Thornhill Secondary School PAW PRINTS

Thornhill Secondary School June 2015 VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4 167 Dudley Avenue Thornhill, ON L3T 2E5

Telephone: 905.889.5453 PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE Fax: 905.889.0360 Website: http://thornhill.ss.yrdsb.ca This newsletter signals the culmination of another year at

Administration Thornhill. On behalf of the Administration Team, I extend David McAdam, Principal hearty congratulations to all members of our school Sandy Kofalvi, Vice-Principal community on a job well done! Michelle Randall, Vice-Principal

Superintendent of Schools To our students: we celebrate your accomplishments in Rashmi Swarup academics, the arts, sports, technological studies, extra-

Trustee curricular pursuits, and in community and leadership Susan Geller development. You have taken advantage of the many opportunities to learn and grow, and have applied yourself for School Council Co-Chairs your own advancement and for the betterment of our extended Hayley Morris and Shirley Porjes community. Thanks for doing your part, as individuals of character, to make our school a safer, more inclusive place. Hats off to you, especially to the Class of 2015! INSIDE Page(s) Registration 3 To our parents: you have continued to play a vital role as Space Club 4 educational partners, supporting the development of our Prefects 6 Tigers! Your ongoing guidance, advocacy and assistance to Chess Club 7 increase student success are highly appreciated. A special Mathematically Speaking 8 ‘thank you’ to members of the School Council for your Athletic Council 11-12 commitment to continuous improvement at TSS! Character Matters 13 School Cash Online 15 School Trip 16 To our community partners: many thanks for your generous giving and for linking arms with us to more holistically equip our students as 21st century learners.

LOOKING AHEAD To our school staff: I honour you for your dedication to the growth of our students, including what you do to ensure that Date Event they learn all they can each day. Thank you to our technicians,  September 1 Registration/Photo Day teaching faculty, secretaries, educational assistants, caretakers  September 8 First Day—Grade 9 and cafeteria staff for your teamwork and optimism as we  September 9 First Day—Grade 10-12  September 17 School Council continually strive for excellence. I also extend special  September 24 Grade 9 Curriculum Night congratulations and best wishes to staff members who are on  September 28 PD Day—Training Day the move. Please see “Staffing Changes for 2015-2016” on  September 30 Terry Fox Run/Carnival Day page 10 for more details.  October 8 Awards Assembly  October 14 Photo Re-take Day (continued on page 5) VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4 TSS PAW PRINTS PAGE 2

PHYSICAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION

After a long winter and many anxious days waiting for the weather to co-operate, phys ed classes have been out and enjoying the warmer weather. With the warmer weather came games of ultimate frisbee, soccer, flag football, and Australian rules football "footy".

This semester the grade 9 girls classes experienced a week of self defense with Coach Jones. Fun was had by all as they kicked, punched and grappled their way to safety. The first week of June all Healthy Active Living classes got a taste of sport and culture from the Land Down Under. "Cass" led the students through the skills and strategies needed to play the game of "Footy". The students mastered the skills of hand passing, kicking and dribbling a footy ball as they kicked goals, all not as easy as it sounds! Kudos to Mr. Hawkins' period 4 Grade 9s for their perseverance and sportsmanship!

Congratulations to all who completed the second round of fitness testing and who achieved or exceeded their fitness goals, and as old records fall and new ones are set, the scores to beat are becoming more challenging. However, we did see a few new records set: Grade 9 Will Lee set a new 12 minute run record with 47 laps or 3,290 meters. Wow!!! Grade 10 Nikol Kamenetsky also set a Standing Long Jump record with a jump of 2.34 m. Well done! Our Personal Fitness Classes worked towards the 5 and 7 km runs. They worked hard all semester and many completed their runs in very respectable times. Congratulations!! We hope all our students continue to be active and healthy throughout the summer.

We wish everyone a safe and fun filled summer with plenty of activity. See you in September.

