Message from your Administrators
Dear Langstaff Parents and Community Members,
Wow! We are at the end of the 2024-2025 school year. It seems like it was just yesterday that I was writing the first message of the school year. We are getting ready for the last few events that take place to end a school year.
Our students are busy writing their exams and the last exams will take place on Monday, June 23. We know the students have studied hard for these exams and look forward to seeing their final marks. All students can come into school on Wednesday, June 25 from 8:25 am to 11:10 (using our shortened alternate schedule that has been shared with students) to visit each class and see their final grades and look at their final exams.
On Tuesday, June 24, our graduating students will be crossing the stage in their caps and gowns, to receive their diplomas. We will also be acknowledging Ontario Scholars, recognizing Award winners and hearing a wonderful speech by our Valedictorian. This is truly a highlight of the school year.
Just a reminder that this year’s Graduation Ceremony is being held at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts. Because we are using this lovely venue each seat has an assigned ticket and only the person with that ticket can sit in each seat. Each graduate has been given their allotted tickets and there are no extra seats available for this venue. Please ensure that you are only sitting in the assigned seats and no extra guests will be able to attend this event.
As we head into the summer, we would like to thank all of you for your help and support with our students this year. We strongly believe that when parents are involved in their children’s education students and schools benefit in a positive way. We look forward to working with you again in September. We are so proud of both our staff and students for all that they have accomplished this year. It has been quite a journey since September…
We have:
- played volleyball, ultimate Frisbee, basketball, soccer, golf, badminton, and ran track & field
- performed, sculpted, acted, sketched, photo-shopped, and painted
- learned about Remembrance Day and the Holocaust
- We wore Orange to remember Residential Schools, Pink for diversity and anti-bullying, and we wore Purple for Epilepsy just to name a few
- We celebrated our students’ academic achievement at two Awards Assemblies
- Participated in math contests and Science Olympics
- We dressed up for Spirit Days and raised money for good causes
- Danced and celebrated at both Semi-Formal and Prom
- Studied hard, written EQAO, completed summative assessments, culminating activities, and accumulated thousands of credits! It has truly been an outstanding year! Congratulations to all of our graduates, we wish them all the best on their future endeavors.
Some important reminders:
- Reports cards for students in grades 9-11 will be sent directly to students’ GAPPS accounts and will be available on the Family Portal
- Grade 12 students can pick up their report cards, diplomas, and transcripts the week of July 7 to July 17
- Information regarding the next school year will be mailed to all students and families in July
- Please pay the Student Activity Fee (necessary for participating in all Clubs and Teams, and discounts on School Events) as soon as possible over the summer prior to the start of the next school year
Wishing everyone a safe and restful summer break!
Ms. Sheri Epstein
Principal
Important Dates
June 23 - Period 4 Exams for grades 9-11
June 24 - Graduation
June 25 - Exam Review Day, modified schedule included
June 26/27 - P.A. Days
Summer Office Hours - Monday to Thursday 7:30am-2:30 pm
September 2 - First Day of School - Grade 9’s only
September 3 - First Day of School Grade 10-12, Second day of School Grade 9’s
School News
Dear Langstaff S.S. Community,
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ms. Janice Bordonali for her time and impact as Vice Principal this year at LSS. Her contributions and leadership in support of students, staff, and families are greatly appreciated. We wish Ms. Bordonali all the best as she enjoys her time off next year during her leave.
Mr. Derrick Schellenberg, Vice-Principal, will be remaining with us at LSS on a part-time basis and will spend 50% of his time at Langstaff SS and 50% of his time at Woodbridge College. We are so happy that Mr. Schellenberg continues to be a part of our community.
Ms. Nancy Gymnopoulos has been appointed as Vice-Principal of LSS beginning in September 2025. Ms. Gymnopoulos brings several years of valuable experiences to our school, and I am confident that she will provide valuable support to our work.
Kindly join me in welcoming Ms. Gymnopoulos to Langstaff S.S. and wishing Ms. Bordonali all the best!
