VIKING VISIONS Barrie North Collegiate Institute 110 Grove Street East, Barrie, Ontario L4M 2P3 (705) 726-6541

Principal: Greg Brucker Vice-Principal: Adele LeMaire Vice-Principal: Doug Woods

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

Today your child brings home the report card that is

common to all of Ontario’s secondary schools. The report

is designed to reflect the new learning skills outlined in the

government’s updated policy, Growing Success. As a

parent/guardian the report provides you with the

information you need to help support your son or daughter

at home. If you see an area for improvement, now is the

time to contact the school so we can work together to help

your student be as successful as possible. BNC is proud of

its efforts to support students who need additional help to

obtain the grade they desire. Students are welcome to

access the student success teachers, Mr. O’Brien, Mr.

Simms, Mr. Krausar and Ms. Campbell, guidance staff or

administration. At the end of the semester the report card

will also provide you with a summary of the credits

achieved and graduation requirements that have been

completed.

It has been a busy first half of the semester here at Barrie

North Collegiate with assemblies, parent/teacher

interviews, field trips, sports activities, informative

presentations and most recently our Remembrance Day

Service. Our clubs, intramurals and lunchtime activities

are in full swing and many other student events by our

Student Council have added more activities for our

students to participate in. Our school has also been very

successful both on and off the field with our clubs and

teams.

I hope that each student at Barrie North Collegiate has

experienced success and personal growth both inside and

outside of the classroom. The report card is just one way

that we can measure the growth of a student. If you have

concerns regarding your child’s progress, or if you have or

need more information on how we can all support your

student, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s

teacher.

Congratulations to our junior and senior boys’ football

teams as they were both successful at capturing the SCAA

championships. Best of luck to the teams as they will be

competing in the GBSSA championships on Thursday,

November 15 and Saturday, November 17 at the J.C.

Massie Field at Georgian College respectively.

Many thanks,

Greg Brucker

Principal

November 2018

IMPORTANT DATES :

Graduation Photos : November 19, 20, 21, 22

School Council Meeting : November 21

Full Disclosure Date : November 22

P.A. Days : November 23, January 31 and February 1

Holiday Harmony Concert : December 11

Kempenfelt Cup Hockey Tournament: December 12

Winter Vacation : December 24 - January 6

Grade 9 EQAO Math : January 15 and 17

Grade 8 Open House : January 16

Evaluations : January 24 - 30

Start of Semester 2 : February 4

Semester 1 Final Report Cards Issued : February 15

School Council Meeting : February 20

SCDSB’S NEW HOLY DAYS AND HOLIDAYS

CALENDAR NOW AVAILABLE

The students and staff of the Simcoe County District

School Board (SCDSB) represent a rich diversity of faith

traditions. This calendar helps identify some of the

important days of commemoration, however it isn’t

designed to be a complete listing of religious days.

Students and staff from a particular faith background may

or may not be absent from school on these special days.

If they do attend school or work, certain accommodations

may be required.

To view the September 2018 - August 2019 calendar,

visit www.scdsb.on.ca, click on the ‘About’ drop down

menu, ‘Equity and Inclusion’ and ‘ Holy Days and Holidays

Calendar.’ You can also learn more about the significant

faith dates that the SCDSB recognizes.

PARENTS HAVE A

HUGE INFLUENCE

ON THEIR TEENS

Did you know that teenagers rank their parents as

having the most influence over what risks they

choose to take? And that those who believe their

parents strongly disapprove of drug and alcohol use

are less likely than their peers to use them!

Here are some helpful tips:

spend time with your kids and talk openly

about alcohol and other drugs

set clear and consistent messages

know that you are a role model

For useful tips and other helpful information on how

you can best communicate with your child about

drugs and alcohol, visit http://

www.smartrisknoregrets.ca/index/parent.html or

http://simcoemuskokahealth.org.

Information provided by the Simcoe Muskoka District

Health Unit

After Hours Math and English

Barrie North is pleased to

announce that the

After Hours program IS starting on November 19!

All students are welcome. AHME offers homework support, tutoring, remediation, tips,

or even study time--in all course subjects. There are also

computers available for assignment completion.

Any interested students may come to the Library at 2:45 on

Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. After a cycle

is complete, students will need to register for the next cycle if

they wish to continue to access this support.

