PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Happy New Year, Tommy Douglas Families!
As we begin 2026, I would like to extend warm wishes for a happy, healthy, and successful New Year to all members of our school community. We have now completed two weeks since the Winter Break, and it has been wonderful to see our students and staff return with focus and determination. Classrooms have been busy as students work diligently to complete course work, culminating activities and prepare for Semester 1 exams, which begin on January 22.
As we move into this important time in the semester, we encourage families to check in regularly with their students to support organization, well-being, and completion of final assignments and exam preparation. If you have any questions or require clarification regarding expectations, timelines, or assessments, please do not hesitate to connect directly with your student’s teachers.
At Tommy Douglas Secondary School, we know that student success and well-being are strongest when schools and families work in partnership. Thank you for your continued support, encouragement, and collaboration as we help our students finish the semester confidently and successfully.
Wishing all students, the very best as they prepare for exams, and thank you to our staff for their ongoing dedication and care.
Regards,
Meshell Lynch-James
Proud Principal, Tommy Douglas Secondary School
Important Exam Week Reminders
This is a reminder that exams begin on Thursday, January 22 and continue through Wednesday, January 28. Please take a moment to review the exam schedule that was emailed home to ensure students are prepared for each assessment.
On Thursday, January 29, we will have an instructional day dedicated to reviewing exams and culminating assignments. We will be following a modified schedule, which has also been shared below for your reference.
Please note that Friday, January 30 is a PA Day for all students—no classes will be held.
Thank you for your continued support as we move into the final stretch of Semester 1.
Exam Review day will take place on Thursday, January 29.
Schedule is as follows:
| Period 1 | 8:00 - 8:43 |
| Period 2 | 8:48 - 9:25 |
| Period 3 | 9:30 - 10:07 |
| Period 4 | 10:12 - 10:50 |
| Period 5 | 10:55 - 11:32 |
COURSE SELECTION PARENT PRESENTATION
On Wednesday January 21st from 6-7 p.m. in the cafeteria the guidance department will be hosting a parent presentation on course selection. Course selection this year opens on Thursday February 12 at 9 a.m. and closes on Friday February 20th at 4:00 p.m. Hope to see you there!
Creative Writing and Poetry Contest 2026
Are you a young person with a passion for writing?
York Regional Police is hosting a Creative Writing and Poetry Contest this January.
If you have something special to say about the idea of community, please send it to us before February 1 at midnight.
You must be between 13 and 17 years old to participate.
Contest finalists will be invited to an event where the winners will be announced by our judges. Finalists will have the opportunity to meet the judges and our youth engagement officers.
Prize packages are provided by Indigo - Markville Mall.
Submission Rules
- Submission deadline is Sunday, February 1, 11:59 PM
- Submissions must be submitted in PDF format to contest@yrp.ca with the following file name format: “LAST NAME, FIRST NAME – TITLE OF SUBMISSION, FICTION/POETRY” (please indicate whether your submission is fiction or poetry)
- Contestants must reside in the Region of York and must be between the ages of 13 and 17 years
- Submissions must revolve around the idea or concept of “community.” This can be either direct or abstract
- Submissions must be no more than 1,250 words, double-spaced in 12 point Times New Roman font
- Submissions may be: fiction or poetry
- Submissions must include the title of the piece, as well as the name, address and contact information of each contestant on each page as a header
- Pages must be numbered clearly
- Submissions must be submitted in English
- Submissions must not contain any curse words, sexual content of any kind or gratuitous violence, blood, or gore
- Submissions must be an original work. Contestants must not use AI technology to compose their submissions. Any submissions suspected to be a result of AI or plagiarism will be disqualified
- Submissions in the form of a picture book/story which contain artwork that compliments the writing are acceptable
Understanding and Navigating the Education System -Families of YRDSB Black Students January Session
Understanding and Navigating the Education System - Families of YRDSB Black Students Monthly Virtual Information Session on Monday, January 26, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm.
Families, parents, and caregivers, please join us for our monthly virtual meeting, where families with Black children come together to learn about resources and upcoming programs for Black students in both elementary and secondary schools. Please see our flyer for more information and the registration link.
Please visit the www link for more information.
For further information, please email the Centre for Black Student Excellence (CBSE) at blackstudentexcellence@yrdsb.ca.
Black Foundation of Community Networks (BFCN) Scholarship Application Workshop
Black students and their families are invited to attend a virtual edition of the BFCN Scholarship Application Workshop on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
This is a free workshop designed to guide Black students and their families on how to search, prepare, and apply for scholarships and bursaries.
Please see this opportunity for more information.
For more information and to register please visit: Meeting Registration - Zoom
For more information about the workshop or the Black Foundation of Community Networks, contact Cheryl Yarde at info@bfcn.ca
SEAS 2025-2026 Family Engagement Series - Pathway Planning and High School Course Selection Workshop Part 2
Supporting East Asian Students (SEAS) 2025 - 2026 Family Engagement Series
Pathway Planning and High School Course Selection Workshop Part 2
Families, parents, and caregivers are invited to join us for this Supporting East Asian Students (SEAS) Family Engagement evening to deepen their understanding of pathway planning and the course selection process in the Ontario Education System.
YRDSB Teachers and Guidance Counsellors will be delivering information focused on:
- Understanding the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) requirements
- Exploring pathways and planning for post-secondary opportunities
- Navigating the high school course selection process in YRDSB
Date: Thursday, February 5th, 2026
Time: 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Location: Unionville High School, 201 Town Centre Blvd, Unionville, ON L3R 8G5
The workshop session will be in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese.
Please register by Tuesday, February 3, 2026.
Registration link
For additional inquiries, please contact Inclusive School and Community Services (ISCS) at iscs@yrdsb.ca, SEAS contacts Simone Chow at simone.chow@yrdsb.ca or Alice Chu at alicewan-ling.chu@yrdsb.ca
This event is supported by the YRDSB Pathways Team, in partnership with SEAS
SEAS is an affinity group of educators and supporters committed to addressing the lived experiences of East Asian students by advocating for improved achievement and well-being through equitable practices. Building relationships with students, families, educators, community members and partners is also a focus of our work.
Chinese Heritage Month Celebration
Happy Chinese Heritage Month
York Region District School Board, Inclusive School and Community Services (ISCS) invites students, families, and staff to join us for an evening celebrating Chinese Heritage Month.
This student-centred, community-focused event highlights the richness of Chinese culture and history, and the contributions of Chinese-Canadian communities. We welcome all students, staff and families to attend and participate.
Date: Thursday, February 12, 2026
Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Location: Bur Oak Secondary School (933 Bur Oak Ave, Markham, ON L6E 1G4)
This student-centred, community-focused event highlights the richness of Chinese culture and history, and the contributions of Chinese-Canadian communities. We welcome all students, staff and families to attend and participate.
Event Highlights:
- Live performances
- Interactive cultural activities
- Cultural demonstrations & displays
- Traditional Chinese food
Please register for this event.
Course selection and pathway planning
The Regional Student Success team is pleased to share the following opportunity to support students and families with course selection and pathway planning through the use of myBlueprint. MyBlueprint is a student-friendly tool available free of charge to all YRDSB students to support them with their individual pathway plan. This platform offers a wide range of features that assists students in exploring their strengths and interests and discovering career opportunities.
To guide students and families build greater confidence in using this tool effectively, a virtual session has been organized as follows:
Audience: YRDSB students and families (Grades 7 - 12)
Date: Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Time: 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Location: Virtual (a link will be provided to everyone who pre-registers using this form).
Please share the above note and this poster with your students and families.