SEMESTER ONE NEWSLETTER!
FEBRUARY 12, 2016
NEWSLETTER
Upper Grand Reads
!
!
The Upper Grand Reads
program is a literacy initiative
where all high school students
in the District are encouraged
to read the same novel - this
y e a r G o v e r n o r G e n e r a l ’s
Literary Award winner, The
Unlikely Hero of Room 13B, by
Toronto author, Teresa Toten.
!
The goal of the program
is to engage students in
reading, and to get them talking
about books and sharing ideas
- all while improving their
literacy skills.
The initiative
includes a Board-wide blog,
and the program will culminate
in a series of author visits.
!
From May 16-18, author
Teresa Toten has agreed to
visit six area high schools,
including Wellington Heights,
and she will host a one-hourlong author reading, questionand-answer session, and book
signing at each school. Her
presentation includes a
discussion about mental health
issues, which links to the novel.
!
The book centres on
Adam, who meets Robyn at a
support group for kids coping
with obsessive-compulsive
disorder, and he is drawn to her
immediately. He’s determined
to protect and defend her
whatever the cost. But when
you’re fourteen and the
everyday problems of dealing
with divorced parents and stepsiblings are supplemented by
the challenges of OCD, it’s
hard to imagine yourself falling
in love. How can you have a
“normal” relationship when your
life is so fraught with problems?
And that’s not even to mention
the small matter of those
threatening letters Adam’s
mother starts to receive.
!
Books are available in
the school and municipal
libraries or from Chapters.
The Environmental
Club is working hard
this year in order to
reduce waste and
plastic water bottle
use at WHSS. They
are encouraging
staff and students to
use reusable water
bottles that can
easily be refilled at
our two refillable
water stations in the
school. They are
promoting this
practice by providing
water at school
events like the Terry
Fox Run, staff
meetings, and
school dances.
Reduce waste and
protect our water!
Have You Had Your Calcium Today? Clean Milk Bags Requested
The School, Community, Work Transition Program (SCWTP) students are
working hard on a new charitable community project. The students in Ms.
Johnson’s class, along with support from Educational Assistants, Mrs. Parish
and Ms. Wagner, are currently weaving milk bags into mats to be used as beds,
surgical floor mats or doormats in third world communities. In order to make one
mat, approximately 90 milk bags are needed. This is an ongoing project with the
goal to weave as many mats as possible this year. As a result, the SCWTP is
seeking donations of clean milk bags from the WHSS community to complete
this project. Donated clean milk bags can be brought to the main office.
!
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SEMESTER ONE NEWSLETTER!
FEBRUARY 12, 2016
CAFETERIA
Beginning this September, our school
partnered with local restaurants to provide
healthy lunches for students. Every Monday,
The Spot Restaurant serves chicken caesar
salads and wraps; on Tuesdays, Matteo’s
offers pizza; Scott’s Pizza Burger offers a
different lunch choice each month on
Wednesdays; and every Thursday,
Chinese food is available from KK
Restaurant. On Fridays, lunch is
provided by New Orleans Pizza or
by clubs within the school - such as
Students’ Council - which serves
grilled cheese
sandwiches. We thank
these restaurants for
their partnership and
co-operation in keeping
prices affordable for
students.
Snacks and drinks also are
available for purchase in our vending
machines. Students are reminded to show
respect for our cafeteria and custodial staff by
recycling and depositing waste in the
appropriate bins. Check the school website
for monthly cafeteria calendars.
SPORTS UPDATES
Junior Girls Basketball
Congratulations to the Junior Girls
Basketball team who won the District
4 Championship against Norwell this
year, and headed to Brantford to
compete in CWOSSA. Thanks to
coaches Ms. Severn and Mr.
Skiperis for their extra efforts on the
court. Way to go, girls!
Senior Girls Basketball
This season the senior girls basketball team finished second in their division, making
the finals which lead them to CWOSSA. It was a fantastic season which entailed multiple
injuries, great wins and many new plays. The entire team was committed to early practices
and Friday morning boot camp sessions. The girls had phenomenal defense with the constant
“encouragement” of their coach, Mr. Norton. They were also a closely knit team and offered
consistent support for each other making it enjoyable for everyone. They had a strong starting
line-up peppered with both grade 12 and 11 girls - leaving this season, overall, amazing with a
remarkable team. Great effort, girls!
HAVE YOU DONE YOUR 40 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER WORK?
Every student must complete 40 hours of community involvement activities.
Don’t forget to log your hours, get your form signed by the sponsor and submit
completed forms for the hours to be counted towards your OSSD.
!
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SEMESTER ONE NEWSLETTER!
FEBRUARY 12, 2016
ONTARIO SECONDARY SCHOOL LITERACY TEST
!
The successful completion of the
Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test
(OSSLT) is mandatory for all Grade 10
students in the province of Ontario in order to
earn a high school diploma. Students must
score 75% on the test to be successful.
!
The test consists of two booklets, each
containing multiple-choice and open-response
questions. The test is given on one day in two
75-minute blocks. All of the questions are
based directly on the expectations set out in
The Ontario Curriculum.
!
Identified students will receive
accommodations when writing the test, and
there are supports for students who do not
pass, including an opportunity to re-write the
test or to take the Literacy Course.
!
This year, the test will be administered
on Thursday, March 31st in the morning. All
Grade 10 students and re-writers will write the
OSSLT on that day.
!
In preparation for the OSSLT, Grade 10
students wrote a Practice Literacy Test early in
the fall, and feedback was provided to
students. Workshops and individualized help
sessions will also be offered to at-risk students
from now until the day of the Literacy Test.
!
