given for not walking/biking to school is that it is "too far". HDSB school specific walk and roll maps indicating the amount of time it would take to bike or walk to school based on the road systems are available on the HDSB public website.
https://www.hdsb.ca/schools/Pages/Transportation/Walk-and-Wheel-to-School.aspx
Halton Police is part of Project 529, a bike registry service that helps when bikes are stolen. Suggest families register their bikes at:
https://project529.com/garage/organizations/halton regional police service/landing
Happy cycling and walking!
Juno Beach Centre 20th Anniversary
The Juno Beach Centre Museum is celebrating its 20th Anniversary in June this year. Click on the image below for more details about all the events that have been planned.
GW Rugby Champions
Junior Boys
YOUR NEW JUNIOR BOYS RUGBY CHAMPIONS! With a semi finals victory over Elsie MacGill (score 71-0), the boys defeated the defending champions Oakville Trafalgar 38-0 to win the Junior HSSAA Championship! This is the second season post pandemic and to experience a championship this early shows the dedication and work ethic that these players have towards achieving goals. This championship win has given Garth Webb an identity in Ontario as the next rugby program to watch out for, and everyone involved with the team is determined to get to the top! Next up is Medway (from Arva, ON) on Monday (@ Garth Webb 3pm), who is consistently a highly ranked program in the province. This is a good test before these boys go to the Barbarian Junior Provincial Championship where they will play many other Association winners from Ontario. Come out and support these Chargers!
Varsity Girls
ANDDDDDD YOUR NEW SENIOR GIRLS RUGBY CHAMPIONS!!! These girls played the defending Champions (since 2008) the Oakville Trafalgar Red Devils, and defeated them 12-10!! Unbelievable season these girls have experienced!! This team has been battle tested all year long and to prevail like they did should make all girls proud. This sport is the only contact sport offered for girls at Garth Webb, and they did not disappoint in showing how tough they can be. Next up is the Golden Horseshoe Athletic Conference (GHAC) finals against Oakville Trafalgar, who defeated Assumption from Burlington in the GHAC semi finals. This will be the third time they play this season, and both teams have a win each. The winner gets to participate in the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) Provincial Championship. The game will be held on Tuesday, May 30 at 3pm @ Garth Webb! We would love to see as many people at this game... so bring your cowbells and let's cheer this team to victory!
Sr Boys Soccer Champions
This week, the Senior Boys Soccer Team won the Halton AAA Soccer Championship! The team defeated Nelson 3-1 in a thrilling final at City View Field in Burlington. The team is preparing for their GHAC Semifinals on Tuesday against the winners of the game between Loyola and Christ the King.
The team finished the regular season with a record of 4 wins and 2 losses one of them being against Nelson. They defeated Milton 6-0 and Hayden 3-2 (another comeback) on the way to the final. In the final, as was common during the season, the team was down 1:0 at half time after controlling the play for most of the opening half. From the start of the 2nd half the team pulled together and scored to tie the game and went on to add 2 more to end any chance of a comeback from the Lords. Well done team! GO CHARGERS!
Chicken Hatchery Project
Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the GWSS Library! The GWSS Library is taking part in the Chicken Hatchery Project offered through HDSB Experiential Learning.
Students and staff alike have been enthusiastically following along as the chicks develop, stopping by the library to peek into the incubator and learn about the process.
We eagerly await the hatching of our chicks who will spend a week in the library before they head back to the Harb Family Farm.
For updates on the chicks, you can follow along on Instagram @GWSSLibraryLC
-Mrs. Zita & Ms. Herchell
GW Track & Field Update
The Chargers had another outstanding day on the track this past week on May 25.
