February 24, 2023

Dear Students, Parents and Guardians,

I hope that you are all doing well and that you have enjoyed this unusually short week! Have a wonderful weekend, whatever your plans. 

Please review the following information.

School Council Message:

• Looking for activities, volunteer opportunities or employment for your teen? Join us at 7pm on Monday, February 27th when a representative from the Town of Oakville will join us at our School Council meeting to fill us in on all the Town has to offer teens in our community.  It's sure to be an interesting and informative evening! You can join us in person in the TAB library, or tune in from wherever is convenient for you via the link that will be sent out soon.

• If you have any questions, please contact us at tabschoolcouncil@gmail.com

• Joanne Chubb and Kristina Kriston, School Council Co-Chairs
  
  

Parent Involvement Conference:

• Parents and guardians are invited to register for the 2023 Parent Involvement Conference taking place on April 29, 2023.

• For more information, please use the following link to the Parent Invovlement Conference Flyer.
  
  

Student Services Update:

ELearning Graduation Requirement

• Students in Grade 9 - 11 are required to complete two eLearning credits to graduate from secondary school as part of the 30 credits required for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). For more information, please see the Board’s messaging sent to families in early October.  The opt out form is also available here.

Course changes for the 2023-24 school year

• If your student would like to request a change to any of the course selections they made for the 2023-24 school year, they can do so through this link: https://bit.ly/TABCourseChanges2023-24.  

Oakville Community Awards Hub

• To learn more about the scholarships, bursaries and education awards available through the Oakville Community Awards Hub, please visit: https://www.theocf.org/initiative/community-education-awards-hub/.  Please note that to access and apply to any of the awards, students must create a profile through the Hub.

Gap Year Expo

• Representatives from Can Gap will be speaking at the Gap Year Expo on Saturday, Feb 25 at 3pm.  Topics include  Gap Years 101, Gap Year Planning Tips and Working Abroad. To register, visit https://www.cangap.ca/expo.
  
  

T.A. Blakelock “TABloid”:

• Please take a look at the latest issue of this year's T.A. Blakelock "TABloid".

• This is a student-run newspaper with articles about the staff, students and greater T.A. Blakelock community.

• You can access the “TABloid” here.
  
  

Information and Links:  

• The T.A. Blakelock website tab.hdsb.ca can be a helpful resource to parents/guardians and students for school related information and updates.

• Please check it frequently to stay informed.

• Please be sure to follow us on social media - Twitter - @TABTigerLife and Instagram - @blakelocktigers and check the T.A. Blakelock High School website regularly for information and updates.
  ​​​​​​​

Thank you again everyone for another great week.

Sincerely,

Paul Dawson
Principal - T.A. Blakelock High School

February 10, 2023

First Week of Semester 2!

Dear Students, Parents and Guardians,

Thank you all for another great week here at the school. We had many different events taking place this week with our students in the community representing themselves and the school with great pride! 

For your awareness, next Friday February 17 is a professional development day for T.A. Blakelock staff.  There will be no classes for students that day.

Please review the following information.

School Council Message:

• TAB School Council's next meeting is on Monday, February 27th. A representative from the Town of Oakville will be there to make a presentation about youth programming at QEPCC as well as job and volunteer opportunities with the Town of Oakville. You can join us in the library at 7 pm or join us virtually from wherever you are! The link to the meeting will be sent out on or before the 27th. We look forward to seeing you there!

• Joanne Chubb and Kristina Kriston, School Council Co-Chairs

• tabschoolcouncil@gmail.com

Semester 1 Report Cards:

• Semester 1 report cards were distributed to student on Friday February 10, 2023.

• Should your student have any questions about report cards, please contact the main office.

Student Services Update:

Night School Registration

Students can register for Night School classes on www,MyBlueprint.ca/Halton, Continuing Education until Feb 16th.  For more details, please visit www.garyallan.ca.

Y’s Move Tutoring Program for literacy and numeracy support 

The program will provide free tutoring support to Halton District School Board students in Grades 9, 10 and 11. The program will consist of eight sessions held in person at the Ron Edwards Family YMCA in Burlington or virtually through MS Teams.  Participating students will have access to one 90-minute tutoring session per week. The sessions will be available to students after school, beginning at 3:30 pm. For more information, please contact Diana Svendsen, Head of Guidance, at svendsend@hdsb.ca

Guidance appointments for Semester 2

Now that Semester 2 timetable changes are complete, Online Guidance Counsellor Appointment booking is available.  Please see below for details:  

• Students with last names A - D:  Ms. Stewart, http://bit.ly/BookwithStewart

• Students with last names E - M:  Ms. McAllan, https://bit.ly/BookwithMcAllan

Students with last names N - Z:  Ms. Svendsen, https://bit.ly/BookwithSven

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

T.A. Blakelock “TABloid”:

• Please take a look at the latest issue of this year's T.A. Blakelock "TABloid".

• This is a student-run newspaper with articles about the staff, students and greater T.A. Blakelock community.

• You can access the “TABloid” here.

​​​​​​​Information and Links:  

• The T.A. Blakelock website tab.hdsb.ca can be a helpful resource to parents/guardians and students for school related information and updates.

• Please check it frequently to stay informed.

Please be sure to follow us on social media - Twitter - @TABTigerLife and Instagram - @blakelocktigers and check the T.A. Blakelock High School website regularly for information and updates.

Thank you again everyone for another great week.

Sincerely,

Paul Dawson

Principal - T.A. Blakelock High School

January 27, 2023

Dear Students, Parents and Guardians,

Thank you to everyone in the T.A. Blakelock community for another great week here at the school.  Final evaluations started on Thursday and they will continue into next week.  Please refer to the Final Evaluation Schedule below for additional details.

Final Evaluation Information:

• Final evaluations will take place from January 26 to Feb 1.

• Please review the  January 2023 Final Evaluation Schedule. 

• Grade 9 EQAO math test will be completed by grade 9 students who are currently taking math during their math class evaluation time block.

Dates of Significance:

In joining with our community and school partners, TA Blakelock supports the inclusion and freedom from discrimination for all people by acknowledging the significance of the following dates:

• January 27 UN International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust is recognized each year. It is a continual reminder of the extent that hate will go if left to grow. We share the same sentiments as expressed by the Government of Canada (2021) with a commitment “...to combat antisemitism, Holocaust denial and distortion, hate crimes and all other forms of racism and to protect at-risk communities”, through ongoing education and engaging student voice. 

• January 29 National Day of Remembrance of the Québec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia is a solemn reminder of the real and present danger of Islamophobia and other forms of discrimination and racism. We share the same commitment as shared by The Honourable Bardish Chagger, Member of Parliament (Waterloo)  “...in speaking out against the hatred that fuels Islamophobia. When faced with fear and intolerance, let us all be strong and united…to continue our efforts to make this country more open and inclusive.”

