Principal’s Message November 8, 2021

Hello Sherwood Students/Parents/Guardians

I hope you are all doing as well as can be expected.

We are coming to the end of our first quadmester and there are a few important items we would like to share with you:

• Student Success Days:
  • Nov 10, 11 and 12 are Student Success Days. These days (former exam days) are being used to support students who still need to complete work to achieve success in their course(s). Teachers will contact such students to make individual success plans. Most plans will involve students working from home and meeting with their teacher(s) via a Teams meeting. Students are only allowed in the building on these days by teacher invite (attendance will not be taken).
• Quad 2:
  • Quad 2 begins Nov 15th
• Quad 1 Report Cards/Marks:
  • Distributed via School Messenger and available on Parent Portal Nov 22nd
• OSSLT (Literacy Test):
  • This test is generally a graduation requirement; it has been waived as a requirement for June 2022 graduates.
  • The test will run this year on 2 occasions: This fall for grade 11’s and those in grade 12 who will not be graduating in June of 2022.
    • Nov. 22 OSSLT for eLearning students, all day in the library.
    • Nov. 24 and 25 OSSLT writing for grade 11’s and 12s (not graduating in June 2022) in PM classes
  • Grade 10 students will write the test in the spring–more information to come.
  • Please see the attached letter.  OSSLT Letter
• MDI/Student Census: The MDI (formally the Safe School Survey) and Student Census will run again this fall. Participation is voluntary. Afternoon teachers will give students time to complete these between Nov 29th and Dec 16th; teachers will pick a day that works best in their planning.
• Parking Lot:
  • With an increased student and staff population, our parking lot has become a very busy place. We ask your help in helping to make things safer for our staff and students to walk and park by not using our parking lot for student drop-off and pick-up. Please do drop-offs and pick-ups on the perimeter of our school block as this allows the students to get out of the vehicle curb side and walk a short distance into the building using our sidewalks and pathways.
• Lunch Location:
  • We are making a slight change to our lunch location schedule for students: Students will now eat lunch in their afternoon classroom. If they leave the building to purchase food, they are to go to their afternoon class to eat. Loitering in the halls is not permitted.
• Water Stations:
  • Drinking fountains are not available; however, students may use the water stations to fill water bottles–students are asked to bring their own water bottles to school.
• Cafeteria: 
  • Cafeteria services are still not available. The cafeteria is used for classes in high-risk areas (tech rooms and science labs for example) to eat lunch.
• Lockers:
  • Lockers will be allowed for use beginning quad 2. These will be assigned by morning teachers and students may only use their assigned locker. There is to be no congregating at lockers.
• Community:
  • We ask for parent support (please talk with your students) and student consideration of behaviour demonstrated in the community. We have received many calls from neighbours and community business about poor student behaviour; particularly at lunch. Reports are related to littering, fighting, trespassing, and verbal assaults to community members. Any negative community behaviour that impacts the school will be consequenced. Let’s all do our part to be kind and considerate of others.
• School Council:
  • Our School Council Co-Chairs for the 2021/22 school year are Deb Simon and Sandi Horton. You may email them ([email protected]) if you have any items you would like them to bring forward for discussion at Council. Just a reminder that items for discussion are to relate to the whole school; individual student items/issues are to be addressed to the school staff. School Council minutes are posted on our website.
• Friday Prayer and Daily Prayer Requirements for our Students of Muslim Faith:
  • Daily Prayer: For our students of Muslim Faith who adhere to the after mid-day prayer requirements, you may seek privacy for this by attending to our learning commons. It has been suggested by student leaders and by Imam Tora from the Hamilton Mountain Mosque that students use their afternoon class mindfulness break time for this–regardless, please connect with your afternoon teacher.
  • Friday Prayer: Beginning next Friday Nov 19th, Room 2010 will be available to use from 1:55pm-2:15pm for Friday Prayer. Students will be required to sign in and must stay masked and adhere to social distancing. Students will also use personal prayer mats. The Hamilton Mountain Mosque is offering to provide these. We are hoping to get a sense of the number of students who will be participating in Friday Prayer. If you plan to participate, please email Ms. Visca ([email protected]) and in that email, please indicate if you need a prayer mat.

    Student Voice Advisory Letter to Families Nov. 2021

    Thank-you,

    Michelle Visca
    Principal
    Sherwood Secondary School

    curiosity. creativity. possibility. HWDSB