LOOKING AHEAD

Thornhill Secondary School

PAW PRINTS

VOLUME 4 ISSUE 4 June 2013

INSIDE Page(s)

Registration Information 2

Staffing Changes 2013-2014 2

School Information 3

Dress Code 3

Bussing Eligibility 5

School Council Nomination 15

August 27 Registration Day August 27 Photo Day September 3 First Day Gr 9s September 4 First Day Grs 10-12 September 11 Last Day for Timetable Changes September 12 School Council Mtg September 23 Prof Training Day September 24 Post-Sec Info Day September 26 Terry Fox/Carnival Gr 9 Curriculum Night

Sept 30-Oct 4 Safety Week

Thornhill Secondary School 167 Dudley Avenue

Thornhill, ON L3T 2E5

Telephone: 905.889.5453 Fax: 905.889.0360

Website: www.thornhill.ss.yrdsb.edu.on.ca

Administration David McAdam, Principal

Shirley Smullen, Vice-Principal Louis Lim, Vice-Principal

Superintendent of Schools Jackie Young

Trustee Susan Geller

School Council Co-Chairs Melissa Potashner and Shirley Porjes

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE This newsletter signals the end of another successful school year at Thornhill. On behalf of the Administration Team, congratulations to members of the TSS community on a job well done!

To our students: we celebrate your accomplishments in academics, the arts, sports, technological studies, extra-curricular pursuits, and in leadership development. You have taken advantage of the many opportunities to learn, grow, and mature as lifelong learners. It is wonderful to see how you have done your part, as individuals of character, to make our school a safer, more caring place. Hats off to you, especially to the Class of 2013!

To our parent-community: I applaud you for the important role which you have played in the development of our Tigers! You have guided, encouraged, supported, advocated and cared for your child(ren). Your ongoing partnership in support of increased student success is highly appreciated. A special “thank you” to members of the School Council for your commitment to continuous improvement at TSS!

To our community partners: many thanks for your commitment to public education, and for linking arms with us to better equip our students as 21st century learners.

To our school staff: I laud your dedication to the well-being and growth of our students. I appreciate your perseverance in ensuring that our young people learn all they can every day. Thank you to our cafeteria staff, caretakers, educational assistants, secretaries, teaching faculty and technicians for your teamwork in our efforts to move “from great to excellent”. As I commend the work of all staff members, I also extend special congratulations and best wishes to those members who are on the move. Please see “Staffing Changes for 2013-2014” on page 2 in this newsletter for more details.

As we close another chapter in our school’s history, I am thrilled about our individual and collective accomplishments. I am also excited about the opportunities that lie ahead. The School Improvement Plan will continue to guide the decisions and actions that enrich the quality of education at TSS.

Again, my thanks to the entire school community for making this another successful year! It is a collaborative spirit that will sustain our success.

This summer, try something new, or do something special that you have been putting off for a while. Take time to read, reflect, relax, recreate and recharge with family and friends. A safe, healthy and happy summer to you and your family! Sincerely, David A. McAdam

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

(Student Council Activities, Clubs, Speakers, Carnival, Spirit Days, Sports

Teams, School Newspaper, Dances)

$35.00

Student Price Card (SPC) $ 9.00

School Yearbook $35.00

Physical Education Uniform (Shorts/T-shirts)

(shorts only)

(shirt only)

TSS athletic attire must be worn by all Physical Education students

$25.00

$12.00

$14.00

Graduation Package — June 25, 2014 (includes cap, gown, 4 tickets, refreshments, decorations, venue & printing costs)

$75.00

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. We cannot accept credit or debit cards.

HEALTH ALERT A Thornhill Secondary School staff member has a life-threatening allergy to the following foods and their odors: oranges, lemons, grapefruits, and tomatoes. Please consume and dispose of citrus foods and tomato food products (e.g. pizza) in the cafeteria only. Your full cooperation is greatly appreciated.