School Council Message:

• Happy 2023!  Our next School Council meeting is on Monday February 27 at 7 pm. We will be meeting in the school library or you can join in virtually.  We welcome suggestions for a guest speaker, if you have any suggestions, please send us an email at tabschoolcouncil@gmail.com

• Joanne Chubb and Kristina Kriston, TA Blakelock School Council Co-Chairs

Semester 2 Photo Day:

• Semester 2 Photo Day is tentatively scheduled for Friday February 10.

• This is an opportunity for those students who have not yet had their photo taken.
  
  

Student Services Update:

Semester 2 Timetables

• Semester 2 timetables will be emailed to Blakelock students at the end of next week.  

• Please Note:  In an effort to balance class sizes, students may see some adjustments to the order of their Semester 2 courses.  

Course changes for Semester 2

• Students may request changes to Semester 2 courses using the following link:

•              http://bit.ly/TAB2022-23_CourseChangeRequestForm

• The deadline to request changes to Semester 2 classes is Friday, February 10th at 4pm.  

• Please note that in the first week of Semester 2 classes, Guidance Counsellors will be processing course change requests.  Online appointment booking may not be available.  

Course Selection 2023-24 for current students in Grades 9 to 11

• Course Selection for next year has now ended. Guidance will be sharing the process to make changes to 2023-24 soon. 
  
  

The Town of Oakville:  Employment Opportunities

• The Town of Oakville has shared 2 exciting student employment opportunities with Blakelock.  Please note the closing dates for these positions is February 5th, 2023. 

• Camps Program Play Leader

• https://tre.tbe.taleo.net/tre01/ats/careers/v2/viewRequisition?org=TOWNOFOA&cws=43&rid=2950

• Camps Inclusion Support Worker

• https://tre.tbe.taleo.net/tre01/ats/careers/v2/viewRequisition?org=TOWNOFOA&cws=43&rid=2949
  
  

 HDSB Scholarship site

• There are many scholarships available to students through the HDSB scholarship site.  This site was shared with students earlier in the year in our Grade 12 assembly and parent night, as well as through student email.  Many awards go unclaimed each year!  Please urge your students to review any scholarship opportunities that may be available to them!
  
  

Student Council - Cocoa and Cram:

• Students are encouraged to participate in the final evaluation preparation being offered by T.A. Blakelock Student Council.

• Student-to-student support will be available during the evaluation block in the cafeteria.
  
  

Inclement Weather:

• Now that the colder and snowy weather has arrived, we encourage all families to review the HDSB Inclement Weather Reminders. A printable version of this information is also available. If your child is bused to school, please ensure you know which transportation zone you are located in. Please note that when schools are closed due to inclement weather, both in-person and virtual schools will be closed and remote learning will not be provided. This is to ensure student and staff safety and to continue to provide an equitable learning experience for all students.
  
  

T.A. Blakelock “TABloid”:

• Please take a look at the latest issue of this year's T.A. Blakelock "TABloid".

• This is a student-run newspaper with articles about the staff, students and greater T.A. Blakelock community.

• You can access the “TABloid” here.
  
  

Information and Links:  

• The T.A. Blakelock website tab.hdsb.ca can be a helpful resource to parents/guardians and students for school related information and updates.

• Please check it frequently to stay informed.

• Please be sure to follow us on social media - Twitter - @TABTigerLife and Instagram - @blakelocktigers and check the T.A. Blakelock High School website regularly for information and updates.
  
  

Thank you all again for a great week!  Have a great weekend and we look forward to seeing everyone next week!

Sincerely,

Paul Dawson
Principal - T.A. Blakelock High School

January 13, 2023

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Dear Students, Parents and Guardians,

Welcome back for the start of 2023!  I hope that everyone had an enjoyable winter break and that the first week back for the New Year was a positive one.  It was nice to see the school halls full again with staff and students as we enter the final month of semester 1.

Grad Photos:

• Grad photos are done at this time and the photographers will be returning in March.

• We expect them to return the week of March 8th, 2023.

• Stay tuned for more details.

School Council Message:

• Happy 2023!  Our next School Council meeting is on Monday February 27 at 7 pm. We will be meeting in the school library or you can join in virtually.  We welcome suggestions for a guest speaker, if you have any suggestions, please send us an email at tabschoolcouncil@gmail.com

• Joanne Chubb and Kristina Kriston, TA Blakelock School Council Co-Chairs

Final Evaluation Information:

• Final evaluations will take place from January 26 to Feb 1.

• Please review the draft version of the January Final Evaluation Schedule. 

• Grade 9 EQAO math test will be completed by grade 9 students who are currently taking math during their math class evaluation time block.

 Student Services Update:

Course Selection 2023-24 for current students in Grades 9 to 11

• Course selection for 2023-24 will close on January 25, 2023.  To support families in Course Selection, TAB Guidance will be holding a second virtual pop up event  as outlined below.

• January 18, 2022 from 2:00pm to 3:00 PM via meet.google.com/ryn-cdsr-rcr

Course Selection processes for Current Grade 12 students

• Current Grade 12 students who are considering a return to Blakelock next year for a semester or the full year are asked to complete this Google Form by January 18: https://bit.ly/ReturningtoBlakelock2023  

• Current Grade 12s who are not returning to high school next year are asked to complete the “Not Returning” process through www.MyBlueprint.ca/halton.  

Directions are available here: https://bit.ly/Grade12NotReturning2023.

ELearning Graduation Requirement

• Students in Grade 9 - 11 are required to complete two eLearning credits to graduate from secondary school as part of the 30 credits required for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). For more information, please see the Board’s messaging sent to families in early October.  The opt out form is also available here.

Student Council - Cocoa and Cram:

• Students are encouraged to stay tuned for more information about final evaluation preparation being offered by T.A. Blakelock Student Council.

• Student-to-student support will be available during the evaluation block in the cafeteria.

• More information to come!

 Inclement Weather:

• Now that the colder and snowy weather has arrived, we encourage all families to review the HDSB Inclement Weather Reminders. A printable version of this information is also available. If your child is bused to school, please ensure you know which transportation zone you are located in. Please note that when schools are closed due to inclement weather, both in-person and virtual schools will be closed and remote learning will not be provided. This is to ensure student and staff safety and to continue to provide an equitable learning experience for all students.

T.A. Blakelock “TABloid”:

• Please take a look at the latest issue of this year's T.A. Blakelock "TABloid".

• This is a student-run newspaper with articles about the staff, students and greater T.A. Blakelock community.

