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Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021

�㽶ֱ�� statement on resumption of school sports

Near North District School Board (�㽶ֱ��) recognizes that participation��in sports is an important part of the school experience��and encourages��a sense of community, promotes physical��health��and overall well-being.

�㽶ֱ�� is pleased��to��resume intramural and inter-school sports��and clubs as��outlined by��the guidance��from the Ministry of Education,��.

In addition,���㽶ֱ����schools will resume��participation��in��OFSSA-organized championships and festivals this fall.��We��are in��consultation with��the North��Bay Parry Sound District Health��Unit and our co-terminus school boards to��develop��consistent health��and safety protocols��that are in alignment with Ministry��of��Education and public health guidance.

Please note practices and seasons may be off to a later start as boards confer and consult. �㽶ֱ�� may cancel sports if so advised by public health. The pandemic is causing delays in decision-making that are frustrating to everyone. Because the safety and well-being of staff and students is an �㽶ֱ�� priority, the timeframe of announcements reflects the careful consideration of our decisions.��

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Information about Near North District School Board:
Near North District School Board is an English-language public school board serving the North Bay – Parry Sound – Nipissing area. The Board consists of approximately 10,000 students in 27 elementary schools, seven secondary/senior schools and various alternative learning centres. For more information, please visit nearnorthschools.ca and follow Near North District School Board on social media.

For more information, please contact:

Deb Bartlett
Communications Officer
Near North District School Board
P. (705) 472-8170, extension 5010
E. Deb.Bartlett@nearnorthschools.ca

July 30, 2021

North Bay students benefit from generosity of Rotary Club

Students at five Near North District School Board (�㽶ֱ��) schools are benefitting from the generosity of the Rotary Club of North Bay.

A donation of $1,800 enabled the purchase of food items that supports breakfast and nutrition programs, specifically for special education students. In five �㽶ֱ�� schools, 60 students will be helped by the donation of non-perishable food items that will supplement the breakfast programs into the new school year.

“The Rotary Club of North Bay is pleased to provide support for the Special Education Breakfast/Nutritional Programs with the Near North District School Board here in North Bay,” said Don Coutts, a club member. “One of the Rotary Club’s initiatives is providing assistance/support in various ways, for example, assistive devices, iPads, physiotherapy, sensory aids, just to name a few to those children and youth with disabilities in North Bay and area.”

�㽶ֱ�� offers robust breakfast and nutrition programs at its schools to enhance student learning as a nutritious breakfast and snacks are imperative to learning. These programs allow students to choose a variety of healthy foods each day while at school.

One of the schools that received a food donation from the Rotary Club of North Bay was Woodland Public School.

“On behalf of our Woodland Public School community, we express our sincere appreciation to the Rotary Club for the generous donation of food items. This year, our Woodland Public School family has felt especially connected to the work of our local Rotarians as they’ve shown particular care for our in-person learners with special needs, and beyond this, they’ve named a graduating student from our school as the Rotary Student Ambassador. Our students and families benefit from the focus the North Bay Rotary Club and its members place on supporting children and youth in overcoming adversity. We are so grateful for their kindness and generosity,” said Principal Amanda Meighan.

“We are very grateful for the extremely generous food donation from the Rotary Club of North Bay to �㽶ֱ�� face-to-face special education classrooms. The non-perishable food items will help to support our students now and into the fall,” said Pippa Madigan, �㽶ֱ��’s Elementary Program Coordinator. “We truly appreciate the generosity of our local partners in ensuring that our students have access to healthy foods each day while they are learning at school.”

�㽶ֱ�� expresses its gratitude to the Rotary Club of North Bay for its continued generosity to the board’s schools, students, and their families.

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For more information, please contact:
Deb Bartlett (she/her)
Communications Officer
Near North District School Board
P. (705) 472-8170, extension 5010
E. Deb.Bartlett@nearnorthschools.ca

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Community is built when people invest their time in organizations, and in each other. Near North District School Board (�㽶ֱ��) supports the building of school communities by giving staff and students the opportunity to share talents while developing leadership skills.

At West Ferris Intermediate and Secondary School, several opportunities exist for participation in mentorship and leadership, some of them for credit.

Principal Andy Gagné says having students reach out to support other students

means an approach in a different and more comfortable way, that is often well received. An example of this is the iCoach program in which students in the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) program work with and assist with technology in a class.

One of the many goals of the STEAM program is to help students master the 21^st century competencies that will help them to successfully navigate the job market of the future. STEAM students become resilient, self-sufficient learners that can quickly adapt to changing situations using the skills that they have learned in the program.

West Ferris is an Apple Distinguished School, recognized for being a centre of leadership and educational excellence. Apple supports the school’s vision as students’ creativity, collaboration and critical thinking are inspired with Mac products. It has helped STEAM students with their understanding and knowledge of technology and their understanding of collaboration and mentoring through such initiatives as iCoach.

Grade 11 STEAM student Kennedy Kerr was an iCoach for a Grade 10 academic English class. Though COVID altered the way she interacted with the class, she was easily able to help the teacher and students in a virtual mode.

In a video she created, Kennedy says, during the octomester as an iCoach, “I am not able to work with the students and the teacher one-on-one. My knowledge from the STEAM program has allowed me to adapt to this unexpected curve in my education with only a few challenges.” Kennedy was able to present work to students and the teacher with iMovies, trailers and Keynotes “in a way that can be shared and presented via online classroom meetings.”

The iCoach position provides unique leadership opportunities for the student, peer support for students in the class, and educational technology assistance to the staff.

Gagné says other mentorship positions occur in the school; within the four self-contained personal life management classrooms (one intermediate class, three secondary school classes). These are mentorship opportunities for which students can earn a credit.

As COVID created the need for cohorts, student leaders were only able to help in one class. Post-COVID, students will be able to support several classes.

At West Ferris, there are also non-credit programs that give students the opportunity to provide leadership, including in academics, physical education and sports, where secondary students mentor younger students.

These are some of the many ways �㽶ֱ�� works to develop good citizenship in its students.

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For more information, please contact:

Deb Bartlett
Communications Officer
Near North District School Board
P. (705) 472-8170, extension 5010
E. Deb.Bartlett@nearnorthschools.ca

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