VOLUME 4 ISSUE 4 TSS PAW PRINTS PAGE 2

STAFFING CHANGES 2013-2014

Congratulations, thanks and best wishes to the following

staff members who are leaving:

Mr C. Body – to Woodbridge College

Ms N. Chippin-Lipkowitz – to Bayview Fairways PS

Ms A. Maisel – to Stephen Lewis Secondary School

Ms J. Marzouk—to Stephen Lewis Secondary School

Mr B. Mobedi—Stouffville District High School

Ms G. Mrkobrada – to Aurora High School

Ms S. Tutins—to Markham District High School

Ms S. Yumansky—to King City Secondary School

We welcome:

Ms M. Bazos – from Stephen Lewis Secondary School

Mr C. Copeland – from Maple High School

SCHOOL INFORMATION GUIDANCE SERVICES Timetable changes will be made for exceptional reasons only by appointment. See a guidance counsellor as soon as possible if you:

have a blank space on your timetable; or are missing or have too many compulsory courses in one semester.

OFFICE HOURS The School Office will be closed on Monday, July 1st. On Tuesday, July 2nd summer hours will begin. The School Office will be open Monday to Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Please note that the Office will be closed from July 28th to August 9th. PARENT e-MAIL Parents are requested to supply the school with a current e-mail address for one parent or guardian. E-mail information is kept confidential and is used solely for the purpose of keeping all parents informed about school events, student attendance, minutes of school council meetings, school newsletters, bulletins, schedules, etc. Parent e-mail addresses should be sent to thornhill.ss@yrdsb.edu.on.ca If your email address changes during the year, then please remember to notify the school of the change as soon as possible. POLICIES & PROCEDURES Detailed information about learning opportunities, behavioural and course expectations, student responsibilities, school year calendar, and various procedures is contained in the Student Agenda Book. Students and parents will be required to sign-off that you have reviewed the Agenda Book at the start of the school year. TEXTBOOKS Teachers will distribute textbooks at the start of each semester. Students are responsible for keeping books in good condition, and for returning them at the end of the semester. Replacement costs for lost or damaged textbooks are the responsibility of the student. TRANSPORTATION Generally, no bussing is provided for secondary school students who live in an area served by public transit. Students who are eligible for transportation will be placed on a school bus run jointly by the York Region District School and Separate School Boards. Information is available at www.schoolbuscity.com

VOLUME 4 ISSUE 4 TSS PAW PRINTS PAGE 3

DRESS CODE

All staff and students at Thornhill Secondary School are expected to maintain an appropriate mode of dress befitting a respectful workplace. Please note the following guidelines:

No hoods on the head or bandanas; No gang-related paraphernalia; Cleavage, midriffs, backs and bottoms must be covered and not visible; No spiked accessories/jewellery that can cause physical harm; No see-through clothing; Lower garments (eg. shorts & skirts) should be a least mid-thigh or finger-tip level in length; and No undergarments showing. Clothing must be free of tears or rips; and offensive or provocative visuals, slogans or

comments. No garment should promote violence or harm to humans, animals or the environment.

WHAT A YEAR! This has been a fun and rewarding year, marked by a host of exciting activities and initiatives…. Be it Junior

Awards Evening, Pink/Purple Shirt Days, Peer Tutoring and Mentorship, Eco-School Re-certification, Music

Concerts, Academic and EQAO Test performance, Math & Science Competition Results, Grade 9 Day, Transition

Program, School Carnival, Open Mic Nights, Safety Week, One Match Campaign, Terry Fox Run/Walk, Student

Speak-Up Project, School Dance, Prom, Drama Production, School Newspaper, progress on our new website,

various field trips and excursions, our sports teams, diverse clubs and endeavours. Thank you for making this a

productive and rewarding year at TSS!

VOLUME 4 ISSUE 4 TSS PAW PRINTS PAGE 4

MODERNS DEPARTMENT As we conclude another year, the French Department

would first like to congratulate their grade 12 students

who are graduating. We wish you the best of luck in

your future endeavours! We hope that you have

enjoyed your experience in the French program and

that your skills will benefit you in your travels and

careers!

