February - White Oaks Secondary School

 FEBRUARY 2016
White Oaks Secondary School
IMPORTANT DATES
Principal: John S eva Vice‐Principal: Rasa Baksys Vice‐Principal: Paul Dawson Vice‐Principal: Elaine MacRae Vice‐Principal: Kate Rehm Website: www.wossweb.com Phone: 905‐845‐5200 February 18 Gr. 9 Assembly: Bullying Ends Here February 19 Course Selec on Due February 22 School Council Mee ng School Council Chair: Sherry Kirkham E‐mail: [email protected] Superintendent: John Pennyfather Phone: 905‐335‐3665, ext. 3385 School Trustee: Kelly Amos E‐mail: [email protected] South Campus 1330 Montclair Drive Oakville, Ontario L6H 1Z5 Fax: 905‐845‐9136 North Campus 1055 McCraney Street East Oakville, Ontario L6H 1H9 Fax: 905‐845‐5124 WHITE OAKS IS TURNING 50 !!!
February 25‐26 Sears Drama Fes val March 10 (revised date) Le ers of Concern Many exci ng events will be taking place May 13‐14, 2016 March 14‐18 Spring Break—No Classes March 23 (revised date) Parent/Teacher Interviews March 25 Good Friday—No Classes March 28 Easter Monday—No Classes March 31 OSSLT (Literacy Test) April 8 (new date) PD Day—No Classes April 19 & 20 Terms 1 Ends & Term 2 Begins April 22 PA Day—No Classes The weekend kick‐off is a Pub Night at Monaghan's on Friday, May 13 beginning at 7pm. Drop by to connect with old friends and former staff, while alumni bands, duos and solo ar sts play sets of music for our enjoyment. Alumni wishing to perform please visit the WOSS 50th Anniversary web‐
site for more informa on on how to sign up. Saturday, May 14 begins with a breakfast for current and former WOSS staff in the north campus cafeteria at 8:30 am for a chance to reconnect with former colleagues. Please RSVP for the break‐
fast at the WOSS 50th Anniversary website. Beginning at 10:00 am on Saturday, May 14 the White Oaks South Campus will be full of energy and excitement with a variety of ac vi es for alumni and their families. The school will be open for alumni to take a walk down memory lane. Decade rooms will be set up in various classrooms where alumni will be able to view yearbooks, photographs and other memorabilia from their years at White Oaks. Special ac vi es will be taking place throughout the day including: April 21‐23 “Crazy for You” Musical April 27 Mid‐Term Reports Distributed April 27 Inside Ride April 28 Culturefest 





Pick Up Sports such as Football, Soccer, Basketball and Volleyball A Debate Demonstra on by the award winning WOSS Debate Team Art Show and Drop‐In Art Ac vi es Alumni Band and Alumni Choir Performances Alumni Play in a Day Performance Food for purchase from a variety of Food Trucks sta oned in front of the school May 2‐20 IB Exams May 5 Semester 2 Full Disclosure May 13‐14 White Oaks 50th Reunion May 19 Le ers of Concern Sent Home The culmina ng event of the weekend is the 50th Anniversary Grand Celebra on on Saturday, May 14th from 6:00 to 11:00 pm at St. Volodymyr's Cultural Centre. The semi‐formal affair will include hors d'oeuvres, food sta ons, entertainment and a cash bar. Entertainment will provided by “Big Machine” and performance ar st “Jessica Gorlicky “. Inductees to the new WOSS Wall of Fame will be announced. Please also visit the White Oaks 50th Anniversary webpage at h p://www.wossweb.com for more informa on, to register to par cipate, and to purchase ckets to the Saturday Night Grand Celebra on. You can also keep up to date with events being planned at the WOSS 50th Anniversary page on Facebook! The Inside Ride coming April 27th Home
of
the
Wildcats
PARENT/TEACHER NIGHT
MARCH 23, 2016
STUDENT EXCELLENCE 2016
KIARA HASSAN
South Campus Cafeteria 1330 Montclair Drive Oakville, ON 6:30 TO 7:15 7:20 TO 9:00 On Thursday, May 5, 2016 the Halton District School Board will honour representa ves of the excellence within our stu‐
dent popula on at the 32nd annual A Celebra on of Student
Excellence which will be hosted by Iroquois Ridge High School in Oakville. Students will be accompanied by par‐
ents/guardians, school principals, as well as one other staff member from each school. Trustees and superintendents will also be in a endance. INFORMAL SESSIONS FORMAL SESSIONS New this semester, parents & guardians will be able to sched‐
ule their own Parent‐Teacher Interview appointments online through the White Oaks scheduling webpage which can be found at h ps://woss.paren nterview.com. Booking can be done beginning on Tuesday, March 1st at 8:00 am up un l Tuesday, March 22nd at 11:00 pm. Addi onal informa on and instruc ons for making appoint‐
ments was sent home with your child along with their Semes‐
ter 1 Final Report Card. Each elementary and secondary school is asked to select a student who best represents the quali es of excellence as defined by the school. Kiara Hassan has been selected to rep‐
resent White Oaks Secondary School. We look forward to seeing you on March 23rd! Kiara is an academically passionate student who has achieved honours in each of her high school years. ADDITIONAL P.D. DAY: APRIL 8, 2016
Her leadership skills are first shown in her own excellence in Debate. She leads the Junior Debate practices every week; organizing the practices, critiquing debates, leading work‐
shops and planning tournaments. As debate president she chaired the Halton Regional Debate Tournament. On the strength of her own initiative, she leads Senior Debate each week, planning and organizing, debating and critiquing. Kiara and her partner have just won the Oxford Cup, a Canadian National Debate Championship in Calgary and with it the chance to represent Canada at Oxford University at the high school debate championship there. She has also taught de‐
