Welcome to Thornhill, Tigers

1. Welcome to Thornhill, Tigers!

2. Academic Supports @TSS Teachers Guidance Counsellors Administration Teacher-Librarian & Library Resources School Website: Resources/Databases Special Education Dept. English Language Learners Dept. PLANT – Peer Literacy and Numeracy Tutors

3. Teachers Guidance Counsellors Mentors Prefects BOSS Administration Social/Personal Supports @TSS

4. Markham Public Library Richmond Hill Public Library Professional Tutors KIDS HELP Phone 1(800)668-6868 TeenHelp.org teencentral.net Community Resources

5. How will students know about clubs and events? Morning announcements (end of period 1 each day) There are announcement board outside the gym and posters/announcements posted around the school There is a Plasma Screen in the Cafeteria They can ask teachers, office, friends

6. Attendance Critical for success in school Each course credit dependent on completion of 110 hours in class Statistics show that students who attend class regularly learn more and achieve higher grades than those who do not

7. Punctuality When students arrive to class on time they show: respect for their peers respect for their teacher respect for themselves and their own learning Please note that periodically, the Administration will be holding “Late Blitz’s”.

8. Absences For each class or day of school, a student is absent, please contact the Attendance Office: on the day before or during the absence, we require a phone call from a parent/guardian* OR (b) on the day before or after the absence, we require a note signed by a parent/guardian *(a) is preferred

9. Absences When you call the attendance office at (905)889-5453 or you write a note Please let us know the: student’s name and grade times/date(s) of absence reason for absence

10. RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY ABSENCES If your child will be away due to a religious holiday, please have your son/daughter pick up a Religious Observance Form in the Attendance Office. You can fill out all the religious absences for the year on this form

11. Signing Out If your child needs to sign out before the end of the school day, please provide them with a note specifying: time of sign-out reason for sign-out current date your signature OR Phone the school and inform us of the time your student will be signing out, and the reason. Students must present the signed note sign out at the attendance office before leaving school

12. Consequences for Unexplained Absence The vice-principals will be following up on unexplained absences, or on explained absences which are too numerous. Students with attendance issues may be referred by a vice-principal to a York Region Attendance Counsellor.

13. Safe & Supportive Schools Policy Thornhill must be a safe and welcoming environment for all students. Achievement at school is directly related to feeling safe in the learning environment Students should never feel physically or emotionally uncomfortable about being here. Bullying is unacceptable at TSS.

15. ALLERGY ALERTS We have members of our school community, with life threatening allergies to Nuts and Nut Products. Students are NOT to bring these products into the school We have a member of our school community with life threatening allergies to tomato and citrus products. These cannot be consumed anywhere outside of the cafeteria.

16. ALLERGIES Students are encouraged to thoroughly wash their hands after eating. This will help to prevent cross-contamination of potentially dangerous food items to other parts of the school building. If your child has a severe allergy (anaphylactic), you must inform the Main Office about the medical situation so that proper emergency information can be maintained. If an Epipen is required, it is imperative that students carry it with them at all times so that it is easily accessible in an emergency situation.

17. FOOD POLICY The cafeteria is provided for your convenience and offers meals, light lunches, snacks and beverages. Students are expected to put all garbage in the garbage and recycling containers provided. Their assistance in keeping the cafeteria clean is appreciated. Food must not be consumed in the classrooms or in the hallways. Food and drink are to be consumed only in the cafeteria or outside, and are not permitted elsewhere in the building. Water (bottled) is the only item permitted outside of the cafeteria.

18. Bullying What should students do if they are being bullied? They should tell someone they trust - it’s not easy to solve the problem on their own. : Report it to a teacher Discuss with an administrator Tell their parent/guardian. • They should stay away from the bully as much as they can. • If a bully tries to hurt them, they should try to walk away or yell to get help.

19. Consequences of Bullying Depending on the severity of the bullying, these are the possible consequences at Thornhill SS: restorative conference involving students, parents, teachers and community members Police involvement suspension of the bully expulsion of the bully

20. Cyberbullying Cyber bullying is the use of electronic communication tools to spread hurtful comments (video, photos, text) about a person and to intimidate others. Cyberbullying is especially cowardly because of it seeming like a “faceless act”; however, cyberbullies can be caught! If your child receives an inappropriate message, they should block the sender, and report it to a parent/guardian or adult at school.

21. Cyber Parenting Keep technology out of the bedroom, especially TV’s and computers. Put the computer in a high traffic area of your home. Make a technology contract with your student including nightly tech-turnoff time, time limits on gaming, restrictions on on-line activities.

22. Drugs and Alcohol The Board prohibits the possession and use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs by students while on Board property and at Board sanctioned events.

23. Suspension

25. Personal Property

26. Technology Use Policy(See StudentAgenda Book)

27. Cell Phone Policy

28. Cell Phone Policy PARENTS

29. Personal Electronic Devices (iPods, MP3 players etc.) TSS is currently reviewing how technology may be used for educational purposes. In the interim, personal electronic devices are not to be used in the classrooms or hallways. Students may use their I-pods in the Student Resource Centre, as long as other students are not disturbed.

30. DRESS CODE

31. DRESS CODE

32. DRESS CODE ENFORCEMENT

33. Lockers Property of the school School has the right to access all lockers Students should not use lockers as garbage bins ( ) Students must use the Dudley lock provided by the school Students are not to share the combination with anyone!

35. Academic Honesty Honesty is an essential in school life, our home lives, our works lives, and in our personal relationships. At TSS, all students are expected to be academically honest.

36. Academic Dishonesty Involves: Cheating Plagiarizing

38. Grade 9 Barbecue We invite all parents back this evening at 6pm for our Welcome BBQ and Curriculum night, where you will have the opportunity to follow your student’s semester 1 and 2 timetable to meet the teachers and find out about the grade 9 Curriculum