COOPERATIVE EDUCATION

The Cooperative Education Department would like to

thank all of our community partners for providing work

placements for our students. Employers allow students

to experience the link between academic knowledge

and real-life application. You assist our students to

determine an appropriate career path and the job

experience improves the employability skills of our

future workers. Employers and parents are encouraged

to contact the Barrie North Cooperative Education

Department at 726-6541 extension #41123 or

kescott@scdsb.on.ca to learn more about this program.

CO-OP CAREER FAIR – DECEMBER 5, 2018

The Barrie North Co-op students are inviting their

peers, co-op employers, grade eight students, parents,

teachers, and you, to the Co-op Career Fair on

December 5, 2018. Cooperative Education students

will share their experiences, promote the different

career opportunities at their work placement and

provide information (job description, working

conditions, education/training required, characteristics/

skills, wage/income, outlook, and English & math skills

required) on the careers at their co-op placement.

ONTARIO YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP

PROGRAM (OYAP) UPDATE

www.oyapscdsb.com

The Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP)

offers students taking co-op the opportunity to earn

hours and skills towards their apprenticeship while

earning credits toward their high school diploma. For

more information on apprenticeships please visit

www.oyapscdsb.com or contact the Barrie North

Cooperative Education Department at 726-6541

extension #41123 or kescott@scdsb.on.ca

TAKE OUR KIDS TO WORK DAY

www.takeourkidstowork.ca

Wednesday, November 14, 2018 was “Take Our Kids

To Work Day”. Barrie North Collegiate grade nine

students took advantage of this opportunity and

attended a workplace for the day. We would like to

thank the community for contributing to the career

development of these young people.

STAY UPDATED, GET INFORMATION

ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL & SCHOOL BOARD

Want to ensure you are receiving up-to-date, accurate

information about what’s going on at your school and our

school board? Here’s how:

You can subscribe to our school’s website by clicking

on ‘Subscribe’ at the top of our school website: http://

nor.scdsb.on.ca. You can sign up to receive emails about

school news updates and information during emergency

situations. When you fill out your email and click

Subscribe, an email will be sent to your inbox with a link to

click to confirm that you want to subscribe. You can

unsubscribe at any time using the link at the bottom of

each email.

For Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB) media

releases and event information, visit the ‘News’ section

under ‘About Us’ at the SCDSB’s website:

www.scdsb.on.ca. You can also subscribe to receive

board media releases, event information and/or job

postings via email by visiting www.scdsb.on.ca and

clicking on ‘Subscribe’ at the top of the page.

Follow the SCDSB on Twitter (@SCDSB_Schools),

Facebook (facebook.com/SCDSB) and Instagram

(instagram.com/scdsb) and follow our school on Twitter/

Facebook/Instagram @ BarrieNorth1

Check out our Sharing Simcoe blog (www.sharingsimcoe.com), where we share stories of our amazing students, staff and community members. For school bus transportation information, visit the Simcoe County Student Transportation Consortium (SCSTC)’s website at: main.simcoecountyschoolbus.ca. And remember to bookmark the school bus information page at: www.simcoecountyschoolbus.ca for bus delay and cancellation information on inclement weather days. Notifications of bus delays can be emailed to families and students that subscribe to receive their specific bus delay notification through the SCSTC website. Subscribe here: https://scstc.ca/Subscriptions/.

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 CENTRAL zone. When buses are

cancelled, schools remain open for student learning,

unless otherwise noted. The Consortium and bus

operators try to make the decision to cancel school buses

before 6 a.m. and make every effort to post announce-

ments 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: https://

scstc.ca/Subscriptions . For school event cancellations

in case of inclement weather, follow our school’s Twitter

account at Barrie North1 or listen to your local radio

station for event cancellation information.

STUDENT SUCCESS OFFERS

HELP FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS

As students receive their mid-term report cards some may

not have met their academic goals. The ‘Student Success

Room’ can help students achieve their academic targets in

a variety of ways. Students do not require an appointment to

access Student Success services. Room 156 is available on

a drop in basis, with the permission of a teacher, or by

appointment at the request of the Student Success Teacher.

Feel free to contact Daryl O’Brien at ext 41017 or voice mail

59414 to discuss how we can better support our Barrie North

students. For more information please contact us.

CANOE CLUB North's own outdoors fun club start-ed the school year off right! We had several after school paddle sessions followed by our 4 day, fall, overnight canoe trip.