SCHOOL TIMETABLE

Start End Period 1 8:50 10:05 Opening Exercises 10:05 10:10 Period 2 10:15 11:30 We encourage all students to obtain a Vaughan Period 3A 11:35 12:15 and/or Markham Public Library card. The Markham Period 3B 12:15 12:50 and Vaughan Public Libraries give students access Period 3C 12:55 1:30 to online databases that are important in providing Period 4 1:35 2:50 information for academic research—an extremely After-School Program 2:55 4:10 useful resource throughout their high school career, and IT’S FREE! VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4 TSS PAW PRINTS PAGE 3

REGISTRATION INFORMATION In accordance with Ministry of Education guidelines, schools will not charge fees for supplies relating to coursework that is necessary to meet graduation requirements, e.g. French workbooks, Family Studies food labs. The Fees Guidelines allows schools to charge fees for enhanced materials, i.e. enrichments beyond what is necessary to meet curriculum expectations such as: certifications; Iron Chef Competition; art kit; cedar wood in construction; and field trips. In classes that charge for enhancements, you will receive a letter from the teacher detailing what the fee covers. Payment of the enhancement fee is voluntary.

In addition, fees can be charged for participating in extra-curricular activities such as sports teams, clubs, dances, graduation, etc. Our School Activity Fee serves to engage students in the broader school community by providing a wide range of opportunities that occur before school, at lunch and after school. Monies collected will cover or subsidize the cost of various extra-curricular activities in clubs, teams, sports, and student groups such as the Students’ Council. These groups, events and activities build school spirit and enrich the learning experience beyond the classroom and the designated subject curriculum. This is an important element in building and strengthening the sense of community at TSS.

STUDENT FEES:

Student Activity Fee $ 45.00 (Student Council Activities, Clubs, Speakers, Carnival, Spirit Days, Sports Teams, School Newspaper, Dances …) Student Price Card (SPC)for retail discounts at student-price $ 10.00

School Yearbook . . .Every student is encouraged to purchase a yearbook. $ 40.00

Physical Education Uniform (mandatory) $ 25.00 . . . . shorts only $ 12.00 . . . . shirt only $ 14.00 TSS Athletic Attire must be warn by all students enrolled in Physical Education courses

Grade 12 s only—Graduation Package—June 24, 2015 $ 75.00 (includes cap, gown, 4 tickets, refreshments, decorations, venue and printing costs) Student Agenda Planner (optional) $ 5.00

Parents are advised that students should bring sufficient funds to cover registration fees and physical education uniforms. Cheques are to be made payable to “Thornhill Secondary School”. A $20 NSF charge will be added to all cheques returned to the school. There is also a cash on-line option. We cannot accept credit or debit cards.

Registration Day will be on Tuesday, September 1, 2015 from 10:30am to 4:00pm. All students are expected to participate as timetables for 2015-2016 will be distributed then. Thank you.

Timetable Change Requests: During Registration Week, priority for timetable changes will be given to grade 9 and 10 students with incomplete timetables (fewer than 8 courses), missing compulsory courses, and those with changes due to summer school and repeated courses. Other course change requests can be made by completing a “Course Change Request” form available in Guidance from Tuesday, September 8 to Wednesday, September 15, 2015.

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SPACE CLUB

Space Club had another amazing year! Students learned how to set up three different types of telescopes (one belonging to the school) for viewing both at night and for solar viewing. We had several events at which we viewed: the Sun, with sunspots and prominences, Jupiter and its moons, the Moon and much more. The students also set up their solar flare detector, with the help of Paul Mortfield of the David Dunlap Observatory and President of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, Toronto Chapter. The detector has already collected data which indicated solar flares. A special thank-you to Mr. Mortfield for all his help this year!

Solar viewing at the Relay for Life

Night viewing with the TSS telescope

SCIENCE—Biology Competition

The 21st annual University of Toronto National Biology Competition was held on April 30th. This competition also includes competitors from other nations.

Congratulations to the TSS team that placed 17th out of 204 Canadian schools, and second in York Region. This year’s team of the top 5 in the school who competed consisted of: Yoni Levin, Hayden Wong, Jason Fong, Daniel Yong and Polina Zavyalova. A special congratulations to Yoni Levin who placed in the 98 th percentile in the competition in a field of 3399 entries. Yoni, Hayden and Jason have all been awarded National Biology Scholar certificates for placing within the top 5 percentile of contestants. Congratulations to all of the Biology students who competed! VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4 TSS PAW PRINTS PAGE 5

(continued from page 1)

As we close another chapter in our school’s history, I am grateful for our individual and collective achievement. I am also anticipating the new or extended opportunities that await us. The School Improvement Plan will keep on guiding our decisions and actions to enrich the quality of education at Thornhill. I am confident that our collaborative, resilient spirit will sustain Thornhill’s success.

