School Council Update #16 - December 21st, 2018
Happy Holidays! All OCDSB schools will be closed at the end of today and will re-open on Monday, January 7, 2019. Our administrative offices will re-open on January 2, 2019.

On behalf of all of us at the OCDSB, I would like to extend warm wishes to you and your family. This is an important break from the regular school routine and a chance to spend time with family and friends. Have a safe and happy holiday.
Important Information
Building Brighter Futures Together @OCDSB

The OCDSB strategic planning process is well underway, and in January 2019 the District will enter the Strategies & Actions stage which includes two evenings of focus group discussions.  At the focus group sessions, participants will be provided with feedback from the idea exchange and will work in groups to explore and discuss the results from the online consultation, and help define specific strategies and actions for achieving identified goals.

Space is limited so all participants must pre-register. Please click on the Register Now hyperlink below for the date you’d like to attend.

The focus group meetings will be held on:

Wednesday, January 23rd, 2019 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Sir Robert Borden High School
131 Greenbank Road

Thursday, January 31st, 2019 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Cairine Wilson High School
975 Orléans Blvd

6:00 p.m.    Light Refreshments and Meet and Greet
6:30 p.m     Thoughtexchange Consultation Overview
7:00 p.m.    Focus Group Sessions
8:30 p.m.    Wrap-up, Final Thoughts

To learn more about our strategic planning process  visit our website .
Kindergarten Registration 2019

If your child will be 4 years old before December 31st, 2019, then they are ready to start kindergarten in September 2019. Call or stop by your child’s new school to pick up a registration package or register  online !

To find your local school, try our helpful  School Locator . You will be asked for your home address and the type of program you wish to enroll your child in our District. 

Don't worry if you miss the official registration week. You can register anytime in one of our schools or  online . Take a look at our  Welcome To Kindergarten  video and see some of the many new experiences your child will enjoy!
Winter Break 2018-2019

All elementary and secondary schools of the OCDSB will be closed Monday, December 24th and will reopen on Monday, January 7th, 2019.

Administrative buildings will be closed end of day December 24th and will reopen on January 2nd, 2019.
Reminders
High School Information Nights
Making decisions about high school? Come to an OCDSB inforao help you make an informed decision when choosing a high school, OCDSB schools host information night for parents and grade 8 students. Learn everything you need to know about our incredible variety of schools, programs and courses.
Upcoming sessions:
  • Gloucester High School - January 10th
  • Colonel By Secondary School - January 15th
  • Merivale High School - January 16th
  • Woodroffe High School January 16th

Visit our website for a complete list of Information Nights by school.
 Ottawa Public Health (OPH) Immunization
All children attending school between ages 4 to 17 need to be immunized according to  Ontario's Immunization Schedule . Under the Immunization of School Pupils Act, students attending school in Ontario are required to be vaccinated against nine (9) diseases or have a valid exemption. Parents are required to report all immunizations done at the doctor's office to OPH. Under this Act, OPH has the authority to suspend from attending school students for whom OPH does not have a record of immunization.
 
Parents/guardians of these intermediate and secondary students received written notice from OPH in the mail by  November 21st . Suspension orders are scheduled to be mailed to households on  January 25th, 2019  (Grades 7 - 12) and scheduled to be enforced on  February 20th, 2019 . 

Parents seeking more information can contact OPH by phoning 613-580-6744 or visit  parentinginottawa.ca/immunization . Learn more   here . 
School Council Information
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!


Stonecrest Elementary School Raises Funds for West Carleton Families

The 10th annual Santa's Seconds Sale at Stonecrest Elementary School was held on Wednesday, December 12th. This school initiative was designed to provide students with the opportunity to “shop” for the holiday season for family, friends, and loved ones, while raising funds for a good cause. Last year they raised over $3000 for Breast Cancer Research. This year the goal was to raise $3000 as well, this time for the West Carleton Disaster Relief. The school felt that it was important to support their local families who had been deeply impacted by the September tornado. They were able to surpass their goal by donating $3344.50 to the fund.

Many thanks to all who helped support this worthwhile cause.


Want to spread the word about your event? Send us an email at:  [email protected] . We will help publicize your events on our website.
Dates to Remember
School Year Calendars

The 2018-2019 school year  elementary   and  secondary   calendars are available on our website. The highlights include School Holidays, PA Days, and District-wide Secondary Testing. 
Board and Committee of the Whole Meetings
The next Committee of the Whole meeting will be on January 15th, 2019. Read the full agenda here . Watch the meeting live here .

Upcoming Committee Meetings:   
01/09/2019 6:00 PM Parent Involvement Committee
01/15/2019 6:30 PM Committee of the Whole, Public

Read our Boardroom Highlights here .
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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