ISSUE
Westside News
03
Westside News Issue 03 April, 2015
STAY CONNECTED
See our website for daily announcements
www.ugdsb.on.ca/westside
APRIL
2015
This Issue
Receive regular school messages on your phone (ie. No bus days and schedule changes)
Text to 705-230-2295 the message @d6391
Follow us on Twitter for event news
@WestsideThunder
EXAMS AND EVALUATIONS
Please do not schedule vacations and/or part time jobs, etc. during ANY exams or culminating presentations.
These exams are COMPULSORY and are NOT excusable for vacation or employment reasons.
Upcoming exams for 2014-2015 school year will be:
Principal’s Message P1
Digital Historian P2
Westside School Council
To check bus info—go to www.findmybus.ca and login to this secure site with your child’s OEN
number (located on report card), school name, birth date and house number.
Wellington-Dufferin Student Transportation Services (STWDSTS) offers a subscription service that
will notify the subscriber via email when your child’s bus has been cancelled or is delayed.
To subscribe go to: https/www.findmyschool.ca/subscriptions/login.aspx and follow the directions.
If your address changes, please call and advise STWDSTS at 519-824-4119 ASAP.
ONLINE ATTENDANCE
Yearbook P2
Please join us for
School Council Meetings
on the last Tuesday of
every month at 7:15pm.
Watch the school website
for our line up of speakers
this year.
SHSM P3
St ay Connected P4
Exam Dates P4
Online Attendance P4
Principal’s Message
Important Dates
Semester Two - June 17, 18, 19, 22 & 23
TRANSPORTATION NEWS:
Host Families Needed! P2
April 14 - Start Term 2 of Semester 2
April 17 - Midterm Reports
April 24 - PD Day
April 27 - Last Day to Drop a Course for
Semester 2
April 28 - PLC
May 1 - Thumbelina 7pm
May 12 - PLC
May 18 - Victoria Day
May 20 - Spring Music Concert
May 26 - PLC
May 29 - Co-Curricular Gala
June 2 - Art’s Night
June 9 & 11 - Grade 9 EQAO Math Test
June 17-23 - EXAMS
July 6 - Reports Ready for Pick Up
Currently the Aizan System is calling home for student absences, but you can monitor your child’s attendance each day online by
following these instructions:
We have had a very busy start to the semester and are very happy that spring has arrived! Our biggest highlight so far this semester was the Westside concert band winning a high silver medal at
the regional music competition. Yea Thunder! We wish the band success in Toronto for the
national event this May.
Last week we had a very successful semiformal, this week some students wrote the Waterloo math
contest, and next week is the staff-student volleyball game. (Go teachers!)
Just recently we welcomed a new staff member Mark McComb to teach careers and personal life
management. All our teaching staff will be working together during the upcoming Professional
Development day April 24th on assessment and evaluation. Watch for our new assessment and
evaluation policy for next September.
May and June are certainly our two busiest months for events at school. Our play this year, Thumbelina kicks off May with an evening performance on Friday May 1st at 7pm. Please call the office
to inquire about tickets. Our senior trip to Boston goes out the first week of May, and the spring
music concert is happening on May 20th and our co-curricular gala on May 29th. June brings math
EQAO, exams and the prom.
Our third season of co-curricular activities is underway as well with teams like badminton, field
lacrosse, track and field, soccer and rugby. New Clubs like ultimate Frisbee and the Westside
Creative Writers club have also begun. Other clubs like the gardening club, the GSA, young
women’s discussion group, chess club and games club continue to have regular meetings with new
students always welcomed to join.
Website address: https://students.ugdsb.on.ca/WSS/Students
or follow the link on the Westside Website: www.ugdsb.on.ca/Westside
Username
 First 5 letters of the student’s last name, followed by the first 3 letters of the students first name.
There is always something happening every day at Westside so make sure you follow us on twitter
@WestsideThunder or check us out on line at www.ugdsb.on.ca/Westside so you can see the daily
announcements.
Password
 The student’s 9 digit OEN. This number can be found on a report card or on a student card. If unsure, please contact Student Services.
The school council fundraiser is still on so it’s not too late to order your May flowers. More info is
on the Website. Enjoy your spring!
F o l l o w @ W e st si d e T h u n d e r
Deidre Wilson
Centre Wellington District High School Parent Council
is hosting a free evening presentation for
parents/guardians and their teens
Dufferin Parent Support Network presents
Alyson Schafer
Author of “Honey, I wrecked the kids”
Psychotherapist, TV Host and Internationally Acclaimed Parenting Expert
OPENING UP LINES OF COMMUNICATION ABOUT
MENTAL HEALTH WITH OUR TEENS
Our children deal with an incredible amount of societal pressure in today’s world and often times fear that they will appear weak or that it is socially unacceptable to publicly ask for
help.
Misbehaving children make us question if
we are parenting properly. We feel like
we are messing up our kids. Learn:



The four misbehaviour dances we do
with our kids, and how to get out of
them.
Why punishments and rewards no
longer work.
New, effective discipline techniques
to feel more confident and positive
about parenting.
Wednesday, May 6, 2015 at 7:00 pm
Orangeville District Secondary School
22 Faulkner Street
Guest Speakers are:

Myrna Hutchison from #Getintouch for hutch. Myrna and her family
experienced a deep and personal loss of their own son, Steven, who took
his own life. Out of this sad tragedy they started on a journey to find a
way to get youth talking.

Kim Sonnet, Child and Youth Counseller. Kim will talk about signs of
teens experiencing difficulty and provide tools and links for help.

Youth Talk who will talk about initiatives in place now at CWDHS to
help youth and to reduce stigma of metal illness.
To register, call DPSN at 519-940-8678
or email to info@dpsn.ca
Location: 905 Scotland Street, Fergus, Ontario
Digital History and World War 1
Linking Generations
For more information contact Shelley Sparks Phillipps at
519-846-1187
Find out more about the Digital Historian Project and join Neil Orford (CDDHS History Teacher) as he discusses the Canadian context of the First World War. The Digital Historian Project is a joint
initiative of the Upper Grand District School Board and Dufferin
County Museum and Archives.
Where: Orangeville Public Library, 1 Mill Street
When: Tuesday, April 21, 2015 at 7:00 PM
Host Families Needed!
Drills: We are required to complete 3 fire drills, 1 tornado drill,
and 1 lockdown drill in semester 2. These will be occurring in
April and May. Teachers will be going over procedures before
the drill.
The lockdown drill will be occurring during the last week of
April.
If you missed out, it’s not too late!
Yearbook sales have been extended to
the end of April.
Sale dates are April 28-April 30
The cost is $40 payable by cash or
cheque. Don’t miss out! This is the
last possible date to purchase the
2014/2015 yearbook.
Our school board will be welcoming a number of international students for the 20152016 school year. Some of
these students have chosen to
attend Westside and will need a home and family
in our catchment area to be with while they are in
Canada. Muskoka Language International helps
connect students with homestay families. MLI
provides orientation, support and compensation
for hosting. If you think that you would like to
host an international student or would like to find
out more, please go to their website at
www.mliesl.com. You may also contact our local
MLI coordinator, Kelly O'Brien at
kelly.obrien@mliesl.com. Westside has been
lucky to have two international students attending
this past year, one from Germany and one from
Japan, and we are looking forward to having even
more students next year.
What is a Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM)?
 SHSM is a program for students that allows them to specialize in an area of interest in Gr 11 and 12
 It provides them with additional opportunities to gain experiences in their area of interest:
(workshops, field trips, training - most at no cost to you )
 Students gain free industry/career recognized certifications and CPR/First Aid training
 They complete a co-op to gain ‘real world’ experience in their area of interest
 They achieve a special designation (red seal) on their graduation Diploma
 It is recognized by businesses, industry and post-secondary institutions
 These credits are NOT additional credit requirements. The SHMS designation is achieved within the
regular 30 credit Diploma (OSSD).
What Specialist High Skills Major programs does Westside offer?
- Arts and Culture
-Hospitality
- Environmental
-Transportation
Who Is Eligible?
If you are planning on working after high school, going to university, college or an apprenticeship, you are eligible.
How do you enroll?
See Ms. Bell, or Guidance
email contact: suzan.bell@ugdsb.on.ca
From the Library:
Students from Westside will have an unique cultural opportunity to visit Toronto on Tuesday, April 21st. They will
visit the multicultural environment of Toronto's Kensington Market, and then enjoy a very relevant play at the Young People's Theatre.
The production, TAGGED, is an investigation of accountability in our social media world.
Centre Wellington District High School Parent Council
is hosting a free evening presentation for
parents/guardians and their teens
Dufferin Parent Support Network presents
Alyson Schafer
Author of “Honey, I wrecked the kids”
Psychotherapist, TV Host and Internationally Acclaimed Parenting Expert
OPENING UP LINES OF COMMUNICATION ABOUT
MENTAL HEALTH WITH OUR TEENS
Our children deal with an incredible amount of societal pressure in today’s world and often times fear that they will appear weak or that it is socially unacceptable to publicly ask for
help.
Misbehaving children make us question if
we are parenting properly. We feel like
we are messing up our kids. Learn:



The four misbehaviour dances we do
with our kids, and how to get out of
them.
Why punishments and rewards no
longer work.
New, effective discipline techniques
to feel more confident and positive
about parenting.
Wednesday, May 6, 2015 at 7:00 pm
Orangeville District Secondary School
22 Faulkner Street
Guest Speakers are:

Myrna Hutchison from #Getintouch for hutch. Myrna and her family
experienced a deep and personal loss of their own son, Steven, who took
his own life. Out of this sad tragedy they started on a journey to find a
way to get youth talking.

Kim Sonnet, Child and Youth Counseller. Kim will talk about signs of
teens experiencing difficulty and provide tools and links for help.

Youth Talk who will talk about initiatives in place now at CWDHS to
help youth and to reduce stigma of metal illness.
To register, call DPSN at 519-940-8678
or email to info@dpsn.ca
Location: 905 Scotland Street, Fergus, Ontario
Digital History and World War 1
Linking Generations
For more information contact Shelley Sparks Phillipps at
519-846-1187
Find out more about the Digital Historian Project and join Neil Orford (CDDHS History Teacher) as he discusses the Canadian context of the First World War. The Digital Historian Project is a joint
initiative of the Upper Grand District School Board and Dufferin
County Museum and Archives.
Where: Orangeville Public Library, 1 Mill Street
When: Tuesday, April 21, 2015 at 7:00 PM
Host Families Needed!
Drills: We are required to complete 3 fire drills, 1 tornado drill,
and 1 lockdown drill in semester 2. These will be occurring in
April and May. Teachers will be going over procedures before
the drill.
The lockdown drill will be occurring during the last week of
April.
If you missed out, it’s not too late!
Yearbook sales have been extended to
the end of April.
Sale dates are April 28-April 30
The cost is $40 payable by cash or
cheque. Don’t miss out! This is the
last possible date to purchase the
2014/2015 yearbook.
Our school board will be welcoming a number of international students for the 20152016 school year. Some of
these students have chosen to
attend Westside and will need a home and family
in our catchment area to be with while they are in
Canada. Muskoka Language International helps
connect students with homestay families. MLI
provides orientation, support and compensation
for hosting. If you think that you would like to
host an international student or would like to find
out more, please go to their website at
www.mliesl.com. You may also contact our local
MLI coordinator, Kelly O'Brien at
kelly.obrien@mliesl.com. Westside has been
lucky to have two international students attending
this past year, one from Germany and one from
Japan, and we are looking forward to having even
more students next year.
What is a Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM)?
 SHSM is a program for students that allows them to specialize in an area of interest in Gr 11 and 12
 It provides them with additional opportunities to gain experiences in their area of interest:
(workshops, field trips, training - most at no cost to you )
 Students gain free industry/career recognized certifications and CPR/First Aid training
 They complete a co-op to gain ‘real world’ experience in their area of interest
 They achieve a special designation (red seal) on their graduation Diploma
 It is recognized by businesses, industry and post-secondary institutions
 These credits are NOT additional credit requirements. The SHMS designation is achieved within the
regular 30 credit Diploma (OSSD).
What Specialist High Skills Major programs does Westside offer?
- Arts and Culture
-Hospitality
- Environmental
-Transportation
Who Is Eligible?
If you are planning on working after high school, going to university, college or an apprenticeship, you are eligible.
How do you enroll?
See Ms. Bell, or Guidance
email contact: suzan.bell@ugdsb.on.ca
From the Library:
Students from Westside will have an unique cultural opportunity to visit Toronto on Tuesday, April 21st. They will
visit the multicultural environment of Toronto's Kensington Market, and then enjoy a very relevant play at the Young People's Theatre.
The production, TAGGED, is an investigation of accountability in our social media world.
ISSUE
Westside News
03
Westside News Issue 03 April, 2015
STAY CONNECTED
See our website for daily announcements
www.ugdsb.on.ca/westside
