The Durham Catholic Parent Involvement Committee is a statutory committee of the Durham Catholic District School Board. Our goal is to make parental engagement a priority by providing ongoing support on a system-wide basis and promote communication and dialogue between school councils, the Board and members of the community.
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The Durham Catholic Parent Involvement Committee has been working very hard on your behalf to support parent engagement. In early February, we held a Mental Health and Well-Being Conference which provided parents with information on Supporting Children's Mental Health, Understanding and Supporting your Worried Child, Vaping and Cannabis Use in Teens, Human Trafficking and when Gaming meets Gambling. One thing that resonated with me at the conference was the importance of incorporating spirituality into our families' mental health practices, as well as fitness, sleep and nutrition. Ensuring that we teach our children how to pray and make time for God in our lives, especially when times are difficult is an example of the Durham Catholic Parent Involvement Committee's mandate to identify ways to strengthen the home - school - parish relationship.
As we look ahead to the season of Lent, I hope that each of you has the opportunity to focus on spiritual renewal. Our committee has created a Lenten calendar with activities that you and your family can complete together to strengthen your relationship with God, but to also promote well-being and positive mental health. As parent(s)/guardian(s), we
are fortunate to be part of an education system that promotes faith-based learning. May we always reflect on the importance of the gift of Catholic education in our children’ lives.
I invite you to learn more about the conference and to check out the Lenten calendar in the articles below. Wishing you all a joyous year!
Yours in Faith,
Melissa Bevan
Chair, Durham Catholic Parent Involvement Committee
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Mental Health and Well-Being Conference
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On Saturday, February 8, 2020 more than 100 people attended our Mental Health and Well-Being Conference at Archbishop Denis O'Connor Catholic High School. DCPIC organized the conference based on feedback received from Durham Catholic parents who completed the annual parent engagement survey in May of each year.
The conference provided parents and guardians with information on:
Keynote speaker, Dr. Patrick Carney encouraged parents to use emotional focused interactions with their children. He recommends that parents, "stop and attend to a child's feelings, label the emotion, validate the emotion and meet the need." The key is to not use the word 'but" when doing so. For example:
- Stop: “I see that something is up.”,
- Attend to the emotion: “You look sad.”,
- Validate the emotion: “I can understand why you might feel sad. It really hurts to be excluded, especially when all of your friends are going to the birthday party”.
- Meet the need: I'm hear if you want to talk or Let me give you a hug.”
Thank you to our partners and breakout session presenters, especially the YMCA, Victim Services of Durham Region and Durham Region Health Department and Diane Mullane from DCDSB for sharing information with our parent community.
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As the season of Lent begins next week, t
he Durham Catholic Parent Involvement Committee is pleased to provide families with an opportunity to live the 40 Days of Lent by completing the suggested activities as a family. Some activities include:
- Smiling at someone;
- Helping with household chores;
- Forgiving someone who hurts your;
- Doing something nice for a stranger;
- Turn off TV or devices and spending a day together as a family.
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February is Black History Month and Durham Catholic schools have been celebrating in a variety of ways. Some highlights include:
- Poet, Nadine Williams shared her poetry featuring Black History Month stories with students at St. Wilfrid CS, St. Thomas Aquinas CS and St. Christopher CS. Ms. Williams worked with students to finish writing poems that focused on how we can live in harmony with one another.
- St. Mark the Evangelist CS and St. Andre Bessette CS welcomed the P.E.A.C.E and Por Amor team and taught students to find their NIA (purpose) during a journey to learn more about African and Caribbean history.
- Monsignor Paul Dwyer Catholic High School welcomed Heart Wisdom and students participate in an energetic style of African heritage, while learning the meaning of 'Hoza' - Stop, Start and Change.
- Feb. 24 - CTV News will be at Father Fenelon CS to cover their Black History Month presentation with Babarinde Williams Drums et al. CTV's Anwar Knight will cover the school's Black History Month assembly.
- Feb. 27 and 28 - St. John the Evangelist CS is hosting sewing workshops with Denise Wild's Sewing Studio. The instructors will focus on mentorship, inclusion and equity with the students.
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Make a connection - Help save a life! DCDSB Parents are invited to register for a safeTALK Workshop.
The half-day training workshop is on suicide alertness skills. Participants will learn the four basic steps to create a life-saving connection. The training is widely used by professionals and the general public.
Date: Thursday, May 7, 2020
Time:
5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Location:
DCDSB's Pope Francis Conference Centre,
652 Rossland Road, W., Oshawa
Cost:
FREE to DCDSB parent community
Space is limited! A light meal will be provided.
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Parents and guardians are welcome to attend our Durham Catholic Parent Involvement Meetings. Our meetings are held at the Durham Catholic District School Board, 650 Rossland Road West, Oshawa in the Board Room at 7:30 p.m.
March 5, 2020
April 16, 2020
May 14, 2020
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