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Near North District School Board

News and Announcements

Board Approves 2018-2019 Budget

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㽶ֱ Approves 2018-2019 Budget

The Near North District School Board approved the 2018-2019 Budget at the June 26, 2018 Board Meeting. Board of Trustees and Senior Administration undertook a rigorous budget process in order to develop the compliant in-year budget with a planned deficit of $482,609. The planned deficit is a direct result of declining enrollment, full implementation of financial reforms which include elimination of top-up funding for "non-enhanced" facilities, increased costs associated with Workers' Compensation legislation, increased costs associated with escalating absenteeism, increased transportation costs and increased costs associated with electricity and snow removal.

As always, the focus continues to be on protecting the classroom as much as possible and the supports that are provided to our students. During development of the Budget the 㽶ֱ's Multi-Year Plan Priorities were kept at the forefront of all decisions to ensure continued support to:

  • Ensuring equity;
  • Promoting well-being;
  • Ensure safe and healthy learning environments;
  • Aligning resources to where they are needed, or at a minimum, to maintain existing resources where they are needed to support equitable outcomes for all students.

The 2018-2019 Budget will result in no layoffs and in fact the Board has been able to plan for some staffing enhancements as a result of additional funding provided by the Ministry of Education.

Staff have continued to demonstrate their ability to monitor expenses and identify areas of reductions for recovery purposes as well as to effectively "manage" in-year deficits.

2018 㽶ֱ Budget Overview

For more information, please contact:

Mairghread Knought
Information/Communication Officer
Near North District School Board
705-472-8170 ext. 5010
mairghread.knought@nearnorthschools.ca

Northern SS School Teacher Shortlisted for Prestigious Award

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Northern SS Teacher Shortlisted for Prestigious Award

Northern Secondary School Teacher Kevin Baker was chosen from hundreds of nominees across Ontario by the Ontario Teachers' Federation (OTF) and Ontario Teachers' Insurance Plan (OTIF), as a teacher who makes a difference and inspires students. He is one of six teachers province-wide to receive an honourable mention, after being nominated by colleague Parker Robinson.

Kevin Baker is a shop teacher at Northern Secondary School and was nominated under the new teacher who has less than 5 years of experience category. During his time at Northern Secondary School Mr. Baker has undertaken many innovative projects with the students, from a welding club to a robotics club, bringing in many students from elementary schools and engaging them as well. Mr. Baker is known for student engagement and being respected by the students. Prior to beginning his teaching career Baker spent 30 years as an automotive mechanic in southern Ontario.

Kevin Barker has said of his teaching career "I'm just loving it. I won the lottery. I have a great rapport with the kids. They come to me in Grade 9, I watch them mature and I know what to expect from them and the areas where I need push them. It makes this job that much more special. I love this job. It's just so rewarding."

For more information please contact:
Laurent Paquette
Prinicipal, Northern Secondary School
175 Ethel Street, Sturgeon Falls
P: (705)472-5322 ext. 8067
E: Laurent.Paquette@nearnorthschools.ca

West Ferris student hopes to improve EQAO

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Madelyn Meighan knows what it's like to write Ontario's standardized tests, and all the stress, confusion and anxiety that can come with them. Now, she's got a chance to help make them better for students across the province.

Humphrey Outdoor Learning Space Dedication and Celebration

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On the evening of Tuesday, June 12th, Humphrey Public School had a grand opening and dedication of the Humphrey Outdoor Learning Space. The Outdoor Space is in honour of FynnBywater who was a student at Humphrey who passed away in 2015 when he was in grade 1.

There is a handmade bench in a central location in the space with the following inscription: “This Space is Dedicated to Fynn Bywater, Who Generously Shared with Us His Love of Learning Through Outdoor Exploration and Play.”

The grand opening included a smudging of the space led by Dave Rice who is an Elder at Wasauksing First Nation on Parry Island. He also shared at the event, about some of the work he has been doing with the students of Humphrey including work around the anishinabe medicine wheel.

The hope is thatthe space will inspire a natural curiosity, strengthen relationships and foster deep learning experiences. Along with a large platform for students to gather, present and learn, there is natural seating in a circular shape around the stage, re-purposed cable spools for tables and stumps for chairs. The teachers of Humphrey shared that the space can be used for rich learning opportunities across the curriculum and with students from Kindergarten to grade 8.