This year's trip took us to the beautiful McCrae Lake in Muskoka. Thirty two students of all grades and the staff had a great time paddling, hiking and exploring the area. This event was followed by a celebration of "Take Me Outside Day" in October. We hiked a 10 km loop around Hardy Lake in Muskoka. Students are encouraged to join us this winter for a snowshoe day and then in the spring for more paddling day trips. Then the grand finale - our Spring, four day, overnight canoe trip! Make plans now to join us June 5th to the 8th as we make some great memories. Listen to the announcements or drop into guidance or room 181 for more information. Get Out There!

NEWS FROM GUIDANCE

Hello Viking Families! The guidance team is currently busy meeting with all grade 12 students for their “Grade 12 Grad Check Appointment”. During these meetings, students are finalizing their post-secondary plans. Some students are selecting programs at colleges and universities, while others are making plans for the workplace and apprenticeships. We have had university and college representatives visit the school over the past two months, answering students questions about specific programs and pathways. For those students still unsure of what their future holds, the guidance counsellors will be helping these students to develop career goals, complete skill and interest surveys and target appropriate programs. Please note: The University Application Centre Pin Numbers have arrived! Your son/daughter can pick theirs up in the guidance office. The deadline for university applications is January 16th, 2019. The college application deadline is February 1st, 2019. We encourage students to apply early to avoid the last minute rush. Please be advised that the Full Disclosure date is November 22nd, 2018. This is the date after which all courses and marks will appear on the student’s permanent transcript. If you have any questions / concerns about your child’s post-secondary plans, please do not hesitate to contact the Guidance Office. Here are some great resources to help with post-secondary and pathway planning! www.myblueprint.ca/simcoe (log in with your SCDSB login). Be sure to check out the Interest Surveys under the “Who Am I” icon on the left hand side of the screen. www.electronicinfo.ca (EINFO – Information for University Pathway Planning) www.ocas.ca (Information for College Pathway Planning & College applications) www.oyap.ca (Information for the Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Planning) www.ouac.ca (University Application Centre) www.osap.gov.on. ca (Ontario Student Assistance Program)

Looking Ahead: Students who need to make a timetable change for Semester 2 should make an appointment with a guidance counsellor as soon as possible. In the second semester, students will be asked to choose their courses for the following year. It is a good time to discuss with your child the various options available to them. Our 2019-20 course calendar will be available online in January. Finally, as we head into the second term, students are encouraged to take stock of not just their academic progress, but also their mental wellness. We have many resources available in the guidance office to assist students with maintaining positive mental health. Our doors are always open for students to come in for a chat with a guidance counsellor, or just to touch base and say hello.

NIGHT OF EXCELLENCE Night of Excellence commemorative photos:

All proofs of Night of Excellence winners have been posted and

can be accessed through the school web site. Families that

wish to purchase a $3.00 digital 8x10 copy of their child’s

photo can do so (1) through the SCDSB pay portal accessible

via the school web site, (2) by talking directly to Mr. Porter, or

(3) by contacting Mr. Porter through email

sporter@scdsb.on.ca and sending money

into the main office. Regardless of the

method, Mr. Porter will need to know the

proof number to ensure he sends you the

correct photo. Thank you for supporting Barrie North!

CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY &

SPECIALIST HIGH SKILLS MAJOR

HAPPENINGS So far this autumn, the SHSM students have received

their Working at Heights Certification. This is a provincial

requirement for employees in any industry who have the

possibility of working above ground, but especially for

those in the Construction Industry. We also, as guests

of the Barrie Construction Association, spent a full day

touring the major reconstruction of St. Vincent Street

as part of our Civil Engineering awareness expectations

and touring the County of Simcoe Emergency Services

Building that is under construction on Fairview Road.

The students got to meet, see at work, and talk to

members of a surprising number of skilled trades and

crafts. It is really something to see such large projects

from the inside out.

We also had a tour of a zero waste sawmill, residential

construction projects, the Architectural Restoration of

the Tremont Hotel and a LEED Certified building and its

green roof.

Upcoming are certifications in CPR, First Aid, power lifts,

and WHMIS.

As an aside, if anyone is doing any renovation work and

has some copper pipe that is surplus to the need, we still

teach students to do some copper plumbing and would

be grateful for any 1/2" pipe or fittings. Thank you.

