The Hogarth Herald - November 7

Understanding and Navigating the Education System - Families of YRDSB Black Students Monthly Virtual Information Session on Monday, November 24, 2025, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm.

Families, parents, and 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 our flyer for more information. Registration is available online.

Supporting East Asian Students (SEAS) in partnership with Inclusive School and Community Services (ISCS) invite students, families and staff to the SEAS 2025 Family Engagement Series Launch - Sharing Student Success & Pathway Planning. 

This Family Engagement evening will focus on understanding educational pathways and celebrating student success. English, Mandarin, and Cantonese sessions will be available. All are welcome to enjoy cultural performances, refreshments and a pathway information session. 

Date: Thursday, November 27, 2025

Time: 5:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Location: Bill Crothers Secondary School.  

Please register by November 25, 2025.

The Ignite Technology Grant is designed to create leadership opportunities, hone communication skills, and increase self-esteem for students with SEA equipment within their school community.

The goal is to bring awareness to the effective and successful use of technology for learning.

Applications Open:  October 15, 2025 

Applications Close: November 28, 2025

IGNITE your school and community now! 

Go to the Ignite Technology Grant webpage to learn how!

We have been planning for our Grade 10 Literacy test and the first Orientation was held this past week.  Students who are are required to write the test have been emailed.  If there are any questions please reach out to laura.hogan@yrdsb.ca 

The next practices are this week on November 11 and November 14 where students are asked to bring their laptop or chromebook fully charged so they can practice the 2 sessions that mimic the likeness of the real test.

The OSSLT will be on Tuesday November 18 and Wednesday November 19.  Students will be writing in period 1 and 2.  There will be no grade 10 classes running during period 2 in order to accommodate the timing for the test.  

Prep Suggestions:

• Students can log into the google classroom and attend the last prep sessions.  
• Fully engage in the 2 upcoming practice sessions which will be held in class.  This way students will be able to use the tools and see what it will be like.

What Type of Questions are on the test? 

43 Questions → Multiple Choice 

Students read different texts (news articles, short stories etc.) then answer questions about the text using multiple choice platforms including drag and drop, drop down menu, checklist, and text selection.

1 Question → Open Response - Information Paragraph (100 word limit)

Using specific details from the reading selection to support your answer.

*Remember - always use the question in your first sentence along with your answer!*

1 Question → Open Response - Opinion Essay (5 paragraphs - 500 word limit)

Series of Opinion Paragraphs about a topic provided (Intro, 3 Body Paragraphs, Conclusion). 
Example essay question: Do people spend too much time on technology?

*prepared by OSSLT team at BHSS

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We are excited to invite you to our Grade 9 Science Class Culminating Project Night on Wednesday, November 19, from 5:00–7:00 PM in the school atrium. 

During this event, some of our Grade 9 students will be showcasing their Sustainability Action Projects — their culminating projects focused on taking meaningful action within their communities. Students have worked hard to design and carry out initiatives that promote sustainability and benefit many organizations & charities throughout Markham.

The evening will feature:

• Student presentations highlighting their projects and community impact
• Fundraisers supporting sustainability initiatives
• Clothing drives
• Food drives
• Battery drives

We would love for you to attend and show your support for our students’ creativity, leadership, and commitment to positive change. If you’d like to support our students’ efforts, we encourage you to bring a small cash donation for the fundraisers or gently used clothing items, non-perishable food items or batteries for the collection drives. Your contribution, big or small, helps make a difference and means a lot to our students. Thank you for your continued encouragement and support. We look forward to seeing you on November 19!