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School Council Update #30 - April 20, 2018
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This week at the school board meeting, we had four very impactful delegations who came to voice concern about systemic racism, about the need to collect identity-based data, and the need for the school district to work with the black community to make recommendations for change. Over the week, several media reported on these issues which is critical in building our collective awareness and understanding of these issues in the community.
This district has done a lot of work on equity, but there is much more work to be done. By understanding the lived experiences of all members of our community we can reflect on equity in the context of individual, instructional and institutional bias. It is only with this understanding that change will happen.
This week we started a conversation that needs to continue with our community. On May 8th, the school district is hosting our annual Date with Diversity. It is a conversation with students, staff and community members about equity and how we grow our work. It is a chance to ask questions and have conversations with a variety of people representing different aspects or dimensions of diversity. The event is being held at Sir Robert Borden High School from 6 to 9 pm. Everyone is welcome and you can register using the link below. We would love to hear more voices there. Light refreshments will be provide. Free parking is available behind the school.
May 8th 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sir Robert Borden High School
131 Greenbank Road
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Elementary and Secondary PA Day - April 27, 2018
Just a reminder that both Elementary and Secondary students have a PA Day April 27th. The Extended Day Programs operated by the district will
NOT
be operating on that day to allow for professional development opportunities for those employees.
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2018 Volunteer Appreciation Reception -
Thursday, May 24, 2018 - 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Please join us as we celebrate the valuable contributions of our community members, parents, and businesses. We are pleased to invite all volunteers to our Community Recognition Awards. Whether you have coached teams, led clubs or activity groups, been members of advisory committees to the Board or some other role - this is our chance to show our appreciation for the contributions you make. There is no cost or fee to participate in this event. Light refreshments will be provided.
Location: Confederation Education Centre
Free parking is available behind Confederation Education Centre and behind Nepean Sportsplex.
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School Climate Survey 2018 for Parent/Guardians - April 23 - May 11, 2018
The OCDSB values parental engagement. When parents share their ideas and offer constructive feedback, the school system is improved and students succeed. We are seeking your input regarding school climate. By completing our School Climate Survey for parents/guardian, your feedback will assist us in developing strategies to prevent bullying and to promote safe and inclusive schools for all students.
The “OurSCHOOL” survey developed by The Learning Bar will be used across the OCDSB. It is anonymous, voluntary, confidential, and will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. The parent survey will be open for participation from April 23 to May 11, 2018. You will receive an email from your school administration in the coming days.
All Ontario school boards are required by the
Ministry
to conduct school climate surveys of students, school staff and parents at least once every two years. More information about the survey is available on the
OCDSB website
.
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Do You Want To Volunteer In An OCDSB School?
Ottawa Volunteers in Education (OVIE) brings volunteers from the community into OCDSB classrooms. OVIE recruits, screens, and trains volunteers to provide much-needed one-to-one support for students. Volunteers provide classroom support in a variety of academic subjects, clubs and activities. Browse through the
volunteer opportunities
and find a placement that best suits your interests and schedule, or simply apply online
here
.
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School Ground Greening Workshops 2018
Join us for the final FREE workshop designed to help you plan a successful and sustainable school ground greening project.
TO REGISTER:
Email your name, school and contact details to Andrew Harvey at
[email protected]
. For more information, call Andrew Harvey, Evergreen School Ground Design Consultant at 613-894-2540. These workshops are co-presented with OCDSB School Ground Design Consultant, Jeff Kaster.
More information can be found
here
.
Financing Your Project Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Money doesn’t grow on trees, but trees can attract money! You will learn how to create a budget and about proven strategies for bringing dollars to your project (funding sources and grant application tips), as well as simple and effective fundraising ideas. You will also learn how to tap into sources of free materials, in-kind support and expertise within your community.
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International Baccalaureate Program Implementation Plan - Merivale High School - Open House - Merivale High School:
Monday, April 23rd 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board is planning to introduce a new International Baccalaureate (IB) program at Merivale High School beginning in the Fall of 2019. This would be the second IB program in the district; there is currently an IB program at Colonel By Secondary School.
In order to best serve the community, we would like your thoughts about some of the implementation issues for the new program. Specifically, decisions need to be made about three things:
1.
Attendance boundaries for the two IB programs;
2.
Semestering versus non-semestering at Merivale High School; and
3.
School start time at Merivale High School.
We have prepared some background information on each of these issues, which you can access from the links below. We will be holding two open houses where these issues will be discussed in more detail. We are also collecting feedback though our online discussion forum. We encourage you to learn more and share your thoughts with us. The consultation period runs until May 1, 2018.
Please
register
to attend the open house
on April 23, 2018
. Limited space still available.
If you are unable to attend an open house, you may provide your feedback on the questions through "
share your thoughts
" until May 1, 2018.