Starting
on Thursday,
February 18th, a
free after-school
literacy
remediation
program called
Pass The Test,
will be offered to
students who would benefit from additional
practice, instruction, and test-taking tips in
order to pass the OSSLT. Registration forms
are still available in the main office. The
program runs from 3:15p.m. - 4:45p.m. every
Tuesday and Thursday. A late taxi is also
available if transportation is a concern.
!
At home, students are encouraged to
read regularly, and they should visit the
following websites which also offer practice
exercises, sample tests, and tips:
www.readwriterock.com and www.eqao.com
WELLINGTON HEIGHTS BREAKFAST CLUB
Did you know that every day from 8:30 - 8:50 a.m. Wellington Heights offers a free nutritious
breakfast to all students? Last year, we served over 12,000 meals to at-need students, early morning
athletes, and kids who simply missed eating before leaving for school.
Breakfast programs can increase a student's ability to problem solve by 14%, provide an
opportunity for students to connect with staff, and improve a pupil's focus and attention in school.
Also, students wishing to earn Community Involvement Hours, can earn 30 minutes a day helping out
(and you even get to eat while working!).
Breakfast club funding comes primarily through the Children's Foundation of GuelphWellington, along with other local generous donors (including Solowave, Warm Winter Wishes,
Robert's Farm Equipment Sales, and the Retired Women Teachers Organization). During the months
of February and March, we ask that students and parents help to give back to the Children's
Foundation through their Live Free Campaign. Cash donations can be made at breakfast club in the
donations bin. All money collected in person and through the donor website, will be returned back
dollar-for-dollar to Wellington Heights. If you have further questions, please contact Mr. Timberlake,
our tireless Breakfast Club Coordinator.
!
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SEMESTER ONE NEWSLETTER!
GR. 9 EQAO MATH
The Gr. 9
Math EQAO
exam will be
written on
Tuesday, June 14 and
Thursday, June 16. This
exam will count for 20% of
the student’s overall grade.
Please avoid scheduling
any appointments or
vacations on these days.
GOOD-BYE
The following staff
members will be missed
this semester: Brayden
Scott, Wendy Martin,
Ruth Anne ChisholmDavin, and Lindsay
Clements.
WELCOME
The following staff
members will join us this
semester: Ashley
Edwards, Lauren Koch,
and Jeff Snoddy.
Heather Reed has also
returned from her
maternity leave.
COURSE SELECTION
Students will complete a
course planning sheet, but
must input their choices for
next year online through
myblueprint by Feb.26th.
Students access online
submission via their
ugcloud accounts, and then
go to either high school
planner or course
submission to enter their
choices for next year.
Please note that our
WHSS timetable is created
from the choices that
students make in February.
NEW CHROMEBOOKS
The Upper Grand
District School Board now
has Chromebooks for
student use in all 25 public
libraries across the District.
Each branch has been
outfitted with five
Chromebooks that are
available exclusively for
Upper Grand students to
access and complete their
homework or assignments.
FEBRUARY 12, 2016
Upcoming Dates
Monday, Feb. 15th
Family Day
Wednesday, Feb. 17th
Blue Mountain Skiing and
Snowboarding Trip
Thursday, March 10th
Interim Report Cards
Friday, March 11th
Fiji Friday Spirit Day
March 14 - 18
March Break
Friday, March 25th
Good Friday
Monday, March 28th
Easter Monday
Thursday, March 31st
Grade 10 Literacy Test
Monday, April 25th
P.A. Day
Friday, April 29th
Mid-Term Report Cards
SKI AND SNOWBOARD CLUB
The ski and snowboard club is heading to Blue Mountain most
Wednesdays for the remainder of the skiing and snowboarding
season. Mr. Griffiths and the students have been out on the
slopes several times already this year, and enjoying every minute
of it. Please see Mr. Griffiths if you are interested in attending.
!
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SEMESTER ONE NEWSLETTER!
WARM WINTER WISHES that this year they raised
$32,000 which allowed them
to send Warm Winter Wishes
to 109 children from 50
families from our 8 local
schools. Because of their hard
work, commitment and
compassion, the children
received beautiful warm
clothing, much needed
personal items and exciting
toys and books selected
specifically for them. Over
In October students set $8,500 worth of gift cards
out to organize and implement were also purchased for the
many creative fundraising
families to shop at local
activities within the school and grocery stores.
the community. It was a very
For 14 years, the
busy and exciting time at
overwhelming success of
WHSS—24 activities in just 4
weeks! We ate—chili cook-off, Warm Winter Wishes has been
due to the amazing generosity,
taco day, snow cones, BBQ &
support and enthusiasm of our
bake sales. We played—floor
hockey, hockey & dodgeball at community. Students, staff,
parents, community members,
an all night PJ-Rama. We
businesses, local schools and
created—our very own
Christmas CD and performed a organizations ALL shared—
their talent, time & finances to
live concert. After the
fundraising was complete, the help others. Since its
inception, in 2002, this school
shopping began.
project has raised over
The WWW team is
$250,000—a phenomenal feat
extremely proud to announce
for such a small community!
The 2015 Grade 12
Business Leadership class and
teacher, Mrs. Cowen, operated
a very successful Warm Winter
Wishes project this year. The
project allows students to gain
real life business experience
as they operate all aspects of
the not-for-profit organization
while making a positive
contribution to the community.
!
FEBRUARY 12, 2016
Therapy Dogs
Alley, Sailor Moon, and
Buddy are the friendly and
enthusiastic St. John
Ambulance therapy dogs
that visit WHSS. The dogs
and their volunteer owners,
BJ and Ron, visit the school
on a regular basis to the
delight of both students and
staff. The dogs are invited
to various classes so
students can directly learn
about the role and benefits
of pet therapy.
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