bate at elementary schools in her free time. The Halton District School Board has determined Friday, April 8, 2016, as the addi onal Professional Development Day to be added to the current school year calendar for both elemen‐
tary and secondary schools. This addi onal PD Day is one of the nego ated terms of the centralized bargaining process between the Ministry of Edu‐
ca on and the federa ons represen ng Ontario teachers. This addi onal PD Day begins this school year (2015‐2016) for all Ontario school boards. Schools will be closed to students and there will be no classes on Friday, April 8, 2016. This date has been added to the School Year Calendar posted on the Board’s website at: www.hdsb.ca. Her leadership skills are also evident in Drama. This fall she co‐directed grade 9 and 10 students in a Fringe Festival play. She also co‐wrote and co‐directed a play in last year’s festival. Kiara is a long time dancer who enjoys incorporating elements of dance fairly frequently into her drama presentations and coaches her peers with inventive choreography. SANTA PHOTOS
Kiara is an accomplished violin player and volunteers at the Oakville Suzuki Association Summer Camp assisting and teaching youngsters. She mentors young musicians one‐on‐
one. Kiara is a responsible, caring and compassionate citizen with three younger brothers whom she enjoys cooking and caring for at home. Santa came to visit White Oaks December 2nd and posed for photos with students. This event was organized by the students in the Chris an Fellowship Club. All proceeds went to The Kerr Street Ministries. She is also a recipient of the Leading Women, Leading Girls, Building Communities Award which acknowledges and cele‐
brates women and girls who demonstrate exceptional leader‐
ship in working to improve the lives of others in their commu‐
nities. For all her experiences we would like to congratulate Kiara Hassan as the 2016 Student of Excellence represen ng White Oaks Secondary School! 2 GRADE 10 ONTARIO SECONDARY SCHOOL
LITERACY TEST UPDATE
In school support: Students who have been iden fied as needing addi onal literacy support will be able to a end spe‐
cial literacy sessions in February and March. These will be held during periods 4 and/or 5. With consent from parents/
guardians, students will be excused from their regularly scheduled class to a end these sessions. A er school support: In addi on to in school support, we are also offering a er school literacy classes. Students who re‐
quire extra help will be expected to a end two classes per week (parental consent required). A er school literacy sup‐
port will start mid February. What can you do to ensure that your student is prepared? Encourage him/her to take all prac ce sessions seriously. The more students prac ce the literacy exercises, the be er they will do on the test. If you receive an email or voice message indica ng that your son/daughter would benefit from addi onal support (in school or a er school), please encourage him/her to a end. In addi on, here is a list of sugges ons that can help develop literacy skills:  Encourage your son or daughter to read at home as well as at school.  Set an example by reading yourself; share what you are reading.  If possible, provide a wide variety of reading materials: books, magazines, brochures, pamphlets, and the Inter‐
net.  Check if he/she is using effec ve reading strategies such as skimming, highligh ng, and looking at context to un‐
cover word meaning.  Discuss with your son or daughter what he or she is read‐
ing.  Encourage your son or daughter to write o en: diaries, journals, and le ers.  Ask your son or daughter to assist in filling out forms.  Ask your son or daughter to share their wri ng with you and then offer construc ve feedback. For more informa on: Contact White Oaks Literacy Coaches Ron Marsh ([email protected] or 905‐845‐5200 ex. 241) or Ellen Goldenberg ([email protected] or 905‐845‐5200 ex. 241) or Ms. Jackie Morris ([email protected] or 905‐845‐5200 ex. 257). The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) is a man‐
datory test and a requirement for high school gradua on. It is designed to assess the reading and wri ng skills a student should have a er comple ng grade 9. All grade 10 students are eligible for the test. The Educa on Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) is responsible for se ng the test. This year the test takes place on Thursday March 31st during periods 1 and 2. Since there are no retake days provided, please reschedule any travel plans or appointments that conflict with the test day. Test informa on:  The test is 2.5 hours in length.  There are two test booklets. Students will have 75 minutes to complete each booklet.  There is a break between booklets.  Students will read five selec ons and answer mul ple choice and short‐answer ques ons.  Students will complete two longer wri ng pieces (an opinion piece and a news report).  Students will also write two short “open‐response” wri ng tasks.  Students will also read short passages and complete mul‐
ple‐choice ques ons focusing on spelling, grammar and punctua on. What is White Oaks doing to prepare students for the test? Literacy Coaching: White Oaks has two Literacy Coaches who are working with grade 10 teachers to help them present lit‐
eracy lessons in their classes. Literacy Tuesdays: During the months of February and March, all grade 10 students will spend one period a week ge ng literacy instruc on and prac cing literacy ac vi es. Prac ce Literacy Test: During the first week in December, all grade 10 students wrote a prac ce literacy test. This prac ce test provided students with an opportunity to experience what the literacy test ques ons are like. The results of the test are used to determine who needs addi onal literacy sup‐