This semester, many of our students participated in a

field trip to a Loblaws cooking class, where they learned

about healthy eating and made their own pizzas. Thanks

to all of the participants!

Sadly, as the semester ends, we must say goodbye to

two of our LTO teachers, Mme Shopan and Mme Smith.

They have contributed significantly to the French

Department and will be missed greatly.

Congratulations to all students on

their successes this semester,

and we hope you have a great

summer!

TSS Re-Certified as a GOLD Eco-School!

Excellent news! Thornhill Secondary School has been

certified as a GOLD Eco-School for the 2nd year in a

row! There are 6 areas to the rigorous certification

process, requiring at least 75% achievement in each:

teamwork and leadership; energy conservation; waste

minimization; school ground greening; curriculum; and

environmental stewardship. We were awarded 89.5 out

a maximum of 100 points.

Congratulations to staff and students! In particular, our

student executives, Sandra Sinayuk and Tina Zhong,

spearheaded the environmental sustainability and

environmental literacy initiative at the school this year.

As we look forward to the next school year, the focus

remains to refine our practices to separate waste and

garbage as well as reduce energy consumption in the

school. We are always on the lookout for staff and

students to be involved with this

important school-wide initiative.

Please see Mr. Lim if interested.

Science

The Canadian Chemistry Olympiad aims to identify high school students who have a talent for chemistry, and then to prepare the best of them to participate in the International Chemistry Olympiad. The national exam takes place in April each year. It is our great pleasure to announce that Richard Wong has qualified for the Chemistry Olympiad Final Preparation Weekend, to be held at the Departments of Chemistry and Physics, University of Toronto, in May. At the provincial finals, students participate in lectures, laboratory experiments, tutorials and the Ontario Regional Selection Examination. Congratulations on a fantastic accomplishment Richard!

VOLUME 4 ISSUE 4 TSS PAW PRINTS PAGE 5

STUDENT BUSSING ELIGIBILITY

Did you know that students’ busing

eligibility changes throughout their

school career? Your son/daughter’s

eligibility to ride the school bus may

change according to their grade and

distance from home to school. Below

are the provisions for eligibility identified

in the Board’s Transportation Policy

#680:

All YRDSB students in Grades JK-3 who live within 1.2 km of their

school are not eligible for transportation

All YRDSB students in Grades 4-8 who live within 1.6 km of their

school are not eligible for transportation

All YRDSB students in Grades 9-12 who live within a transit served

area are not eligible for transportation.

To view Board Policy #680 Student Transportation, please visit www.yrdsb.edu.on.ca. For more information about bus transportation and to determine your son/daughter’s eligibility, please visit

www.schoolbuscity.com.

Message from Trustee

Susan Geller

As the school year comes to a close, I would like to

take this opportunity to thank everyone.

A school is more than a place of learning – it is a

community. Thanks to the ongoing efforts of our

students, families, staff and community partners. It

has been a challenging year and everyone’s

contributions over the past school year are

appreciated.

Whatever your plans are over the next few months,

I hope you have a safe and enjoyable summer and

remember - make a difference!

COMPETITIONS: DECA DECA DECA This year the DECA club had 50 members who participated and trained in the field of business. Our students competed regionally, provincially and internationally. This year‗s international championships were held in Anaheim, California with teams from around the world competing for glory. TSS participatated and qualified for this international event. Congratulations go out to all the leaders and competitors who proudly represented TSS at ICDC—David Itkin, Darren Lewis, Meli Liftshits, Jessica Wu, David Bryckine and Anahita Dehmoobad-Sharifabadi. Congratulations also goes to our grade 10 student, Ilia Sucholutsky, who came in 2nd place in the Waterloo Financial Literacy Competition on May 28, 2013.

GUEST SPEAKERS Thank you to this term‘s community guest speakers, Chartered Accountants, Canadian Banker‘s Association and the Insurance Industry. The grade 10 Introduction to Business class also enjoyed and sampled chocolate on the Cadbury Chocolate Factory field trip. The grade 11 accounting students had practical knowledge from the Canada Revenue Agency guest speaker who guided students in completing their income tax return.