• You can access the “TABloid” here.

Information and Links:  

• The T.A. Blakelock website (tab.hdsb.ca) can be a helpful resource to parents/guardians and students for school related information and updates.

• Please check it frequently to stay informed.

• Please be sure to follow us on social media - Twitter - @TABTigerLife and Instagram - @blakelocktigers and check the T.A. Blakelock High School website regularly for information and updates.

Have a great winter break and we look forward to seeing everyone in 2023!

Sincerely,
Paul Dawson
Principal - T.A. Blakelock High School

November 25, 2022

Dear Students, Parents and Guardians,

Thank you everyone for another great week here at T.A. Blakelock. I want to thank all of the staff and  students who helped to organize a number of excellent activities this week as part of our anti-bullying  week initiatives. A number of students took part in these opportunities and their active participation  continues to make T.A Blakelock a great place to be.

 We hope that you all have a wonderful weekend and please review some of the information below  related to upcoming events and school based updates.

School Council Message:

• Thank you to everyone who participated in our School Council meeting this past Monday. We had a great turnout for our first hybrid meeting with equal numbers joining in person and remotely.  Our next meeting will be Monday February 27.

• Want to get involved in our upcoming events? Drop us a line at tabschoolcouncil@gmail.com to let us know!  

• If you were not able to attend you can review the course selection and myBlueprint presentation that was shared here.

• We want to thank Diana Svendsen, program lead for the T.A. Blakelock Student Services department for taking the time to present to our school council community.

• Stay tuned for more details.

• Joanne Chubb & Kristina Kriston, School Council Co-Chairs

 
Grad Photos:

• Edge Imaging will be here starting Monday, December 5 in our Tiger’s Den to take graduation photos. The photographer plans on being here several days at a time until photos for grade 12 students who request a sitting are completed.

• Don’t miss out on your opportunity to be in the yearbook and receive a free class composite. Sign up for your photo appointment using our school code TAB at bookmygrad.ca.

• For more information you can view the flyer. Not sure what to expect from your grad sitting? Check out this video!

• Please note that all bookings are done online and payment is arranged with Edge Imaging.  Proofs will be emailed to parents.

 
Student Services Update:

 HDSB Pathways Nights

• HDSB’s Annual Pathways Evenings are approaching! Learn about HDSB SHSM, OYAP & Dual Credit programs at our Pathways Evenings from 5:30 to 8:00 pm.  The main presentation is at 6:30 pm. Visit www.haltonpathways.ca for more info on these great programs as well! 

• Pathways Evening Locations are: 

  • November 29 - MMR

  • December 1 - MDHS

 A Future that Fits

• The HDSB Pathways Team is hosting a board-wide virtual “A Future that Fits” event for all Oakville Grade 10 students on December 8th during period 1 through www.afuturethatfits.ca. During this event students will learn about the many opportunities offered by the Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM), Ontario Youth Apprenticeship (OYAP) and Specialty Pathways programs in HDSB. 

• HDSB offers over 70 SHSM, Concentrated OYAP and Specialty programs in our high schools.  These programs support students pursuing the post-secondary pathways of Apprenticeship, College, University and Workplace.  A complete listing of these programs can be found at www.haltonpathways.ca.

 A School Within A College

• Applications for the School Within A College (SWAC) are now OPEN!  SWAC is a program where high school students get individualized support to help them earn secondary school credits and Dual Credit college credits on a college campus (Sheridan College).

• Applications are due on December 16, 2022.  Please contact your student’s Guidance Counsellor for more information.

Graduation Requirement: 2 eLearning credits

• As outlined in a memo to HDSB parents in early October, students beginning high school in September 2020 and later will be required to take 2 eLearning courses as part of their Ontario Secondary School Diploma requirements.

• Courses must be fully asynchronous and can be taken in compulsory or elective subject areas.

• Families may ‘opt out’ of this requirement by completing this form (also available in the Guidance office or on www.HDSB.ca) by November of the student’s Grade 12 year.

Indigenous Post-Secondary Fair:

• Aboriginal Post-Secondary Information Program (APSIP) is a collective of Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) representatives from over 30 colleges, universities, and Indigenous learning institutes in Ontario and Quebec. Students are able to connect with Indigenous representatives from each school to learn what supports are available, the programs offered and pathways available. 

• The APSIP Tour will be hosted at Elsie MacGill Secondary School on December 8, 2022 from 5:00 - 7:00. Transportation can be arranged for students if needed.

• The event has a focus on Indigenous students in grades 11-12 but all Indigenous high school students are welcome.

• Here’s a link to the flyer and more information about registration.

Athletics Update:

• The Senior Girls’ Basketball team is at OFSSA in Stratford today and we wish them well as they continue to represent the TAB community.

• Most winter sports start their seasons next week. 

• Girls Hockey, Boys Hockey, Jr and Sr. Girls Volleyball, Jr. and Sr. Boys Basketball and Swimming are all starting up.

• Game/meet schedules can be found at https://hssaa.ca/#

T.A. Blakelock “TABloid”:

• Please take a look at the first edition of this year’s T.A. Blakelock “TABloid”.

• This is a student-run newspaper with articles about the staff, students and greater T.A. Blakelock community.

• You can access the “TABloid” here.

2022-2023 Yearbook Update:

• Yearbooks for the 2022-2023 school year can now be pre-ordered online.

• The information about pricing is available on School Cash Online

• They are being offered at a price of $43.00

• They will be available in the fall of 2023 - as per our regular timelines.

Information and Links:  

• The T.A. Blakelock website (tab.hdsb.ca) can be a helpful resource to parents/guardians and students for school related information and updates.

• Please check it frequently to stay informed.

• Please be sure to follow us on social media - Twitter - @TABTigerLife and Instagram - @blakelocktigers and check the T.A. Blakelock High School website regularly for information and updates.

Thank you to all of our members of the T.A. Blakelock TIGERS community for the support and efforts this week.  We hope you all have a great weekend!

​​​​​​​

Sincerely,

Paul Dawson

Principal - T.A. Blakelock High School

November 11, 2022

Dear Students, Parents and Guardians,

Thank you everyone for an action packed week here at T.A. Blakelock!  I want to thank all of the students who helped to put together our Remembrance Day ceremony.  It was an opportunity to take time to reflect on the sacrifices made by so many and to come together as a school community.

We hope that you all have a wonderful weekend and please review some of the information below related to upcoming events and school based updates.

School Council Message - Save the date!:

• Our second meeting for the 22/23 school year is right around the corner. We will be meeting in person at 7 pm on November 21 and you can also join us remotely. (Google meet link will be shared soon!) 

