School Council Update #20 - February 1st, 2019
The OCDSB has been working on the development of our next strategic plan. Many of you have already provided valuable input into the process. On Monday, February 4th, the Committee of Whole will have an opportunity to see a presentation of the feedback we received during the Idea Exchange. You can take a look at the report and presentation and explore the feedback we received. You might also be interested in the report and Environmental Scan which provides some key qualitative data. Thanks to all of you who have shared your thinking throughout this process.
Important Information
Black History Month 2019
Today marks the beginning of #BlackHistoryMonth, a time to celebrate Black culture and history, and to reflect on the significant contributions Black Canadians have made to building Canada: http://ow.ly/IPhw30nxCS3 . Every February, Canadians are invited to participate in learning opportunities,festivities and events that honour the legacy of Black Canadians, past and present. 

Last year, the OCDSB adopted a motion to endorse the United Nations Declaration for the Decade for People of African Descent. This was an important commitment to recognizing our history and taking action to effect change. L ast weekend, at the Ottawa Black History Month launch event, " Our Canadian Story: Nothing About Us, Without Us " the OCDSB was recognized for this work. 

Take a look at our website to learn more about the work we are doing to implement the motion and some of the events happening in our schools this month. There are also many community events noted on the calendar of Black History Ottawa . This weekend, Ottawa is hosting the Pan-Canadian Summit of Black Communities 2019 . On Monday, February 4th, the OCDSB Committee of the Whole will discuss a report on Identity Based Data Collection . See information below about the upcoming event held by Parents for Diversity.
OCDSB Speaker Seri.es -
Free Information Session

UNSTOPPABLE YOU with Unstoppable Tracy Schmitt
February 28th, 2019 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. 
Earl of March Secondary School, 4 The Parkway, Kanata

No matter where you are in life, sometimes you just need to be inspired. Join us and “Unstoppable Tracy” as she shares how you can use humour and motivation to crush your obstacles and soar to the top!

Visit our website for additional details.
Mayor for a Day Contest 2019

Ottawa’s Mayor Jim Watson and Youth Ottawa want to hear what high school students love about living in Ottawa, and their ideas for how to make it an even better place to live.

Students in grades 9 to 12 are invited to submit either an essay (max. 500 words) or a 5-minute video with their response to the following question: "What do you love about the City of Ottawa and what two ideas would you propose to improve it?"

The two selected applicants will be named "Mayor for a Day" and have the opportunity to spend time with Mayor Watson and City of Ottawa staff, learn about the Mayor's office, and discuss their ideas.

For further information including contest rules, visit the website .
Register Your School for Winter Walk Day 2019 - Wednesday, February 6th

Celebrate Winter Walk Day on Wednesday February 6th! It’s the perfect opportunity for the school community to get outside together and promote the many benefits of active transportation in any season.

Register your school community activities for a chance to win a prize! Events and activities can happen throughout the month of February: once, twice, or many times! They can be group walks, school assemblies, hot-chocolate meet and greets – the ways to celebrate walking and wheeling in the winter are limitless.

Click here  to register your school for activity ideas and resources that will help in planning and promoting Winter Walk Day. Registered schools receive a Certificate of Recognition and are entered into a random draw for prizes! 

Share your Winter Walk Day 2019 photos and stories by using #OCDSB #WinterWalkDay #WWD2019 #Walk2School #ActiveSchoolTravel
CBC Trailblazers Returns for 2019 Awards

Do you know someone in your community who is leading change, breaking down barriers and creating new possibilities? Nominate them now to be a CBC Trailblazer.

CBC Ottawa is shining the spotlight on inspiring individuals who embody the fabric of what makes the Ottawa region great with the CBC Trailblazer Awards. They are looking for the unsung heroes who stand out in your community and make it a better place to live. Those, who through determination, challenge and triumph, make an unforgettable impact.