VOLUNTARY

SELF- IDENTIFICATION

OF FIRST NATION, MÉTIS

OR INUIT ANCESTRY

Self-identification is a personal choice to disclose First

Nation, Métis or Inuit ancestry. The choice to self-identify

is up to you and does not require proof of documentation

(i.e. no status card), regardless of where you live.

Self-identification is confidential, securely stored and

used only to support First Nation, Métis and Inuit student

success. Self-identification helps schools support the

needs of First Nation, Métis and Inuit students and their

achievement. Student achievement data is collected and

protected with other confidential data used to help improve

student achievement.

To self-identify your child as First Nation, Métis or Inuit,

check off the First Nation, Métis or Inuit box on the school

registration form and write in details if applicable. The

SCDSB is committed to meeting the learning needs of First

Nation, Métis and Inuit students through responsive

programming and services. Past activities have included:

the inclusion of First Nation, Métis and Inuit focused

resources in schools; school based pow wows; dedicated

First Nation, Métis and Inuit student advisors and cultural

awareness training for school staff. To learn more about

First Nation, Métis and Inuit Education, visit www.scdsb.on.ca

> Programs > First Nation, Métis & Inuit Education

STRATFORD FESTIVAL

Barrie North's 37th annual Stratford

field trip is scheduled for Thursday,

May 30th, 2019. This year's production

is Billy Elliot – the musical, based on a blockbuster

book and lyrics by Lee Hall and Elton John, about the

barriers families can build and, ultimately, the support

they can offer, as one boy struggles with a talent his

father and brother see as unacceptable because it

challenges their view of masculinity.

The trip is offered to all students grades 9-12. Tickets

are $80 per student and will go on sale in November.

WAYS TO SUPPORT SCHOOL BREAKFAST AND SNACK PROGRAMS

Eat Well to Excel, the Simcoe County Nutrition Program

for School-Age Children is the name of the local Student

Nutrition Program in Simcoe County. EWTE is a non-profit

community partnership that supports volunteer run Student

Nutrition Programs in over 185 schools/programs (including

elementary and secondary schools, learning centres and

alternative programs) in Simcoe County.

Research shows that students with access to a breakfast

program have reduced risk for disease, are more likely to

come to school and participate in class, have better test

scores and are more likely to graduate.

Here’s how you can support your school’s Eat Well to Excel program:

Donate money via www.eatwelltoexcel.ca click on Donate now (a printable tax receipts will be issued). Include the school’s name in the comment box. Otherwise the money will be used to support the purchase of equipment and food for schools with high needs.

Donate money directly to the school.

Volunteer – schools are often looking for help to purchase, prepare and serve food.

Join the EWTE partnership committee. To find out more,

complete the form at www.eatwelltoexcel.ca, under

"Volunteers".

For more information, visit http://eatwelltoexcel.ca/contact-us/

The senior boys football team began the 2018 football season camping. The boys spent the first three days of

practice in Orillia at OELC camp. After some serious practice, inspiration, perspiration and team time...the Vikings emerged ready for battle. Next up...the #8 ranked team in Canada in London Ontario!! After showing very well in that game...the season kicked off. How far has the senior team come? The boys have scored almost 300 points and allowed ONLY 15 in 7 league games. Across Canada the team has been recognized by being ranked #41 in the country. The road to glory would include a Nov 17th GBSSA Championship date vs St. JOA and eventually lead all the way to Ottawa for the OFSSA BOWL. The team has showed character, heart...we have laughed...and will probably shed a few tears… but this has been an amazing season. The junior boys’ football team also won the SCAA championship and will be competing in the GB’s on Thursday, November 15 at Georgian College. We all hope it lasts as long as possible. Go Vikings!!!!

The Vikings Flag Football team enjoyed an outstanding season this fall. The ladies opened the season with a tournament victory and followed that up with an undefeated season, finishing in fist place. The Vikings ultimately lost in the SCAA championship game in a tight, low scoring game. Coach Fisher would like to thank all the ladies for their hard work and enthusiasm throughout the season.

Varsity Girls’ Basketball: This year’s girls’ basketball team was a varsity side due to the low numbers of junior aged athletes interested in representing North in SCAA competition and, in the end, athletes from grade 9 through 12 made up the final roster. The girls hosted their own tournament, travelled to Brockville and Collingwood, in addition to their 5 leagues games. Vast amounts of improvement was made in both individual skills and game play but, despite a number of near misses, the team could not put a notch in the win column. You would never know it, however, based on the smiles and cheers coming from the bench in support of their team mates’ efforts. Coaches Porter, Buchanan and Kirkpatrick sincerely commend the ladies on competing from start to finish.

