Principal's Message

Hello Garth Webb Families!

It has been exciting around here over the past few weeks. Having the students out on the field dominating in all sports is just amazing!! We also had our spring play finish up last weekend and that was just phenomenal. I think it's pretty cool how Ms. Jeffries created a theatre in the drama room with seating for at least 80 parents. It was a play to remember and we are super grateful to all involved, especially Ms. Jeffries for making the memories happen for our students. The Ontario Skills Competition took place as well and we have had many many field trips going out which is so great to see. We need to get our students out into the world as much as possible so they can be inspired, make relationships, and create new experiences. A sincere thank you to all teachers organizing field trips, coaching teams, and doing all of the extra-curriculars with our students. It is so important and often what they remember the most from high school.

We are getting ready for our graduation on June 12 and are really looking forward to it. All while students are graduating we are also welcoming our 400 Grade 8s (future Grade 9s) into the building. May is always a very busy time of year with all of our spring extra-curriculars, prom, Grade 8 visits and lots of field trips. 

While we look forward to next year, I would like to share, with mixed emotions, that I will no longer be the Principal at Garth Webb. I would like to welcome Jacquie Pece as the new Principal of Garth Webb beginning in September 2023. I have been Principal here for 5 years now and have made some fantastic memories in this wonderful community. A sincere thank you to all of you for that. Jacquie is an experienced Principal who will do great things here at Garth Webb. I am on a deferred leave next year and will return as a Principal to another school after my year away.

I do hope the sun comes out this weekend for all of us as it has been a rainy few weeks.

Sincerely,

Pam Jenkins

Student of Excellence

“She is always smiling. She is always laughing. She is just an amazing person who makes everyone’s day a little better.”

We are so proud to introduce this year’s GW Student of Excellence Kenzie North.  Kenzie has unmatched positive energy and attitude, an impressive work ethic, an exceptional academic record, and a strong and bright personality.  Kenzie is always smiling and laughing both in the hallways and in class.  Kenzie embraces her individuality and encourages others to do the same - she is an ally for everyone.  

As Mrs. Trunchbull in the school musical Matilda, she demonstrated her ability and passion for music, while being a mentor to younger cast members.  As a Link Crew leader, she was the voice that welcomed our grade nines to Garth Webb with spirit, care and encouragement.   At the Terry Fox event, she had the highest energy and loudest cheer.  If you needed spirit and enthusiasm, Kenzie delivered.  Seeing Kenzie give it her all encouraged her peers to to do the same and lifted the entire student body.   Her effort and enthusiasm has made Garth Webb a more spirited and supportive place.   

While enthusiastic, Kenzie also has an incredible ability to demonstrate poise and calmness.  In a recent meeting with the Director of Education, Kenzie demonstrated an exceptional level of composure and relaxation that Garth Webb could be proud of.  

Kenzie deserves recognition for the hard work she has put into building relationships and being a positive light in any room she is in.  She has without a doubt made Garth Webb a better place.  We are so fortunate to have had Kenzie in our building.

Congratulations Kenzie!

Equity & Inclusive Education 

Canadian Jewish Heritage Month

In 2018, Parliament unanimously passed a bill proclaiming, that throughout Canada, the month of May will be marked as “Canadian Jewish Heritage Month,” celebrating the inspirational role that Jewish Canadians have played and continue to play in communities across the country. From law, to politics, to culture, to sports, this important initiative celebrates the contributions Jewish Canadians have been making to this country for 250 years.  

This type of initiative helps Canadians understand one another by allowing different communities and cultures to be showcased and celebrated. Jewish Canadians have made enormous contributions to the fabric of Canadian society and, regardless of their cultural background, all Canadians are rightly proud of the country we have built together. Understanding and appreciating the contribution different communities make to Canada brings us close together.

Click here to read more.

Prom Ticket Deadline is This Thursday, May 11

Grade 12 Prom will be on Thursday, May 25, 2023 at the Oakville Conference Centre (2515 Wyecroft Rd, Oakville, ON L6L 6P8). Tickets are now available on School Cash Online. Tickets are $90 and will need to be purchased no later than this Thursday, May 11, 2023. Everyone attending will need to have a ticket.

