Learn more about student life at Northview Heights - what a typical NHSS student does in a day, as well as, the experiences of students through their year(s) at Northview.
Hear from current students about their experiences at Northview Heights, advice, and experiences in Specialized Programs.
EXPERIENCE AT NORTHVIEW
My experience at Northview has been beyond incredible. Going to school in such an inclusive, welcoming environment has completely changed how I feel about going to school! Northview is like a big family and every part about it is amazing.
Honestly, Northview’s a pretty big place, fun to walk around if you can. Even the park at the back. Most teachers are friendly and there’s definitely a lot of opportunities if you look for them. Just don’t get lost.
I thought I would hate high school but I soon realized that that was just me being the worrier that I am. As I spent more time at Northview I grew to love it. I found clubs like the debate club and band where I connected with classmates who have similar interests to mine and I realized that the teachers aren't scary like I thought they would be. They gave me great advice over the years and supported me throughout my 4 years at Northview. People always told me that I would miss high school when I graduate and when I first started grade 9 I would laugh at them but now as a graduating student I can wholeheartedly confirm that it is true. Northview really made my high school experience better than I ever expected.
My experience at Northview so far has honestly been the best almost 2 years of my life. Northview has something for everyone due to the variety of clubs and opportunities they offer. That being said, it is a great place to take advantage of the many opportunities being offered such as sport teams, clubs, intramurals and fundraisers. It is almost hard not to step out of your comfort zone to try new things and meet new people as a result of the welcoming and friendly community Northview holds.
When I first entered Northview, I was overwhelmed to see this huge building and never ending hallways. I would always have my head buried inside a map so I wouldn’t get lost, but with the years my confidence and support system grew. I made so many new friends, got the opportunity to part-take in numerous clubs, sports teams and intramurals, and meet teachers that always inspired me to do better. Northview has something for everyone; don’t be shy to expand your reach by trying new things!
When entering Northview in grade 9, dont worry about it. It's not that bad. It's scarier in your head and Hollywood than it actually is in life.
When I first arrived at Northview I was super nervous and I'm personally not one to socialize much. On the first day of school as a grade 9 student I was able to make friends and had a great time joining school sports teams and going on fun trips. Even now online through classes and a few of the MANY clubs at Northview I am able to get to know my teachers and classmates. Northview also has so many amazing leadership opportunities that I have been able to take part in. I'm happy I attend Northview as there are so many fun things to do and so many great people to meet!!
I would just like to say that my two years at nhss have been nothing but amazing. I know transitioning from middle to high school can be nerve racking but trust me it’s going to be the best 4 years of your life!! The staff at this school is nothing but supportive and I have met some of the best people! At nhss, there are many clubs to choose from and you can also start your own club! Even since it’s online right now, there are still different clubs that are going on. Some of which include pac, minecraft club, the business club and much more. Nhss also has a great school community with an amazing plaza that many kids like to go to at lunch. Nhss is a great place to be!
Northview is great because of the diversity of its students and opportunities. Are you into French? Well, you can join the French club. Are you into debating and philosophy? Well, join the debate club. I’m confident you’ll be able to find your little niche or group here at Northview. You can even start your own club! But something that I would advise to you coming Grade 9’s is to also get out of your comfort zone. If you’re a math person, aside from joining the Math club, try joining some sports teams, like the wrestling team, or clubs related to language and critical thinking, like debate club. You may find that diverse extracurriculars like these will even help you in your academics, and you’ll also meet new interesting people. Fun fact: One of the greatest philosophers of all time, Plato, was also a wrestler! Make sure to not fall into the trap of saying that you’re too busy to do extracurricular activities because of school work. First of all, you’ll be in Grade 9 so work is not that hard. Secondly, when you’re forced to commit to many activities and extracurriculars, you may find that the speed at which you do school work rapidly increases, with the quality of the work not necessarily suffering, but even improving. So make the most of the great school that Northview is!
Northview is a community with great potential. It was amazing to learn about other people’s passions, interests, and achievements. However, we sometimes fell short of school spirit. Events that could be a lot more fun can be scarce of students. It really goes to show that high school is what you make it. If you want to feel the school spirit, you’ve got to participate in what the school has to offer. Get out of your comfort zone and have some fun during high school!
Honestly, my time at Northview was really fun! If I had to give some tips to anyone new coming to Northview it would be:
Don’t start drama and try to leave any drama from high school behind.
Join clubs and extracurriculars!! It will help you in the long run to see what you like and don’t like when it comes to choosing what to study in university, and it also helps to keep you busy!
Enjoy it while it lasts. It’s gonna sound cheesy, but I know to me and many others, high school really did go by in a flash, so spend time with your friends and relax as much as you can before you’re in the same situation I am in, writing advice to younger students!
It may seem long and drawn out, and sometimes even boring and useless, but before you know it, you’re out of high school! I wish anyone reading this the best of luck on their high school endeavours :)
GENERAL ADVICE
Grade 9 is a step up from grade 8. It's harder. BUT, as long as you find ENJOYMENT what you're learning and INVOLVE yourself in class discussions, there's nothing to worry about.
My primary fear going into high school was if I could make friends because I didn't know how to make them, considering I made my middle school friends when I was very little. As you keep doing it, it'll get easier and easier. I’ve made many awkward mistakes, but I’ve learned from those mistakes and moved on.
SPECIALIZED PROGRAM EXPERIENCE
What do you expect? It’s a four year art program. Teachers are nice and with our facilities here, it’s really nice actually, but yeah. CO-OP too, we get that here too if you wanna do it. Other students here are something for sure. Makes the day entertaining.
If you’re in APGA then you should expect an accommodating, warm, and fun experience. The teachers are never anything but helpful when it comes to working around our busy schedules. If you’re worried about lack of support like I was coming into highschool then don’t be! All the kids are super welcoming and nice. Enjoy grade 9, try not to stress too much. It was a lot of fun!
HMST is a pretty good program not just because of the great teachers and course material, but also because of your peers. The students in HMST are actually pretty well-rounded for the most part; they’re not just people that are good at math and science. So, there are a lot of interesting people in the program. I’ve also had some pretty smart students in my classes, so if you’re up for it and interested, it’s fun to try to and "beat" your peers and get the highest final average in the class.
Northview's HMST program is amazing if you want to challenge yourself in an environment that includes other academically motivates students. You will create long-lasting relationships and memories that will carry you throughout high school. It will get overwhelming sometimes, but remember that's why you're in this program. :^)
The SHSM-ICT program at Northivew has allowed me to gain valuable life skills, such as CPR Training, while simultaneously involving me in the ICT-sector through experiential training, various certificate examinations, and co-op. I highly recommend the program to anyone interest in the SHSM sectors offered at Northview!
The SHSM-ICT program was extremely beneficial to me. Although half of my experience occurred during the pandemic, I was able to learn and achieve many certifications as well as gain co-operative experience. Overall, I would recommend the program for anyone who is looking into going into technology.
ICT-SHSM is a great program where I found like-minded people with great interests in Information Technology. The ICT-SHSM program has proved beneficial to me as it has guaranteed me spots in ICT courses that I wanted to take. It also let me earn nationally recognized certifications such as the MTA certificate, which proves an individual's skills and knowledge in technology. There were many informative and fun classes that helped me gain the skills needed to earn these certificates. Another plus is that by the end of high school, I would graduate with a red seal on my diploma. The certifications and the red seal are both widely accepted by the ICT industry and would definitely make job searches a lot easier. On top of this, the entire program was free with a lot of free stuff such as pizza lunches and SHSM merch.