THE OZZIE REPORT
Collingwood Collegiate Institute
November Edition | 2024-2025
Main Office: 705-445-3161 | Report a student absence: 1-888-885-8065 or email [email protected]
School schedule
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Morning bell
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7:55 a.m.
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Classes start
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8:00 a.m.
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Period 1
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8:00-9:20 a.m.
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Period 2
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9:25-10:40 a.m.
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Lunch
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10:40-11:40 a.m.
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Period 3 (4)
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11:40-12:55 p.m.
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Period 4 (3)
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1:00-2:15 p.m.
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Important Dates
November is...
Hindu Heritage Month
Lebanese Heritage Month
November 11th
Remembrance Day Assembly
November 14th
Wise Owls Awards Reception - 5:30pm-6:30pm + Talent Show at 7pm
November 15th
PA Day for all schools
November 18th - 29th
Coats & Clothing drive
November 19th
Eat Well to Excel Day for all SCDSB- www.eatwelltoexcel.ca
November 21st
Secondary Report Cards issued
November 22nd
CCI Holiday Vendor Market - 5pm-7pm
Days of Awareness 2024-25
Please review the days of awareness calendar on the SCDSB website HERE
November 1st
New Year, Hinduism
Samhain, Wicca
Diwali/Lord Mahavir, Jainism
Diwali, Hinduism
Bandi Chhor Divas, Sikhism
All Saints Day (G), Christianity
November 2nd
New Year/Enlightenment day of Gautamswami, Jainism
Birth of the Báb, Bahá'i
Birthday of Imam Aga Khan, Islam
November 3rd
Birth of Bahá'u'lláh, Bahá'i
November 6th
Gnan Panchami, Jainism
November 5th - 11th
Veterans' Week
November 8th
Indigenous Veterans Day
November 11th
Remembrance Day
November 15th
Birth of Guru Nanak, Sikhism
First Day of Advent (J), Christianity
November 17th
Dev Diwali, Jainism
November 20
National Child Day
Transgender Day of Remembrance
Fourth Saturday of November
Holodomor Memorial Day
November 20 – 26
Canada History Week
November 24th
Martyrdom of Guru Teg Bahadur (O), Sikhism
November 25th
Day of the Covenant, Bahá'i
November 25th - December 10th
16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence
November 26th
Ascension 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'i
Absence reporting system for SCDSB schools – call 1-888-885-8065 to report an absence
The Simcoe County District School Board’s (SCDSB) absence reporting
system will support us in continuing to improve our home-to-school
communication process and streamline absence reporting. To report a student absence, call 1-888-885-8065. Callers
will be prompted to identify the school before leaving a message.
Parents should include the student’s name, teachers’ name, dates, and
reason for the absence. If you have questions about this system, please
contact the school office.
Keep connected with our school and with the SCDSB
It’s important to get accurate information about what’s going on at your
school and at the Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB). Here are
some ways to do that:
Inclement weather and bus cancellation information reminder
All information regarding cancelled buses in Simcoe County is posted on
the Simcoe County Student Transportation Consortium (SCSTC)’s bus
information website at www.simcoecountyschoolbus.ca. Our school is in the WEST zone.
When buses are cancelled, schools remain open for student learning,
unless otherwise noted. School staff are expected to plan for such
emergencies in order to transition students who are unable to attend due
to inclement weather to their online platforms (Google Classroom and/or
SCDSBhub [Brightspace by D2L]) and continue with academic programming.
It is always a family decision whether or not it is safe for their
child(ren) to leave for school under severe weather conditions.
The Consortium and bus operators try to make the decision to cancel
school buses before 6 a.m. and make every effort to post announcements
before 7 a.m. Inclement weather cancellations are effective for the
whole day and buses cancelled in the morning will not run at the end of
the day. You can follow the Consortium on Twitter @SCSTC_SchoolBus for
bus cancellations and other information. You can also subscribe to
receive bus delay notifications here: scstc.ca/Subscriptions/Login.aspx.
Online learning graduation requirement and opt out options
Students are required to earn two online learning credits to graduate
from secondary school, beginning with every student who entered Grade 9
in the 2020-21 school year. The online learning graduation requirement
also applies to adult learners who entered the Ontario secondary school
system since the 2023-24 school year. The graduation requirement is
intended to support students in developing familiarity and comfort with
learning and working in a fully online environment, as well as
developing digital literacy and other important transferable skills that
they will need for success after secondary school, including in
post-secondary education and the workplace.
Opting out
Parents/guardians may choose to opt their children out of the mandatory
online learning credits required for graduation. To opt out, a
parent/guardian must submit the Secondary Online Learning Graduation
Requirement Opt-out Form, available at scdsb.on.ca/secondary/planning_for_high_school/online_learning_graduation_requirement. Exemption from the online learning graduation requirements may be requested by:
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the parent/guardian of the secondary student
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students who are 18 years of age or older
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students who are 16 or 17 years of age and have withdrawn from parental control
Check with your local school if you have questions regarding the registration or opt-out process.
