School Council Update #22 - February 15th, 2019
As part of our ongoing commitment student safety, this month we invited the Canadian Centre for Child Protection to speak with principals and superintendents about strategies to protect the personal safety of children. It was an excellent presentation and highlighted some areas of key work in terms of policy updates and practice enhancements to ensure student safety.

The CCCP has a program called Kids in the Know. Parents might be interested in taking a look at the incredible range of resources on their website, including

The Canadian Centre for Child Protection is a national charity dedicated to the personal safety of all children. Their goal is to reduce the sexual abuse and exploitation of children, assist in the location of missing children, and prevent child victimization through a number of programs, services, and resources for Canadian families, educators, child-serving organizations, law enforcement, and other parties.
Important Information
Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching

Each year, Canada’s History Society recognizes 6 teachers for innovative approaches to teaching Canadian history. The 2019 recipients will be awarded:

  • An individual cash prize of $2500;
  • A $1000 cash prize for the recipient’s school; and
  • A trip for two to Ottawa to attend the awards ceremony, the Canada’s History Forum, and the History Makers celebration dinner

If you or a teacher you know makes history come to life in the classroom, submit a nomination or apply online today! Applications are due April 1st, 2019. Visit CanadasHistory.ca/GGAward for more information. If you have any questions about the award or application, please contact Joanna Dawson at  j [email protected]  or 204-988-9300 x.225
Report Cards

Report Cards went home this week. Check out our Parent Guides to Assessment Evaluation and Reporting for Elementary and Secondary .
Math Information Session for Parents

Do you know the difference between academic math and applied math for your child? Come see a free demonstration lesson of each class type and try out our useful resources! A Q&A period will also take place. The evening is hosted by the Sir Robert Borden School Council.

Where: Sir Robert Borden High School (library on first floor) - 133 Greenbank Road, Nepean
When: Tuesday, February 26th, 2019, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Reminders
OCDSB Speaker Series -
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.
Smart Start Youth Summit - March 16th & 17th

Smart Start Youth Summit is a free, all-expenses paid weekend leadership retreat. It equips 180 youth aged 13-24 from the National Capital Region with the tools and information they need to have a smart start into their future. For application details and FAQs visit the website .
Paint it Up! - Funding Available for Mural Art Projects

Funding is available for outdoor mural art projects that support graffiti prevention, youth empowerment, community safety and the beautification of Ottawa neighbourhoods. For more information, please visit  crimepreventionottawa.ca  for the program guidelines and application form . Applications must be received on April 2nd, 2019. 
Black History Month 2019

February is Black History Month , a time to celebrate Black culture and history, and to reflect on the significant contributions Black Canadians have made to building Canada . 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 .
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. Applicants must submit their entry online by 7 pm on Thursday February 28th, 2019. For further information, visit the website .
Black History Month 2019 Workshop -
February 16th, 2019

As part of Black History Month activities, 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. Visit the registration website for further details. 
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 . OPH has the authority to suspend from attending school students for whom OPH does not have a record of immunization. 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
 2018-2019 PRO Grant Recipients

The Ministry of Education’s list of  2018-2019 PRO Grant recipients  and the granted funds is now available. Congratulations to the many successful PRO Grant recipients in our District! You will receive the cheque in the mail in the coming days. 

Remember, your project must be completed and the funds expended by June 30th, 2019. The last day to submit your final report to the Ministry is July 15th, 2019. A copy of your report, along with original invoices and expenditure records, must be sent to the attention of the Policy Analyst at Board Services. Should you have any questions, please contact Engy Masieh at  [email protected] .
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!


Cedarview Middle School takes part in JA Ottawa’s Economics for Success Workshop

Every year, JA Ottawa reaches thousands of youth through hands-on activities and workshops that aim to introduce students to financial literacy, entrepreneurship and work readiness skills. Harry and Ty have been volunteering with JA Ottawa for three years through Carleton University’s Sprott School of Business. They have seen first-hand the interactivity between the students and JA facilitators, a dynamic which they say favours and enhances students’ learning.

They are also thankful for the opportunity to visit local classrooms as it allows them to teach crucial financial literacy skills to young students, a skillset they wished they had learned in school. The two volunteers recently led the Economics for Success Workshop at Cedarview Middle School, a   one-day program   that introduces youth to the concepts of financial literacy through hands-on tasks, such as preparing a personal budget.  

Volunteering with JA Ottawa has allowed Harry and Ty to apply their knowledge in a concrete manner while teaching young and eager minds: “Having the opportunity to teach young students and getting in the classroom has always been an exciting experience. It is really important and fulfilling for us to help make sure that students are prepared for the realities and challenges of post-secondary education.” Learn more about JA Ottawa programs:  https://onfe-rope.ca/our-work/ja-ottawa/program-features/ . 


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
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 19th, 2019. Read the full agenda here . Watch the meeting live here .

Upcoming Committee Meetings:
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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