• Immediately following the meeting, TAB's very own guidance department will be making a presentation about course selection for the upcoming school year as well as on My Blueprint. 

• We look forward to seeing you there. If you have any questions, email us at tabschoolcouncil@gmail.com, -  Kristina Kriston and Joanne Chubb, TA Blakelock School Council Co-Chairs

Student Services Update:

Full Disclosure

• Full Disclosure for Semester 1 is November 28, 2022. Courses dropped before this date will not appear on a student’s official high school transcript.  If your student is intending to remove a course, we ask that they make a Guidance appointment as soon as possible to discuss options. 

Post-Secondary Applications

• Grade 12 OUAC PINs are now available in Guidance. If your student will have completed six Grade 12 U/M courses this year and intends to apply to an Ontario University, they will require their PIN to set up their account before they can move forward in their application. Please urge your student to visit Guidance ASAP if they have not already picked this up. The application deadline for Ontario Universities is Jan 12, 2023. Please note that VSS students were emailed their PINs on November 8.  

• If your student intends to apply to an Ontario College, they will need to create an account on https://www.ontariocolleges.ca.  

The application deadline for equal consideration is February 1, 2023.

​​​​Launch 2022 Follow Up

• Launch 2022 was a great success!  Please note that Grade 12 and 12+ students can access recordings of the Launch 2022 sessions by logging into the website at https://launch2022.vfairs.ca/.  They can enter the Auditorium where they accessed the live workshops and will find a 'PLAY' button next to each session that can be clicked to view the session recordings. Recordings will be available until December 1. Students can also continue to visit the Exhibitor Hall and access any of the resources that have been posted by the hosting organizations.

• In addition, below are some follow up events that may be of interest to Grade 12s and their families:

College Applicants:

• Check out the link HERE to access the ‘College Mondays’ virtual sessions happening over the month of November - sign up is required

• Check out the link HERE to find out about upcoming virtual sessions, in-person open houses, and other ways to learn more about colleges students may have missed seeing on November 2 and 3 at Launch 2022. 

University Applicants:

• Check out the link HERE to find out about upcoming virtual panel sessions for the Ontario Universities (note: December 1 from 5 to 8 pm).

• You can also learn about when individual universities will be offering opportunities to connect by exploring the link HERE, selecting the university of interest, and then clicking the ‘Tours and Events’ link in the far right hand side menu.
  
  

Athletics Update:

• The Varsity Girls’ Basketball team will be playing on the GHAC final on Monday November 14, @ 3:30pm - Game to be played at T.A. Blakelock.

• Come out and support our team as they compete for the GHAC championship!

Anti-Bullying Week:

• Anti-Bullying Week is the week of November 21-25.

• Our staff is committed to supporting inclusive and engaging environments and activities are being planned for our school community for that week.

• More information to come.

T.A. Blakelock “TABloid”:

• Please take a look at the first edition of this year’s T.A. Blakelock “TABloid”.

• This is a student-run newspaper with articles about the staff, students and greater T.A. Blakelock community.

• You access the “TABloid” here.
  
  

Post-Secondary information sessions:

The following post-secondary institutions will have representatives on-site at the school during the upcoming weeks.  Representatives will be here at lunch from 11:00am-12:00pm:

• Nov. 14 - University of Waterloo

2022-2023 Yearbook Update:

• Yearbooks for the 2022-2023 school year can now be pre-ordered online.

• The information about pricing is available on School Cash Online

• They are being offered at a price of $43.00

• They will be available in the fall of 2023 - as per our regular timelines.

Upcoming Program Nights:

• November 17 - Grade 8 to 9 Program Night and Open House

• The open house will start at 6:15pm with a tour and information session included.

• We look forward to seeing many of our grade 8 students and their parents/guardians there!

Information and Links:  

• The T.A. Blakelock website (tab.hdsb.ca) can be a helpful resource to parents/guardians and students for school related information and updates.

• Please check it frequently to stay informed.

Please be sure to follow us on social media - Twitter - @TABTigerLife and Instagram - @blakelocktigers and check the T.A. Blakelock High School website regularly for information and updates.

​​​​​​​​​
Thank you to all of our members of the T.A. Blakelock TIGERS community for the support and efforts this week.  We hope you all have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Paul Dawson
Principal - T.A. Blakelock High School

October 28, 2022

Dear Students, Parents and Guardians,

Thank you everyone for a fantastic week here at T.A. Blakelock!  We were lucky to have some wonderful weather which allowed many of our students in the Community Pathways Program to be out in the community and engaging in their learning outside of the classroom.  A big shout out to our Girls’ Varsity basketball team for a great win this past week.  It was a close game against Nelson and our team pulled off a great victory.  Their playoff run starts next Tuesday against Garth Webb - Go Tigers!

We hope that you all have a wonderful weekend and please review some of the information below related to upcoming events and school based updates.

Halloween Messaging:

• A message related to Halloween costumes was recently sent home to parents, guardians and students.  

• You can review the Halloween Costume message here for your reference.

School Council Message - Save the date!:

• Our second meeting for the 22/23 school year is right around the corner. We will be meeting in person at 7 pm on November 21 and you can also join us remotely. (Google meet link will be shared soon!) 

• Immediately following the meeting, TAB's very own guidance department will be making a presentation about course selection for the upcoming school year as well as on My Blueprint. 

• We look forward to seeing you there. If you have any questions, email us at tabschoolcouncil@gmail.com, -  Kristina Kriston and Joanne Chubb, TA Blakelock School Council Co-Chairs

Student Services Update:

• Launch 2022, the virtual post secondary event, is November 2nd and 3rd, 2022. The HDSB School Programs Department will send additional information to students and parents/guardians as the event days approach.  Grade 12/12+ students will access this event from home.  If students would like to participate from our school library, we ask that they please complete this Google Form by Oct 30th: https://bit.ly/LibraryforLaunch.   If you have any questions, please contact Diana Svendsen, Head of Guidance, at svendsend@hdsb.ca.

• Take Our Kid to Work Day is taking place on Wed., Nov. 2, 2022.  Over 70% of TAB Grade 9 students will experience a working day while the rest of the Grade 9s will experience virtual learning around the world of work.  Students who attend school on Nov. 2 will follow their regular schedule.

T.A. Blakelock “TABloid”:

• Please take a look at the first edition of this year’s T.A. Blakelock “TABloid”.

• This is a student-run newspaper with articles about the staff, students and greater T.A. Blakelock community.

• You access the “TABloid” here.