All students must complete a prom contract and submit it to the main office once their ticket has been purchased. Blank contracts can be picked up in the main office. If students are bringing a guest, a second ticket will need to be purchased and the guest will need to complete their portion of the contract as well. Please allow time for the guest's school administrator to fill in their section. 

ALL TICKET PURCHASES AND SIGNED CONTRACTS MUST BE IN BY THIS THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2023.

2023 Georgetown Hockey Heritage Award Recipient

Congratulations to Garth Webb teacher and physical education and health department leader Jay Anderson on being chosen as the Georgetown Hockey Heritage Council's recipient of the 2023 Heritage Award.

Jay's hockey career has spanned more than 5 decades in Georgetown starting with playing minor hockey, decades of coaching hockey, and culiminating in becoming the President of the Halton Hills Hockey League.

Jay also coaches our Garth Webb hockey teams and has coached high school hockey in the Halton District School Board for more than 20 years.

Congratulations on this well deserved recognition Jay!

Kernel's Popcorn Fundraiser

Did you miss out on the Kernel's popcorn sale a few weeks ago?   Well, you're in luck because this Wednesday the Youth in Action club will be selling popcorn again! Stop by the main foyer at lunch for Creamy Caramel, Buttersalt, or White Cheddar popcorn for $2.50 a bag!

All funds go to the Lighthouse for Grieving Children and Families.  And remember, this sale is CASH ONLY! See you there Chargers!

Ontario Skills Competition

This past Tuesday the Ontario Skills Competition was held at the Toronto Congress Center. This annual skills based competition offers the unique opportunity for top students, from across the province, to demonstrate that they’re the best of the best in their field of expertise.

We were very fortunate to have a number of our students representing both GWSS and the HDSB including Savir Singh for programming, Carmen Kassis for Cosmetology, and Laaibah Iqbal and Skye Stachowski for Computer Aided Manufacturing.

We’re very excited to announce that Skye and Laaibah finished 1st and 2nd place respectively in their competition!

Congratulations to all participants, we are so proud of you!

YOUCANPLAY Baseball Tournament

Garth Webb Secondary School is hosting the tenth annual YOUCANPLAY HSSAA high school baseball tournament May 19, 26 & June 2, 2023. HSSAA YOUCANPLAY Baseball Classic has partnered with the YouCanPlay Project to promote inclusivity and awareness for LGBTQ+ and allies in sports.

The YOUCANPLAY HSSAA Baseball tournament identifies individual's values and their abilities, thus leading to a sports tournament designed for inclusivity between all athletes and communities; LGTBQ and straight. Our tournament will include teams from all over the GTA and the Golden Horseshoe. The tournament is a staple in the Halton community and provides an authentic opportunity for the students within our classes and program to organize and successfully run this event, providing an experience for all.

As part of our commitment to supporting this cause, we are launching a social media campaign to raise awareness and encourage others to do the same. We kindly ask for your support in this effort by posting and sharing on your social media platforms (Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, etc.) using the following tags: @garthwebbSS_Baseball, @youcanplayteam, and the hashtags #HSSAAYCPClassic, #youcanplay, and #inclusivesport. Each individual and team post will be entered into a draw for an MLB 23 The Show Video game. 

We believe that promoting inclusivity in sports is essential, especially at the high school level. We hope that you will join us in this important initiative and help spread the word about the HSSAA YOUCANPLAY Baseball Classic.

GW Track & Field Update

Garth Webb Track and Field had a rainy but successful track meet at Welland Centennial this past week.

Top four finishers included:

• Sarah Watson finished first overall in the senior girls 1500m and 3000m.

• Nolan Beale finished first overall in the senior boys 110 m hurdles and second overall in the senior boys 400 m hurdles.

• Gwenny Yoo finished second overall in the novice girls 100m.

• Sofia Henry finished second overall in the junior girls 80m hurdles and third overall in the junior girls 100m.

• Nathan Omole finished second overall in the senior boys hurdles.

• Claire Hickey finished third overall in the senior girls 1500 m

• Vilohith Rao finished third overall in the 400m hurdles.

• Cate Draheim, Ravina Sandhu and Mirna Eweis tied for fourth in the senior girls 100m hurdles.