port before the real test. 3 AUTOMATED STUDENT ATTENDANCE SYSTEM
ATTENDANCE LINE NAVIGATION 1-877-409-6310
In order to help expedite the repor ng and inves ga on of unre‐
ported absences and late arrivals, White Oaks Secondary School has implemented the Automated Student A endance Repor ng system first launched by the Halton District School Board several years ago in elementary schools. What does that mean for parents? As of November 3, 2014, absences and late arrivals MUST be reported using the new 1‐877‐409‐6310 number or the web por‐
tal. Notes or calls to the school to communicate an absence, late arrival or early dismissal is not sufficient, you MUST call the 1‐877‐409‐6310 number or report online using the web a end‐
ance portal. Parents will be able to report absences, late arrivals or early dis‐
missals up to one hour prior to the end of the school day or 1:26 pm. The new a endance repor ng phone number is 1‐877‐409‐6310. Be sure to listen to the prompts all the way through un l you to receive a confirma on #. If you hang up prior to receiving this #, the absence is not reported. Absences can also be reported using the online portal: hdsb.schoolconnects.com. Set the phone # and/or web portal as a favorite on your phone and/or home or office computer. If using the web portal for repor ng, you may also access any phone or email messages sent by the school or the Board, e.g. hot lunch deadline remind‐
ers, school closure informa on, etc. Should you prefer the on‐line repor ng method, you will receive an email with a login and password. Please follow the instruc‐
ons to register your online repor ng account. The system is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and fu‐
ture absences and late arrivals, e.g. Orthodon st appointments, vaca on, hockey tournaments, etc., can be reported at any me as soon as known. If you have two students in the same grade, you MUST call in an absence from a recognized phone number (home number or unblocked cell phone) or use the on‐line repor ng method. Thank you for your pa ence and coopera on while we transi on to this new process. 1‐877‐409‐6310 hdsb.schoolconnects.com List Student(s) And Select Student(s) Absence for Today Absence for Tomorrow 1 Day Future Absence PRESS 1 PRESS 2 PRESS 3 PRESS 4 Enter Date beginning with Day of Month Enter Start Date beginning with Day of Month Enter End Date beginning with Day of Month Choose Absence Type All Day Late Arrival Leave & Return Leave Early PRESS 1 PRESS 2 PRESS 3 PRESS 4 Enter Arrival Time Enter Departure Time Enter Departure Time Select Reason Then # Enter Return Time 1 Illness 2 Flu 3 Injury 4 Doctor Appt 5 Den st Appt 6 Appointment 7 Vaca on 8 Religious Day 9 Funeral 10 Bereavement 11 Missed Bus 12 Personal Select Reason 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Doctor Appt Den st Appt Appointment Slept In Funeral Missed Bus Music Lesson Personal Select Reason Select Reason 1 2 3 4 5 6 Doctor Appt Den st Appt Appointment Funeral Music Lesson Personal 1 2 3 4 5 6 Doctor Appt Den st Appt Appointment Funeral Music Lesson Personal Play Summary of A endance Informa on Entered Informa on Entered Correctly Start Over Again Exit System PRESS 1 PRESS 2 PRESS 3 Add Another Absence for Same Student 4 Mul ‐Day Future Absence Add Absence for Different Student Enter Different Home Phone Number End Call PRESS 1 PRESS 2 PRESS 3 PRESS 4 DECA
JUNIOR BOYS BASKETBALL
"The Junior Boys Basketball team is off to a strong start so far this season. The boys have worked hard to post a 7‐2 record through their first 9 games. They have 2 regular season games remaining and hope to put themselves in a favourable playoff posi on. Nice work boys! SKI & SNOWBOARD TEAM
The WOSS alpine ski and snowboard team is off to an exci ng start this season. The team, made up of male and female skiers and snowboarders, from grade 9‐12, began the season with a successful training trip to Blue Mountain. They all have their first race under their belts and are now off to Alpine Ski Club, on February 18th, for OFSSA qualifiers. Cross your fingers for snow and wish us luck! On February 7th‐9th, 122 White Oaks students competed against 7,000 other students from around Ontario in the an‐
nual DECA Provincial Business Case Compe on at the Toron‐
to Sheraton Centre. Con nuing their tradi on of excellence, many of our students placed in the top 10 or 15 in their respec ve categories, rang‐
ing from Business Finance, Marke ng and Entrepreneurship. JUNIOR GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
The Junior Girls Volleyball Team is just about finished their regular season and will be taking on Loyola in their final match in February before entering into playoffs shortly therea er. Before the season had go en underway, the team competed in a tournament at Garth Webb where they earned a spot in the semi final showdown with Burlington Central. The team shows a great deal of promise and coaches Bower & Blignaut look forward to seeing them show their strengths and capital‐
ize in the last weeks of the winter season. Team members include: Zara Badiani, Nicole Billias, Nya Jones, Sameena Karsan, Kyra Lynch, Maddie McGarr, Reilly McKay, Jessica Moreira, Daniela Rajcevic, Madison Shaw, Tianhui Yang, and Alexia Zolis. Good luck Wildcats! WOSS had 7 students qualify to compete for our school & Ontario, interna onally in Nashville, TN at the end of April. These top students were:  Shreya Singh & Neha Benerjea, Entrepreneurship Innova‐
ve Business Plan  Edward Zhoa (2nd year in a row) & Yun‐Kyo Kim, Adver‐
sing Campaign  Aleem Damji, Automo ve Services Marke ng  Siddhant Sharma & Rohan Gupta, Fashion Merchandising Promo on Plan
Congratula ons WOSS DECA!
