The Hogarth Herald - June 2025

We wanted to take a moment to review parking and drop off information at Bill Hogarth Secondary School.  

• Please remember not to park in our Accessible Parking spots when picking up your child.  We have had many vehicles without permits using the spots and our families that need them for students are not able to access them.  As a result, By Law has been notified and is randomly checking our parking lot.  They will be ticketing vehicles that are using the spots improperly.

• Please do not park in the laneway behind the Accessible Parking spots.  This makes it challenging for cars to get through and vehicles to leave the spaces.

• We have noticed some cars are driving too quickly through our parking lot.  Please drive carefully and slowly when dropping off or picking up your child to ensure the safety of all students as they travel to and from school.  We have had many calls from community members voicing this concern to us.

• The only doors to the school that will be open for student arrival in the morning will be the front doors. Please do not drop your child off on Bur Oak or by the portables as the doors will be locked in the morning prior to school.

• Student drivers must park in the large parking lot at the front of the school.  They may not park around the side by the portables. 

• Please remember the Laneway directly in front of Bill Hogarth SS is a one way lane moving from North to South.  Please drive cautiously and stop at the stop sign to allow our students to cross.  We have had some incidents where students have almost been hit by cars failing to stop at the stop sign.  We appreciate your support in ensuring student safety at our school.

Dismissal & Exit

At the end of the school day we ask that our students leave the building by 4 p.m. so our Caretaking team can clean and prepare for evening permits.  Only students who are directly supervised for clubs, extra help, events, sports or curriculum should remain in the building.  We appreciate your support.

Cell Phone Policy:  As part of the Province’s ban on Cell Phones, BHSS has created a Cell Phone Policy that we hope will help to manage our students’ cell phone usage and keep them on task while in class.  In order to ensure clarity, I feel it is important to walk through the new policy here with our families.  It is important to note that this is a new policy and changes could be required as the need arises.  

• Cell phones are only to be used during non-instructional times.  This means before and after school and lunch hour.  The five minute passing period is not time to stop and connect with friends. 

• When students are in class their phone should be in their bag out of sight. 

• If a teacher sees a student with a cell phone they will ask them to put it away.

• Once the teacher has had to speak to the student three times they will call home.

• If after that the student still struggles to manage their phone in class they will be sent to the office and required to turn it in for the remainder of the day.  Parents will be called again at that point by a member of the Admin Team

• If students still struggle to manage their phone they could find themself in a situation where they have to turn their phone in every day upon arriving at school for a period of time or they could face other discipline such as suspension

• Phones will be labelled and stored in the safe in the main office 

Please note a new addition to our cell phone and personal device policy for students: Students’ personal mobile devices must be stored out of view and powered off or set to silent mode, except under the circumstances outlined below:

• for educational purposes, as directed by an educator

• for health and medical purposes

• to support special education needs

Please speak to the alpha administrator if you have any questions or concerns.  

While we must enforce this policy now in our schools, we don’t want to be in conflict with our students.  We care about their education and many studies have shown that cell phone use is disrupting student learning.  We ask you for your support as we try to establish classroom norms that will promote and support student learning.  

Having had the opportunity to serve the BHSS community for 4.5 years as a Vice-Principal, I am incredibly excited to have the opportunity to continue my journey here as Principal of BHSS.  Our students, teachers and community members make BHSS a special place to attend school.  In the 6.5 years I have been here, we have gone from 750 students to over 2000 students and counting.  We firmly believe we continue to grow because of the diversity of experience BHSS offers across all facets of school life. 

The BHSS community is a place of diversity where our student and staff population is rich in various cultures, backgrounds, beliefs, identities, expertise, and experience.  We value and respect each other and continue to learn from one another on a daily basis.  At BHSS, our daily goal is to ensure our students feel safe, included, valued, and supported.  It is within this inclusive environment where our students become young adults of good character with strong academic skills to take them into the next chapter of their lives.   

At BHSS, we realize the world we live in is changing faster than the education system that has been built to prepare them for it.  It is for this reason, BHSS adopted the Six Global Competencies and integrated them into our entire school experience.  We realize that more than ever before, soft skills are required if we plan to be ready for the world ahead of us.  At BHSS we aim to equip our students with these skills to set them up for success in this rapidly changing world by building skills in areas such as Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration, Citizenship, Creativity and Character.  We also place a focus on Leadership as we work to build leaders for tomorrow here in our halls.  

We continue to work together to build an inclusive environment where Equity work and a focus on Mental Health and life balance play a pivotal role in our learning and school life.  We will continue to work to improve outcomes for all our students in partnership with our families and the community.  We feel tremendously privileged to be able to call your children our students and value your continued support as we work together to help them realize their full potential.