This summer, try something new, or do something special from your ‘wish list’. Take time to recharge with family and friends. A safe, rewarding and relaxing summer to you and yours!

Sincerely, David A. McAdam.

GEOGRAPHY Geographers Ask: “What is where? Why there? Why care?”

It is hard to believe that another school year has come to close, but not without many exciting events that have occurred in the Geography Department!

The Grade 9 Geography of Canada students have been examining the interrelationships between humans and their surrounding landscape and environments. For example, students gained an understanding of the impacts of our growing resource demands. Students also participated in a “real-life” simulation focusing on the Alberta Oil Sands. Urban Planners from the City of Markham lent their expertise to help students’ combat urban sprawl through the sustainable redevelopment of an existing site right here in Thornhill!

Students in the Grade 11 Travel and Tourism course focused on visitor patterns and trends, tourist attractions, and travel issues facing various regions in the world. Some of our “virtual travels” took us to the Caribbean, on safari in the African savanna, and planning their “dream” backpacking trip through Europe. The students also took on the role of “tour guide” as we embarked on an excursion of popular tourist destinations right here in Toronto!

It would be fitting to conclude the school year with a few “famous last words” about the discipline from grade 9 geographers: “Expand your mind into Geography.” “Geography is not just knowing where countries are. It is also about being aware of the world around you.” “The planet we live on is our Geography.” “Geography is a camera that sees more than what there is, but also the reasons behind it.”

Have a wonderful summer!

Mrs. Kim Earle Subject Head of Geography VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4 TSS PAW PRINTS PAGE 6

SPECIAL EDUCATION A Huge Thank You!

We would like to thank Jehanne Marzouk and Jay Lesmond for their tremendous contributions to our department in assisting our students to succeed. We wish them all the best in the 2015-16 school year as full-time ESL and business teachers respectively. Returning SERTs in September are Mary Di Lorenzo, Sherry Palef, Karen Schuur, Tijana DeBora and we welcome back to our department and school Behrad Mobedi.

Also returning are our community class teachers, Corey Copeland, Darren Moore, and Andrew Tile who provide outstanding programming in our Autism and Storefront classes. Our skilled team of EAs are tireless in their support of our students and we are grateful for this. In addition, we have a very caring staff and administration who always challenge our students to work to their potential. Last, but certainly not least, we would like to thank our parent/guardian community whose support allows us to advocate for, encourage and champion our students every single day. We couldn’t do what we do without your support at home.

Congratulations to our graduating students who have worked diligently to achieve their Ontario Secondary School Diploma. We wish them every success in their future endeavours!

PREFECTS VISUAL ARTS Mia Sams and Joshua Rubin, received Prefect plaques at graduation on Wednesday, June 24th in recognition of their Well! It has been another fabulous year from outstanding performance in their role as Head Prefects. the perspective of the Art Department! The work produced was spectacular, and this is due All graduating Prefects, 34 in total, will receive Prefect pins to the dedication of the students during class with their diploma. Many thanks for all your hard work as and in their studio hours, where many of them Prefects.

become even more inspired. The grade nines in We wish you all the best for the future. The list of graduating Ms. Hallis' class attempted watercolour—some Prefects is below. for the very first time—and their technique improved greatly! Even our vice-principals displayed a few in their offices! Yali Aviram Karlo Nesovic Mohammed Bukhari Elliot Polster The photography classes did a gorgeous job of Eunice Espeleta Carla Rawson Jared Forman Brendan Ross developing student portraits, and Ms. Stacy Gaikovaia Joshua Rubin England's Native studies course brought in an Jaclyn Goldhar Mia Sams elder who taught oral tradition and Kelly Goncalves Hannah Schneider beading. They also made beautiful paddles and Linda Hu Patrick Shen raised money for missing aboriginal women by Lior Jeger Tsipporah Shendroff selling their x-ray art cards. Ms. Herman- Joyce Kan Kevin Son Landau's classes put together wonderful, Evelyn Lee Hyewoan Song Jimmy Lee Eric Sudman large, functional mosaics amongst other Jisue Lee Shiraz Uri excellent pieces. It was a great time when we Yelina Lee Romina Vitaver went to the AGO to help solidify our learning Yan Liu Hayden Wong for the semester, and The Mocca Gallery was Marian Mendoza Joey Yang impressive! Thank you all who made this such a Caroline Miller Tina Zhong great year! VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4 TSS PAW PRINTS PAGE 7

CHESS CLUB

Thornhill Secondary School became Ontario high school chess team champions on May 31st. At the annual event run by Chess’n Math Association, the team won 4 out of 5 matches to finish tied for first, and won on tiebreak due to their greater number of individual games won.