The students of Humphrey have created peace poles with colourful, inspiring messages and symbols scattered throughout the space. And finally, you enter and exit the space through eight “pollinator and local food” raised cedar beds which the students planted under the guidance of the Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve.
There were many local businesses who made generous donations to make this space an inspiring place to learn. As Mr. Krause, the principal shared, it takes many people and community partners to help a project like this come to fruition.

For more information please contact:
Stephen Krause
Principal
Humphrey Public School
P: (705) 475-2321 ext. 8656
E. Stephen.Krause@nearnorthschools.ca

Woodland Public School Celebrates National Indigenous Peoples Day

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Woodland Public School is celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day with two educational and interactive events on June 11 and June 15, 2018.

On Monday, June 11th, Woodland Public School hosted its second annual Woodland Teaching and Learning Powwow under theguidance of Aanmitaagzi, a company based in Nipissing First Nation, led by Sid Bobb and Penny Couchie and local artists, dancers, drummers, and singers. Through this event students and others in attendance learned all about powwow and the different dances.

Theprimary classes enjoyed the powwow from 9:00-10:00 AM, while junior students participated from 11:10 AM – 12:10 PM.Students and parents were encouraged to bringtheir dance regalia on thisday.

On Friday, June 15th, junior students will be partaking in Woodland’s first National Indigenous Peoples Day run by Miss Allaire and grade 5 and 6 students registered in Native as a Second Language (Ojibwe).Classes will move from centre to centre learning about all our Indigenous Peoples of Canada and participating in a wide range of activities. We are excited for all the new understanding and awareness this day will bring to our students and staff!

For more information please contact:
Joanne Delorme
Acting Vice Principal
Woodland Public School
P: (705) 475-2321 ext. 6150
E. Joanne.Delorme@nearnorthschools.ca

West Ferris to Host Apple Distinguished 㽶ֱ Site Visit

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The Near North DistrictSchool Boardis excitedto announcethaton Thursday, June 7th, 2018 the West Ferris Intermediate and Secondary School STEAM program will be hosting staff from District School Board Ontario North East as part of a scheduled Apple Distinguished 㽶ֱ site visit. The Director of Education and representatives for the Board of Trustees will be in attendance at 8:45 a.m. on June 7th,2018 to greet our distinguished guests.

The site visit will focus on showcasing student activities and highlighting how STEAM teachers have been successful creating engaging cross-curricular projects.This visit will mark the beginning of an ongoing collaboration between the Near North District School Board STEAM programand bothteachers and administrators from District School Board Ontario North East,as they work towards creating a STEAM program of their own.

Apple Distinguished 㽶ֱ are centres of leadership and academic excellence that demonstrates APPLES’ vision for learning withtechnology andareconsidered byAPPLE to be some of the most innovative schools in the world.West Ferris Intermediate and Secondary School has been designated as an Apple Distinguished Schooldue tostaffs’continued encouragement ofstudents tobe innovative and enthusiastic, while providingopportunities to explore cross-curricular relationships between math, science and technology.

For more information, please contact:

Andy Gagné
HBKin., MEd.
Principal
West Ferris Intermediate/Secondary School
P:7054752333 x 8561
E:Andy.Gagne@nearnorthschools.ca

Near North Students Challenge the DELF

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Once again students from across the Near North District School Board challenged the DELF (Diplôme d’étude de langue française), a French as a Second Language proficiency test. Students from 4 High 㽶ֱ presented themselves to be tested and receive a world recognized accreditation of their abilities in speaking French.

The DELF is a formal testing tool for second language learners. Assessors must be trained beyond the Ontario curriculum, to assess students at an international level. The DELF test was created in France and accessed by students all over the world. Students who attain a level of proficiency can use that designation and certificate for post-secondary education applications (in French first and second language courses) as well as for employment.

In order to receive the DELF credentials, students must successfully complete an interview, listening, reading, and writing exercises with a minimum proficiency of 50%. 㽶ֱ students were successful in attaining the level they challenged. This is the 㽶ֱ’s second year in the pilot project with an increase in the number of students participating. Congratulations to all participating students for their hard work.

For more information, please contact:

Greg Deschamps
Program Coordinator/Conseiller pédagogique, K-12
Near North District School Board
P: 705.472.8170 x 5039
E: Greg.Deschamps@nearnorthschools.ca

Chippewa Receives $28,000 in Funding from CWB Welding Foundation

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May 22, 2018 – The Near North District School Board is pleased to announce that after a lengthy application process, Chippewa Intermediate and Secondary School has been selected by the CWB Welding Foundation as the recipient of the Secondary School Equipment and Project Support program.