The end of the school year is always a busy time for our

art department. Students in grade 11 and 12 Craft class

learned a lot about fabricating jewellery from out

visiting artist, Susan Ellis of Paradigm Jewellery

Design. She came all the way from Halliburton to work

with our students. Susan is both an instructor at

Fleming College and a fabulous jewellery designer in

Haliburton.

Classes have just finishing their culminating

assignments, final exams and critiques. Our very

talented student produced some outstanding art works

this past year. Art students as well as the general school

population have been busily working on the Yonge

Street farmer’s market mural, between rainy days.

Phase one of the murals will hopefully be completed

before the end of September and plans for phase two are

now underway.

We look forward to a great 2013-14 school year. We

will once again have a life model pose for the grade 11

and 12 art class. Roots Canada has given us another

generous donation of leather for us to use in our craft

classes.

VOLUME 4 ISSUE 4 TSS PAW PRINTS PAGE 6

The Newcomer ESL Club ended on Friday, June 7th with a pizza party and a reflection on our past

events throughout the year. Thanks for a great year!

Welcome to Martha Bazos who will be taking over the ESL headship for the next academic year.

Good-bye to Jehanne Marzouk who will be leaving the ESL headship. We thank you for all your hard

work and dedication.

Congratulations to River Wong, this

year's recipient of the TSS Alumni

Association "Next Step " Bursary. River

was recently honoured at the Alumni

Association's Half Century Luncheon for

all of his achievements at TSS and in the

community. We are all very proud.

Congratulations to Mark Plotkin, David Itkin, Stephen Ye, Benjamin Bluim, and Rebecca Giblon on the Thornhill Secondary School Chess Team for tremendous performance this year. Overall, the team placed Second in the

Toronto Chess Championship, First in the Ontario Chess Championship, and Second in the Canadian Chess Championship. Although David and Benjamin are graduating this year, the team will have new players who are just as competitive, driven, and determined to succeed. Staff and students are

extremely proud the team. Congrats!

Roll out the red carpet... Hot Docs Film Festival at TSS

The Canadian International Film Festival—known as “Hot Docs”—presents a selection of

more than 150 cutting-edge documentaries from Canada and around the globe. This is

North America's largest documentary film festival.

From April 25th to May 3rd, Thornhill Secondary School showcased the following thought-provoking

documentaries for class viewing: BIG BOYS GONE BANANAS!, DETROPIA, INOCENTE, MEANWHILE IN

MAMELODI, PEOPLE OF A FEATHER, and THE WORLD BEFORE HER. The content of these documentaries

covered many disciplines, but also provided students with information about current issues and an opportunity to

engage in discussions based on varied perspectives. Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s Hot

Docs Festival!

VOLUME 4 ISSUE 4 TSS PAW PRINTS PAGE 7

Your guidance counsellors are here to support you in many ways. We provide academic support by helping you select courses in the appropriate pathways during course selection and throughout the year; we work with you to develop Organization and time management strategies; and we also help you identify your short and long term goals. The Guidance Department facilitates a Peer Tutor Program, as well as provides up-to-date information on volunteer opportunities. When it comes time to researching your post-secondary destinations, We will work with you to ensure that you are familiar with all of your options. We will also help you choose the appropriate high school courses to get you there. In addition to academic support, we provide personal and crisis counselling. We are here to listen, to support you and to connect you with additional supports outside the school if necessary. Whether you are experiencing anxiety over school work, relationship concerns with friends or family, or simply need someone to talk to – we are available.

If you haven‘t already, be sure too LIKE Thornhill Guidance on .

For grade 12 students, please follow us on Twitter @TSSGUIDANCE. See you in September!

LOOKING AHEAD The Co-op Department would like to expand the list of placement opportunities for our students! If you are interested in investing in the future of our students by having a co-op student at your work place, please call Ms. Patterson at 905-889-5453 ext.316 or at heather.patterson@yrdsb.edu.on.ca

Congratulations to all the HPA students on a successful year and good luck to those competing over the summer. A number of our students will be travelling to Isreal to partake in the Maccabiah Games. Good Luck ! See you in September for another great year!

