School Council Update #2 - September 14, 2018
This is the time of year when many parents think about how to support their child's learning. There are so many great opportunities for parents to provide support at home and in the school.

The OCDSB Parent Involvement Committee created a wonderful booklet called Your Child's Education - Be a Part of It! This booklet is also available in French, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi and several other languages, is filled with ideas you might want to consider, whether you have five minutes or a full day.

Here are some other resources you might want to look at:
People for Education Parent Tip Sheets - there are many topics to choose from but start with Parent Engagement

If you are looking to volunteer in the school, speak to your child's teacher, the school principal and the school council. Find the opportunity that matches your interests and abilities.

However you decide to get involved, you can have a positive impact and help your child reach his or her full potential. 
Important Information
We want your feedback! Parent Conference & School Council Training Day
The OCDSB is very excited to announce our Parent Conference and School Council Training Day will be held on November 3rd, 2018. This event is held in partnership with the Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) and the Ottawa-Carleton Assembly of School Councils (OCASC). 

We would like to invite you to provide your input  on possible topics for workshops, as well as any other feedback about the day. We have put together a  ThoughtExchange   where you can provide ideas, suggestions, or reflections to help us plan the conference. We are always interested in your thoughts, and you can use this platform to share them until September 21st.

We thank you in advance for your participation in this, and look forward to the conference on November 3.
Revised Health and Physical Education Curriculum, Grades 1-8
You may have heard of some changes to the Health and Physical Education curriculum that were announced by the Minister of Education over the summer. 
Learn more about the changes here.
School Bus Transportation
With school back in session, we all need to be extra careful on the roads watching for students walking or cycling to school or waiting at bus stops. For those using school buses, it takes a week or two for everyone to get used to new bus routes and schedules. If you have experienced delays, please be patient. Inquiries about busing should be directed to OSTA .
Municipal Elections - October 22nd
The 2018 Municipal and School Board election is Monday, October 22nd. School board trustees are elected for a four year term. Trustees provide important oversight to school board and are responsible for setting strategic priorities, policy and budgets. Trustees are also a really important connection to the community and consider the concerns and interests of constituents when making Board decisions. Check out these election resources prepared in English and French by the Ontario Education Services Corporation. These include:
  1. ‘Making a Difference for Kids' Guidebook
  2. Posters and newspaper ads to promote voter participation in school board elections
  3. ‘All Candidates Meeting’ Guide
Please see the OCDSB  Election Information page for more information.
Continuing Education - Fall Newsletter
Check out the Continuing Education Newsletter for September/October 2018, and have a look at what is coming up this Fall. 
Be a part of our Parent Involvement Committee! 
Would you like to volunteer your time to make a difference in public education? Apply to be a member of the Parent Involvement Committee (PIC). For more details about PIC and the responsibility of members, please visit our website.

Online applications must be received  by Friday, October 26, 2018.
School News
There are a lot of amazing events going on in our district. Check out our new School News section of the website to learn about the great things happening in our schools!

Want to spread the word about your event? Send us an email at: [email protected]. We will help publicize your events on our website.
School Council Information
School Council Elections
The election of school council members must be held within 30 days of the start of the school year. The school community should have 14 days notice of election. Any parent in the school is eligible to sit on school council. The details about the election process are outlined in the School Council Policy   and in the School Council Elections Procedure . The election of officers (Chair, Co-chair, Secretary, Treasurer) happens after the members of the new council have been duly elected. Don't forget to review your school council constitution for specific provisions with respect to your school.

New School Council - Contact Information
Please send us an updated list of school council contact information after your elections. We are looking for names of school council chairs, vice-chairs and/or co-chairs. Send the information to Policy Analyst Engy Abdel Masieh at  [email protected] . As soon as the new school council members are elected, please e-mail us the following:
  • Names
  • Phone numbers
  • Email addresses

This information is shared with trustees and superintendents and is also used to keep you up to date on school council information.

Year-End Reporting of School Generated Funds - Due September 21, 2018
By law, school council financial activities must be included in the school board's year-end financial statements. Please ensure that the information below is completed and copied in an email to [email protected] no later than 21 September 2018.

Your e-mail should include the following:
  • School Name
  • School Council Chair
  • Opening balance of all reconciled bank accounts, investments and cash on hand on August 1, 2018
  • The amount raised by school council during the year from August 1, 2017, to July 31, 2018
  • The amount spent by school council during the year from August 1, 2017, to July 31, 2018
  • Closing balance of all reconciled bank accounts, investments and cash on hand on July 31, 2018

In cases where your school council's banking arrangements are administered by the school, the school council is not required to provide this information because the school's annual report would cover these requirements; however, please advise Michelle Klein at [email protected] if your school council is in this category.

Annual Report - Due October 30 2018
School Councils are required to submit an annual report to the District on its activities, including fundraising. The school council annual report is a requirement included in the "School Opening Documentation" process conducted by the principal.
 
On or before October 30, 2018, please submit your school council annual report to your school principal and forward a copy to Policy Analyst Engy Abdel Masieh either by e-mail at  [email protected],  or by mail to 133 Greenbank Road, Ottawa, ON K2H 6L3.
School Council Liability Insurance
The OCDSB provides liability insurance coverage for school councils. The policy period is November 1, 2018, to November 1, 2019. More information will be provided to principals and shared with school councils when it becomes available.

Movie Nights by School Council
In order for your school council to show copyright protected movies, the OCDSB has renewed their video licensing agreements with Criterion Pictures and Audio Cine Films Inc. for the 2018-2019 school year ending September 1, 2019. Please contact your school principal for more information on the registration and reporting requirements.
Dates to Remember
School Year Calendar
The 2018-2019 school year  elementary   and  secondary   calendars are available on our website, and a hard copy was distributed to students and staff this week. The highlights include School Holidays, PA Days, and District-wide Secondary Testing. 
2018 Parent Conference & S chool  Council Training Day

We're very excited to announce that we will again be hosting the OCDSB Parent Conference. The event is held in partnership with the Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) and the Ottawa-Carleton Assembly of School Councils (OCASC). 

Mark your calendar for Saturday, November 3rd, 2018, and stay tuned for further information.

The conference will be held at Gloucester High School.
Speaker Series 2018-2019

Enjoy these  free information sessions  highlighting leading ideas in education that will allow us to work collaboratively to better support student learning.

Upcoming session:

Concussion Management
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sir Robert Borden High School - 131 Greenbank Road

Gordon & Kathleen Stringer
and
Dr. Michael Vassilyadi,
Pediatric Neurosurgeon, CHEO
Founder, CHEO Concussion Clinic - Ottawa Chapter
Director for ThinkFirst/ Parachute
Board and Committee of the Whole Meetings
The first regularly scheduled  Committee of the Whole meeting  of the school year will be held on September 18, 2018. The Public session begins at 7:30 p.m. Watch the meeting live here.

Upcoming Committee Meetings:   
9/18/2018 7:30 PM  Committee of the Whole, Public
9/24/2018 7:00 PM Advisory Committee on the Arts
9/25/2018 7:30 PM  Board, Public  
9/26/2018 7:00 PM Audit Committee
9/27/2018 6:00 PM  Advisory Committee on Equity
9/27/2018 7:00 PM  OCASC Secondary School Committee
Stay Connected
OCDSB staff, students and community members can view the District's  website . Keep in touch by following us on  Twitter , visiting our  Facebook  and  LinkedIn  pages, and watching our videos on  YouTube .

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