August 2009

Dear Markville Secondary School Grade 9 Students & Parents/Guardians:

It is with great pleasure that we welcome all our new grade 9 students and their families to Markville Secondary School. This letter will remind you of some important information about our school opening for the 2009-2010 school year.

Grade 9 Orientation Day - Monday August 31^st:

Your first day of school is on Monday August 31^st from 8:20 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. All Parents and/or guardians are invited to spend the first day of school with you in addition to joining us for lunch at the school. Please arrive to school a little before 8:20 a.m. with your parent/guardian if possible. Locate your name and homeroom class on the pages displayed on the atrium windows and proceed to that classroom. If your name is not posted on a list, please go to the guidance office (located on the 1^st floor down the ramp) for assistance. The schedule for the day will be as follows:

8:20 – 10:00 Homeroom Info, Lockers, Registration, School Tour, and Period 1 Class

10:05 – 10:25 Period 2 Class

10:30 – 10:50 Period 4 Class

10:55 – 11:15 Period 5 Class

11:15 – 12:15 BBQ Lunch (Students, parents/guardians & staff welcome) Meet Your Mentors!

12:25 – 3:00 Workshops to help you be successful in your first year of high school

On Tuesday September 1^st regular classes will begin for all grades (grades 9, 10, 11, and 12).

Registration:

Grade 9 students will register and receive their timetable in the main gym on Monday August 31^st during their homeroom. Please read the detailed instructions below. This year the following items are required and the fees are as follows:

a) Student Activity Fee - $70.00 – includes a photo ID card, student agenda planner & grade 9 camp

b) Physical Education Clothing - $30.00 – school shorts ($20.00) and school t-shirt ($10.00)

c) Yearbook - $35.00 at registration ($40.00 after registration day)

Please make cheques payable to Markville Secondary School – one cheque can cover any combination of items. At registration you will be issued a copy of the registration form. Keep this form in a safe place as this is your proof of payment for your student fees. Students will be assigned a locker (grade 9 - 2 students per locker) and will need to bring a combination lock to secure their valuables.

Communication with Home

At Markville SS we provide several ways to help us communicate and share information on a regular basis. We are proud of our school website www.markvilless.com which has updated school events, achievements and links to all subjects. We also provide daily attendance reports to parents and guardians using e-mail. In order to facilitate us in providing up to date attendance information, we encourage all parents and guardians to submit current e-mail addresses. E-mail addresses can be updated by sending your e-mail address to markville.ss@yrdsb.edu.on.ca. Your e-mail should include your child’s name, date of birth and grade. An opportunity will also be available for you to update your e-mail address if parents/guardians come with their child to school on August 31^st.

Supporting all students in their Transition to Grade 9

We would like all grade 9 students to participate in our grade 9 transition program which includes several important activities. One activity is a team building/leadership program at Camp Robin Hood. Grade 9 students will be led by their mentors (senior students) through the activities that have been planned by teachers, mentors and camp staff. The cost of the program has been included as part of the grade 9 registration fees. Please see the grade 9 transition information sheet and field trip permission form for more details.

Calendar of Events:

On the first day of school all grade 9 students will receive a calendar of important dates for the entire school year. Please ensure that your parents/guardians see this calendar. It is also available on the Markville SS website at www.markvilless.com.

Important Dates:

Wednesday August 26^th PA Day (no classes)

Thursday August 27^th PA Day (no classes)

Friday August 28^th School Holiday (no classes)

Monday August 31^st First day of school and registration for Grade 9 students

Tuesday September 1^st All grades to attend classes

Wednesday September 3^rd Photo Day

Monday September 7^th Labour Day Holiday (no classes)

Wednesday September 9^th First School Council Meeting at 7:15 p.m. in the library

Thursday September 10^th Grade 9 Markfest at Camp Robin Hood

Friday September 11^th “SAC Attack” Modified School Day – carnival and club/team sign-up

September 24 – 27^th Music Camp

Friday September 25^th PA Day (no classes)

Wednesday October 7^th School Council Meeting at 7:15 p.m. in the library

Friday October 9^th Interim Report Cards Distributed

Monday October 12^th Thanksgiving Holiday

October 26 – 30^th Fall Break (no classes for Markville students)

Wednesday, November 4^th “Take Our Kids to Work” – for all Grade 9 students

Monday November 9^th PA Day (no classes)

Wednesday November 18^th School Council Meeting at 7:15 p.m. in the library

Friday November 20^th Mid-term Report Card Distribution

Wednesday November 25^th Parents’/Guardians’ Interview Night

School Schedule:

The daily timetable is as follows:

PERIOD	TIME
National Anthem	8:20
1	8:20 – 9:35
Announcements	9:35 – 9:40
2	9:45 – 11:00
3	11:05 – 12:20
4	12:25 – 1:40
5	1:45 – 3:00

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us (905) 940-8840. We hope that you enjoy the rest of your summer and look forward to seeing you in the fall!

Sincerely,

Steve Bewcyk Rose Li Krista Pummell

Principal Vice-Principal Vice-Principal