Oct. 3 - Alexander Mackenzie High School Newsletter

Administration:

Ms. Aline Daniel - Principal 

Mr. Themi Drekolias (A-L) - Vice-President

Ms. Helen Ho (M-Z) - Vice-President

Mr. Joe D'Amico - Superintendent 

Follow AMHS:

Arts Mackenzie 

Music Department

Dance Department 

MAC Health, Physical Education & Athletics 

Alexander Mackenzie 

School Reminders 

Interim Reports

Student interim reports will be on the family portal on Oct. 16 and 17, 2025. Interview night will be held on October 23, 2025. More information to come regarding interview sign up. 

Photo Retake Day

Photo Retake Day is on Tuesday, October 7th. 

Retake Day is for students who were absent on the original picture day. Of course, any student who wants a retake - or whose parent has requested one - is welcome to have their photo taken. 

Grade 9 Camp Day

We are looking forward to all Grade 9 students joining us at this year's Camp Day on Wednesday, October 8 at Camp Robin Hood. Students going to camp need to arrive on time for school as buses will leave right away in the morning after attendance is taken. There will not be any regular Grade 9 classes running on a camp day. 

School Engagement Fee

Students are encouraged to pay this fee as the funds are used to support all school clubs and teams that they are involved in as well as school wife events. Discounts to school events will be provided to students who pay the Student Activity Fee. Students who participate in clubs or athletics are expected to pay the school activity fee. 

International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme

Students who start Grade 8 in September 2025 and their parents and guardians are invited to attend on International Baccalaureate Programme information session:

Thursday, October 16, 2025

Information sessions will run at each of the five YRDSB schools that offer IB programming: 

• Alexander Mackenzie
• Bayview Secondary School
• Dr. G.W. Williams Secondary School
• Maple High School
• Milliken Mills High School

What is the International Baccalaureate? 

The International Baccalaureate (IB) aims to develop inquiring knowledgeable and caring young people who help create a better and and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with schools, governments, and international organizations to develop challenging programs of international education and rigorous assessment. These programs encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right. 

For more information about the YRDSB's IB programming, check out the International Baccalaureate page on the Board website.  

Accelerated OYAP and Apprenticeship Information Night

Join us to learn about Apprenticeship Pathways and the Accelerated OYAP Program! You should attend this information evening if: 

• You are a Grade 12 student who is planning on entering the Skilled Trades
• You are a Grade 10 or 11 student who would like more information about this program to better prepare for this pathway or
• You are the parent or guardian of a Grade 9 to 12 student who is considering a career in the skilled trades. 

Learn about how to start an apprenticeship in one of these skilled trades while still in high school!

• Auto Body Technician
• Automotive Service Technician
• Baker
• Carpenter
• Construction Craft Worker
• Cook
• Drywall Finisher and Plasterer
• Electrician
• Floor Covering Installer
• Hairstylist
• Heavy Duty Equipment Technician
• Sheet Metal Worker
• Plumber
• Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic
• Truck and Coach Technician

Join us on Wednesday, October 15th at 6:30 p.m. 

Register for the event on Google Forms.

Email questions to: pathways.yrdsb@gapps.yrdsb.ca.

Timetable

6:30 p.m.: Overview of OYAP Program with YRDSB

7:00 p.m.: Breakout Information Sessions for Skilled Trade Programs with the Training Delivery Agents

8:00 p.m.: Closing Q and A with YRDSB

Parent Night Interview Information

Parents' Night is on October 23, 2025. You will have an opportunity to meet your child(ren)'s teacher(s) in person, and learn more about their course(s). Parents can use TeachAssist, an online platform to schedule a meeting with the children's teacher(s) on Parents' Night. 

All students in our school currently have a TeachAssist account to access information associated with their class assessments. 

Parents and guardians may access appointment bookings on October 16, 2025 through the TeachAssist Parent Portal. From there, enter your email address and leave the password blank, to set up a one time access link or to reset a password that you've created. 

Once logged in, parents and guardians will have the option to set up a password. For instructions on how to book a parent-teacher interview through TeachAssist or if you have any questions about this process, please contact our main office. 

If you have any challenges with meeting in-person on Thursday, October 23, 2025, please contact your child's teacher to make alternative arrangements for another day. 

Important Timelines

• October 16: Parents' Night schedule opens at 9:00 a.m. for booking. Parents and Guardians will go to the TeachAssist Parent Portal to book their appointment.
• October 16 and 17: Interim reports will be distributed electronically to parents, guardians and students over the age of 18 via the electronic distribution process.
• October 20: Interview Scheduler closes at 9:00 a.m.
• October 21: Parents receive confirmation email(s) from teachers.
• October 23: Parent Teacher Interview Night.

ESL Corner

What a fantastic start-up! The ESL program is happy to be serving over 125 students this semester! Lots of learning has taken place over the last few weeks. Our ESLAO and ESLBO classes have been working on alphabet letters and sounds as well as learning essential school vocabulary related to people and places around the building, including the use of cross-curricular terms. The focus for our ESLCO classes has been the strengthening of foundational skills through targeted grammar instruction on sentence structure and word order. Students will develop their oral presentation skills in the month ahead through small group presentations on current events or topics of interest. Our ELSO and SELEO classes have been engaging in rich discussions on topics surrounding identity and marginalization while developing critical thinking through the writing of well-structured paragraphs. All language levels have taken part in activities concerning Indigenous ways of knowing and being through the study of short stories, oral narration, and by way of knowledge and participation in Orange Shirt Day. As we move through the month of October, MLLs will continue to develop all areas of language acquisition, including but not limited to continued reading of short stories, both fiction and non-fiction, novel studies, informational texts and articles, paired with many opportunities for oral discussion to improve conversational skills. 