PAGE 8 TSS PAW PRINTS VOLUME 4 ISSUE 4

Geography Department

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 in the Geography Department!

The Grade 9 Geography of Canada students have been studying various local,

national and global topics. For example, students gained an understanding of the trade issues that

underlie a chocolate bar, participated in a simulation focusing on the Alberta Oil Sands, and discussed

the “hot” issue of climate change. 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, exploring emerging destinations in Southeast Asia,

and backpacking in 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 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, Geography Subject Head

T h e semester has come to an end but not without plenty of hard work and many successes.

Congratulations to all who completed the second round of fitness testing and who achieved or

exceeded their fitness goals. Many worked hard to try and have their achievements go down in the

record books.

Grade 11, Daniel Song, completed the Illinois Agility Run in a record breaking 15.27 seconds.

Grade 10, Chris Oostdyk, completed 134 Bench Hops in 1 minute.

Grade 9, Julia Biris, reached level 10 on the Beep Test.

Grade 9, Alicia Yang, jumped 2.32 meters in the Standing Long Jump.

Grade 9, Adam Hoffman, ran 3220 meters in 12 minutes.

Congratulations to all new record holders. We hope all our students continue to be active and healthy

throughout the summer.

Semester two fitness classes had access to heart rate monitors on a daily basis. Students used

these to monitor their activity levels and help them improve their cardiorespiratory fitness.

Semester two also saw the return of Jonestown Martial Arts and a week of self-defence.

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

What Our Students Are Reading

VOLUME 4 ISSUE 4 TSS PAW PRINTS PAGE 9

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Class 138 would like to say thank you to all staff and students for welcoming us into this school! Farewell and good luck to the classroom 138 grads. We are very proud of them for all of their successes this year!

Thank you to our Special

Education students who

joined the bone marrow

registry through OneMatch

on May 2, 2013.

Farewell to Gemma Mrkobrada, Stephanie Yumansky, Stephanie Tutins, Behard Mobedi and Natalie Chippin-Lipkowitz. We wish them well in all their future endeavours.

Students in GLE301/02 worked hard to

improve their writing skills in semester two

and will continue to learn about post-

secondary options in GLE4O1 in September.

Students from GLE4O1 in semester one are

successfully transitioning to post-secondary

after exploring academic and workplace

options for September.

Ms

Mrkobrada’s

class had a

celebration on

June 20th for

two graduating

students.

Congratulations

to all our

graduates on their

academic

achievements.

PAGE 11 TSS PAW PRINTS VOLUME 4 ISSUE 4

Thornhill Athletic Council The Thornhill Athletic Committee and Healthy Eating Active Living Committee would 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 would like to recognize the following students for being selected as Most Valuable Player for their sport.

Varsity Boys Soccer: David Dessau and Ali Gholami Tennis: David Volfson

Cross Country: Hannah Marcus Girls Golf: Carla Rawson

Table Tennis: Lior Jeger and Glen Katsnelson Varsity Boys Baseball: David Dessau and Wille Hotta

Varsity Girls Soccer: Laura Tyler Varsity Ultimate Frisbee: Carolyn Burton and Matthew Jones

We would also like to acknowledge and congratulate our graduating students who have been selected as recipients for Thornhill's annual Athletic Awards.

We would also like to thank the outgoing Council Executive for their hard work this year as well as all the council members for their time and commitment. We would like to welcome next year’s council which is already hard at work planning for Thornhill's 10th Annual Terry Fox Walk/Run which will take place in September.