Culminating Task Days and Feedback, Recovery, and Improvement Days
Below is the process and schedule for the culminating task
days and feedback, recovery, and improvement days that will occur at the
end of the semester.
Culminating task days:
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There will be four culminating task days.
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Each day will begin with a 120-minute period dedicated to students completing their culminating task.
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Culminating tasks come in a variety of forms such as assignments, presentations, conferences, interviews, and exams
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Teachers will determine the method that best meets the requirements of the course and the needs of the students.
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The school day will be structured into three periods.
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There will be no new learning or assessment and evaluation (other than the culminating task) during these days.
Feedback, recovery, and improvement days:
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These will occur in the remaining three days of the semester.
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Students can attend to complete assignment(s), receive feedback, or improve an area of missed expectation.
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Students will be provided
with a reflection form that must be completed to attend these days. They
will be asked to reflect on their learning and develop a plan to
improve their learning, if they choose, based on specific areas of the
course expectations.
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Teachers will be available to assist students in completing the form, if necessary.
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All students have the option to attend the feedback, recovery, and improvement days.
November PA Day
Please note that Friday, November 15th is a PA Day for all SCDSB
students. Please refer to the 2024-25 School Year Calendar on the SCDSB
website for more information: scdsb.on.ca/elementary/planning_for_school/school_year_calendar.
Below is a summary of the activities planned for the Nov. 15 secondary PA Day: Length: Full day
Topic: Mental health learning, assessment, mathematics
Host: Simcoe County District School Board secondary schools
Presenter(s)/facilitator(s): Self-directed and small-group learning
developed by central mental health and well-being, math, and assessment
teams
Mental health learning: Student Engagement (100 min.)
Student engagement is an ongoing process that centres every student’s
lived experience and voice, positioning them as valued experts to
influence outcomes that affect them. It requires critical reflection by
school and system staff to dismantle imbalanced relationships and uplift
student voices in mental health planning and programming. This
self-directed professional learning will explore the benefits and
foundations of student engagement in mental health promotion activities
at school, offer practical strategies for supporting diverse student
leadership styles, and provide guidance for creating environments that
support student engagement. Staff will be encouraged to work in small
groups to develop an understanding of the School Mental Health Ontario
(SMHO) Student Engagement Toolkit: smho-smso.ca/online-resources/student-engagement-toolkit/.
Assessment (200 min.)
The focus from student achievement will be on authentic triangulation.
Teachers will participate in activities and be provided with resources
to guide their learning in effective triangulation of assessment to
improve student learning. Teachers will be provided with time to review
resources for the newly developed courses in business, technology,
English, and geography. They will collaborate with colleagues to develop
effective culminating activities that align with school board
assessment and evaluation policy and growing success. Math educators
will complete 100 minutes of assessment learning.
Mathematics (100 min.)
Math educators will engage in math content knowledge learning related to
measurement and algebra, their understanding of the High Impact
Instructional Practices, as well as how universal design for learning
(UDL) and differentiated instruction can be used to support all learners
in the math classroom, but specifically those with special education
needs. Educators will apply their learning to plan responsive
instruction, with a focus on concrete and visual representations, and
examine school based key performance indicators to measure student
growth.
Subscribe to Kindergarten Connections!
Will your child be turning four in 2025? If so, the SCDSB invites you to
subscribe to Kindergarten Connections! This is a monthly enewsletter
informing families of everything they need to know about preparing their
child for school, as well as registering them for Kindergarten in the
SCDSB. To learn more and subscribe, visit the Kindergarten page on the
SCDSB website: scdsb.on.ca/elementary/planning_for_school/kindergarten
How is your infant, toddler, or preschool child developing?
Is your child meeting their milestones? Age-appropriate speech and
language skills are critical to your child’s ability to read, write, and
be successful in school as well as to their ability to engage with
their peers. Free services are available to support you with your
child’s development. Preschool speech and language programs are located
across the County of Simcoe. Call 705-739-5696 or 1-800-675-1979 to
complete a developmental screen. The earlier we work together the
better!
Licensed Winter Break school age child care programs
Child care programs for children in Kindergarten to Grade 6 are provided
by independent, third-party child care operators in some SCDSB schools.
To support your child care needs, some operators offer child care on PA
days and holidays, including over the Winter Break. Registration in
advance is required. Please contact the child care operator directly to
discuss fees and to register. More information and contact numbers can
be found at scdsb.on.ca/elementary/planning_for_school/childcare_before_after.
Check out the SCDSB News video series
The SCDSB News is a weekly video series highlighting positive events,
initiatives, and learning happening within school communities across the
SCDSB. Follow the SCDSB on social media to catch all of these weekly
episodes!
The Indigenous Lodge at Eastview Secondary School opened with a special
ceremony for students, staff, and community. Join us as we explore this
new space designed to welcome and support students while encouraging
learning about Indigenous culture and history. Creating spaces like
these in SCDSB schools is how we are taking steps towards the ongoing
process of Truth and Reconciliation. Watch this video: youtube.com/watch?v=a_qhy_2SksA
High school information events for Grade 8 students
Is your child starting Grade 9 next year? High school information events
will take place in person this winter! Student leaders and staff at the
school will give an overview of what’s new and what to expect. Learn
about courses offered, as well as information about teams and
clubs. Please visit the SCDSB website at scdsb.on.ca/secondary/planning_for_high_school/high_school_information_nights to find details on your high school’s info night, and contact the school directly for more information.