Congratulations to all athletes and coaches for a very successful fall season. Please continue to come out and support your Vikings and show your Viking Pride!

VOLUNTEER WITH BIG BROTHERS / BIG SISTERS AND OUR SCHOOLS

Call BBBS Barrie at 705-728-0515 or visit

www.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca/barrie to find out more.

BARRIE NORTH’S WALL OF HONOUR

This years’ inductee, Dr. Ken Courtis delivered a captivating

address that really described the impact that BNC and his

teachers had on his life. Never underestimate your power to

make a significant impression upon a student that could turn

out to be a pivotal point in their lives!

The Wall of Honour is a tradition we are committed to continuing

here at BNC, but we need YOUR help! If you know of any

accomplished alumni that are worthy of this honour, please

print off a nomination form from the Barrie North website, or

pick one up from our main office.

BARRIE NORTH’S ME TO WE CLUB UPDATE!

The Barrie North Me to We Club is a social justice club

that meets every Thursday at lunch in room 185.

Already this year, we have raised $400 for our

sponsored child, Ebenezer Ainoo, who lives in Ghana,

by selling refreshments at North's September dance

and by hosting a Coffee House to showcase the

fabulous talents at North. We gathered a considerable

amount of non-perishable food items for the Barrie

Food Bank, through a Scare Hunger campaign that

coincided with Halloween and our always popular

Coffee House evening.

We want to thank everyone for supporting our initiatives

in our local and global communities. Our goal is to

become "the change" we wish to see in the world, and

our success is directly related to you and your

participation in our ideas and hopes.

Stay tuned for more fun and fantastic events, such as

the Winter Coffee House (back by popular demand),

a Vow of Silence, Awake for Awareness, movie nights,

and popcorn days. When the weather warms up, we

will cap off our year with an outdoor Coffee House in

our new courtyard.

So, come on out to room 185 at lunch on Thursdays to

join in the fun and fabulous conversations that make a

difference in our communities. Bring a friend! See you

there.

ARTS DEPARTMENT

DRAMA, MUSIC,

VISUAL ARTS

Barrie North’s Night of Excellence awards ceremony featured student Madeline Rossell singing “O Canada.” This year’s Remembrance Day ceremony at Barrie North was once again a meaningful and memorable event. Mr. Rothenburg’s Gr.11/12 Instrumental Music class provided music during the opening and closing of the assemblies and “O Canada.” The Concert Choir and the Vocal classes performed Mike Plume’s “On Remembrance Day” and Tkaia Green performed “Traveling Soldier.” Students from Mr. Shanks and Mrs. Weening’s Drama classes shared what Remembrance Day means to them and performed a shadow tableau, during which David Traynor performed “Letters From War.” Trumpet student Dillon Jenkins performed “Last Post” to end the ceremony. Special thanks goes to Mr. Shanks for organizing the assemblies.

The Jazz Band, Jazz Quartet, Jam Band and the BNC Staff Band have been performing during lunches in the cafeteria. It is a new weekly tradition to provide background music and add to the lunchtime atmosphere and school spirit. Along with Concert Choir, these ensembles also performed at the Social Justice Club coffeehouse on November 1st, hosted in Barrie North’s cafeteria.

Mr. Pethick welcomes any experienced instrumental music students (woodwinds, brass, percussion) to join the Concert Band, which rehearses every Tuesday after school from 2:30 to 4pm in the Music room. The band prepares a variety of concert music for performances at Holiday Harmony and ArtBeats concerts, and Georgian Bay Regional Music Fest in Collingwood.

Mr. Rothenburg welcomes any student interested in singing to join the Concert Choir every Monday during lunch from 10:40 to 11:45am in the Music room (172). The group sings a variety songs in different styles and learns to sing in harmony. Students do not have to be a music student or have any music reading experience. All they need is a good ear, a willingness to project and pitch their voices, and lots of enthusiasm. The choir performs at North's Remembrance Day assemblies, Social Justice Club coffeehouses, Holiday Harmony concert, and ArtBeats concert.