Welcome to the 2013-2014 Council Executive: President: Vivian Zhang

Vice President: Romina Vitaver Treasurer: Elliot Polster

Announcements and Publicity: Amanda Piccirilli and Laura Wong Fundraising: Priscilla Lay

Games Setup: Chris Gupta and Adele Kim H.E.A.L. and Intramurals: Christina Pham and Carla Rawson

Photography: Jordan Tesolin

Ruth Hansford Award: Outstanding service to school athletics by a female. Adele Chui

Johnny Huynh Award: Outstanding service to school athletics by a male. Matthew Jones

Laurie Kizik Award: Awarded to an athlete who has participated in a wide variety of school sports in every year. Jamee Wong

William Armstrong: Outstanding leadership, sportsmanship, and athletic performance and development by a male & female student in a senior grade. David Dessau & Irina Kan

TAC President’s Awards: A presentation to the outgoing president of the Thornhill Athletic Council. Mary Lee

BIOLOGY U of T National Biology Competition

Results from the U of T National Biology Competition

were terrific this year! We placed 26th in the

international competition among 276 schools, and

placed 12th of the Canadian schools. This year’s team

consisted of the top 5 in the school: Richard Wong,

Laura Feldstein, Adele Chui, Ali Gholami and Albert

Vong. A special congratulations to Richard Wong who

placed in the 98.8th percentile in the

competition in a field of 4137 entries and

was designated a National Biology

Scholar with Distinction. Congratulations

to all of the students who competed!

CHEMISTRY The Canadian Chemistry

Olympiad (CCO) is an

annual event that aims

to promote interest in chemistry amongst high

school students. Congratulations to Richard Wong

who placed amongst the top Ontario students after

writing the CCO National Selection Examination.

Richard’s outstanding achievement resulted in his

being invited to the Provincial Finals Preparatory

weekend, held at the University of Toronto. At the

provincial finals the students participated in

lectures, laboratory experiments, tutorials and the

Ontario Regional Selection Examination. Fantastic

accomplishment Richard!

CHEM 13 NEWS Contest

This past May, students in grade

12 chemistry competed in the

Waterloo CHEM 13 NEWS contest.

A big congratulations goes out to

Richard Wong for placing in the

98th percentile, placing him in the top 5% in Canada!

AVOGADRO Contest

This contest for grade 11 chemistry students was

also written in May. Congratulations go out to

Zijian (John) Huang who placed in the 98th

percentile and was ranked in the top 5% across

Canada. Thanks to all who participated, and we look

forward to your results when you compete at the

grade 12 level next year.

PHYSICS Physics students continued their tradition of excellence in the 2013 University of Waterloo Sir Isaac Newton Grade 12 Physics Contest. Congratulations to River Wong and Richard Wong who placed an amazing 1st in Canada in the 2-person team category in this competition. Well done River and Richard! The top 5 scores amongst our students were River, Richard, Hilbert Li, Daniel Song and John Huang. Our students have now placed in the top 6 in Canada in the 2-person team category in this contest in 7 of the past 8 years. In addition, results of the Canadian Association of Physicists‘ Prize Competition have also arrived. Congratulations to Rose Atashi who placed 127

th in Canada in this

very challenging competition.

FIELD TRIPS Many of our science classes enjoyed interesting and

valuable field trips this Spring. Our grade 9’s experienced a

space theme at the Ontario Science Centre. The grade 10

gifted classes attended workshops on human anatomy and

climate change. The grade 11 biology classes observed

evidence for evolution and biological diversity at the

Toronto Zoo. Physics students studied the principles of

motion while enjoying terrifying rides at Canada’s

Wonderland. Finally, the grade 12 biology students

successfully transferred a gene from jellyfish to bacteria

and made them glow (the bacteria, not the students!) while

at the Ontario Science Centre.

STAFF CHANGES After many years at TSS, most of them in the Science Department as our senior physics teacher, Mr. Chris Body is leaving us to accept a position as Subject Head of Science at Woodbridge College. We thank him for his dedication to our students and contributions to the school and Science Department. We congratulate and wish him well as he assumes his new position of responsibility. We welcome Ms. Ritika Chaudhary to the Science Department and are looking forward to working with her next year. We are delighted that Ms. Erica Taylor will be resuming her role

as Assistant Subject Head of Science next year.

