February 19, 2016

Important Dates to Remember

February 22 Course Selections Due

February 26 Career Cruising Closes

February 29 Team & Athletic Council Photos

March 11 Interim Reports Cards Issued

March 14 - March 18 Mid-Winter Break

March 23 Parent Teacher Night 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

March 25 Good Friday

March 28 Easter Monday

March 31 Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT)

155 Wellington St W

Aurora, ON L4G 2P4

905-727-3107

905-727-5804

aurora.hs@yrdsb.ca

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@YRDSB

Guidance News #15

Night School e-Learning Courses – YRDSB

The winter 2016 course catalog for night school e-learning can be viewed at

http://www.yrdsb.ca/schools/e-learning/Pages/default.aspx. The final registration closure is

this coming Tuesday, February 23rd at 12:00 p.m.

OUAC/OCAS Reminders:

Students who have applied to College/University for Sept. 2016 are reminded to check their

OUAC/OCAS accounts regularly to ensure all data is accurate. Semester 1 marks have been

transmitted. Any concerns or errors should be communicated immediately with the Guid-

ance Department. Subsequent transmission periods will occur in April and late June. It is the

responsibility of all students to remain informed about their application status on OUAC/OCAS.

Course Selection Process at AHS

Our course selection process for the 2016/2017 school year continues. Students are encour-

aged to engage in the necessary planning and discussions regarding their course selections in

order to make informed decisions. Career Cruising will be open for course submissions until

this Monday February 22nd. It is important to note that once students have clicked “submit” on

their Career Cruising course planners, they cannot make any changes. Any questions may be

directed to the Guidance Department. Choose once, choose wisely!

**The Power Point presentation from our course selection assembly can be viewed on the

school’s website under the Guidance Department tab.

March Break Open Houses

Students who have applied to Ontario Universities and/or Colleges are encouraged to attend a

March Break Open House. Registration information can be located on the websites of any spe-

cific university and/or college of interest. In addition, Open House information may be found on

the College and University boards outside of the Guidance office.

Student Parking

If your child is driving to school, please ensure that he/she has a valid parking tag displayed in

his/her vehicle at all times. Also, he/she is reminded to park in the student parking lot which is

located at the south end of the building property. Students are also allowed to park in designated

areas on the street, on the east side of the school. Remind them of safety when entering and leav-

ing the school parking lot as there are many vehicles and pedestrians coming and going through-

out the day. Thank you for helping to ensure our student drivers and others are safe.

Community Immunization Clinics

York Region Public Health is offering evening and weekend immunization clinics in convenient

locations for students that need to catch up on their vaccinations.

If you recently received a letter from York Region Public Health requesting immunization infor-

mation, the community clinics are a great way for your child to get immunized. Clinics are of-

fered in Keswick, Markham, Newmarket, Richmond Hill and Vaughan. To book an appointment,

visit york.ca/immunizations and click on Community Immunization Clinics.

If your child has received their vaccines, you can update your child’s immunization records in

one of the following ways:

Online at https://eimmunization.york.ca

Call York Region Public Health at 1-877-464-9675 ext. 73456 Fax documents to 905-895-6066 or 1-866-258-2026

School Start Time and Transportation Info for The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test

The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) has scheduled Thursday, March 31,

2016 as the day for students across the province to complete the Ontario Secondary School Liter-

acy Test (OSSLT). To assist in creating the best environment possible for the students writing

the test, the Board has agreed to a modified school day structure for the day in which the OSSLT

will be written.

This year, students writing the test will come to school as per their normal start time and com-

plete the test. Students not writing the OSSLT would be asked to commence their school day

approximately three and a half hours later which coincides with the conclusion of the OSSLT

on Thursday, March 31, 2016. Students requiring accommodation will continue to write their test

during an extended test-taking period. School will finish for all students at the normal time.

Please note students in Self-Contained Special Education Classes (Developmentally Delayed,

Autistic, Orthopedic, Section 23, Intensive Support, and Acquired Brain Injury) and Elementary

Music will follow their normal schedule.

Student Transportation Services has been advised of these arrangements and requests adjusted

bus schedules as follows:

• Students who are eligible for school bus transportation and are writing the OSSLT, will be

picked up in the morning at their regular service time.

• Students who are eligible for transportation and are not writing the OSSLT test will be picked

up 3 ½ hours later than their regular service time.

• All students will be transported home at regular service times.

Transportation Eligibility

As per Board Policy #680 - Students in Grades 9 to 12 living in an area served by public transit

are not eligible for Board-provided transportation

Transportation eligibility changes throughout a student’s school career.

Eligibility Grade 9-12

All YRDSB students in Grades 9 - 12 who live within a transit served area are not eligible

for transportation.

Parents of students in Grade 9-12 may confirm their transportation eligibility by accessing the

Bus Stop Information tab at www.schoolbuscity.com .

Students not eligible for transportation who wish to obtain York Region Transit information

should visit their website at www.yrt.ca or phone 1-866-668-3978.

February is Black History Month

Students at AHS have been working on various projects related to Black

History Month and have created an informative display outside of our

Library.

For some great information check out the Government of Ontario’s

Canadian Black History Virtual Museum and Treasure Hunt

For complete contest information click here

Additional Elementary and Secondary P.A. Days

As a result of provincial labour negotiations, a P.A. Day has been added for all York Region

District School Board elementary schools on Friday, May 6, 2016 and secondary schools on

Friday, June 3, 2016. You can see the full updated school year calendars on YRDSB’s website.

These additional P.A. Days are mandated by the Ministry of Education. On these dates, teachers

will be taking part in professional development on provincial education priorities identified by

the Ministry of Education.