1. DONALD A. WILSON SECONDARY SCHOOL
Grade 9 Parent Information Session

2. The Durham District School Board acknowledges that many Indigenous Nations have longstanding relationships, both historic and modern, with the territories upon which our school board and schools are located. Today, this area is home to many Indigenous peoples from across Turtle Island (North America). We acknowledge that the Durham Region forms a part of the traditional and treaty territory of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation, the Mississauga Peoples and the treaty territory of the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation. It is on these ancestral and treaty lands that we teach, learn and live.

3. ADMINISTRATION TEAM Ms. MacDonald – Principal
Ms. Cairns – Vice Principal (A – L)
Mr. Arkoh-Forson – Vice Principal (M – Z)

4. Ms. Matthews – Grade 9 Counsellor
GUIDANCE AT WILSON
Ms. Matthews – Grade 9 Counsellor
Monitor student success
Assist with personal issues and concerns
Make level changes on timetables based on need and availability
Orientation workshop addressing study skills, organizational and time management skills
Assist in pathway planning
Take a Student to Work Day Coordinator – Wednesday, November 1, 2017

5. COMMUNITY
SERVICE HOURS:
Encourage your child to fulfill the 40 hour requirement before the completion of Grade 10

6. SOME HELPFUL ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS
Felicia Onwuemele Public Health Nurse Carmen Subibi School Settlement Worker SWIS Durham

7. Durham Public Health
Health & Education Health and Education go hand in hand Research shows that healthy children are able to learn better at school and that education is a key determinant of health.

8. Role of Durham Region Health
Work with school communities to provide a positive environment where students can be healthy and learn at their best.
Information and Resources available through the Health Department
Healthy Eating
Physical Activity
Immunization
On-line, Personal, Sun Safety and Injury Prevention
Positive Parenting
Mental Health and Resiliency
Substance Use/Abuse
Tobacco Free Living
Visit: Durham.ca/health for more information and resources.

9. Your School Public Health Nurse
Each School in Durham Region has an assigned Public Health Nurse.
They work with the school to promote and assist in the planning and implementation of healthy school initiatives.

10. My role at Donald A Wilson
Assess the needs of the school
Support Health Action Teams and Initiatives
Develop strategies to meet the school's identified health needs
Assist the school community in carrying out planned activities
Evaluate the success and challenges of planned activities

11. Tips to Ease Transition to High School
Transitioning from elementary to high school can be a challenging time not only for students but also for parents.
The teenage years are a time when physical, emotional and social changes are occurring.
Teens often experience a range of emotions, as do parents.
Your Teen may not always appear to be listening or willing to change their behavior based on what you say.
It is important to remember that they do hear you, so do not give up!
75% of teens say their parents influence the decisions they make

12. The Important Stuff….
Communication with your teen’s teacher’s is very important.
Peer relationships are important to your teen.
Teens may experiment with some risk-taking activities such as substance use or other vices.

13. Good Mental Health/Resiliency
Good Mental Health and Resiliency is very important.
Resiliency is the ability to bounce back from challenges.

14. For more information… Go to durham.ca/health
Call Durham Health Connection Line- or
Visit my display table in the foyer and pick up helpful resources.
Wishing you the very best on this journey!

15. Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS)
Carmen Subibi  - School Settlement Worker
Contact Informaiton:
                                     : (905)
Role of SWIS
Connecting newly arrived families to services and resources in the school and community
For more information visit:

16. INSIDE THE CLASSROOM: SUPPORT
Teachers
Departmental extra-help
Guidance Department
Student Success
Special Education Department

17. OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM: COMMUNICATION
Communication with teachers
Telephone
Progress report (October 12th)
Parent
Interviews (October 19th)
Mid-term report card (November 16th)
Credit endangered letters (December 14th)
Final report card Semester 1 (February 16th)
Similar reporting schedule for semester 2. Consult the agenda pages 4 – 5. Pull these pages out and post them on the refrigerator door!
Communication with Guidance Counsellor
Telephone or by Appointment

18. MAINTAINING CONTACT
Administrators
School Website
Newsletters
Agenda

19. THE SCHOOL: EXAMS Formal Examination Days - January 24 – 30
No classes during formal exam time
Great time to complete some community service hours!
Not a great time for a family vacation as exams are mandatory!

20. TIPS FOR PARENTS
Be involved, be interested and make yourself available.
Be a parent, not a pal. 
Help to create a study space and time for studying. 
Help with organization and time management.
Expect homework. 
Help with the balancing act between academics, athletics, and social life. 
If you discover that your child is struggling academically, socially, emotionally, or with substance abuse or other serious issues, get help fast. 
Course selection: listen to the experts.

21. SCHOOL INVOLVEMENT Student Parliament
Athletic Teams (football, basketball, cross-country, volleyball, soccer, swimming, badminton, lacrosse, rugby and more…)
An array of arts activities an clubs (Band, Choir, Drama)
Ski/Snowboard Club
Eco Club
White Pine
Reach For The Top
Model UN
Gender and Sexuality Acceptance (GSA)
…and much, much more!

22. See Ms. Matthews in the Guidance Office (Room 105) for answers
QUESTIONS
See Ms. Matthews in the Guidance Office (Room 105) for answers

23. Thank you for coming today!