Post-Secondary information sessions:

The following post-secondary institutions will have representatives on-site at the school during the upcoming weeks.  Representatives will be here at lunch from 11:00am-12:00pm:

• Oct. 31 - McMaster University

• Nov. 1 - Kings University College, Brock University

• Nov. 4 - Queen’s University

• Nov. 7 - Laurentian University

• Nov. 8 - George Brown College

• Nov. 9 - Guelph- Humber

• Nov. 14 - University of Waterloo

2022-2023 Yearbook Update:

• Yearbooks for the 2022-2023 school year can now be pre-ordered online.

• The information about pricing is available on School Cash Online

• They are being offered at a price of $43.00

• They will be available in the fall of 2023 - as per our regular timelines.
  
  

Athletic Updates/Calendar:

• Girls’ basketball playoffs start on Tuesday against Garth Webb after school.

Upcoming Program Nights:

• November 3 - I-STEM Open House evening - 7:00pm start time

• November 17 - Grade 8 to 9 Program Night and Open House - more details to come.
  
  

Library Update - Chromebooks:

• We are asking that all students who have borrowed a Chromebook to please return it to the library on Monday Oct. 31.  

• We are currently working on updating our inventory appreciate your support in having the Chromebooks returned.
  
  

Information and Links:  

• The T.A. Blakelock website (tab.hdsb.ca) can be a helpful resource to parents/guardians and students for school related information and updates.

• Please check it frequently to stay informed.

• Please be sure to follow us on social media - Twitter - @TABTigerLife and Instagram - @blakelocktigers and check the T.A. Blakelock High School website regularly for information and updates.

Thank you to all of our members of the T.A. Blakelock TIGERS community for the support and efforts this week.  We hope you all have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Paul Dawson

Principal - T.A. Blakelock High School

October 24, 2022

Dear Parents/Guardians and Students,

We hope that you are all doing well.  As we prepare for Hallowe’en, we wanted to remind our community of a few points related to costumes.

Costumes that mimic the traditional attire of an ethnic, religious, racial or gender group/identity are inappropriate and unacceptable for Halloween at our school. This includes dressing in clothing of the opposite gender that is demeaning. 

Pretending to be a member of a group for ‘fun’ is evidence of cultural appropriation and sends the message that cultural attire is a ‘costume’ to be donned for entertainment purposes. 

Additionally, do not wear costumes that require you to assume a racialized minority or other marginalized identity. Assuming such an identity for entertainment purposes trivializes and disrespects the oppression of the group. Examples of costumes that mimic ethnic, religious, racial or gender group/identity include: 

● a caricature or representation of an Indigenous person by a person who does not have Indigenous Identity (e.g., Pocahontas) 

● a person who is Transgender 

● a person who is a Khalsa Sikh 

● a person who is a Hasidic Jewish person.

If you student(s) choose to dress up in a costume for Halloween, please ensure that they are contributing to the positive and prosocial climate that our school is cultivating around recognizing Halloween. 

Costumes that are intended to, or have the impact of, inciting fear and anxiety for others are not acceptable costumes and special sensitivity needs to be exercised around current socially trending incidents such as people dressing up as characters from popular media and approaching youth to frighten them at random. In the past, this has included scary clowns. 

Replica weapons and costume masks should not be brought to school. 

Thank you for your support of students and families in the T.A. Blakelock community.

Your T.A. Blakelock Administration Team.

October 21, 2022

Dear Students, Parents and Guardians,

I hope that you are all doing well. Thank you to the Tiger community for another great week.  I want to share a BIG SHOUT OUT to our Girls’ Varsity Field Hockey Team.  They made it to the Halton Championship this week and although they were not victorious, they represented themselves and the school with great pride - well done!  We also had our Senior Drama students perform their one act play in front of a live studio audience and the reviews from the show were fantastic.  It was another week of our T.A. Blakelock students showcasing their many, many talents!

Student Services Update:

• On November 2 and 3, Grade 12 HDSB students will be participating in Launch 2022, an engaging and extensive post-secondary virtual exploration event. Additional information will be provided to families by the Board shortly. In addition, your student will receive specific login information to their HDSB email account this weekend.  It is important that students keep this information in order to access the November event.  If you have any questions, please contact Diana Svendsen, Head of Guidance, at svendsend@hdsb.ca

• On Wednesday, November 2, all Grade 9 students in Ontario will have an opportunity to participate in Take Our Kids to Work Day (TOKTWD).  On that day, students will experience a specific career by visiting a workplace for the day with the approval of their parent/guardian.  Green permission forms were sent home this week.  We ask that permission forms be returned to Period 1 teachers ASAP.  If you have any questions, please email Ms. Stewart at stewartjan@hdsb.ca.

• Students interested in finding out more about a skilled trade are invited to the Level Up: Unlock Your Future in the Skilled Trades Fair taking place in Mississauga on Oct. 26, 2022.  Students will meet people in exciting industries and will see hands-on demonstrations of a wide variety of trades.  Contact Mr. Leblanc (leblancr@hdsb.ca) or Ms. Stewart (stewartjan@hdsb.ca)  if you are interested in attending this all day trip.  

Post-Secondary information sessions:

The following post-secondary institutions will have representatives on-site at the school during the upcoming weeks.  Representatives will be here at lunch from 11:00am-12:00pm:

• Oct. 25 - University of Ottawa, Brescia, Western University

• Oct. 26 - Dalhousie University

• Oct. 31 - McMaster University

• Nov. 1 - Kings University College, Brock University

• Nov. 4 - Queen’s University

• Nov. 7 - Laurentian University

• Nov. 8 - George Brown College

• Nov. 9 - Guelph- Humber

• Nov. 14 - University of Waterloo

2022-2023 Yearbook Update:

• Yearbooks for the 2022-2023 school year can now be pre-ordered online.

• The information about pricing is available on School Cash Online

• They are being offered at a price of $43.00

• They will be available in the fall of 2023 - as per our regular timelines.

School Council Update and Introductory Messaging - School Council Co-Chairs - Joanne Chubb and Kristina Kriston:

• Greetings from School Council! The T.A. Blakelock School Council co-chairs for the 2022-2023 school year are Kristina Kriston and Joanne Chubb. This is their second year sharing the position. For those of you who don't know them, Kristina is the parent of two TAB Tigers (grades 9 & 10) and one student in elementary school. Joanne is the parent of one TAB Tiger (grade 12) and two TAB graduates.  They can both be reached at tabschoolcouncil@gmail.com, please reach out at any time with any questions about School Council or ideas that you may have.

• The next School Council meeting is on Monday November 21 starting at 7:00pm.

• The T.A. Blakelock School Council would like your feedback on a few items.  Please complete the School Council Questionnaire to share your ideas and thought for the 2022-2023 school year.

• We will be offering in-person and virtual opportunities to participate at our next meeting with the meeting link to be shared closer to the date of the meeting.