I look forward to continuing this journey with you and can’t wait to see what lies ahead for our BHSS Community.

Sincerely, 

Rob Cotey 

Principal

The YRDSB has a tool on its website and school websites to provide translation of school and school board information into about 100 languages. 

As we reach the end of the school year, schools will be sharing student report cards by June 30 for elementary schools and July 10 for secondary schools. Report cards will be available in the Family Dashboard until July 30. You will receive an email when your child’s report card is available. 

For families who do not yet have a Family Dashboard account, you can sign up for an account at any time at family.yrdsb.ca. You can find information on how to create an account on the Board website or in this instructional video.  

The Family Dashboard gives parents/guardians secure one-stop access to information and applications related to your child’s education. It is designed to make it easier for families to engage with their child’s education.   

Please note, you can still request a printed copy of your child’s report card if you prefer by contacting your child’s school. 

As we wrap up the school year, we also want to remind families that it’s important that the school has updated contact information for students and parents/guardians, including home address, phone numbers, email address and emergency contacts. This will ensure that the school can contact families in case of emergency, and also that you continue to receive important communications and updates from the school. Please contact the school directly with any changes. 

The Student Activity Council of Bill Hogarth Secondary School is pleased to announce that this years culture day will be on June 4th, 2025. As the most diverse school in the York Region District School Board we are honoured to have the approval to continue this annual event. If you are interested in attending culture fair please submit this form by May 30th, 2025.

York Region Public Health is offering free dental clinics for children 17 and under across the region through the provincial Healthy Smile Ontario program. Visit YRPH Dental Programs or call 1-877-464-9675 ext. 74388 for more information. 

The Newmarket African Caribbean Canadian Association (NAACA) and York Hills Centre for Children, Youth and Families are pleased to invite you to learn about our newly expanded mental health services, specifically designed to support Black children, youth, and families. 

Date and Time:  June 12, 12 p.m.-1 p.m. and June 16, 9 a.m.-10 a.m.

Method of Delivery: Virtual

Rooted in holistic, healing-centered, Afri-centric, and culturally responsive approaches, our services are tailored to meet the unique needs of the Black community.

Culturally Grounded Mental Health Support for the Black Community

Join us to discover how our expanded team with NAACA and York Hills can collaborate with you to serve your clients more effectively. Together, we can strengthen mental wellness and build a more supportive, healthier community.

Please complete the registration form if you wish to attend.

The Canadian Black Nurses Alliance - York University is hosting a Nursing High-School Summer Workshop. The deadline to register is June 23, 2025.

Date: Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Time: 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Location: Health, Nursing and Environmental Studies Building (HNES),York University Keele Campus.

Please see website for more details.

The Black Foundation of Community Networks (BFCN) invites Black students and their families to a free online workshop on how to search, prepare, and apply for scholarships. 

Date: Friday, June 6, 2025

Time: 7-9 p.m.

Location: Virtually on Zoom

Register on Zoom.

You will receive your unique Zoom link via email upon registration. A reminder email and further details will also be sent to registrants on the day of the event. 

For more information please contact info@bfcn.ca or 416-566-2731.

Understanding and Navigating the Education System - Families of YRDSB Black Students Monthly Information Session on Monday, June 16, 2025, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Families, parents, caregivers, please join us for our monthly virtual meeting, where families with Black children come together to learn about resources and upcoming programs for Black students in both elementary and secondary schools.  Please see the website for more information and to register.

Join Support Ontario Youth (SOY) for an evening virtual presentation designed for graduating students wanting to pursue a career in the skilled trades. The SOY team are subject matter experts in the skilled trades and apprenticeship sectors and provide information to help graduates navigate and understand the apprenticeship pathway. SOY will provide resources and tips on how to transition from high school to mainstream apprenticeship and better equip graduates to find that employer/sponsor. To add a real-world perspective, a licensed journeyperson will also join the discussion—sharing their personal journey in the trades and answering questions from attendees.

Date: Wednesday, June 4th

Time: 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Presentation Type: Virtual (Microsoft Teams)

Registration Link

As part of the York Region District School Board’s Math Achievement Action Plan, our school is committed to enhancing student success in mathematics through improved teaching strategies, in-class support, and access to resources.

Your input is valuable in helping us better understand how current resources are supporting your child’s learning and how we can continue to improve. Please take a moment to complete the 2 question Family Feedback Survey on Math Resources (https://bit.ly/YRDSBFamilyMathSurvey) and share your thoughts on the math resources available to your child to support learning at home and in the classroom.  Please complete this survey by Friday, June 6, 2025.