November 21, 2025

School Council News

Our third School Council meeting took place on November 17^th, where our Principal, Mr. Belmonte, provided updates and engaged parents and guardians in meaningful discussions about school life, student well-being, and upcoming initiatives. It was a productive evening that strengthened the partnership between home and school.

Parents were given a brief look back at our successful Grade 8 Curriculum Night, which saw excellent attendance, student-led tours, and wonderful performances by our Concert and Symphonic Bands. Staff also highlighted key academic programs, including Advanced Placement, STEM Certificate, French Immersion, ACAM, SHSM, and Co-op, as well as the various club and athletic extra-curricular opportunities available at Thornlea.

The meeting also celebrated recent student achievements, such as a third-place finish in Physics at the University of Toronto’s STEM Competition. Parents learned about upcoming enrichment opportunities, including the Beaver Computing Contest and major Robotics events at McMaster, Waterloo, and the Provincial Championships in Niagara Falls. Families were invited to support extra-curricular activities, including a request for Mahjong set donations for our growing Mahjong Club. 

Fundraising efforts remain strong, with excellent ticket sales for the Homecoming Dance. Additional concession sales, supporting future student events, will take place at the Junior Boys vs. Senior Boys basketball game. We would also like to encourage families to contribute to the $35 annual SAC fee, which directly supports student activities and helps enrich school life at Thornlea. Thank you sincerely for your continued support!

At the annual School Council Forum, Council members appreciated learning sessions that explored important topics such as social media literacy, responsible AI use, student pathways, and a variety of parent engagement opportunities supported by the Ministry’s Parents Reaching Out (PRO) Grants.

The School Council will soon begin planning a Careers Event for students, tentatively scheduled for early February to align with the course selection period later that month. As Grade 12 students navigate the post-secondary application process, we encourage parents to stay connected and to reach out to our Guidance counsellors if their children need support during this often-stressful time.

We look forward to seeing you at our next School Council meeting on Wednesday, February 11, 2026 as we continue building a supportive, informed, and engaged school community together!

Let's Stay Connected!

Let’s stay connected—sign up for our Email List to be the first to hear about our initiatives. If you have questions or would like to volunteer, we would love to hear from you. Together, we can make this a fantastic year for our students!

Thornlea School Council – 2025-2026

Executive Members: Aroon B. and Pengli C. (Co-chairs), Diana L. (Communication), Jane P. and Trisha T. (Secretaries), Khurram S. (Fundraising), and Susan S. (Treasurer)

Members at Large: Ali S.*, Eileen M., Erika G.*, Grace Y., Jenn I.*, Kenneth N., Reshmeen S., Sharon A. (* Fundraising Committee)

Contact Us: thornlea.ss@sc.yrdsb.ca

Report Cards and Family Dashboard

Student report cards will be distributed via the Family Dashboard this week.  These report cards can be accessed for a 14-day period.  If you have not already done so, below are instructions on how to register for the Family Dashboard.  This will be an ongoing way for you to access your child’s report cards.

Family Dashboard

The Family Dashboard gives parents/guardians secure one-stop access to information and applications (e.g. start-up forms, report cards) related to your child’s education. It is designed to make it easier for families to engage with their child’s education.  Translations are 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.

Start-up forms are also available in the Family Dashboard. It is important that these forms are completed as soon as possible. Click on the drop-down arrow by your child’s name and select the start-up forms button under your child’s name. Choose the language. Please complete the forms for each child.  These forms include important permissions and consents.   

Start-up forms include the following:

• The Start-Up Permission Form (mandatory)
• Student Information Consent Form (mandatory)
• Request for Faith Accommodations Form

Thank you for registering on the Family Dashboard.

Thornlea Honours Remembrance Day

On November 11, 2026, Thornlea Secondary School came together as a community to commemorate Remembrance Day and to honour the veterans, soldiers, and countless individuals who sacrificed their lives for the freedoms we enjoy today. Staff and students gathered for a thoughtful and reflective assembly that paid tribute to the courage, resilience, and service of those who fought in past conflicts.

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who contributed to making this ceremony so meaningful. A special thank-you goes to the Head of the History Department Mme De Luca for her dedication and meticulous planning in organizing this year’s assembly.

Thank you as well to Ms. Kennedy for leading the musical performances, with her Junior and Senior Bands providing powerful and moving pieces throughout the event. We would also like to acknowledge Mr. Belchevski for supervising the Tech Crew, whose hard work ensured a seamless presentation. Our appreciation extends to the teachers who participated in the Remembrance Day video: Ms. Esposito, Mr. Saleh, Mr. Hart, Ms. Gomes, Ms. Jeor, and Ms. Pilaram, whose contributions added depth and reflection to the ceremony. 

Thank you to our Senior Cadet for leading the laying of the wreath - it was a privilege to have you partake in our assembly. Thank you to Mme De Luca’s French Immersion students for reciting a French poem and to Gracie Mozeg for her song and slam poem.

A warm thank-you goes to our MCs for the assembly, and to Aneesa Taghigadeg-Sani and Ms. Casullo’s art students for creating the beautiful artwork displayed during the event, helping set a tone of remembrance and respect.

Finally, we proudly recognize our Grade 11 students for their time, creativity, and hard work in producing the Remembrance Day video that anchored the assembly encompassing the theme of “Freedom”. Thank you once again to everyone involved in making this day so special.

Lest we forget

STEM NEWS - University of Toronto Student Research Initiative (UTSRI)

As Thornlea SS begins its first full year of  the STEM certificate, its commitment to excellence is beyond regional. We competed in the UTSRI competition for the first time ever!  We are very proud of all participants from grades 9-12 for taking initiative. They spent 72 hours researching and developing wonderful STEM projects and presentations, and we won third place in the Physics category!  

We look forward to growing STEM activities at Thornlea! Thank you  to the staff involved in helping to supervise students during preparation: Dr. Mannivanan, Mr. Vervaeke, Ms. Paydar, and Ms. Wan.   

International Trip May 2026

The deadline to join the Paris-Barcelona trip is December 5th! Click on the image to see the trip details. Contact Mme Pilaram if you have questions.