Upcoming Athletic Opportunities:

Winter sports are starting up:

• Boys Volleyball and Girls Basketball league games continue next week.

• Tryouts for Girls hockey is Wednesday Oct 26th, 3:30pm @ Glen Abbey Green

  • Forms must be completed and returned to Mr. Butler.

• Tryouts for Sr. boys basketball (Mr. Sumner and Mr. D'Angelo) and Jr.boys basketball (Mr.Kaufman and Mr. Beaupre) also start next week - please complete the required forms in advance.

• Girls Sr and Jr. Girls Volleyball Tryout schedule will be posted shortly.

Upcoming Program Nights:

• November 3 - I-STEM Open House evening - 7:00pm start time

• November 17 - Grade 8 to 9 Program Night and Open House

Information and Links:  

• The T.A. Blakelock website (tab.hdsb.ca) can be a helpful resource to parents/guardians and students for school related information and updates.

• Please check it frequently to stay informed.

• Please be sure to follow us on social media - Twitter - @TABTigerLife and Instagram - @blakelocktigers and check the T.A. Blakelock High School website regularly for information and updates.

 Thank you to all of our members of the T.A. Blakelock TIGERS community for the support and efforts this week.  We hope you all have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Paul Dawson

Principal - T.A. Blakelock High School

October 14, 2022

Dear Students, Parents and Guardians,

I hope that you are all doing well. It was a shorter week this week, however the school continued to be a busy place with many great things happening.  One highlight was our very own Mr. Vittorio Iafrate receiving an HDSB Inspire Award on Wednesday evening.  Congratulations to Mr. Iafrate on his nomination and for being recognized for an Inspire Award!

Principal’s Remarks:

T.A. Blakelock High School is a wonderful school and is a part of a great community.  We want T.A. Blakelock to continue to be a safe and accepting place for all, and our students play an important role in making this happen.  

We want our T.A. Blakelock community to know that the adults in the school are here to work collaboratively with our students.  As such we would encourage all of our students to connect with a caring adult in the school when challenges arise or there are matters of safety that need to be addressed.  Communicating a safety concern to a teacher, or another staff member when someone may be in need, is of the highest priority.   This active participation in moving from being a ‘bystander’ to an ‘updstander’, brings awareness to safety needs, and is appreciated as we all do our best to continue to make T.A. Blakelock a fantastic place to learn and teach.  

Thank you to our students, parents/guardians and staff for their continued collaboration and support.

Parent/Guardian - Teacher Night - Thursday Oct. 20:

• Messaging was sent home earlier this week with information about how to book an appointment with your student’s teachers.

• The evening will run from 6:15pm to 8:15pm and teachers will be available to meet with parents/guardians in-person or virtually.

• Should you not be able to meet with a teacher on this evening, please reach out directly to your student’s teachers to connect at a different time.

• For those parents/guardians who would like the services of an interpreter, please complete the following  Language Interpreter Request form.

Student Services Update:

• On November 2 and 3, Grade 12 HDSB students will be participating in Launch 2022, an engaging and extensive post-secondary virtual exploration event. Additional information will be provided to families by the Board shortly. In addition, your student will receive specific login information to their HDSB email account this weekend.  It is important that students keep this information in order to access the November event.  If you have any questions, please contact Diana Svendsen, Head of Guidance, at svendsend@hdsb.ca

• On Wednesday, November 2, all Grade 9 students in Ontario will have an opportunity to participate in Take Our Kids to Work Day (TOKTWD).  On that day, students will experience a specific career by visiting a workplace for the day with the approval of their parent/guardian.  Green permission forms were sent home this week.  We ask that permission forms be returned to Period 1 teachers ASAP.  If you have any questions, please email Ms. Stewart at stewartjan@hdsb.ca.

• Students interested in finding out more about a skilled trade are invited to the Level Up: Unlock Your Future in the Skilled Trades Fair taking place in Mississauga on Oct. 26, 2022.  Students will meet people in exciting industries and will see hands-on demonstrations of a wide variety of trades.  Contact Mr. Leblanc (leblancr@hdsb.ca) or Ms. Stewart (stewartjan@hdsb.ca)  if you are interested in attending this all day trip.  

Yearbook Update:

• Due to some unforeseen circumstances, the 2021-2022 T.A. Blakelock yearbooks will not be available for pick up during the month of October.

• Once a new date has been established we will let students and parents/guardians know.

• Thank you for your patience and understanding.

School Cash Online:

• In the next week or two, we will be sending out personalized instruction sheets on how to sign up for School Cash Online.

• These information sheets will be sent out during students’ period 1 homeroom.

School Council:

• Stay tuned for more information about our next opportunity to connect on November 21.

• We will be offering in-person and virtual opportunities to participate.

Upcoming Athletic Opportunities:

• A big congratulations goes out to the varsity girls field hockey team who won the regular season title and have advanced to the Halton semi-final on Tuesday @ Bronte athletic park at 1:30pm.

The following teams will be starting up soon for the fall/winter seasons:

• Jr. Girls volleyball - Ms. Northey, Ms. Woodhead

• Sr. Girls volleyball - Ms. McAllan, 

• Jr. Boys basketball - Mr. Kaufman

• Sr. Boys volleyball - Mr. Sumner, Mr. D'angelo

• Varsity Boys Hockey - Mr. Alchesi, Mr. Winter

• Varsity Girls Hockey - Mr. Butler, Ms. Sydor

• Curling - Mr. Rochus, Mr Murray

• Ski & Snowboard - Mr. Leckie, Ms. Salahovic

• Swim Team - Mr. Jokic

Upcoming Program Nights:

• November 3 - I-STEM Open House evening 

• November 17 - Grade 8 to 9 Program Night and Open House

Information and Links:  

• The T.A. Blakelock website (tab.hdsb.ca) can be a helpful resource to parents/guardians and students for school related information and updates.

• Please check it frequently to stay informed.

• Please be sure to follow us on social media - Twitter - @TABTigerLife and Instagram - @blakelocktigers and check the T.A. Blakelock High School website regularly for information and updates.

Thank you to everyone in our T.A. Blakelock TIGERS community for the support and efforts this week.  We hope you all have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Paul Dawson

Principal - T.A. Blakelock High School

October 7, 2022

Dear Students, Parents and Guardians,

I hope that you are all doing well.  I want to thank our students, staff and parents/guardians for their support this week.  Our students and staff demonstrated that they are a resilient team and have the skills to work together when unique circumstances arise.  I hope you all have a fantastic long weekend and we look forward to seeing everyone on Tuesday.

Below are some upcoming events and updates

Next Week:

• Monday October 10 is Thanksgiving Monday - no school.

• We hope everyone is able to enjoy a nice long weekend.