• Peter Watson finished fourth overall in the junior boys 1500m.

• The 4 x 400 team of Sarah, Ravina, Claire and Keya Banerjee finished first overall.

• The 4 x 100 team of Keya, Gwenny, Sarah McClure and Sofia Henry finished first overall

• The 4 x 100 team of Nolan, Nathan, Logan Hand and Callum Wheway finished second overall.

Next up is the Halton Invitational at Nelson High School!

GW Mock Trial Team Champions

Garth Webb's Senior Mock Trial Team successfully defended their championship on Friday at the Halton Regional Mock Trial Tournament hosted at the Ontario Court of Justice in Milton by the Ontario Bar Association, winning the championship for the second year in a row. 

This tournament saw the top three Halton Public and top four Halton Catholic teams from preliminary tournaments competing against each other in a criminal law case. The team overcame an early bye round to win closely contested matchups against Bishop PF Reding CSS and St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic High School. 

We are incredibly proud of the dedication and perseverance of our students as they worked hard to prepare their case over the past seven months, and they impressed the judges with their enthusiastic and persuasive arguments today.  Congratulations to team members: Fernanda Baduay, Ekaterina Kazachek, Jaya Saraw, Lynsey MacNeil, Cyrus Kanga, Ethan Studholme, Faris Abuain, Manan Malik, Ian Dittrich, and Alessia Tarantino.

Thank you to everyone for your support and well-wishes to the team! Thank you to Mr. Hodgson and Mr. Wilks for all of their work with the team.

From Your Student Services Department

Grade 11 Class Presentation

This past week, 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.

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.

Tuesdays @Ten

On Tuesday May 2nd as we discuss Summer School, the new eLearning graduation requirements as well as the 40 hours of Community Involvement graduation requirement.  If you weren’t able to join us, a copy of the slidedeck can be accessed here and a recording of the presentation can be accessed here.

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:

Stay tuned for a new opportunity next week...

Tim Horton’s Smile Cookie Campaign

From May 1-7, all Smile Cookie purchases made at Tim Hortons locations in Oakville will directly support Food4Kids Halton! Food4Kids Halton currently supports more than 900 children in Halton by providing nutritious foods to ensure that children have access to healthy foods over the weekend and during the summer months. 

Smile Cookie purchases can be made at Tim Hortons locations in Oakville, or can be purchased in bulk through the Food4Kids Halton. For more information about the Smile Cookie campaign, and how to support local children, please visit: Smile Cookie Campaign in support of Food4Kids Halton. 

Thank you!

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.

Upcoming Session: 

• Tuesday, May 2, 2023 from 6 - 7 p.m. - Navigating the Mental Health System for your Child - Information & Registration Link 

New Sessions:

• May 11, 2023 6-7pm: Empowering Parents: Supporting Children's Mental Well-Being in the Muslim Community  - Information & Registration Link

• May 23, 2023 6-7pm: Prevention of Disordered Eating - Information & Registration Link

• 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.

Director’s Panel Series: Bringing the Multi-Year Strategic Plan to Life

We are inviting families, students, staff and community members to the Director’s Panel Series on Bringing the Multi-Year Plan to Life to raise awareness about the commitments outlined in the HDSB’s Multi-Year Strategic Plan (2020-2024). Each session in the series will explore issues and themes outlined in our Multi-Year Plan from various perspectives, including student voice. 

Next session:

• Indigenous Perspectives and Awareness (Tuesday, May 16 at 6 - 7:30 p.m.)

Through the Director’s Panel Series, we will dive deeper into the work we’re doing to advance Mental Health and Well-Being, Environmental Leadership and Indigenous Perspectives and Awareness, as reflected in the HDSB’s Multi-Year Plan 2020-2024 and the Human Rights Equity Action & Accountability Plan - The Way Forward.

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.

Upcoming Key Dates

May 17 CP Day - Late Start at 9:30 am

May 18 GW Parents for Black & Biracial Student Achievement Elevating Excellence

May 22 Victoria Day - School Closed

May 23 Grade 12 Graduation Assembly

May 25 15th Week Report Distribution

May 25 Grade 12 Prom

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