School Council Update #37 - June 7th, 2019
Next week is our Volunteer Appreciation and Community Recognition Awards. Please take a few minutes to review the incredible list of nominees . Every year, our list of nominees grows not only in number, but in the time and service our volunteers provide to our schools. The reception is a chance for us to come together and celebrate our successes and to share ideas.

Everyone is welcome to attend and I hope to see you there.

Date: Thursday, June 13th, 2019 at 6:00 p.m.
Location: Confederation Education Centre -
1645 Woodroffe Avenue

Important Information
Pride Month 2019

Our OCDSB community has a rich culture and history of celebrating diversity and our 2SLGBTQ+ community every day. Throughout the month of June, staff and students will participate in events and activities in schools celebrating our uniqueness. 

Join us at the Ottawa Pride Parade!

Ottawa's annual Capital Pride Parade  will take place on Sunday, August 25th, 2019, and a proud OCDSB contingent of students, staff, Trustees and community members will be taking part. Everyone is welcome! Come out and join OCDSB friends and colleagues.
#HearNowON: Student Voices Forum on Mental Health in Ontario - June 15th

On Saturday, June 15th, 2019, School Mental Health Ontario (SMHO-SMSO) and Wisdom2Action (W2A) will be presenting #HearNowON, a day-long forum on ways to enhance student mental health awareness, learning, and leadership.

The goal of this event is to engage students across the province to find out what they want to know about mental health, how they prefer to learn this information, and how they want to be engaged in mental health leadership. This forum, and other engagement opportunities taking place across the province, will help inform the SMHO-SMSO Student Mental Health Leadership and Engagement Strategy.

The forum will be from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.at the Delta Hotels by Marriott Ottawa City Centre - 101 Lyon Street North, Ottawa.

Wisdom2Action is dedicated to youth engagement, knowledge mobilization and research. They are working with School Mental Health Ontario to engage students across Ontario. School Mental Health Ontario works with Ontario school districts to support student mental health.

For more information including registration, visit their website.
Katimavik Elementary School wins BMO 2019 National Student Innovation Awards

Over the past school year, the students at Katimavik Elementary School have been creating, developing, and supervising their very own business venture as part of the Entrepreneurial Adventure program. Their ventures, along with 11 others from Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, and Ottawa, stood out and they were recognized with a BMO National Student Innovation Award. Katimavik ES won in the “Teamwork” category for their Escape Night.

Learn more .  
2019-2020 Staff-Recommended Budget

The 2019-2020 Staff Recommended Budget was presented at the May 29th, 2019, Committee of the Whole (COW) Budget meeting. The link to access the budget documents can be found on our website .

The Committee of the Whole Budget Continuation Meetings are scheduled as follows:
  • 3 June 2019 – Delegations/Debate (Special Board scheduled if required)
  • 10 June 2019 – Delegations/Debate (Special Board scheduled if required)
  • 17 June 2019 – Debate (Special Board scheduled if required)

Delegations for the June 3rd meeting who register with Board Services by 12:00 p.m. (noon) on Monday, June 3rd, will be allocated four minutes to speak. All other delegations will be allocated two minutes to speak. Delegations for the June 10th meeting who register with Board Services by 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 6th, will be allocated four minutes to speak. All other delegations will be allocated two minutes to speak. Delegation requests or questions regarding the delegation process should be directed to Nicole Guthrie in Board Services ( [email protected]  or 613-596-8211 ext. 8643). 
Building Brighter Futures Together 2019-2023

We are excited to share our draft strategic plan with you. This plan is all about building a culture of innovation, a culture of caring and a culture of social responsibility. It recognizes culture as a driver of change.

Please take a few minutes to review the draft plan. We'd love to hear your feedback.
You can read the draft plan poster in PDF or read the draft plan in HTML which allow use of the translation feature on our website.

Today is the last day to share your feedback .

Reminders
"The Lads" Benefit Concert for the Education Foundation of Ottawa - June 15th, 2019

Join The Lads for a night of high energy and rocking music! Proceeds will support the Student in Crisis Fund at the Education Foundation of Ottawa. Get your tickets early –
t​his is sure to sell out!
2019 Student Recognition Awards

Just over 250 students, staff and their families were in attendance at the 14th annual awards Student Recognition Awards celebration on Thursday, May 30th. We wish these students success and happiness as they begin a new chapter in their life.
OCDSB Outdoor Education Centre's Spring Newsletter

Check out the Outdoor Education Centre's Spring Newsletter to see what's happening at the Bill Mason & MacSkimming Centres.
2019-2020 School Year Calendar
Approved by the Ministry
 
The  2019-2020 School Year Calendar has been approved by the Ministry.
Continuing Education Newsletter -
June 2019
 
Take a look at what's coming up in the Continuing Education Department this Summer.
Stay Connected with your child's school with the OCDSB App

The new OCDSB  mobile app makes staying connected with your children’s school(s) easy and accessible. Learn more .
 Ottawa Public Health (OPH) Immunization

All children attending school between ages 4 to 17 need to be immunized according to  Ontario's Immunization Schedule .  Parents can contact OPH by phoning 613-580-6744 or visit their website .
School Council Information
 Tips on Building a Multicultural School Council

A School Council works best when it is fully representative of the school community. Building a multicultural school council means giving the opportunity for both parents and students to share their experiences, beliefs and celebrations. This helps the council plan activities and events which will engage the whole community.

Here are a few tips to help build a more diverse school council.
  • Remember that not all cultures view parent involvement in school the same way. It is important to communicate the value and opportunity for parents in the school to partner with the principal as part of the school council.
  • English may be a challenge for some parents. You may want to translate information sheets, agendas, minutes etc. in the key languages spoken by parents. In addition, providing interpreters at events and/or meetings will also make all parents feel respected and welcomed at the school.
  • Offer culturally relevant programs to parents on ways that they can support their children and the school.
  • Host a multicultural night which includes students and parents. Invite the school community to host tables or pavilions that provides information, demonstrates customs and perhaps offers a sampling of food from their countries. Use this evening to encourage parents to come to a meeting and consider joining the council.
  • Be open to the new ideas that diverse parents bring to the table. Maybe some of the strategies used at previous schools can bring exciting new ways to work on enhancing the education experience of all students at the school.
  • Encourage current members to engage others who can translate for parents and make them feel welcomed in the school council. This may help these parents feel they can contribute to the work of the school council.
  • The Ministry of Education provides most information for parents in many languages. Support your community by providing copies of these types of resources in the various languages spoken by your school community.


Other School Council Resources:

School News
There are a lot of amazing events going on in our district. Check out the School News section of our website to learn about some of the great things happening in our schools!


Fielding Drive Public School's 50th Anniversary Celebration - June 21st

On Friday, June 21st, 2019, the School Council at  Fielding Drive Public School  would like to invite everyone to join them for their 50th Anniversary Celebration! It will be held from 5:00 p.m to 8:00 p.m. at the school - 777 Fielding Drive, Ottawa. Learn more .

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. 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 June 18th, 2019. Read the full agenda here . Watch the meeting live here .

Upcoming Committee Meetings:
06/12/2019 7:00 PM Committee of the Whole, Budget
06/18/2019 7:30 PM Committee of the Whole, Public
06/24/2019 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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