5 DRAMA COUNCIL NEWS
The Tony award‐winning roman c musical Crazy For You is called the “new Gershwin musical comedy”. It’s a high‐energy performance which includes mistaken iden ty, plot twists, dance numbers and classic Gershwin tunes including I Got
Rhythm, Slap that Bass and They Can’t Take That Away from
Me. The performance dates are April 21‐23, 2016. Mark your calendar and plan to be blown away by our talented students and our amazing staff who make this musical happen! Be sure to come out to all our Drama Department events ‐ you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, well… you get the idea! Thanks for your support! Wri en by: Manon Garde Drama Council Publicity “What is drama but life with the dull bits
cut out.” ― Alfred Hitchcock
WOSS Drama Council is for EVERYBODY, whether you are interested in being on the stage or behind the scenes in stage management, ligh ng, sound, props, sets, costumes or public‐
ity. There are so many ways that Drama Council gets you in‐
volved in the many produc ons put on every year at White Oaks. Drama Council meets every other Wednesday from 3:00 to 3:30 pm in the Drama Room T106. There are always no c‐
es about upcoming performances and events (which are also posted on the Facebook page: WOSS DRAMA COUNCIL), and there are workshops, improv games and social events as well. We are looking forward to the Murder Mystery Night that will be held mid‐February. It has been great to have so many come out and we especially encourage students new to White Oaks – it is never too late to join Drama Council and you will have a chance to meet people who share your interest in all things drama! So far in the 2015‐2016 school year, we have had our annual WOSS Fringe Fes val, which took place in October. This col‐
lec on of five student‐directed plays was a huge success and the directors were all very pleased with their casts and tech crew! The annual Sears Drama Fes val is coming soon with WOSS presen ng “The Seussifica on of Romeo and Juliet” di‐
rected by Paulina Av‐
daceva. Performance dates are February 25th and 26th in the WOSS South Caf at 7:00 pm, and then the compe on date is March 4th at Nelson High School. Also watch for three performances by the Gr 11/12 Drama Produc ons Class star ng in March through June and Play‐in‐a‐Day which will be held in May. Every other year, White Oaks has a Spring Musical and this is the year! In first semester, a lot of effort has been focused on preparing Crazy for You. It is a major collabora on between the WOSS Music, Visual Art and Dra‐
ma Departments and all who are involved with this show are hard at work. VIMY 2017 SCHOOL TRIP
Vimy Ridge was a pivotal ba le in World War I and many ar‐
gue that as a result Canada emerged into a Na on of its own as a result. We are very excited with the interest that has been generated for our journey to Vimy Ridge to celebrate and honour our country at the 100th Anniversary on the very land granted to Canada by grateful France. We have had a number of students and even some parents register for this trip. We have almost filled our first bus and encourage any‐
one that is s ll planning to a end that has not registered to do so, in order to guarantee a spot. We will be holding an informa on mee ng on Wednesday, February 17th, 2016 at 7:00 pm in room A119 for anyone s ll interested in learning more about this trip. Please note that this is not a mee ng for those already registered. For more informa on please see: h p://www.e ours.ca/tour‐website/1579764dx or contact Donna Beaudin at [email protected] or Fonda Lo at lo [email protected] Please also take a look at the following videos from when our students par cipated in the 95thanniversary. h p://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3UtS4NsmLA h p://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPDfY3v_6UQ 6 DEBATE NEWS
Kashaf Salaheen to this tournament at Upper Canada College. Under M. Faber's coaching, we will also be sending 2 bilingual teams: Jenny Hu and Wendy Wang, and Gau er Boyrie and Marium Vahed. Results were excellent at tournaments at McGill and Western. Ethan and Kashaf made semifinals at McGill and Kiara and Dasha were in the final round, losing on a very close split deci‐
sion. Out of over 200 debaters Dasha placed 3rd and Kiara 6th. At Western Kashaf and Ethan made the semifinals, Gau‐
er and Angad made quarterfinals, and out of over 150 speak‐
ers Kashaf placed 2nd. Ethan placed 3rd, Angad placed 4th and Omar placed 8th. Several White Oaks debaters are going on a regular basis to Munn's Public School to help Ms. Drolet coach a keen group of debaters there! White Oaks will be hos ng the junior pro‐
vincial tournament, open to students in grades 7, 8 and 9 on March 5. L to R: Mar n Poirier, Principal of Western Canada H.S.; WOSS students Da‐
sha Metropolitansky & Kiara Hassan; and Naheed Nenshi, Mayor of Calgary. We can give advance no ce too, that White Oaks will be offer‐
ing the summer debate camp “the week before the week be‐
fore” school starts in September. More informa on will be forthcoming. Inquiries about debate or any other aspect of debate should be directed to Mr. Guthrie by email: guth‐
[email protected] Several wonderful things have happened in debate in the past while. Our biggest news is that for the first me, a White Oaks team won the Oxford Cup, a na onal championship for which the prize is the chance to represent Canada at a debate tour‐
