Weekly Newsletter May 10, 2013 - Banting Memorial High School

Grade 10 students in the Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB) will be taking the Ontario Secondary
School Literacy Test (OSSLT) on Tuesday, May 14 th , 2013, and public secondary school teachers are using a
variety of literacy strategies to help students prepare for this provincial assessment. Parents can also help
prepare their children for the test by visiting www.eqao.com and choosing Parent Resources.
Successful completion of the OSSLT is one of the graduation requirements for all secondary school students.
SCDSB secondary school staff members are supporting their students in all subject areas to help them gain
essential skills and practice needed to be successful on the OSSLT.
The resources parents will find at www.EQAO.com explain the reading and writing skills being measured by
the OSSLT and include a tips and planning guide. The direct link to the parents’ section of the EQAO website
is: http://www.eqao.com/Parents/Secondary/10/10.aspxLang=E&gr=10
“It’s important for our secondary students to be successful in this annual provincial literacy assessment that is
one of Ontario’s graduation requirements,” states Kathi Wallace, Director of Education, Simcoe County District
School Board. “Resources have been put into place at every one of our secondary schools in order to prepare our
students for this test in April. We also encourage parents to review the resources available at www.eqao.com.”
For more information, visit www.eqao.com or contact your Grade 10 student’s public secondary school.
Please see attached letter outlining transportation and class times for Tuesday, May 14 th .
Dress Code
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With the warm weather approaching, we usually have an increase in dress code violations in an effort to stay
cool. I included a graphic for you to share with your teen, in case we (administrators) have to talk to your teen
about this, you know what we are referring to.
One of the things that always happens when we approach Summer is students take out their summer clothes in
preparation for the nicer weather. We see an increased usage of flip flops, tank tops, shorts and muscle shirts
appearing in and around the school. We usually have to remind students that there are appropriate places for
some items of clothing that they wear ….but it may not be at school!
For example:
Short shorts are not appropriate at school. How short is short Well, we don’t use a ruler to measure them,
but generally speaking if the tips of a student’s fingers extend below the hem of the shorts, then the shorts
are probably too short. Another guideline I have been using recently is if the material of the front pocket can
be seen below the hem of the shorts, the shorts are most likely too short.
Tank Tops and Muscle Shirts: We do not allow students to wear these, even in phys. ed. classes. There is a
myth out there, called the “three finger rule”, that says if the straps of the top are more than three fingers
wide the top is OK. Our students have been told that the expectation is that clothing provides “an
uninterrupted line of clothing covering the body from top of the shoulders to mid-thigh”. Tops should
also have appropriate necklines that are not too revealing and there should not be inappropriate graphics or
expressions on the top. Instead of spaghetti straps, think lasagna noodles!