Mr. Majewski’s grade 9 to 12 Visual Arts students have been working on a large stained glass effect project, which will be installed permanently in the back of the new library. Congratulations to Mr. Majewski’s classes for winning both first and second place in the Halloween door-decorating contest. The Improvisational Games Club has been meeting every Tuesday during lunch in the Drama room (202). New members are always welcome. It is a great way to sharpen your wit, learn how to think on your feet, and to share a few laughs. The club is preparing to compete with other schools across Ontario. They are great ambassadors to represent our school.

Art Club

If you love being creative and having fun exploring and producing various visual art projects, this club is for you. Ms. Paul will teach traditional art forms such as painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, and so on. In addition to creating individual art, you will have opportunities to contribute art throughout the school, at the Education Centre, and in the community. Stay tuned for meeting times during lunch in room 230.

BNC VIKINGS STUDENT COUNCIL The newly elected Student Council kicked off the start of the school year to get BNC pumped up for the year ahead! In September, SAC organized the first BNC dance of the year, the White Attire dance, with many students dancing amongst the neon lights! This momentum continued into October with Halloween festivities – a homeroom door decorating contest, won by the talented students in Mr. Majewski’s art class, and a costume competition in the cafeteria. The café was packed with students as they watched the contestants strut down the catwalk. Congrats to the entire “The Office” staff for taking the big prize! SAC is looking ahead to plan some festive Christmas events, including our annual Christmas Cheer event where toys and food donations are gathered for our local community. Be sure to purchase your $10 hologram sticker for your student card in order to participate in any school-related events, such as the upcoming K-Cup!! Holograms can be purchased at the SAC office at lunch.

PUBLIC SPEAKING OPPORTUNITIES 2019

The Royal Canadian Legion in Barrie will be hosting their Branch 147 Public Speaking contests on Sunday, February 3,

2019, Primary (Grades 1 to 3) and Junior (Grades 4 to 6) and Sunday, February 10, 2019, Intermediate (Grades 7 to 9) and

Senior (Grades 10 to 12). The competitions will be upstairs at the Branch 147 of the Legion at 410 St. Vincent Street in Barrie. The Youth

Education Program is dedicated to providing positive

experiences for young people in the community who have

an interest in developing their confidence and public speaking skills and sharing their talents with an audience. Each school in the Barrie area is eligible to send one competitor in each category to represent their school. Registration will begin at 12:00 pm with a starting time of 1:00 pm. There will be a panel of 3 judges. Refreshments will be provided to speakers and their guests after each of the competitions prior to the awards ceremony.

ARE YOU GRADUATING THIS YEAR?

Graduation photos will be taken Monday

November 19, Tuesday November 20,

Wednesday November 21, and

Thursday, November 22.

Please sign up in the office as soon as possible.

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health

Unit, along with the Ministry of the

Environment, Conservation and Parks,

works with local school boards in their

efforts to ensure children are protected

from unnecessary exposure to lead

from drinking water. All schools are required to flush their

plumbing regularly and sample their water to test for lead.

Samples must be collected at every tap that provides

drinking water or that is used to prepare food or drink for

children under the age of 18. Schools are required to test

both standing (water that has been sitting in the distribu-

tion lines) and flushed water (water which has run through

the lines) for lead on a regular basis (e.g. annually).

Flushing has been shown to reduce lead levels in water

and is a recognized lead reduction strategy. If a school’s

drinking water test result is above the provincial drinking

water standard for lead, the schools communicate these

results to the local Medical Officer of Health and the

Ministry of the Environment Conservation and Parks to

ensure corrective actions are carried out and the problem

is resolved.

Information provided by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit

SCDSB ONLINE TOOL FOR REPORTING BULLYING, DRUG USE OR VANDALISM

The SCDSB has an online Safe Schools Reporting Tool, which is available on our school website homepage, http://

nor.scdsb.on.ca, as a Quick Access button. Students and parents can use this tool to submit a report online if they

witness a student engaged in inappropriate behaviour such as bullying, drug use or vandalism. Students are still

encouraged to speak to a trusted adult at school or home if they have any concerns. This form isn’t a substitute for

having a discussion with your teacher or principal. Student safety and well-being is our top priority. For more information,

visit http://scdsb.on.ca/ReportAnIncident.

Gifted Congregated Clustered Program

Barrie North is home to the only secondary Gifted Congregated Clustered Program in the City of Barrie, providing students with academic, extra-curricular and leadership opportunities. Students who are both formally identified as Gifted and those who are not identified but LOVE learning and are academic, independent, naturally curious learners can be enrolled in the program.