nament in March, at Oxford University, in England. The winning team was Dasha Metropolitansky and Kiara Has‐
san. In the individual standings, out of 60 debaters across Canada, Dasha placed 3rd and Kiara 10th. The Oxford Cup championship was in Calgary this November. The guest speak‐
er presen ng the awards was His Worship, Naheed Nenshi, the dis nguished Mayor of Calgary, himself a former debater, who commended the debaters to put their great skills to op ‐
mal use! We look forward to several more tournaments this year at Northern, Thornhill and perhaps as far away as Halifax. Regards, Hamish Guthrie and Alain Faber, Coaches Kiara Hassan President Boya Zhang & Emma Mogus, Vice Presidents The Queen's University's high school tournament was held the first weekend a er the holidays. Great results here too. In a field of 125 teams, White Oaks had 4 teams make the "break" into the group of the top 16 teams. The teams that "broke" were Kiara and Dasha, Boya Zhang and Emma Mogus, Gau er Boyrie and Angad Singh and Kashaf Salaheen and Ethan Strathdee. This was more teams in the break than any other school in Canada this year! In the end, Dasha and Kiara made the quarter finals, Dasha placed 2nd and Ethan 10th among 250 compe tors. Both Dasha and Kiara have made the Canadian Na onal de‐
bate team. Dasha has been chosen in the top 8 in Canada. Interna onal debates will happen in the near future, begin‐
ning with the Pan‐American tournament in March, which both Kiara and Dasha will be a ending. WOSS Debaters at the Queen's tournament. L to R: Ethan Strathdee, Angad Singh, Emma Mogus, Kashaf Salaheen, Jenny Hu, Wendy Wang, Ben Prystawski, Dasha Metropolitansky, Omar M'Hiri, Gau er Boyrie, Boya Zhang, Kiara Hassan. Kiara Hassan is giving excellent leadership to about 40 Junior Debaters and about 20 Senior Debaters. New debaters are always welcome and should speak to Mr. Guthrie or M. Faber as soon as possible. The Ontario Provincial finals will happen in March. White Oaks won the Halton regional tournament and will be sending 2 English teams, Kiara and Dasha and Ethan Strathdee and 7 WHITE OAKS LIBRARY
WOSS SCHOOL COUNCIL
The WOSS library is undergoing some exci ng new changes to its physical and virtual space to enhance student learning. Last semester the school purchased new flow tables for the reference area. These tables allow students to collaborate with their peers or to work individually. The library is also in the midst of renova ng the space into a “Learning Com‐
mons”. The “Learning Commons” is a physical and virtual space for students and teachers. Part of the physical space will contain a media corner with new computers, a teaming table, Smartboard in the seminar room, small lounge area and the use of seminar rooms which students currently use for group work or quiet space. OSS also has a new library web‐
site: www.wosslibrary.com which is part of the virtual “Learning Commons” space. The new website is geared to‐
wards students accessing the available resources of the “Learning Commons” from anywhere 24/7. The school was also awarded funding through the boards ini a ve called “Close the Gap” which will allow for new furniture in the sem‐
inar rooms and further enhancements to the library. Some of the changes have occurred and many will be happening dur‐
ing the 2015‐2016 school year. A special thank you to John S eva for all his guidance and support through this renova on process. THE WOSS HALTON FOOD FOR THOUGHT PROGRAM
The WOSS Halton Food For Thought Program is looking for dona ons for our program. We would appreciate gi s in kind which could include granola bars, yogurt, cheese strings, fruit or any foods that follow the Nutri onal Guidelines from the Ministry of Educa on. Cash dona ons may be made online at: h ps://halton.cashlessschools.com or by contac ng Sandra McVeety at [email protected]. Thank You! 8 School Council is an engaged group of parents, as well as rep‐
resenta ves from Administra on, Staff and Student Council who are commi ed to suppor ng WOSS students and fami‐
lies. All are welcome at our Council mee ngs! Mee ngs are infor‐
mal and informa ve and serve as a way for parents to learn and keep involved in your child’s educa on. Join us to get filled in on all that’s happening at WOSS from admin, staff and student perspec ves as well as have any ques ons answered. Mee ngs are held at 7:00 p.m. in the South Campus Library, Seminar Room #1. Upcoming School Council Mee ngs are: February 22, April 18 and May 16 (June 20 if required). Since you can’t always rely on ge ng info about what is hap‐
pening at school from your kids… join our email communica‐
on list to keep informed about: upcoming school events, mee ngs and deadlines; student‐ini ated fundraising and service ac vi es; no ces from HDSB and other educa on‐
related sources; Community Service opportuni es; and re‐
sources to encourage engagement in your child's educa onal experience. If you are not already receiving the WOSS School Council E‐News please e‐mail: [email protected]. Please note that, due to the large size of our mailing list, we
some mes experience issues with your receipt of email mes‐
sages delivered via the HDSB cha system used for communi‐
ca ng. We are working to resolve this issue and appreciate
your pa ence.