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On behalf of the staff, and particularly the Mathematics Department, we would like to congratulate all the students that took part in both the math contest and the EQAO. The 2013 Pascal (Grade 9), Cayley( Grade 10) and the Fermat (Grade 11) contests were written by approximately 65,000 students over 1400 schools across Canada. and medals are given to the top students in each school, provided a minimum standard is met. This year was a special year for Thornhill Secondary School, achieving top YRDSB school in the grade 11 Fermat Contest and second in the grade 9 Pascal Contest with two grade 9 students scoring perfect. The following students received a medals:

Euclid Contest-Richard Wong Fermat Contest- Qinhao Luo (was invited and attended a one week camp at the University of Waterloo) Cayley Contest-Laura Berneaga Pascal Contest-Gregory Soh and Terry So (perfect papers)

As well students took part in the second set of Waterloo and University of Toronto Contests: Fryer, Galois, Hypatia, Canadian Senior and the Intermediate Math Contest . The following students received certificates of distinction for the top students in the school: Gregory Soh, EriK Sadul, Sarah Meng, Anna Lee, Jisue Lee, Qinhao Luo, Richard Wong and Valentin Litvin.

A special thanks to Richard Wong. He was instrumental in preparing the students for these contests. Richard you should be proud of your accomplishments!

On behalf of the Math Department we wish everyone a happy and safe summer.

SPACE CLUB As in previous years, Thornhill’s Space Club participated and hosted a variety of activities. There were “star

parties” at which students, parents, and teachers were able to see telescopic views of the moon, Jupiter and

its four biggest moons, Saturn and its rings, the Orion nebula and many other targets. We also viewed the

Sun safely through two types of telescopes, each equipped with sun filters, to see both sun spots and solar

prominences. The club then focussed on minute organisms called water bears that have been

known to survive the vacuum of space and viewed these under microscopes. The highlight of the

year was a talk by Dr. Marshall McCall of York University whose fascinating presentation was

entitled “Astronomy and the Extinction of the Dinosaurs – in 3D”. We look forward to an exciting

year in 2013-2014 and welcome new participants. No experience necessary!

VOLUME 4 ISSUE 4 TSS PAW PRINTS PAGE 13

SHSM Graduating Students Congratulations to all of our TSS students who are graduating with a SHSM Red Seal Diploma in Health and Wellness. Over the last two years, the students enrolled in this program have gained valuable insight into a variety of careers within the health and wellness sector. Through a variety of certification courses, experiential field trips, required course completion and a full semester cooperative education placement, our grads are leaving TSS with an array of employability skills and knowledge that can be transferred to their respective post secondary destinations. Best of luck to all in your future endeavours! If you have any questions about this program, please contact Ms. Waller.

Reflection on Semester Two

The Co-operative Education Department would like to congratulate the students on a successful semester and thank the community supervisors who have supported and have given the students a great opportunity to integrate classroom theory with practical experience. Students have had experience in a variety of work environments such as, education, medical, film, auto, culinary, fashion and retail. They have developed workplace skills, and are more prepared to make career decisions. Here are some of their reflections on what they gained from their co-op experience:

“I‘ve always gained knowledge through textbooks and tests, but co-op at St. Michael's Hospital has been a wonderful opportunity to learn about my field of interest (dietetics) in a manner that truly shows me what it would be like to pursue this career.‖

"The cooperative education program has had a great impact on my career pathway because working at Transam Carriers Inc has confirmed that I want to go into the trucking business after high school‖.

―My manager at EB Games has assisted me with a lot of things that I never thought I could do. He has helped me to be less nervous around others and taught me how to approach customers.‖

―One big difference from studying at school and working at my placement (Uptown Health Centre) is that I have to take much more responsibility when I am working. My action has a lot more influence on other people, so it is necessary to be more cautious and patient.‖

―I had no idea how amazing the experience of working at Joint Venture Physiotherapy would be for me. I have never before experienced anything in the workplace and have become so surprised at how my communication skills have improved.‖

―On a personal scale, I feel I have reinforced my employability skills in communication, time management, and organization in projects and work. From my time at Sign A Rama, I have been exposed to a completely new setting that has greatly reinforced my skills and has made me confident for the future when I search for work.‖

―On a personal scale, I feel I have developed a strong employability skill set for future careers, such as being reliable, organized, efficient, and most importantly, honest. From my work experience at Acura North Toronto, I will continue to build upon these skills as well as acquiring new skills in the future.‖

―At Thornhill Public School I have several reoccurring responsibilities: for example, I would take a group of students outside the classroom to do guiding reading, I supervise their independent work, and answered any questions. Through this experience I have solidified my desire to be a teacher, but I think I would be interested in either the younger grades (1-3) or high school students."