The team consisted of (left to right in photo): Mark Plotkin (Grade 11) on board 1 (plays the #1 player from every other team) – rated #1 in Canada for scholastic chess for Grade 11 – scored 5 wins in 5 games to lead all players in the tournament. Rebecca Giblon (Grade 12) on board 2 – three-time national youth girls champion – scored 2 wins and 1 draw. Stephen Ye (Grade 11) on board 3 – scored 4 wins. Melissa Giblon (Grade 10) on board 4 – twice national youth girls champion – came out of retirement after a 2 year absence, and scored 4 wins.

The tournament featured 3 highly rated and evenly matched teams–TSS, and perennial chess powerhouse UTS “A” and UTS “B” teams. TSS started strongly with convincing wins over Northview Heights (4-0), J.B. Tyrrell (4-0) and UTS “B” (3-1). TSS then got surprised by under-rated upstart Glenforest “A” (losing 3- 1), but then rebounded to defeat Glenforest “B” (3.5-0.5) in the final round.

Final standings were: Gold – TSS – 4 team wins, 1 team loss, with 15.5 game points (out of a maximum of 20). Silver – UTS “B” – 4 team wins, 1 team loss, with 14 game points. Bronze – Glenforest “A” – 3 team wins, 1 team loss, 1 team tie. Tournament favourite UTS “A” suffered a loss to UTS “B”, and two unexpected ties, to finish in 5th place.

As a result of their win, the TSS team has qualified for the invitation-only Ontario-Quebec championships in Kingston, on June 6th.

MODERN LANGUAGES

We had the pleasure of welcoming Ms. Kendra Stevenson and Mr. Omar Rahman to our department this semester. We would like to thank them both, on behalf of the staff and students, for their enthusiasm and professionalism. Their commitment to student engagement, student success and well-being both in the classroom and in their involvement in extra-curricular activities have positively impacted our school community. We would also like to acknowledge their contributions as we worked through our initial implementation of the newly revised FSL curriculum.

One of the primary goals of this curriculum is for students to acquire a strong oral foundation in the French language and focus on communicating in French. This shift will allow students to experience opportunities to communicate for authentic purposes in real-life situations. Another fundamental concept we have been working on is the interdependence of language and culture. Ultimitely, this new curriculum strives to foster an interest in language learning which will hopefully continue beyond the classroom. With this in mind we ask our students and their families: what opportunites will you be seeking to communicate en français?

http://www3.tfo.org/ http://www.franco-fete.ca/ http://www.jexplore.ca/fr/ http://iseontario.on.ca/secondary-program/ http://theatrefrancais.com/ VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4 TSS PAW PRINTS PAGE 8

On behalf of the staff, and particularly the Mathematics Department, we would like to congratulate TSS for ranking forty-seventh out of 1300 hundred schools in Canada on the Euclid Contest. The top score was awarded to Frida Tian. Jieten Shen, Chestor Ho and Ronnie Tan received top marks in the Canadian Senior and the Canadian Intermediate Mathematics Contest. The following students received medals for obtaining the highest scores in the Waterloo contest:

Pascal Contest (grade 9) : Daniel Tsipris Cayley Contest (grade 10) : Alon Djurinsky Fermat Contest (grade 11) : Gregory Soh Fryer Contest (grade 9) : Daniel Tsipris, Marko Stojanovic, Arya Sheykhesmaeili Galois Contest (grade 10) : Max Li Hypatia Contest (grade 11) : Michael Zhu

Two weeks ago, our grade nine students took part in the EQAO. All students working toward a credit in Grade 9 Academic or Applied Mathematics are required to participate in the EQAO. These tests evaluate how well students are meeting the curriculum expectations of the Grade 9 Academic or Applied Mathematics courses from The Ontario Curriculum.