Council has provided funds and organized a variety of ac vi‐
es throughout Semester One. Thanks to all who a ended the Grade 9 Teacher and Family Welcome Evening and BBQ, the annual Parent Involvement Commi ee (PIC) Conference, and our speaker presenta on of Ann Douglas held last No‐
vember. Ann’s Paren ng Through the Storm talk centered on “What parents who have a child who is struggling need to know”, providing lots of helpful informa on and strategies. Watch for communica on about upcoming School Council Events. In addi on to guests at our Council mee ngs, School Council also organizes special speaker presenta ons and events. A range of issues of interest to WOSS parents are cov‐
ered and we o en work collabora vely with our Ward 5&6 Family of Schools to pool resources and maximize event suc‐
cess. Any Ques ons or Sugges ons? Your input is always welcome. Please contact School Council at [email protected]. WOSS SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETINGS
WOSS School Council mee ngs will be held on the South Cam‐
pus in Library Seminar Room 1, 7:00 pm on: Parents/Guardians can check your child’s a endance, credit summary and metable through the Halton District School Board website (if the student is under the age of 18). February 22, 2016 May 16, 2016 SECONDARY
STUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEM
April 18, 2016 June 20, 2016 (if required) For more informa on, or to receive the monthly e‐mailing of WOSS School Council E‐News please email: 
Log onto www.hdsb.ca 
Click on Parent Info 
Click on Parent Portal (Secondary Student Informa on System) under Quick Links 
Enter your child’s date of birth and 9 digit Halton Stu‐
dent Number [email protected] 2015-2016 YEARBOOKS
2015‐2016 yearbooks are now available to order! They are $45.00 and can be paid on Cashless or by Cash in the South Campus Main Office. We do not order extra copies, so don’t miss out…reserve your copy today! LOST & FOUND
We are accumula ng some Lost & Found ar cles on both campuses and would appreciate your help in claiming any missing items. There is a Lost & Found in both the North and South Cafeterias. Thank you for your assistance. IMPORTANT LINKS
AND WEBSITES
HDSB h p://www.hdsb.ca Halton School Bus Info h p://www.haltonbus.ca Cashless Schools h ps://halton.cashlessschools.com Parent Portal h p://info.hdsb.ca/sis HDSB Sports Informa on h p://www.hssaa.org/schedule.html WOSS Web h p://www.wossweb.com Daily Announcements h p://wosann.hdsb.ca/WOSSannouncements School Newspaper h p://www.word2thewoss.edicy.co Crimestoppers h p://www.haltoncrimestoppers.com Kids Help Phone 1‐800‐668‐6868 VALUABLES
MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS
Morning announcements are heard each morning at the be‐
ginning of period one and they can also be read each day:  Online at: www.wossweb.com  Outside the north and south main offices  On the monitors in the north and south cafeterias IS IT A SNOW DAY?
Watch the CHCH TV Morning Show or listen to the following radio sta ons a er 6:00 am for the latest news about school and bus cancella ons, or check the website www.hdsb.ca for info: If you have to bring valuables to school, please keep them within your sight at all mes and never leave them in a gym change room or assume that they are safe with someone else. PLEASE KEEP US UPDATED!
Please remember to let us know if you are changing your home ad‐
dress, phone number and/or email address. THE SCHOOL NUMBER IS: 905‐845‐5200 9 FM STATIONS 95.3 Y95 98.1 CHFI 99.1 CBC 99.9 CKFM 102.1 CFNY 102.9 CKOC 107.9 CINK AM STATIONS 680 NEWS 900 CHML 1010 CFRB 1150 CKOC 1250 CHWO 1460 CJOY CASHLESS SCHOOLS
Cashless Schools is a convenient 24/7 method for parents to pay for Athle c Fees, Course Fees, Field Trips, Fundraisers, Lunches in the Cafeteria, etc. Cashless Schools offers parents an easy to use account, email alerts & purchase history re‐
por ng. STEP 1: DEPOSIT FUNDS INTO YOUR CASHLESS
SCHOOLS ACCOUNT
To avoid paying any added fees from the banks we recom‐
mend the following steps:  Log on to your Cashless Schools Account REGISTERING WITH CASHLESS SCHOOLS
 Click the “Deposit” Link  Log onto the website at: h p://halton.cashlessschools.com  Enter the minimum deposit to avoid bank fees  Click: Register your account now! to begin  Click the radio bu on to the le of your school’s name STEP 2: PAY FOR ON-LINE FEES
 Click “Next” Once you have successfully set up your account you are now ready to purchase on‐line fees at the school.  Enter the account holder name in “Your Name” and com‐
plete the remaining fields  Log on to your Cashless Schools Account  Click “Next”  Click “Pay for Online Fees”  Select your student and Click “see available fees”  Click “Finish Registra on”  Ac vate your new account by verifying your email address  Select the applicable fee and click “next”  Click on the ac va on link in the response email sent to the account supplied  Can’t find the email? Check your spam folder. A reminder message lets you know that you have not ac vated your account by confirming your email address SET UP YOUR CASHLESS SCHOOLS ACCOUNT
 Log onto the parent payment centre by launching the fol‐
lowing website: h ps://halton.cashlessschools.com  Click “Save to Shopping Cart”  Click “Check Out Shopping Cart”  Choose the shopping cart checkout payment method of your choice/Cashless Account/Bank Account/Interac OnLine  Receipts are available upon comple on of a transac on ON-CAMPUS WALLET