The CWB Secondary School Equipment and Project Support program is dedicated to the development of Canadian secondary school welding programs. Through this program, Chippewa received $28 000 in funding to refurbish and upgrade the school’s welding facilities.

For more information regarding the CWB Foundation, please visit their website: .

To celebrate and express appreciation to CWB Welding Foundation for this significant contribution, Chippewa Intermediate and Secondary School will be hosting a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Friday, May 25th, 2018, at 10:30am. This event will also officially launch Chippewa’s welding program.

There will beequipment demonstrations, light refreshments, and a CWB Welding Foundation representative will be available to answer anyquestions.Those interested in attending are asked to contact Chippewa, at (705) 475-2341.

For more information, please contact:

Mairghread Knought
Information/Communication Officer
Near North District School Board
(705) 472-8170, extension 5010
Mairghread.Knought@nearnorthschools.ca

NSS Student Wins Javelin Title at OFSAA

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Northern Secondary School’s Brent Couchie went the distance, winning the 2018 OFSAA Midget Boys Javelin title on June 8, 2018 at the Toronto Track and Field Centre at York University. With a field of over 20 athletes from across the province the 15-year-old from Nipissing First Nation threw his personal best of the year with an impressive 44.94-meter throw.

With strength and finesse from an athletic and artistic background, Couchie picked up the art of Javelin throwing naturally. He spends his winters on the ice playing defense in hockey and is a head grass dancer who travels to pow-wows across the country. He began his throwing career this year and has added almost 10 meters to his throw since the NDA finals in May.

Northern Secondary School is not new to developing high level javelin throwers. Last year, Timothy Hatton won the OFSAA Senior Boys Javelin Throw with a mark of 56.56 meters. Hatton’s mother Catherine is currently the head coach of the track and field team and is a teacher at Northern.

Fore more information please contact:

Kaitlyn Fitzpatrick, B.Sc., OCT, NCCP
Occasional Teacher, P/J/I/S
Trojans Coach
Kaitlyn.Fitzpatrick@Nearnorthschools.ca

Highlanders on Top at OFSAA

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Almaguin Highlands Secondary School Students had a great weekend at OFSAA beating previous personal bests.

Aidan Anger finished 4th in the Senior Boys Pole vault amongst a very tight field of over 20 athletes from across the province. Anger, from Burks Falls, beat his own personal and school record in the highly technical vault event with a final jump of 4.30 meters. He has come a long way since his OFSAA performance last year where he placed fifth with a result of 3.95 meters.

The charismatic senior student graduates this year and has an exciting athletic and academic career ahead of him. This summer, he will be competing at the Junior/Senior nationals in Ottawa. He will then be attending the University of Guelph in the fall, where he plans to study Business Marketing and Management. He continues to compete in the Pole Vault event as a member of the university’s varsity squad.

Clarista Ardiel, a multi sport athlete who runs multiple distances, was 3rd in the Girls 100-meter Intellectual final on Friday with a time of 14.99 seconds. On Saturday, she dominated in the 800 finished ten seconds ahead of the second-best competitor with a time of 2.55.12 minutes.

Hudson Booth, also a multi sport athlete, was 2nd for the Boys 100-meter Ambulatory Race race with a time of 13.51 seconds. He finished fourth in Saturday’s 800-meter Ambulatory run with a time of 2.29.95 minutes and competed in the Shot-Put event. Hudson is in his final year of high school and will be competing at the Cerebral Palsy World Track and Field Games in Spain this summer.

Long time coach and teacher Bob Hildebrandt, along with other Almaguin coaches, have been very successful this year, sending multiple athletes to OFSAA for Track and Field despite being a small rural school. The coaches also been instrumental in developing Almaguin’s special Olympic athletes who also competed at OFSAA this weekend.

For more information please contact:

Kaitlyn Fitzpatrick, B.Sc., OCT, NCCP
Occasional Teacher, P/J/I/S
Trojans Coach
Kaitlyn.Fitzpatrick@Nearnorthschools.ca

Biindigen

Mii gwi Anishinabek wewena nkenmaaminak dependajig maa kiing.
"We acknowledge in a good way, the original people of the land here"
We value the cultures, histories and relationships with the Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island (North America)

Connect With Us

Near North District School Board
963 Airport Road, P.O. Box 3110, North Bay, ON P1B 8H1
[P]705-472-8170   [TF]1-800-278-4922   [F] 705-472-9927