Yearbook Update:

• Due to some unforeseen circumstances, the 2021-2022 T.A. Blakelock yearbooks will not be available for pick up during the month of October.

• Once a new date has been established we will let students and parents/guardians know.

• Thank you for your patience and understanding.

School Cash Online:

• In the next week or two, we will be sending out personalized instruction sheets on how to sign up for School Cash Online.

• These information sheets will be sent out during students’ period 1 homeroom.

• Thank you to everyone who used School Cash Online to donate to the Terry Fox Run!

School Council:

• Stay tuned for more information about our next opportunity to connect on November 21.

• We will be offering in-person and virtual opportunities to participate.

Come Cheer on your Tigers!:

• Tuesday - Girls Field Hockey Game

• Wednesday - Junior Boys Volleyball, Senior Girls Basketball 

• Thursday - Girls Field Hockey

• Connect with your athlete for times and locations

Upcoming Program Nights:

• October 20th - Parent/Guardian - Teacher night - more details about the booking of appointments to come

• November 3 - I-STEM Open House evening 

• November 17 - Grade 8 to 9 Program Night and Open House

Information and Links:  

• The T.A. Blakelock website (tab.hdsb.ca) can be a helpful resource to parents/guardians and students for school related information and updates.

• Please check it frequently to stay informed.

• Please be sure to follow us on social media - Twitter - @TABTigerLife and Instagram - @blakelocktigers and check the T.A. Blakelock High School website regularly for information and updates.

Have a great long weekend TIGERS! 

Sincerely,

Paul Dawson

Principal - T.A. Blakelock High School

October 7, 2022

Dear Students, Parents and Guardians,

I hope that you are all doing well.  I want to thank our students, staff and parents/guardians for their support this week.  Our students and staff demonstrated that they are a resilient team and have the skills to work together when unique circumstances arise.  I hope you all have a fantastic long weekend and we look forward to seeing everyone on Tuesday.

Below are some upcoming events and updates

Next Week:

• Monday October 10 is Thanksgiving Monday - no school.

• We hope everyone is able to enjoy a nice long weekend.

Yearbook Update:

• Due to some unforeseen circumstances, the 2021-2022 T.A. Blakelock yearbooks will not be available for pick up during the month of October.

• Once a new date has been established we will let students and parents/guardians know.

• Thank you for your patience and understanding.

School Cash Online:

• In the next week or two, we will be sending out personalized instruction sheets on how to sign up for School Cash Online.

• These information sheets will be sent out during students’ period 1 homeroom.

• Thank you to everyone who used School Cash Online to donate to the Terry Fox Run!

School Council:

• Stay tuned for more information about our next opportunity to connect on November 21.

• We will be offering in-person and virtual opportunities to participate.

Come Cheer on your Tigers!:

• Tuesday - Girls Field Hockey Game

• Wednesday - Junior Boys Volleyball, Senior Girls Basketball 

• Thursday - Girls Field Hockey

• Connect with your athlete for times and locations

Upcoming Program Nights:

• October 20th - Parent/Guardian - Teacher night - more details about the booking of appointments to come

• November 3 - I-STEM Open House evening 

• November 17 - Grade 8 to 9 Program Night and Open House

Information and Links:  

• The T.A. Blakelock website (tab.hdsb.ca) can be a helpful resource to parents/guardians and students for school related information and updates.

• Please check it frequently to stay informed.

• Please be sure to follow us on social media - Twitter - @TABTigerLife and Instagram - @blakelocktigers and check the T.A. Blakelock High School website regularly for information and updates.

 Have a great long weekend TIGERS! 

Sincerely,

Paul Dawson

Principal - T.A. Blakelock High School

September 30, 2022

Dear Students, Parents and Guardians,

I hope that you are all doing well and thank you for another productive week at T.A.Blakelock. We had a busy and exciting week with the Terry Fox Run, our Open House evening and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.  I want to thank everyone for their participation in these school wide events.  A BIG THANK YOU to the staff, students and parents/guardians who helped to make it all happen.

Below are some upcoming events and updates

Next Week:

• This is a friendly reminder that Friday October 7, is a PA Day for staff - therefore there will be no classes for students

• Monday October 10 is Thanksgiving Monday - no school.

School Cash Online:

• In the next week or two, we will be sending out personalized instruction sheets on how to sign up for School Cash Online.

• These information sheets will be sent out during students’ period 1 homeroom.

• Thank you to everyone who used School Cash Online to donate to the Terry Fox Run!

School Council:

• We had our first School Council meeting of the school year. 

• Stay tuned for more information about our next opportunity to connect on November 21.

• We will be offering in-person and virtual opportunities to participate.

Upcoming Program Nights:

• October 20th - Parent/Guardian - Teacher night - more details about the booking of appointments to come

• November 3 - I-STEM Open House evening 

• November 17 - Grade 8 to 9 Program Night and Open House

Information and Links:  

• The T.A. Blakelock website (tab.hdsb.ca) can be a helpful resource to parents/guardians and students for school related information and updates.

• Please check it frequently to stay informed.

• Please be sure to follow us on social media - Twitter - @TABTigerLife and Instagram - @blakelocktigers and check the T.A. Blakelock High School website regularly for information and updates.
  
  

Student Services Update:

• Please review the following message from our Student Services team regarding booking appointments with guidance counsellors, and specific messaging for grade 12 students.

• Student Services Update

T.A. Blakelock Spirit Wear:

• Spirit wear continues to be available for purchasing using the following link on the T.A. Blakelock school website.

Thank you all for another fantastic week at T.A.Blakelock! I hope you all have a great weekend, rest up and we look forward to seeing everyone next week. GO TIGERS!

Sincerely,

Paul Dawson

Principal - T.A. Blakelock High School

September 16, 2022

Dear students, parents and guardians,

It was another great week for the Tigers of T.A. Blakelock.  Students have been actively engaging with their teachers in the classroom and the school definitely feels like a hub of activity.  Similarly, students have been able to participate in a number of extracurricular activities and they are reaching out with new ideas of clubs and teams that they would like to see get off the ground this school year.

We have a number of events and opportunities that are coming up at the school and please take a moment to review the information below.

Save the Date - September 29 Open House:

• We are excited to share with all of you that we are currently planning our first Open House of the school year.

• This will be an opportunity for parents/guardians and students in grade 9 to 12 to visit the school, meet some staff and learn more about all of the wonderful programming opportunities available at T.A. Blakelock.

• The Open House will run from 6:30pm-8:00pm with more details to come.

• For those families who may require interpretive services, please complete the Request for Interpretive Services Google form by September 23rd.

School Council:.