 Click the “Deposit” link. Read the Cashless Account Deposit informa on and click “Add a Bank Account” link to setup an account  Log onto the parent payment centre by launching: h ps://halton.cashlessschools.com  Select “On‐Campus Wallet” link under Fees  Click the “Add a Bank Account”  Select the student you wish to set up the wallet for  Click the “Print Authoriza on Form”  Select “See On‐Campus Wallet”  Complete the form and a ach a void cheque or debit au‐
thoriza on form from your bank  Complete the required fields  Fax (1‐888‐729‐3331) or email (support@cashlessschools. com) to complete the account setup process. Choose “Back to your Saved Bank Accounts” screen.  Select “Save Wallet”  Enter the amount you wish to deposit to the wallet  Choose “Add Funds to Wallet”  Choose “Checkout Shopping Cart”  Pay from a Cashless Account to incur no payment fee (choose the method of payment) PHONE SUPPORT: 1-866-231-3322
10 WHITE OAKS SECONDARY SCHOOL DRESS CODE
The Dress Code which follows has been developed in accordance with the Safe Schools Act 2000 ‐ S.302 (5) and the policy of the Halton District School Board. Through the year opportunity was provided for discussion and input on the part of the staff, the students, and the School Council of White Oaks. It is intended that the code reinforce the importance of the school as a safe, respec ul place for learning and teaching. In developing the dress code for students, the following principles have formed the basis:  Safety  Civility and Respect  Self‐Worth and Self‐Discipline  Cleanliness and Hygiene  Appropriateness to the Learning Environment Students who do not meet the standards of the Dress Code will be counseled by a staff member and may be asked to remove/reverse offensive items or borrow an alternate item of clothing to use temporarily. Students may be given the op on of returning home to change clothes or may call a family member to make other arrangements. Failure to comply with these requests or persistent opposi on to the Dress Code will result in other consequences, possibly including suspension. Students are encouraged to wear clothing that is safe, comfortable, neat, clean, respec ul, and suited to a learning and working environment. DRESS FOR SUCCESS AND RESPECT
The following are inappropriate and unacceptable at White Oaks:
 Clothing with profane, derogatory, gender biased, racist, or sexually sugges ve comments or artwork.  Clothing which promotes illegal ac vi es, violence, the use of drugs, or the use of alcohol.  Clothing which is low cut, transparent, skimpy, or revealing.  Clothes that expose the midriff or chest, or that reveal underwear.  Clothing that displays or promotes gang‐related or hate‐related ac vi es.  Bare feet or footwear which is unsafe in specific environments such as the gym or technology areas.  Hoods must not be worn inside the school building.  Hats must be removed during the playing of the na onal anthem and during specific func ons. It is expected that students will remove hats at the request of staff in various classes or course se ngs. Dress expecta ons and restric ons may also be applied to students in certain courses based on Health and Safety requirements as directed by school staff. NOTE: DRESS CODE TO BE REVIEWED ANNUALLY 11 STUDENT COUNCIL NEWS
INSIDE RIDE
White Oaks Student Council is very proud to reveal the bench that has been dedicated at the New Oakville Hospital to hon‐
our our on‐going dona ons to our beau ful new health care facility that services our community. On Wednesday, April 27th, White Oaks will hold its Ninth Annu‐
al Inside Ride fundraiser. The Inside Ride is Canada’s first indoor cycling celebra on that raises funds in support of children and their families living with and beyond childhood cancer. 100% of the money raised goes to support the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario. Through healthcare innova on, survivor care, finan‐
cial assistance for families, popula on data, policy development, research and educa on, POGO has created a highly integrated and seamless pediatric cancer system that supports children & families throughout the spectrum of illness, recovery and survi‐
vorship. The deligh ul Coast to Coast team, the event co‐chairs, Hem Mahesh Kamur, Jason Huang, Michelle Wang, Alina Zaidi and Shreya Singh, along with the enormous support of Ms. Lo , Inside Ride Staff Advisor, will work with student volunteers and teacher/student teams of riders. There will be a BBQ, Bake Sale, Krispy Kreme sale, Raffle & Silent Auc on. Our White Oaks fami‐
ly has set an ambi ous goal of $34,000 this year, which will put our grand total funds raised to over $250,000. Our students and teachers have helped make this happen by purchasing Krispy Kreme donuts, coffee, tea and hot choco‐
late, pizza, shaker bo les, etc. The funds we raised support the Warm Hug Club. This allows the hospital to purchase blan‐
ket warmers and blankets that pa ents use when receiving treatment, recovering from surgery, etc. There is nothing like a nice warm blanket to provide comfort when you're feeling unwell. We will con nue to raise money for the hospital, so watch the announcements on the WOSS website and remind your kids to support our fundraising efforts: h p://wosann.hdsb.ca/WOSSannouncements/ Last year we were very lucky to have some special guests join us for the event: David Euale, former HDSB Director; Kelly Amos, Chair of HDSB; Stuart Miller, current HDSB Director; Jeff Black‐
well, former Exec. Officer of HR; Bruce Smith, IT; and Sherry Kirkham & Kim Stakauruk, White Oaks School Council who par‐