What a great year this was for TSS and the Math Department! Next year we will continue to prepare our students to succeed in high school, university and college, and to apply what they learn to their future careers. On behalf of the Math Department we wish you all a safe and relaxing summer.

Every year parents and students ask us where they can find practice exercises to better prepare them for high school and university so we decided to do just that.

http://www.aaastudy.com/geo79_x5.htm http://ginaotto.com/math.html http://www.purplemath.com/modules/polydiv.htm http://www.hyper-ad.com/tutoring/math/algebra/Synthetic%20Division.html http://library.thinkquest.org/C0110248/algebra/remfactintro.htm http://www.acts.tinet.ie/trigonometry_645.html http://www.sosmath.com/trig/addform/addform.html http://www.sosmath.com/trig/douangl/douangl.html http://sosmath.com/trig/prodform/prodform.html http://www.acts.tinet.ie/trigonometry_645.html

The Mathematics and Statistics Committee of the Atlantic Provinces Committee on the Sciences has put together a booklet that contains many sample questions and hints to help you prepare for university calculus. (http://cs.smu.ca/apics/calculus/welcome.php) VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4 TSS PAW PRINTS PAGE 9

What Our Staff and Students Are Reading VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4 TSS PAW PRINTS PAGE 10

STAFFING CHANGES FOR 2016-2016

Congratulations, thanks and best wishes to the following staff members who are on the move: Ms P. Borges is going to Richmond Green Secondary School as vice-principal. Ms M. Griffith is going to Bur Oak Secondary School. Ms E. Blicker is going to Richmond Green Secondary School as Head of Guidance. Mr. O. Rahman Ms K. Stevenson Mr. S. Hum Mr. R. Moscaritolo Ms J. Kozlowska Ms N. Tafader

A fond farewell to Ms M. Mitchell on her retirement! We thank you for your contributions to public edu- cation, and for your devoted service to our students. All the best for a happy retirement!

We welcome: Mr C. Body who is returning from Woodbridge College. Ms L. Stryker who is coming from secondment to the Ministry of Education. Mr B. Mobedi who is returning from Sir William Mulock Secondary School. Mr R. Carullo who is returning from Markham District High School Ms J. Gryaznova who is coming from Keswick High School. Ms M. Fremont who is coming from Markville Secondary School. Ms P. Dimitroulakos who is returning from a leave of absence. Ms S. Johnston who is returning from a leave of absence.

WHAT A YEAR!

This has been a fun and rewarding year, marked by a host of exciting activities and initiatives…. Be it the Awards Evening; Pink/Purple Shirt Days; Grade 8 Open House; School Council Speaker Series; Peer Tu- toring and Mentorship; Girls’ Running Group; Eco-School Re-certification; Upgrades to the School Plant; Music Concerts; Math, Science & Technology Competitions; Grade 9 Day; Transition Program; School Carnivals; Open Mic Nights; Safety Week; Terry Fox Run/Walk; Student Speak-Up Projects; School Dance; Semi-formal; New P.A. & Phone System; Prom; campus greening, including the Charlie Seath Memorial Tree; Drama Production; School Newspaper; Grade 11 Career Fair; Sports Results; Cancer Society Relay for Life; Graduation 2015; various field trips and excursions; diverse clubs and endeavours; kind acts by unsung heroes.

Thank you for making this a positive and productive year at TSS! VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4 TSS PAW PRINTS PAGE 11

ATHLETIC COUNCIL

The Thornhill Athletic Committee and Healthy Eating Active Living Committee have once again participated in the Healthy Schools Network. This Ministry initiative is intended to promote health and wellness among staff and students in the school. Their focus this year was mental health. They ran intramurals, a 30-day Step Challenge for Staff and a Mental Health Awareness Campaign to debunk the myths surrounding Mental Illnesses and promote understanding of this illness. This year H.E.A.L. also supported the "Run For It Not From It" Campaign in support of Mental Health at Women's College Hospital. 34 girls met, with the support of 6 staff and 3 York Region Police Officers, twice a week from March 10 - April 23. They ran in the snow and cold in preparation for their 5 km run on April 25th in Unionville. After their runs they enjoyed a healthy snack and some chit chat time with the group. 27 girls completed the run with smiles and great pride. We hope to continue this initiative next year, so stay tuned.