Here are the amazing student accomplishments:
Sarah Watson, 1st in Senior Girls 1500m
Alex Tasev, 2nd in Novice Boys Javelin
Claire Hickey, 3rd in Senior Girls 1500m
Mirna Eweis, 3rd in Senior Girls Long Jump
Cate Draheim, 4th in Senior Girls 100m Hurdles
Sofia Henry, 4th in Junior Girls 80m Hurdles
Nolan Beale, 5th in Senior Boys 110m Hurdles
Noah Waters, 7th in Junior Boys 1500m
Callum Wheway, 7th in Senior Boys Long Jump
Vilohith Rao, 7th overall in the Senior Boys 1500m
Cate Draheim, 8th in Senior Girls Long Jump
Mirna Eweis, 8th in Senior Girls 100m Hurdles
Sienna Sevenpifer, 8th Junior Girls Long Jump
There were more events on Friday which we will have an update about in next week's blog. Anyone who finished in the top 5 on either day will advance to South Regionals next week - that's 7 and counting!
Spring Concert & Festival of Music
Our Garth Webb bands and choirs are working hard to prepare for our year-end concert on Thursday, June 1. Be sure to put the date in your calendar and join us at 7 pm in the Garth Webb cafeteria.
Our Senior Band, Junior Band, and Concert Choir are also heading to the Festival of Music at Canada's Wonderland this Monday to work on our concert pieces with an adjudicator.
Good luck, musicians!
Guidance Counsellors
For the 2022-2023 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 - bix3yen
Grade 10 - krgiixa
Grade 11 - reyclkl
Grade 12 - cenqs5v
From Your Student Services Department
Summer School
Summer school registration is now open. Students can register through myBlueprint. All information can be found on the Gary Allan website as well as in the communication shared with students and families last week.
Tuesday @ 10 - Save the date
On Tuesday June 6th we will be hosting our final Tuesday @ 10 for the 22/23 school year. Heather Fawcett from Sheridan College will be joining us to share all the programs that Colleges offer. She will be covering Degree Programs (similar to Universities), diploma programs and the various programs they offer for students interested in pursuing the Skilled Trades. Please join us to hear about all these exciting options for your student.
Grade 11 Class Presentation
At the start of the month, guidance counsellors visited all Grade 11 classes, to introduce and discuss the post secondary application process. This presentation was a quick introduction so students are aware of the various timelines that exist in their Grade 12 year. Please click here to view the slidedeck.
Volunteer Club
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:
Volunteering Opportunity at Amica Bronte Harbour Retirement Home
Opportunity for students who may be interested in volunteering with seniors in their community to provide recreational activities or companion care for them. Hours are completely flexible and volunteer time can be geared towards their special interests or needs. They will work alongside our Life Enrichment team to support keeping our residents engaged in the community.
If you are interested, email Natalie: N.Litster@amica.ca. More detailed information is also available via this link.
Links to our Regular Columns
Please take some time to click on the below links to view these regular Principal's Blog columns online.
HDSB Hosting Mental Health & Well-Being Information Sessions for Parents/Guardians This Spring
The Halton District School Board is hosting additional Mental Health & Well-Being Information Sessions for parents/guardians this Spring. Covering specific topics based on feedback from parents/guardians, each session will be led by a mental health expert in that area who will share their knowledge and provide helpful information and resources.
Final Session:
June 1, 2023 6-7pm: Cyberbullying - Parenting in Today's Online World - Information & Registration Link
Registration is required for these sessions as limited spots are available. Sessions will be held on Google Meet, where closed captioning is available in various languages. Registrants will be emailed a link to access the session. Sessions will not be recorded.
Parents/guardians will have the opportunity to submit questions when completing the registration form or during the session. The Board’s Mental Health & Well-Being webpage has information for parents/guardians and students on mental health, ways to support positive mental health and well-being, and how to get additional support at school and in the broader community.
Feedback Requested on HDSB's 2022 Long - Term Accommodation Plan
Parents/guardians, students, staff, stakeholders and the broader community are invited to review and provide feedback on the Halton District School Board’s 2022 Long Term Accommodation Plan (LTAP). This plan addresses existing and projected accommodation needs of students in elementary and secondary schools throughout Halton by recommending a number of projects and initiatives including new schools, boundary reviews, enrolment redirections and more.
The LTAP, along with documents and resources outlining key points for Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton and Oakville are available on the Long Term Accommodation Plan webpage on the Halton District School Board website (hdsb.ca).
Before the LTAP is approved by the Board, feedback on the document is welcomed until Monday, May 29, 2023 at 12 p.m. The public is asked to provide feedback using the online feedback form located on the Long Term Accommodation Plan webpage.
