January Newsletter
Message from the Principal – Setting the New Year Off Right
Dear Nantyr Shores Families,
As we begin a new year, I want to take a moment to share an important message about setting each student up for success. At Nantyr Shores, we believe that every student has the ability to achieve their goals when we work together and stay focused on what matters most.
One of the simplest yet most powerful habits for success is attending school and classes on time. Being present and punctual ensures that students don’t miss valuable learning opportunities and helps create a positive environment for everyone. Let’s make this a priority as we start the year strong.
Another area where we need your support is in maintaining respect for shared spaces, especially our washrooms and hallways. These areas are meant for quick use and movement—not for loitering. When students spend extended time in these spaces, it disrupts learning and can lead to unnecessary issues. Please encourage your student to use these areas responsibly and return to class promptly.
Finally, success in school comes from engagement and effort. We ask all students to do their best in class, complete assignments on time, and prepare for upcoming culminating tasks, which may include exams. These steps are essential for building confidence and achieving strong results.
Parents and guardians, your partnership is key. Please talk with your student about these expectations and help reinforce the importance of responsibility, respect, and commitment to learning. Together, we can make the rest of this semester and the start for semester 2 a positive step towards growth and achievement for every student.
Thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Brian MacIsaac
Principal, Nantyr Shores Secondary School
Upcoming Events:
January Tamil Heritage Month
January 8 Arts Night
January 12 Scholarships, Bursaries and OSAP presentation at Nantyr Shores from 6-7:30pm
January 14 Grade 8 Parent Information Night
January 14-16 EQAO
January 21-26 Culminating Task Day
January 24 World Day for African & Afrodescendant Culture
January 27 International Holocaust Remembrance Day
January 27-29 Feedback, Recovery & Improvement Day
January 29 National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack & Action Against Islamophobia
January 30 PA Day
February 2 First day of Semester 2
February 2 School Council meeting
For a complete list of 2025/2026 holy days and days of awareness, please visit the SCDSB website at: www.scdsb.on.ca/about/equity_and_inclusion
Absence reporting:
To report a student absence, please call 1-888-885-8065 or email [email protected] Callers will be prompted to identify the school before leaving a message. Please include the student’s name, dates and reason for absence.
If you need to pick up your student during school hours, please provide as much advance notice as possible. This helps us ensure your student is ready and available for a timely and smooth pickup. Thank you for your cooperation!
WiSTEM is a fun, hands-on club dedicated to empowering girls to explore their passions in science, technology, engineering, and math. We've had an eventful November, from creating 3D designs in Tinkercad to practicing real suturing skills on bananas, we dive into activities that spark curiosity, build confidence, and show just how exciting STEM can be. Along the way, we’ve also learned more about the mission behind Women in STEM initiatives and the importance of representation, leadership, and community. See Mrs. Patterson in room 224 at lunch if you'd like to join in on the fun!
January 2026 Guidance Department Update:
Guidance now has a D2L shell filled with useful information on a variety of topics such as course selection, post-secondary planning, mental health resources, grade-specific resources, and more. Each student has access to the shell. Parents can also view the activity feed, where announcements will be posted regarding community involvement opportunities, important deadlines, and school events.
Online Option Sheet
Students will be selecting their courses for the 2026/2027 school year during the first and second week of semester two. Course selections take place online (computer time at school will be available for those that require it). Course selections are due by February 20, 2026. Guidance will be visiting classes to help with this process.
Students will submit their course choices electronically using myBlueprint. Go to myblueprint.ca/Simcoe. Select the green ‘School Account Login’ and sign in using:
Login Username: school email
Password: Same as computer network password
There are helpful videos, slide shows and other resources posted at nss.scdsb.on.ca – guidance – course selection.
Graduating Students and Parents
University applications are due January 15th, 2026. College applications are due February 1st, 2026.