The Athletic Council would also like to extend their thanks to all who participated in athletics and intramurals this year. A special thank you to all our coaches who gave students the opportunity to participate in spring sports. We had many successes throughout the year and would like to recognize some outstanding accomplishments. David Volfson won the York Region Senior Tennis title, Katherine Yampolsky and Alex Fainblum represented Thornhill at OFSAA in the Doubles Open Division and finished with a Bronze Medal. Congratulations ladies! Senior Doubles Badminton players Yan Liu and Alicia Yang also won Bronze in the York Region Finals. Linda Nong won Gold in the Junior Badminton Singles Division. Great work! In addition two students represented Thornhill at OFSAA in Track and Field. Robin Clark jumped a 1.65m to capture Gold in the Midget High Jump and Harry Eum represented Thornhill in the Triple Jump. Robin also competed in Triple Jump at the OFSAA event. We have plenty to look forward to from our young athletes. Congratulations to all.

We would like to recognize the following students for being selected as “Most Valuable Player” for their sport. These student-athletes have been formally recognized at this year's Athletic Banquet.

Tennis: Sebastian Mark and Polina Zavyalova Girls Field Hockey: Rachel Abrams and Marian Mendoza Cross Country: Hannah Marcus and Brendan Ross Boys Golf: Benjamin Kim and Chris Gupta Varsity Boys Volleyball: Yan Liu Junior Girls Volleyball: Natalie Chui Senior Girls Volleyball: Mia Sams Junior Badminton: Linda Nong Senior Badminton: Alicia Yang and Yan Liu Varsity Boys Basketball: Taj Polus Varsity Boys Baseball: Brady Fischer and Daniel Klein Varsity Girls Soccer: Nikki Shappas Varsity Ultimate Frisbee: Carla Rawson and Bryan Chiu Track and Field: Robin Clark and Danny Jiang

This year's Athletic Banquet was a huge success with over 160 athletes and coaches attending. The semi-formal affair was a sight to behold. The gym was elegantly decorated and the T.S.S. Draft theme was fun for all. Guests were also

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(continued from page 10) treated to guest speaker, Dylan Moschovitz, Olympic Silver Medalist in Pairs Figure Skating. His messages of never up and always reach for your goals were inspiring. The athletes paid tribute to their coaches in a "Thank You" video montage which was touching and entertaining.

We would also like to acknowledge and congratulate our special award winner recipients, some of whom will be leaving us for bigger and better things.

Sommerville Award: An award for outstanding athletic development and achievement by a male and female athlete. Julia Kim and Daniel Tsipris Johnny Huynh Award: Outstanding service to school athletics by a male. Yan Liu Ruth Hansford Award: Outstanding service to school athletics by a female. Hannah Schneider D. Foley Award: Outstanding athletic achievement by a male. David Volfson T.A.C. Award: Outstanding athletic achievement by a female. Robin Clark and Linda Nong Laurie Kizik Award: Awarded to an athlete who has participated in a wide variety of school sports every year. Mia Sams William Armstrong Award: Outstanding leadership, sportsmanship, and athletic performance and development by a male and female student in a senior grade. Yan Liu and Carla Rawson TAC President’s Awards: A presentation to the outgoing presidents of the Thornhill Athletic Council. Carla Rawson and Romina Vitaver

We would also like to thank the outgoing Council Executive for their hard work this year and to all the council members for their time and commitment. A special THANK YOU to the many executives who will be graduating from Thornhill. I would like to say a special thank you for your many years of service to Thornhill Athletics. You will be greatly missed!!

We would like to welcome next year’s council which is already hard at work planning for our 12th Annual Terry Fox Walk/Run which will take place in September and the Grade 9 Orientation Day.