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Ottawa Public Health Parent Information
Sessions - Cannabis
Thursday, April 26, 2018 - 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Gloucester High School - 2060 Ogilvie Road
Thursday, May 3, 2018 - 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Sir Robert Borden High School - 131 Greenbank Road
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board in conjunction with Ottawa Public Health is hosting two public information sessions for parents to learn about cannabis.
The presentation will tackle the myths; review information on how the law is changing in relation to cannabis use and; provide insight on how to talk to your child
and outline how schools are educating and supporting students on this issue.
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Fairy Godmother Ottawa - Pop Up Prom Shop - Saturday, May 12th 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Appointments
-
One Day Only!
This year, Fairy Godmother is opening the doors of their POP UP PROM SHOP for 1 DAY ONLY where graduating teens who need a Fairy Godmother can 'shop', for free, for a Cinderella-worthy dress to make their prom night a magical experience - Saturday, May 12th from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. This is a fantastic program intended for girls who are unable to purchase a dress on their own. No financial verification is necessary.
You Must Book an Appointment
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Advisory Committee on the Arts 2017-2018
Recognition Awards - Nominations Open!
The Arts Recognition Awards are presented annually by the Advisory Committee to teachers and community volunteers in recognition of outstanding service to arts education in our schools.You can
nominate
anyone who contributes to art education!
The award winners will be announced Saturday, May 26th. A presentation will be held to recognize award winners on Tuesday, June 19th at 5:00 p.m. in the boardroom at 133 Greenbank Road. Learn more about the Arts Advisory Committee and the annual awards
here.
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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!
Parenting Through the Storm - Avalon Public School
Thursday, April 26, 2018
6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Avalon School Council invites you to hear Author, Ann Douglas speak about “Parenting Through the Storm”.
Parents can make a difference when it comes to children’s mental health. That’s a powerful and reassuring message if you’re a parent and you’ve been alarmed by recent newspaper headlines about anxiety, depression, and other mental health difficulties in children and adolescents. In this practical and idea-packed workshop, parenting author Ann Douglas will share some highlights from her latest book
Parenting Through the Storm: How to Handle The Highs, The Lows, and Everything In-Between
— a book for parents who have a child who is struggling with a mental health, neuro-developmental, or behavioural challenge. The workshop focuses on parenting strategies, advocacy skills, and stress management and coping skills. Learn more
here
.
Want to spread the word about your event? Send us an email at:
[email protected].
We will help publicize your events on our website.
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Board and Committee of the Whole Meetings
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The next Board meeting will be April 24, 2018 in the boardroom at 133 Greenbank Road at 8:00 p.m. Read the full agenda
here
.
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Upcoming Meetings:
Note: Budget meeting will be held prior to Board meeting.
Read our Boardroom Highlights
here.
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School Council Information
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School Council - Insurance Coverage for Bouncy Castles
The District has purchased school council insurance on behalf of all OCDSB school councils. However, if your school council is planning to use a bouncy castle, you must ensure the vendor has liability insurance and that they are Technical Safety Standards Authority (TSSA) certified. The vendor should be the only persons responsible for installing and running the bouncy castle. Principals and school council representatives are cautioned not to sign any agreement accepting all liability. Dunk tanks should not be used.
2018-19 Parents Reaching Out (PRO) Grants for School Councils - APPLICATIONS NOW ACCEPTED
We know that good schools become great schools when parents are involved in their children's learning and well-being. Ontario's PRO Grants are designed to support parents in identifying barriers to parent engagement in their own community and developing local solutions to address these barriers in support of student achievement, human rights and equity, and well-being. Your School Council can now submit an application at
http://education.factorial.ca
.
The application deadline is Tuesday, June 5, 2018 11:59 p.m. EST.
For any questions about PRO Grants, please contact the Parent and Community Engagement Office, Ministry of Education at
[email protected]
.
Important Information for School Councils
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Ottawa-Carleton Assembly of School
Councils (OCASC)
OCASC is an umbrella organization for school councils and parents in the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) to share information and facilitate communication within the OCDSB communities to enhance the education of all its students.
Contact Information:
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Math Facts
Homework Help
is a free online math help resource for students in Grades 7-10. Homework Help provides free, live one-on-one tutoring from Ontario teachers Sunday to Thursday from 5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. The program is funded by the Ontario government and administered by TVO's Independent Learning Centre.
To log in, students will need to register with their Ontario Education Number (OEN), found at the top of their
report card near their name
. (Your child’s OEN never changes so any of their Ontario report cards will have it.)
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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
.
About the Newsletter
If you forward this message, please delete all of the text from the "forward e-mail" link at the bottom left of the newsletter (just outside of the border). Otherwise, anyone who receives the message can click the opt-out button at the bottom of the newsletter and unsubscribe your name from our distribution list. If you are not on our distribution list feel free to subscribe or email
[email protected]
.
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