• As a follow up to earlier messaging, you are all welcome to review the School Council invitation message for this school year..

• Our first meeting will be Wednesday September 28 at 7:00pm.

• We will be meeting in the school library in person for our first meeting.

School Entrance/Parking Lot:

• The T.A. Blakelock parking lot and school entrance can be a very busy place during drop off and pick up each day.  

• We appreciate everyones patience and vigilance in keeping it a safe place as students are walking and biking to and from school each day.  

Respecting the school building:

• Our school community is made up of fantastic students, staff and parents/guardians who are all doing many great things inside and outside of the school.  This past week we did have some vandalism with harmful and discriminatory language written on the walls in one of our washrooms for male students.  We want all students to come to school and feel safe, welcomed and respectedl.  We also know that the actions of a very few students do not represent the school community as a whole.  

• Staff will continue to promote the tennants of the HDSB Code of Conduct and should your student wish to talk about any act of vandalism, they are encouraged to connect with staff in the main office or any caring adult that they feel comfortable connecting with.

• Parents/guardians and students are encouraged to continue to reference the HDSB Harmful and Discriminatory Language Protol as part of any conversations related to this topic.

• We appreciate your support in connecting with your student about creating respectful and welcoming environments at the school.

• Parents/guardians are welcome to contact the school administration should they have any questions or wish to connect.

‘Grad Wear’ Information:

• Information has been shared by the HDSB that an unauthorized clothing company named Grad Wear has been recruiting HDSB students to sell grad and spirit wear through Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.  Grad Wear will connect directly with students to establish a student representative who will then be paid to recruit other students to purchase clothing through the company website. 

• The recruiting process that Grad Wear is using circumvents School and the Boards business practices, and could put HDSB students at risk, because personal student information is required to make a payment, and all orders are nonrefundable.  

• Please do not use their services and a link to an approved spirit wear vendor is shared below.

Information and Links:  

• The T.A. Blakelock website (tab.hdsb.ca) can be a helpful resource to parents/guardians and students for school related information and updates.

• Please check back to it frequently.  

• Please be sure to follow us on social media - Twitter - @TABTigerLife and Instagram - @blakelocktigers and check the T.A. Blakelock High School website regularly for information and updates.

Course changes and registration:

• Our Student Services team is diligently working through a number of new student registrations and timetable changes. The staff is also working with a new student information system and we greatly appreciate your patience as our Student Services team works through requests that are coming in.
  
  

The following message is from Food4Kids Halton:

Smile Cooking Campaign

Oakville Smile Cookie Campaign - Smile Cookies to Support Oakville Students!

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We are writing to let you know that from September 19-25, all Smile Cookie purchases made at Tim Hortons locations in Oakville will directly support Food4Kids Halton! Food4Kids Halton currently supports more than 900 children in Halton by providing nutritious foods to ensure that children have access to healthy foods over the weekend and during the summer months. Smile Cookie purchases can be made at Tim Hortons locations in Oakville, or can be purchased in bulk through the Food4Kids Halton. For more information about the Smile Cookie campaign, and how to support local children, please visit: Smile Cookie Campaign in support of Food4Kids Halton.

Extra-Curricular Opportunities:

• A number of athletic teams are currently practicing and preparing for games that will start this coming week.

• Parents, guardians and students are welcome to come to the school to watch games and support our Tigers as they start their respective seasons.

• There are a number of clubs, teams and student leadership opportunities that continue to start up this month.  

• We also have a number of our student bands that are rehearsing in the school.

• Students are encouraged to continue to stay tuned for information about all of these opportunities and to connect with school staff should they have any questions.

T.A. Blakelock Spirit Wear:

• Spirit wear continues to be available for purchasing using the following link on the T.A. Blakelock school website.

We continue to have a great start up to the school year and we look forward to additional opportunities to connect with our community.  Thank you for all of your support in helping our students with their positive start to the year!  

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend and GO TIGERS!

Sincerely,

Paul Dawson

Principal - T.A. Blakelock High School

September 9, 2022 

Dear students, parents and guardians,

I want to thank all of you for the warm welcome to T.A. Blakelock during this first week of school.  It has been a pleasure meeting so many of you over this past week, and I look forward to many more positive interactions as the year progresses. It has been a very busy week and our staff and students have been working towards building relationships and diving into the learning.  

We had a fantastic first day of school on September 6th, with our Tiger Crew leading the way for our new grade 9 students.  The energy around the school that day was amazing and it was wonderful to see students back in the school connecting with old friends and making new ones throughout the day.

I would like to use this weekly message as an opportunity to share information with you about upcoming events and opportunities connected to the T.A. Blakelock community.  Please review the following information at your convenience and reach out to the school should you have any questions.

Picture Day:

• Picture day is currently scheduled for Tuesday September 13. 

• Students will be called down by classes by the main office throughout the school day to have their pictures taken in the Tiger's Den.

School Council:

• Please stay tuned for more information related to the T.A. Blakelock School Council and other opportunities to connect with the school community.

Information and Links:

• Parents/guardians and students are encouraged to review the HDSB Code of Conduct.  

• This information and more can be found on the HDSB website at www.hdsb.ca.  

• The T.A. Blakelock website (tab.hdsb.ca) can also be a helpful resource to parents/guardians and students for school related information and updates.

Course changes and registration:

• Our Student Services team is diligently working through a number of new student registrations and timetable changes. The staff is also working with a new student information system and we greatly appreciate your patience as our Student Services team works through requests that are coming in.

• Please note that students may also complete this Google Form to request a timetable change: http://bit.ly/TAB2022-23_CourseChangeRequestForm until Wednesday Sept. 14.

Extra-Curricular Opportunities:

• There are a number of clubs, teams and student leadership opportunities that are launching for the 2022-2023 school year.

• Students are encouraged to stay tuned for information about all of these opportunities and to connect with school staff should they have any questions.

• Current athletic teams running tryouts include:

  • Girls Varsity Field Hockey -  Coaches - McAllan and D’Alesio

  • Boys Jr. Football - Coaches - Beaupre, Kana and Leckie

  • Boys Jr. and Sr. Boys Volleyball - Coaches - Kaufman, Northey, Jobbitt and Millington

  • Sr. girls Basketball - Coaches - Stevens and Pearson.  

  • Jr. girls Basketball - Coaches Kaufman and Winter. 

  • X-country Running - Coaches - Rochus and Hilson

T.A. Blakelock Spirit Wear:

• Spirit wear is available for purchasing using the following link on the T.A. Blakelock school website.

It has been a great first week of school at T.A. Blakelock and I’m looking forward to many great weeks ahead!  I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend and GO TIGERS!

Sincerely,

Paul Dawson

Principal - T.A. Blakelock High School