Once feedback has been collected, staff will provide a report for Trustees at the June 7, 2023 Board meeting.
Skilled Trades & Technologies Information Sessions
The HDSB will be hosting a Skilled Trades & Technologies Information Session for families.
For Secondary students (Grade 9 - 12): Wednesday, May 31, 2023 at 7 - 8:30 p.m. To access the livestream link for Secondary Student Skilled Trades & Technologies Information Session, visit hdsb.ca.
The evening will provide families with information about the skilled trades and pathways to careers in the trades and ways in which the Halton District School Board is providing opportunities for students to explore the skilled trades and technologies. Families will also hear from special guests who both work and actively promote students entering these rewarding and challenging career fields.
The agenda will include:
An overview of opportunities to explore the skilled trades and technologies in the HDSB
A keynote address by Shannon Tymosko, Skilled Trades Advocate
A presentation by Jesse Fram, Program Facilitator at Skills Ontario
A presentation by Wade Richardson, HDSB OYAP Recruiter
A presentation by Tiffany Olmsted and Donna Norrie, HDSB SHSM Leads
A presentation by Alijcia Gibson, HDSB Dual Credit Lead
Submit questions and have them answered by the presenters by submitting a question through this Google Form: https://bit.ly/23SkilledTradesEveQ
View the Skilled Trades & Technologies Information Evening flyer for more information. Note: The flyer contains clickable links to access livestream webpages.
Community Engagement Sessions
The Halton District School Board (HDSB) will be hosting Community Engagement Sessions for students, families, staff and community organizations to strengthen the HDSB’s relationship and collaboration with Indigenous, Black, Gender Diverse and 2SLGBTQ+ communities. The sessions will highlight some of the findings from the HDSB Student Census, which was conducted in Spring 2021, and the HDSB’s response to those findings. Attendees will have an opportunity to provide feedback and ask questions.
The HDSB is committed to providing a supportive, inclusive and respectful learning environment where all students can learn, grow and inspire. To do this, we must truly understand the needs of all students and families.
Community Engagement Sessions
Gender Diversity and 2SLGBTQ+ Session (for families, students and community agencies supporting HDSB students): Monday, June 5, 2023 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Black-focused session (for families, students and community agencies supporting HDSB students): Monday, June 5, 2023 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Indigenous-focused session (for families/caregivers of Indigenous students attending school in the HDSB): Thursday, June 8, 2023 from 6 to 7 p.m.
Please register by May 24, 2023: Community Engagement Registration and Question Form.
The Gender Diversity and 2SLGBTQ+ and the Black-focused sessions will take place virtually. The Indigenous-focused session will be offered virtually and/or in-person. The virtual sessions will take place through the Google Meet platform. A Google Meet link will be shared with participants closer to the session date. Registration is required for all sessions and individuals will have an opportunity to submit questions before and during the session.
We look forward to connecting with students, families, staff and community members to discuss how we can better serve our HDSB community.
Questions? Please contact hdsbvoice@hdsb.ca.
Links to Community Resources
Online COVID-19 Screening Tool
It is recommended that students continue to complete the Government of Ontario’s online COVID-19 school screening tool prior to attending school each day. Please be sure to read all questions carefully as they do change on occasion. Please carefully follow the instructions that you get at the end of the screening telling you whether to stay home or attend school. Thank you to our families for doing the daily self assessment to help keep everyone safe. For information on COVID-19 health and safety procedures for the 2022-2023 school year, please click here: COVID-19 information page.
School Calendar & Sports Schedule
Important Dates for Your Calendar
Upcoming Key Dates
May 29 School Council Meeting
Jun 1 Spring Concert
Jun 6 Tuesdays @Ten Parent Session
Jun 12 Class of 2023 Commencement
Jun 22 - 28 Semester 2 Exam Block
Jun 29 Exam Review Day - Last Day of School - Early Dismissal
Jun 30 PA Day - No School for Students
Jul 5 OCAS/OUAC FInal Mark Upload
Jul 6 Final Report Card & 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.
Pam Jenkins, Meg Carey, Nancy Annibale, Derek Graham