"Through this program, working at Shoppers Drug Mart Pharmacy, I feel that I improved the most on my communication skills because I can talk to people that I do not know much easier than I could before."

―If I were to think of one thing I gained from my co-op experience at Northwood Academy, it was confidence.‖

―I got the opportunity to shadow the head vet technician at John Street Animal Clinic which was great because I am hoping to go to school for a vet tech program…Doing this placement has increased my desire to get a job in veterinary science.‖

"Getting to work with a great supervisor like Olena really made this experience worthwhile and I want to thank her for taking the time to train me and to help me have a better understanding of what it really means to be a make-up artist."

VOLUME 4 ISSUE 4 TSS PAW PRINTS PAGE 14

PAGE 15 TSS PAW PRINTS VOLUME 4 ISSUE 4

HISTORY DEPARTMENT

As we conclude the 2012-2013 year, we reflect on another great session. Some high points for this academic

year included a Holocaust speaker and a Rwandan Genocide speaker; both highlighting the need for

awareness of and action against injustice and inhumanity. In addition the World History class took a field trip

to the Royal Ontario Museum for a guided lab focusing on primary documents from the period of Ancient

Egypt, Greece and Rome. This was followed by a guided tour of the Rome and Greece exhibits with an

archeology professor. We continue to engage the digital learners by improving our use of digital tools, such

as moodle. We are also working on enhancing the classroom experience with new IPads applications and

the use of Google Applications. Finally, the History Department would like to wish Amy Maisel good luck and

best wishes as she takes on a new position at Stephen Lewis Secondary School. We would like to thank her

for her contributions to the History Department and for helping making history come alive for her students.

She will be missed by staff and students.

PAGE 16 TSS PAW PRINTS VOLUME 4 ISSUE 4

Thornhill Secondary School March Break 2014

London, Ireland, Wales Excursion

Contact Person: Ms. Clark, Thornhill Secondary School, 905-889-5453, ext. 157

Organized by EF Tours

LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE!!! Program fee of $3080.00 includes:

Round-trip flights

Comfortable motor coach and ferry

7 overnight stays in hotels with private bathrooms

Breakfast and dinner daily

Full-time EF Tour Director

5 sightseeing tours and entrance fees to all attractions visited on trip. Optional: Windsor Castle

EF Video of London http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1__DOw2XnM Itinerary: Killarney Visit Ring of Kerry, Bog Museum, Rock of Cashel

Itinerary: Dublin Guided tour of Dublin: Georgian Squares, O’Connell Street Visit Book of Kells at Trinity College and St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Itinerary: North Wales Ferry from Dublin to Holyhead Visit a Welsh castle and travel through Snowdonia

Itinerary: London/Stratford/Oxford

Guided tour of London: Big Ben and Houses of Parliament, Piccadily Circus, etc. Take a tour of Stratford-upon-Avon and Shakespeare’s Birthplace Take a tour of Oxford

Go to eftours.ca to register: Tour # 1349774DW

Android Apps Created by Computer Science Students Students in Computer Science have started creating apps for

android smart phones and tablets. Two grade 12 students,

Grant Wong and Darren Lewis, created an app for viewing

school announcements as their ICS4U final culminating project.

Many students have expressed the need for better

communication regarding events and school news. This app

could help solve that problem. After downloading the “Turbo

Tiger” app from the Google Play Store, the user can view the

daily announcements on their phone at the click of a button.

The app is shown here displaying an announcement from the

student bulletin. We hope that this becomes a useful tool for

students in the future!