The SCDSB board-wide electronic applications for the Grade 1 FI program
for all sites will open Monday, Dec. 2 at 9 a.m. and close at 4 p.m. on
Friday, Dec. 13. Entry into the FI program is determined through a
digitally randomized lottery system.
Math learning at home
Practice math anywhere with Math at Home, an online resource for
parents/caregivers of SCDSB students from pre-school age to 16. This
resource is updated monthly with games, problems, and number talk
activities that reflect the math your child may be learning at school
each month.
In November, activities in school and on Math at Home may include
grade-level tasks related to measuring objects and identifying and
sorting shapes, figures, and angles.
Visit scdsb.on.ca/MathAtHome to support your child’s math learning at home!
Join us! A learning series for parents/guardians with Pine River Institute (PRI)
Mental health and well-being continue to be a key strategic priority
within the SCDSB. We are pleased to continue our partnership with the
Centre for Family Initiatives at Pine River Institute (CFI@PRI) to
provide several curated learning sessions focused on student mental
health and well-being to SCDSB families.
There are four webinars planned for parents/guardians and other
caregivers during this school year. To join in this learning, please
visit the SCDSB website to register: scdsb.on.ca/about/well-being___mental_health/pine_river_institute_learning_series
Emotional development
Dec. 5, 7-8 p.m.
Gain a new perspective on how children maturate and its significance for
mental health. Learn how Pine River views social and emotional
development as crucial to well-being.
Learn more about PRI by visiting their website at pineriverinstitute.com.
November 19th is Eat Well to Excel Day in Simcoe County
Eat Well to Excel is a Simcoe County non-profit community partnership
that supports our school’s student nutrition program. The funding
provided by Eat Well to Excel allows us to supply students with access
to healthy snacks during the school day.
The pandemic and increasing food costs have caused a significant
financial strain on many families in our region and new data shows that
one in three kids in Canada are at risk of going to school hungry. Kids
that are hungry struggle to retain knowledge and keep focused throughout
the day. They are also at an increased risk of experiencing poor mental
health and a compromised immune system. With your support we can
maintain and hopefully improve our program to provide a consistent
supply of healthy food to our students.
You can make a donation by visiting eatwelltoexcel.ca.
You can either support the county-wide program or direct your donation
to our school. Please include our school name in the comment box to
ensure the donation goes directly to our program. A tax receipt will be
emailed to you.
For more information about Eat Well to Excel visit eatwelltoexcel.ca.
I Read Canadian Day
I Read Canadian Day is celebrating it’s third year on Nov. 6, 2024. This
day is a nationwide initiative that celebrates the richness, diversity,
and scope of Canadian literature by encouraging individuals to read
Canadian books for just 15 minutes. Schools, libraries, bookstores, and
other organizations may host activities and events on this day to
highlight Canadian literature. For more information visit ireadcanadian.com/day and sign up for free to participate.
A curated list of Canadian titles can be found on Sora, the SCDSB’s
digital library. To access the desktop version visit soraapp.com/welcome
or use the Sora app.
Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions in need of foster homes
Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions is in need of families in our
communities to open their homes to children and youth requiring foster
homes. By opening your home, you can make a difference in their lives by
keeping them close to their family, school, and community. Help us keep
kids close to home. If you or someone you know is interested in
fostering, please visit familyconnexions.ca or check out a few of our
videos to better understand what it takes to become a foster care
provider: familyconnexions.ca/fostering-resources/.
Information provided by Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions.
Outdoor play
Active play supports development in many ways, especially when the play
is outdoors, self-directed, and fun. Students can explore boundaries and
problem-solve, develop social skills, resolve conflict, and practice
controlling their emotions and behaviours. Active play outdoors in the
fresh air and nature helps to improve mood and lower stress. Support
your child in playing outside with friends in the neighbourhood and in
your local green spaces.
For more information, visit simcoemuskokahealth.org/Topics/PhysicalActivity/Active-Play/After-School.
Information provided by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.
Caffeine, energy drinks, and teens
Caffeine is a stimulant which can increase alertness and give you a
boost of energy. It can be found in tea, coffee, chocolate, soft drinks,
and some foods. Some side effects include insomnia, irritability,
headaches, and nervousness. Energy drinks are not recommended for
children and teens because of their high caffeine content. Caffeinated
energy drinks are now required to have a supplemented food facts table,
caution identifier, and cautionary statements. These products may not be
suitable for those under 14 years old, pregnant, breastfeeding, or
sensitive to caffeine.
For more information, call Health Connection at 705-721-7520 or
1-877-721-5720 to speak with a public health nurse, or visit the Simcoe
Muskoka District Health Unit’s website at simcoemuskokahealth.org/.
Information provided by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.