Sincerely,
Joseph D’Amico
Superintendent of Education, Student Achievement and School Operations
Exam Review Day
| Period | Time |
|---|---|
| 1 | 8:25 am - 9:03 am |
| Break | 9:03 am - 9:08 am |
| 2 | 9:08 am - 9:45 am |
| Break | 9:45 am - 9:50 am |
| 3 | 9:50 am - 10:28 am |
| Break | 10:28 am - 10:33 am |
| 4 | 10:33 am - 11:10 am |
| Lunch | 11:10 am - 11:50 am |
Access Report Cards in the Family Dashboard When Available
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.
From the Graduation Committee
We are excited to offer the opportunity to pre-order floral bouquets for your graduates! To place your order, please click on this link to visit the Commencement Group's website. On the evening of Tuesday, June 24, you can conveniently collect your pre-paid order at the end of the graduation ceremony. Additionally, a limited selection of bouquets will be available for purchase on-site with credit or debit card.
Langstaff’s Transition Activity-Mental Health Day
This year Langstaff's Wellness Committee organized a mental health day for our grade 7 elementary partner school-Charles Howitt. Our Wellness Committee leads participated in the Press Start CoLab High School Program which is a seven-week innovation accelerator that brings high school students and education leaders together to create a new social enterprise idea that addresses the mental health crisis among Canadian youth and offers grants. I'm proud to say that our Wellness Leaders won a grant for $1000 to help make this happen.
The day was planned and organized by our committee leads with the help of teacher advisors and volunteers. This day started with a video the leads created showcasing our weekly wellness events that they organize at the school. We were lucky that Charles Howitt is quite close by, so they were able to walk over and join. We provided them with a quick breakfast as they came in and watched the short video on loop. After that, they listened to a performance by our music department followed by a guest speaker on anxiety and emotional regulation where we learnt many regulation techniques and practices we can use when we get overwhelmed.
Following the morning session students were put into 3 groups led by our group l eaders. They rotated through 3 workshops-drama, physical education and art. The drama workshop introduced them to some drama games and also our amazing drama room. This session was run by students who worked with our drama specialist teacher to pick the best activities for grade 7 aged students. The art activity allowed students to work in our specialized visual arts classroom with our art club leaders and visual art department head. Each student was given a small pallet and a picture to recreate. Then the art club leaders put all the images created by the students together to create a mural which was delivered to the school after the event date. The physical education activities were student-led and in our smaller gym. Student leaders led student through team building organized games and incorporated a healthy living trivia game along the way.
They were given a mid-morning snack and a special cool treat as they were leaving the school. Group leaders also took them on tours as they moved from station to station. They also got a special good-bye message from our principal. The day was a great success!!
From the Library
Periphery Exhibit
Langstaff Secondary School was honoured to host the Periphery Exhibit during Jewish Heritage Month in May. Students from Grade 9-12 had the opportunity to engage with powerful imagery and storytelling about identity, culture, and representation within the Jewish community. The exhibit served as a valuable opportunity for reflection, encouraging students to appreciate the richness of multicultural narratives and the importance of inclusivity. For more information on this project click on the link to view the short trailer.
News from Guidance
Your Guidance Department Mission Statement:
Support and promote students’ well-being and continuous growth in three areas: personal (student) development, interpersonal development, and career development in order to help them develop resilience and realize their potential (success) as individuals and as valuable members of society.
Accessing Your Guidance Team
| Name | Role/Alpha |
|---|---|
| Ms. R. Chidiac | Alpha A-Q |
| Ms. N. Cooper | Alpha R-Z |
| Mrs. L. Rico | Guidance Secretary |
Stay Connected with Guidance
Continue to stay up to date by following us on
- Instagram: @lssguidance
- Google Classroom: https://classroom.google.com/c/NjcxOTQwNzYzNDFa?cjc=4rjwryf
Guidance Appointments can be made in person by coming to guidance. There is a red binder on a standing desk in the Guidance Office. Students can book with their respective counsellor, by alpha last name. The appointments are made available every Monday morning for the week.