Students who will meet their graduation requirements are still encouraged to apply at either www.ouac.on.ca (university) or www.ontariocolleges.ca (college). If you are interested in pursuing a career in trades, visit Find Your Trade presented by Ontario Colleges to learn more. https://trades.ontariocolleges.ca/
Students Taking Night School or Independent Learning Credits
Students taking courses other than regular day school and applying to college or university need to inform Guidance of the credits ASAP. Counsellors must manually change an applicant’s status with OUAC or OCAS; not doing so may jeopardize acceptance to a program.
Elearning Graduation Requirement
Students are required to earn two online learning credits to graduate from secondary school. Parents/Guardians can opt out of this graduation requirement by completing the opt-out form at the bottom of THIS page. Students can also pick up an ‘opt-out form’ from guidance that can be signed and returned to guidance. This form MUST be submitted prior to graduation.
Course Changes for Semester 2
Students requiring a timetable change for semester 2 are strongly encouraged to complete the Course Change Google Form that was emailed to them on January 5th. Counselors will communicate with students regarding their requests via their school email. Students can also book an appointment with their Guidance counsellor.
MyBlueprint Career Launch Sessions
Career Launch is a virtual career fair hosted by myBlueprint for students in grade 7-12. SCDSB has invested in the inaugural myBlueprint Career Launch event which will provide 25+ engaging sessions from Ontario employers who want to connect with Ontario students to support their career/life planning journey. These sessions can be viewed on demand through your child’s myBlueprint account starting on December 7th and include: 25+ sessions from Ontario employers Virtual booths with additional information related to the learning sessions Pre and post activities available to support student learning Links to SHSM sectors For more information about Career Launch click HERE.
The Scholarship Report
The Scholarship Report Library provides information on postsecondary events and opportunities, scholarship application tips, advice from experts, university & college Open House Schedules, career resources, and lists of curated scholarship and bursaries, and other ways to pay for school. Don’t miss out on this relevant information!
Accessing The Scholarship Report Library:
1. To access The Scholarship Report Library click seekingscholarships.com
2. The password you will need for access: SEPTSCHOLAR25
3. Click on the DASHBOARD page.
If you have questions, please contact your Guidance Counselor.
Please note: The link and password to The Scholarship Report Library, and any documents from The Scholarship Report Library, are not to be shared due to copyright issues.
Nantyr Guidance is offering a Scholarships, Bursaries and OSAP presentation at Nantyr Shores SS on the evening of January 12th from 6 - 7:30 PM.
Presenters are:
Kelly Winger - Network Manager at Yconic (Yconic is a leading Canadian platform helping students find and win scholarships, bursaries, and grants for post-secondary education)
Aaron Watson - Student Recruitment Specialist from Georgian College (OSAP - Ontario Student Assistance Program -Provincial and Federal grants and loans to help with the cost of post-secondary)
Amy Kalbfleisch - Guidance Chair at Nantyr Shores (showing parents resources that we share with students to assist them with finding scholarships/bursaries).
Please join us for this informative event!
Self-Reg Staff Book Group:
Some staff have joined a Self-Reg Staff Book Group to learn how to implement Self-Reg ideas into the classroom.
Information and updates from the SCDSB:
This month, the SCDSB is sharing information related to the below topics. To read this information, visit the
SCDSB website.
- Provide your feedback on the proposed SCDSB 2026-27 school year calendar
- Inclement weather and bus cancellation information reminder
- Kindergarten registration for September 2026 is open!
- Is your child turning four in 2026? Get ready for Kindergarten with us!
- How is your infant, toddler, or preschool child developing?
- Licensed March Break school age child care programs
- Check out the SCDSB News video series
- High school information events for Grade 8 students
- SCDSB families invited to explore math games and activities at Family Math Nights in February 2026
- What is mental health? Introducing By Your Side resource
- Culminating Task Days and Feedback, Recovery, and Improvement Days (secondary)
- Enabling Multi-Factor Authentication on Student Devices
- School playground structures are closed for the winter
- Character recognition nominations
- Interested in learning more about special education in the SCDSB?
- New year, new math activities!
- Your child’s immunization record
- January PA Days