2015-2016 COUNCIL EXECUTIVE

President: Laura Wong Vice-Presidents: Nikol Kamenetsky and Benya Sutyanyong Treasurers: Sam Grobman and Matt Gupta Announcements and Reporter: Harrison Makaruk Publicity: Jacey Chou and Grace Wu Fundraising: Christopher Mohan and Claudia Pacholski Games Setup: Sepehr Bemanpour and Spencer Milne H.E.A.L.: Gal Armon and Sophie Ziomecki Photography: Selena Meng and Yana Siganevich VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4 TSS PAW PRINTS PAGE 13

CHARACTER MATTERS—Students of the Month

Everyday our students are confronted with challenges related to the demands of academics, peer pressure, social media, and extra-curricular activities. On a regular basis our students are confronted with difficult choices in these areas. As educators and parents some of our common goals are for our students to have an abundance of self-esteem, be excited about life, be ambitious in achieving their goals and naturally display an abundance of character while making their choices. Thornhill S.S. endorses the YRDSB “Character Matters” initiative and recognizes our many students who demonstrate, leadership, integrity, initiative, perseverance, empathy, co-operation, honesty, kindness, courage and more.

Although hundreds of our students model good character daily, each month, after being nominated, for an exemplary display of character, either one or two students are chosen as TSS “Student(s) of the Month”.

The following students have been recognized this year for displaying exemplary character: Mark Rogozovsky, Peter Oostdyc, Jonah Kawarsky, Yan Liu, Julia Kim, Clare Lee, Nikol Kamenetsky, Eryn Young, Gregory Mikitish, Sam Grobman, Jacob Song, David Volfson and Taj Polius.

Congratulations once again to these students, and also to our hundreds of students who display admirable character each day.

BUSINESS

Another successful year has come to a close for students in the Business Studies Department. The many opportunities for extra-curricular activities as well as the richness of our course offerings have provided our students with a wealth of knowledge and learning experiences. A variety of guest speakers from the Bank of Canada and the Insurance Industry, in addition to Chartered Professional Accountants, Crown lawyers and successful entrepreneurs were invited into our classrooms to share their expertise, raise issues and impart real life experiences. These activities have enriched our students’ learning experience. We thank our community and our guest speakers for adding value to our program.

Our DECA chapter continues to grow and we congratulate all the leaders and competitors who proudly represented TSS at the ICDC in Orlando, Florida. Congratulations Hailey Bergman, Henry Mo and Alex Wong. Also, our congratulations go to Kedi Li who placed eighth in the COIN Accounting competition run by the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario.

All of us in the Business Studies department are looking forward to supporting our students with these enriched activities next year. Have a wonderful summer! VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4 TSS PAW PRINTS PAGE 14

HISTORY

As we close up the 2014-2015 school year we would like to wish students and staff a happy summer break.

This year the history department celebrated another year with a winter field trip to the AGO where grade 10 students had a chance to tour and work with the work of Art Spiegelman. Art Speigelman’s graphic book Maus tells the true story of his fathers’ experience as a Jew in WWII Europe. In May the grade 11 world history class went on a field trip to the Royal Ontario Museum. At the ROM students had a guided tour of the Greece and Rome exhibits and also had a lab experience working with primary We would like to give special thanks to AE Auto Plus documents/materials from the Greco Roman period. who made a significant contribution to the annual In the next school year the history department is fundraising efforts at TSS. They are also new to excited to be working on a field trip to the new the school with a son in grade 9. AE Auto Plus is a Toronto Aga Khan museum. The museum highlights family run business that has been in the Thornhill Islamic art, history and culture. Finally, the area for over 21 years. They are a Full-Service, department will commemorate the 100th Independent, Warranty-Approved, Car Repair and anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge in 1917 by Maintenance facility that is also Drive Clean traveling to Vimy with other YRDSB schools to take accredited. part in commemoration ceremonies. Stay tuned for further details.

All the best for the summer, and see you in September.

Personalized Alternative Education: The Road to Success

Personalized Alternative Education at Thornhill Secondary School helps students be successful in a variety of ways. PAE accommodates and modifies curriculum, assignments and lessons to suit individuals and to support their interests and strengths. PAE also offers out-of-class options that include earning credits through a work and/or placements. As part of this process, many staff members are involved in ensuring the students’ success. Each student is supported by the PAE Department Head as well as the subject teachers associated with the student. Ongoing communication between PAE, Guidance, Special Education and Student Success also provide another critical layer of support as students are encouraged to develop a sense of accountability as the team works toward helping them achieve their goals. Integral to this process are parents who are involved with daily and overall progress. Success is the ultimate goal and it is earned through building relationships and fostering understanding.

We congratulate all our PAE students on their achievements.

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