This year BNC offers seventeen core and elective courses for Gifted-Enriched students, including Grade 12 Advanced Placement (AP) French and Grade 12 Advanced Placement Calculus.

Also offered is a Grade 11 online Science and Technology Research Co-op in partnership with the Government of Canada. This placement pairs students with professionals (technology leaders, doctors, researchers, professors) in numerous fields. Students work with their mentors on formal academic research projects and can have their research published in an academic journal upon completion of the course.

Our Gifted-Enriched students have participated in province-wide and international programs including the Ontario Science Centre School, SHAD, Quantum Cryptology School for Young Students, Gov. of Canada Summer Company, SCDSB Model UN, DECA, University of Waterloo enrichment programs, the Queen’s University E=MC2 program, Math and Computer Science competitions, international exchange programs, the Minister of Education’s Student Advisory Council, City of Barrie Global Ambassador program, the SCDSB Student Trustee program, the Forum for Young Canadians, and the Ontario Legislature Model Parliament, amongst others.

If you are interested in learning more about BNC’s Gifted-Enriched programming opportunities, please contact Amy Reesor at areesor@scdsb.on.ca.

Chess Club

The Barrie North Chess Club has begun its season. It is great to see both returning players and fresh faces! Students practice at lunch and will begin inter-school competition in December. Chess sets are available in the library to sign out for practice any day of the week. Special thanks for Mrs. Baswa, our school Librarian, for her help and support! Interested in joining the Chess Club? Come to the Library Seminar Room on Wednesdays at 11am.

Rubiks Cube Club

Barrie North’s Rubiks Cube club is off to a great start! We meet Mondays at 11am the Library. New members are always welcome. Never cubed before? Not a problem! Come and learn. Special thanks to our parent partner, Mrs. Nieuwland, for all of her support!

DECA

The Barrie North DECA Club is a business leadership program that provides students with opportunities to develop confidence and skills in communication, employability, leadership and academics. We are part of the DECA Ontario network, which has 14,014 student members and the DECA International network comprised of 223,000 students. Our DECA members can join as ‘leadership’ and/or ‘competitive’ members, attending regional, provincial and international competitions and conferences. We meet Mondays at lunch in Room 103 – join us if you would like to be a part of the DECA club! Special thanks to our parent partners Mr. and Mrs. Lowe, Mrs. Lu, Ms. Kegel, our corporate partners HireFX Incorporated, Assisting You Social Barrie, and

Diamond Tree Accounting, and our Business department chair Mr. A. Roy.

The BNC DECA Club is always looking for parent and corporate partners to provide support in fundraising and skill development. Please contact Mrs. Reesor (areesor@scdsb.on.ca) if you are able to help out!

HOSA

Are you interested in a career in Emergency Services, Medicine or Science? You need to join HOSA! HOSA is the largest health science student organization in North America. Each year they hold Canada's largest health science conference and competition for secondary and post-secondary students to help prepare our world's future health professionals. Want to learn more? See Jacqueline O'Keeffe or Mrs. Reesor in Room 104.

CELEBRATE PEACE IN YOUR COMMUNITY: PEACE WEEK IS NOVEMBER 17 TO 24

November is a month of reflection and gratitude. The sight of poppies and wreaths serve as a reminder of the brave men

and women who have fought for peace and freedom.

The month of November also celebrates a nationwide YMCA initiative called Peace Week, from November 17 to 24. This

is a time when we can celebrate the presence of peace in our local and global communities. Peace Week offers activities

and opportunities for people of all ages to explore peace from personal, community and global perspectives. Simple

actions like sharing, being patient or smiling and saying hello can have a far greater impact than we think.

As an advocate for peace, the YMCA invites everyone to be part of the conversation. Share something you do to

foster peace in your home, school, workplace or community. Join in spreading kindness throughout our community with

“Be Kind Bells.” These bells will be hidden in locations throughout our community. If you find one, perform one kind act,

then hide the bell for someone else to find. Share on social media using #YMCAPeaceWeek with the location where you

found the bell, your kind act and encourage someone else to do the same!

Visit http://ymcaofsimcoemuskoka.ca/ymca-international/peace-week/ for more information.

Information provided by the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka (www.ymcaofsimcoemuskoka.ca)