Police released this new photo of Mariam Makhniashvili on Thursday. (Toronto Police)

Toronto police have made another appeal for information on the whereabouts of Mariam Makhniashvili, a month after she went missing.

On Thursday, police made appeals at two Toronto high schools in the vicinity of where a backpack containing books and binders belonging to Mariam was found.

Dan Nealon, the detective in charge of the case, spoke to students at North Toronto Collegiate Institute and Northern Secondary to ask them to provide any information they may have about the backpack, which was found in a parking lot one week ago.

Julia Tindel, 16, understands why police are asking for the students' help.

"The fact that the backpack was found so close to the school is almost maybe a sign that people had seen her, but maybe not recognized the girl," she said.

Nealon said the parking lot is known as a hangout for students from both schools and is sometimes used as a shortcut. He implored them to try to recall anything suspicious.

"Try to remember seeing this backpack in that area, or seeing Mariam as you can see her today on the screen," Nealon said to an assembly.

He reminded the students that although Mariam didn't attend either school, she is "part of the larger community."

Mariam Makhniashvili, 17, was last seen on Sept. 14 in the area of Bathurst Street and Eglinton Avenue West. (Toronto Police)

Mariam, 17, has not been seen since she walked with her younger brother, George, to Forest Hill Collegiate Institute on the morning of Sept. 14.

She and George separated at the back entrance to the school, with Mariam deciding to use the front entrance.

Police have been unable to say with any authority what happened to her after that.

New to Canada

Mariam had only been a student at Forest Hill C.I. since the school year started on Sept. 8. Her parents said she had not made any friends and that her disappearance is completely out of character for the girl, whom they described as quiet and shy.

Mariam and her brother lived in Tbilisi, Georgia, before coming to Toronto in June to reunite with their parents.

The parents, Vakhtang Makhniashvili and Lela Tabidze, arrived in Canada from Los Angeles a few months earlier. The two had lived in the U.S. for five years.

Mariam is five feet three inches tall, with light brown, shoulder-length hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing black pants, a light blue shirt and a dark blue jean jacket.

With files from The Canadian Press