Fresh Farm Fundraiser - School Council

On behalf of the school, school council members are running a Fresh Farm Fundraiser. The website is open for order until October 17. Parents can order directly on the website for vegetable bundle (22 dollars each) or apple bundle (24 dollars each) or even order a donation to the local food bank. 

A fresh take on school fundraising!

Since 2013, Fresh From The Farm school fundraising has connected over 3000 schools with Ontario farmers and enabled them to raise over 2.2 million dollars for school initiatives by selling over 5 million pounds of Ontario grown fruits and vegetables. 

Options:

14 Pound Vegetable Bundle - $22 - Less than $1.60 per pound

Includes: 

• 5 pound bag white potatoes
• 3 pound bag sweet potatoes
• 3 pound bag yellow onions
• 3 pound bag orange carrots

8 Pound Apple Bundle - $24 - Only $3.00 per pound!

• 8 pound bag of Ambrosia apples

Ambrosia apples are a beautiful bright pinkish red and light yellow coloured apple. They are crisp and juicy with a distinct sweet aroma and sweet low acid flavour. Excellent for eating fresh. 

Thank you for supporting school based initiatives and Ontario farmers. 

Post Secondary Information OUAC and OCAS

The following is key information for students in grade 11 and / or 12 applying to post secondary. 

Semester 1 Midterm Reporting - All Students

York Region District School Board will be issuing electronic copies of the Semester 1 midterm report cards between November 19-21. The electronic copy will be available to parents and caregivers through the new family portal, and students will continue to access it through their GAPPS account. Instructions will be sent out by email to both parents and caregivers and to students prior to distribution. 

Full Disclosure for Grade 11 and Grade 12 Courses

For the 2025-2026 school year; the course withdrawal date (Full Disclosure) will be at least 5 instructional days from the date the mid-semester report is issued. The Full Disclosure date for Grade 11 and Grade 12 courses is November 28. If a student withdraws from a Grade 11 or 12 course on or prior to November 28, then the course and mark will not be recorded on the Ontario Student Transcript. If a student withdraws from a Grade 11 or 12 course after the Full Disclosure date, a withdrawal (W) is entered in the credit column, and the student's mark in the course at the time of withdrawal will be recorded as a percentage in the achievement column of the transcript. 

OUAC and OCAS Upload for Potential Graduates

Identifying information will be shared through a secure transmission to the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) and the Ontario College Application Service (OCAS) to support students with their application to post-secondary institutions. Potential graduates who are planning to apply to an Ontario college or university this school year, and who do not wish to have their data shared, must notify their guidance counsellor by October 9. 

Semester 1 midterm marks will be shared with OCAS and OUAC on November 15. Students in Grade 11 and 12 courses will be notified of their report card mark by their classroom teacher by November 11. Potential graduates who are applying to an Ontario college and / or university and who are planning to drop a course are encouraged to connect with their guidance counsellor in advance of these dates. Guidance appointments can be booked through TeachAssist. 

We recognize that you and your child may have questions regarding this information. If is helpful for you to connect with a staff member from the school, please contact the Guidance Department to discuss your questions. 

Parent Connections

Renewed Computer Technology

Do you need a computer?

Renewed Computer Technology (RCT) is a not-for-profit, charitable organization that empowers learners, educators, and not-for-profit organizations with increased access to information and communications technology (ICT), skill development and learning opportunities, in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. 

Partnering with the York Region District School Board, we are offering affordable, renewed computer packages. 

We have desktop packages starting from $130.00 plus $35.00 to ship the computer to your home. 

You get a desktop complete with Windows 11 plus Windows Defender, monitor, keyboard, and mouse. 

We have laptop packages starting from $235.00 plus $25.00 to ship the computer to your home.

You get a laptop complete with Windows 11 and Windows Defender. 

You can apply for this program if:

• You are a resident of Ontario and have a child enrolled within the York Region District School Board.
• Parents or legal guardians may apply on behalf of a child or youth under the age of 18.
• We offer 1 computer per person, with a limit of 2 per household per year. 

Application Walk Through

Deadline: November 21, 2025

Group Name: YRDSB

Group Code: T-YRDSB25

How to fill our your application

1. Fill our Section A including the group name and code
2. Skip Section B
3. Fill our Section C by identifying what you would like to order and where you would like to pick it up.
4. Fill out Section D by finalizing your computer package and selecting a method of payment. Credit and debit cards are accepted.
5. Once an order is successfully submitted you will receive a copy of the order via email. It takes about 3 weeks for you to receive your unit and once it is ready, someone will reach out regarding pick up or delivery. 

For more RCT information, please contact:

Hafza Arshad - Community Engagement Lead

All systems include our 1-year depot warranty. Batteries are not covered by the warranty. 

This program operates with funding from the Government of Canada. 

Inclusive School and Community Services, in partnership with the Canadian Centre for Housing Rights, is offering: Tenants' Housing Rights

Free Virtual Workshops - October and November 2025

Guest Speakers: 

Ayesha Adamjee - Community Lawyer

Matthew Cheng - Lawyer and Housing Rights Educator

Rose Vandermeer - Senior Engagement and Education Advisor

Brightson Okenwa - Senior Legal Education Specialist

Jessie Tang - Outreach and Education Advisor

All parents, guardians, and staff are welcome to attend any of the free virtual workshops. Once you register, we will send you invites and links to the workshops. 

For more information, please contact: 
Y. Kelly, Community and Partnership Developer at iscs@yrdsb.ca or 905-895-5155 ext. 5124.

This program is offered with generous support from the United Way of Greater Toronto.