cipated in the ride. We hope to have some more surprise guests this year. Max Khan – Ward 6 Councillor kindly donated the refreshments of water and oranges to keep our par cipants hydrated for several years. With his un mely passing, we will con nue to dedicate our Inside Ride to him, and others, who have ba led or are ba ling cancer. In past years White Oaks’ Inside Ride was dedicated to members of our school communi‐
ty: Ms. Van Duren, Hospitality Teacher, Ms. Norwood, Special Educa on and English Teacher, Mr. Marsh, Program Leader for English and the son of Mr. Pascoe, Guidance Counselor. Some shared their personal stories of their courageous ba le against cancer with everyone and le the crowd inspired. Hayley Insull and Andy Brooks, two WOSS grads, and their families actually used the programs from POGO that we are suppor ng. We are happy to report that Hayley is comple ng her second year at McGill University and Andy has completed post‐secondary and is working in the community. A special shout out has to go to our Admin, Mr. S eva, Ms. Baksys, Mr. Dawson, Mrs. MacRae & Mrs. Rehm, as well as the whole White Oaks Staff, for their sup‐
port and understanding, which is integral in making an event like this a success. We hope to see many of them par cipa ng in our ride this year, as well. We are very grateful for all the generosity and support from everyone who par cipates and donates to this incredible cause. Your contribu ons will be greatly appreciated and will certainly make a difference in a child’s life. You can par cipate by do‐
na ng at whiteoaks.theinsideride.com or by cash or cheques, payable to The Inside Ride. We are also looking for dona ons for our raffle and silent auc on, bake sale and BBQ supplies. In June, we hope to report to you that we have reached our goal, or maybe even surpassed it!! 12 FROM MR. STIEVA’S DESK
Another semester has come and gone. Winter was almost non‐existent and to the disappointment of many, no snow days during that me. OK, well we s ll have the rest of February and March to go, but the long range forecast does not predict a major amount of snow. Having reviewed first semester achievement it appears stu‐
dents were very successful in earning their credits. I hope you were sa sfied with your son/daughter’s achievement in their courses and that the marks earned are reflec ve of their aca‐
demic abili es. I wish all students the best for semester two and urge and encourage them to con nue to achieve to their full poten al. This summer and fall we have had some major improvements to the building. All exterior and a number of interior doors were replaced. This is s ll ongoing as we are wai ng for more doors, but we hope to have the project completed by the end of April. In the café a new ceiling and ligh ng were completed in me for the first day of September. We are also con nuing to replace lockers on the second floor since the first floor lockers have all been replaced. The window replacement pro‐
ject has been completed and we now have new windows in both buildings. This summer we will be renova ng all the bathrooms at the Montclair campus. Exci ng news for stu‐
dents and staff who have had this on their renewal list for years. On page 2, you will have read about our new program for booking Parent/Teacher Interviews. We hope you will find this more convenient than having to call to book mes. The program allows you to book your appointment mes 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Should you encounter any difficulty, please do not hesitate to call the school. I would also want to thank all our sports teams for their suc‐
cessful season and wish those entering playoffs the best of luck in their games. Please remember that school starts at 8:05 and students are expected to be in class. Being on me is important so valua‐
ble instruc onal me is not lost and we have minimal dis‐
rup on to classes and the learning of others. This April we will once again be travelling to the Netherlands on an exchange. Based on the experience of students last year, it is a great trip. If your son/daughter is interested in seeing a different part of the world, please have them regis‐
ter in the north campus main office so we can ensure they receive the informa on required. I look forward to seeing those of you on May 13th and 14th that are White Oaks grads at the Fi ieth Anniversary cele‐
bra ons. Thank you for all your support this past semester and should you have any ques ons, sugges ons or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me at your convenience.  WHITE OAKS SECONDARY SCHOOL
PARENTAL PERMISSION
It has been the prac ce of secondary schools in Halton to address report cards, etc. to the parent or guardian of the student for all of our students. This prac ce has been challenged within the context of the Educa on Act and within the Municipal Freedom of Informa on and Protec on of Privacy Act. As a result of this review, our Board has advised the schools that it is the Board’s responsibility to communicate directly to students
18 years of age and older, unless requested by the student to do otherwise.
We at White Oaks Secondary School, wish to honour the mandate given to us yet recognize that the value of parental par cipa on in a student’s educa on does not end on the occasion of an 18th birthday. Please discuss this issue in your home and advise the school of the decision of your 18 year old (tear‐off form below and return). I, am reques ng that the school no fy my parents/guardians of any educa onal con‐
cerns (a endance, reports, etc.) rela ng to my educa onal career while I am a ending White Oaks Secondary School even though I have reached my 18th birthday. Date Student’s Signature 13