APRIL
2015
This Issue
Receive regular school messages on your phone (ie. No bus days and schedule changes)
Text to 705-230-2295 the message @d6391
Follow us on Twitter for event news
@WestsideThunder
EXAMS AND EVALUATIONS
Please do not schedule vacations and/or part time jobs, etc. during ANY exams or culminating presentations.
These exams are COMPULSORY and are NOT excusable for vacation or employment reasons.
Upcoming exams for 2014-2015 school year will be:
Principal’s Message P1
Digital Historian P2
Westside School Council
To check bus info—go to www.findmybus.ca and login to this secure site with your child’s OEN
number (located on report card), school name, birth date and house number.
Wellington-Dufferin Student Transportation Services (STWDSTS) offers a subscription service that
will notify the subscriber via email when your child’s bus has been cancelled or is delayed.
To subscribe go to: https/www.findmyschool.ca/subscriptions/login.aspx and follow the directions.
If your address changes, please call and advise STWDSTS at 519-824-4119 ASAP.
ONLINE ATTENDANCE
Yearbook P2
Please join us for
School Council Meetings
on the last Tuesday of
every month at 7:15pm.
Watch the school website
for our line up of speakers
this year.
SHSM P3
St ay Connected P4
Exam Dates P4
Online Attendance P4
Principal’s Message
Important Dates
Semester Two - June 17, 18, 19, 22 & 23
TRANSPORTATION NEWS:
Host Families Needed! P2
April 14 - Start Term 2 of Semester 2
April 17 - Midterm Reports
April 24 - PD Day
April 27 - Last Day to Drop a Course for
Semester 2
April 28 - PLC
May 1 - Thumbelina 7pm
May 12 - PLC
May 18 - Victoria Day
May 20 - Spring Music Concert
May 26 - PLC
May 29 - Co-Curricular Gala
June 2 - Art’s Night
June 9 & 11 - Grade 9 EQAO Math Test
June 17-23 - EXAMS
July 6 - Reports Ready for Pick Up
Currently the Aizan System is calling home for student absences, but you can monitor your child’s attendance each day online by
following these instructions:
We have had a very busy start to the semester and are very happy that spring has arrived! Our biggest highlight so far this semester was the Westside concert band winning a high silver medal at
the regional music competition. Yea Thunder! We wish the band success in Toronto for the
national event this May.
Last week we had a very successful semiformal, this week some students wrote the Waterloo math
contest, and next week is the staff-student volleyball game. (Go teachers!)
Just recently we welcomed a new staff member Mark McComb to teach careers and personal life
management. All our teaching staff will be working together during the upcoming Professional
Development day April 24th on assessment and evaluation. Watch for our new assessment and
evaluation policy for next September.
May and June are certainly our two busiest months for events at school. Our play this year, Thumbelina kicks off May with an evening performance on Friday May 1st at 7pm. Please call the office
to inquire about tickets. Our senior trip to Boston goes out the first week of May, and the spring
music concert is happening on May 20th and our co-curricular gala on May 29th. June brings math
EQAO, exams and the prom.
Our third season of co-curricular activities is underway as well with teams like badminton, field
lacrosse, track and field, soccer and rugby. New Clubs like ultimate Frisbee and the Westside
Creative Writers club have also begun. Other clubs like the gardening club, the GSA, young
women’s discussion group, chess club and games club continue to have regular meetings with new
students always welcomed to join.
Website address: https://students.ugdsb.on.ca/WSS/Students
or follow the link on the Westside Website: www.ugdsb.on.ca/Westside
Username
 First 5 letters of the student’s last name, followed by the first 3 letters of the students first name.
There is always something happening every day at Westside so make sure you follow us on twitter
@WestsideThunder or check us out on line at www.ugdsb.on.ca/Westside so you can see the daily
announcements.
Password
 The student’s 9 digit OEN. This number can be found on a report card or on a student card. If unsure, please contact Student Services.
The school council fundraiser is still on so it’s not too late to order your May flowers. More info is
on the Website. Enjoy your spring!
F o l l o w @ W e st si d e T h u n d e r
Deidre Wilson