This year’s nominations will be accepted online until Sunday, Feb. 10 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Visit cbc.ca/trailblazers for more information and to place a nomination. It only takes less than fifteen minutes to share a story that Ottawa needs to hear.

The top ten nominees may receive a profile on cbc.ca/ottawa , a CBC Trailblazer award, cool CBC swag (of course!), and an invitation to an exclusive awards and networking event in March 2019. They will also be featured in a special digital documentary series produced by CBC Ottawa.
Reminders
Black History Month 2019 Workshop -
February 16th, 2019

As part of Black History Month activities next month, Parents for Diversity will be putting on a workshop entitled "Addressing Anti-Black Racism in Schools". It will be held on February 16th, 2019, at 2:00 P.M.

This workshop will explore different actors in children's education, forms of anti-black racism and bias, human rights aspects of discrimination, as well as practical ways to address discrimination when it arises. While the workshop is free, they will be accepting donations at the door. Visit the registration website for further details. 
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 .

Take a look at our  Welcome To Kindergarten  video and see some of the many new experiences your child will enjoy. If you know someone with a child who is ready to start kindergarten, encourage them to take a look. Registration in advance helps us to better plan for September . However, we welcome parents for registration at anytime in one of our schools or  online .

Have questions about Kindergarten? Visit our  Kindergarten Information Nights page  for dates and times by school.
High School Information Nights

Making decisions about high school? Come to an OCDSB information night to help you make an informed decision. OCDSB schools host information nights for parents and grade 8 students. Learn everything you need to know about our incredible variety of schools, programs and courses.

Upcoming sessions:
  • Bell High School - February 7th
  • Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School - February 7th
  • Ottawa Technical Secondary School - February 7th
  • South Carleton High School - February 7th
  • West Carleton Secondary School - February 7th

Visit our website for a complete list of Information Nights by school.
Continuing Education - Winter Newsletter

Check out the   Continuing Education Newsletter  for February 2019, and have a look at what is coming up this Winter. 
 Ottawa Public Health (OPH) Immunization

All children attending school between ages 4 to 17 need to be immunized according to  Ontario's Immunization Schedule . St udents 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 were mailed to households on  January 25th, 2019  (Grades 7 - 12) and are 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!


W.O Mitchell Elementary School’s Game Night – February 7th, 2019
 
W. O. Mitchell Elementary School is hosting their annual Game Night on Thursday, February 7th, organized by the School Council. The games are carefully selected to encourage participation and cooperation. There are some traditional board games set up, as well as some that are a little less traditional such as a giant Twister game, a giant "snowball fight" (using rolled up socks), life-sized Candyland, life-sized Hungry Hippos, and an extreme rock/paper/scissors and cup stacking. There is also a laser maze and for a small additional fee, groups can book an Escape Room experience provided by a local company called Unlocked.
 
The event is taking place from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., and the cost is $2.00/person at the door, which allows you to participate in all games except the Escape Room which is pre-booked separately ($5.00/person). Please bring non-marking shoes to wear.
 
All proceeds will be going to support School Council initiatives.


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
Second Semester - February 4th
Second Semester begins February 4th, 2019, for all OCDSB Secondary Students.

Elementary P.A. Day - February 15th
 Reminder that there is a P.A Day for all OCDSB Elementary Students on February 15th, 2019.

Family Day - February 18th
All OCDSB schools will be closed for Family Day on February 18th, 2019.

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 public Committee of the Whole meeting will be on February 4th, 2019. Read the full agenda here . Watch the meeting live here .

Upcoming Committee Meetings:   
02/04/2019 7:30 PM Committee of the Whole, Public
02/19/2019 7:30 PM Committee of the Whole, Public
02/20/2019 6:00 PM Parent Involvement Committee
02/25/2019 7:00 PM Advisory Committee on the Arts
02/26/2019 7:30 PM Board, 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 , and downloading our new app, visiting our  Facebook  and  LinkedIn  pages, and watching our videos on  YouTube .

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