Building Brighter Futures Together
at the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board
School Council Update #5 - October 4, 2019
" Child sexual abuse can often go undectected, even by responsible adults ". This is a difficult truth and one that parents and educators have to acknowledge. The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board recognizes that our commitment to creating safe environments includes reducing the risk of child sexual abuse. On the October 11th PA Day, all school based staff will participate in a learning program through the Canadian Centre for Child Protection. The program is designed to ensure a better understanding of child sexual abuse, how to evaluate risks and establish boundaries, and how to discuss and address concerning behaviours. This is important information for parents to understand. To help build parental awareness, we have scheduled a Speaker Series on October 10th. Here are the details:
Speaker Series
Karyn Kibsey, Canadian Centre for Child
Protection
Thursday, 10 October 2019
7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Earl of March Secondary School
4 The Pkwy, Kanata, ON K2K 1Y4

Join us and our guest speaker from the Canadian Centre for Child Protection and learn how to better understand the issue of child sexual abuse. Topics covered include personal boundaries, adult supervision, what to talk to your child about, and more. Learn More .
Important Information
You may have heard media reports regarding possible strike action by CUPE education workers beginning on Monday, October 7th.  The OCDSB does NOT have any CUPE bargaining units; all OCDSB schools will be open and all school activities, including school bus service, will continue.

The OCDSB will continue to keep the community informed about labour relations through district and school websites, by email, through social media and the media.

More information on our Labour Negotiations process can be found here:  https://ocdsb.ca/about_us/labour_negotiations
With Voila Live, every Monday to Thursday evening from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. students have online access to live teachers, and are able to get homework help in French, English and Math. Your child can also practice their French and play live games in French. Learn more on their  website .
Mark your calendar for our 2019 Parent Conference. The event will feature keynote speaker Dr. Laura Markham , along with engaging workshops. It will be held at Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School - 149 Berrigan Dr. This year, following the keynote speaker and parent focused workshops, round-table discussions will be held specifically for school councils to discuss those issues and topics of greatest interest with OCDSB experts. More information will be available in the coming weeks. Registration will be open next week.
Every October Islamic Heritage Month is recognized in Canada. This is an opportunity to learn about the history and culture of Ontarians of Muslim heritage, as well as to appreciate the significant contributions made by the Islamic community.
Cyber Security Awareness Month is an internationally recognized campaign held each October to inform the public of the importance of cyber security. This campaign is focused on helping all Canadians be more secure online, by being informed and knowing the simple steps to take to protect themselves, their families, their workplace and their devices. At the OCDSB, we will sharing resources to educate staff and students on how to protect themselves online.
Learn more here .
Identity-Based Data Study
I In November 2019, as part of our commitment to equity and the identification and elimination of systemic barriers and bias, the OCDSB will begin collecting identity-based data from all students. 
The data collection process is grounded in the legal authority of the  Anti Racism Act, 2017  and a data standards   framework   for school boards in Ontario. Our ongoing work in this area is a demonstration of our commitment to creating a culture of caring and social responsibility - to support the needs of our staff, students and community. Learn more here . 
OECD Study on Social and Emotional Skills
The OCDSB will be participating in the OECD Study on Social and Emotional Skills. The data gathered from this study will be used to help identify factors that support the development of social and emotional skills.

Examples of social and emotional skills include collaboration, open-mindedness and self-efficacy. These life skills are critical for student success, and contribute to many positive life outcomes.

Further information can be found here.
Reminders
ONFE’s Spark Soirée, supporting ONFE’s School Breakfast Program, features a breakfast inspired cocktail reception, gourmet breakfast-for-dinner three-course meal, and late-night entertainment.
Become a Foster Parent Today
Foster families allow the child or youth to be raised in a family environment that is stable and supportive, ensuring that their needs can best be met. Find out more about fostering.
There are great things happening at our Outdoor Education Centres this fall. Check out the Fall 2019 Newsletter for further information.
Looking to plan out your school year? The 2019-2020 School Year Calendars are available on our website.
School Council Information
Video Licensing Agreement 2019-2010
In order for schools and schools councils to show copyright protected movies, the OCDSB has renewed their video licensing agreements with Criterion Pictures, and Audio Cine Films Inc. for the 2018-2019 school year,
effective until September 1st, 2020.

School Council Annual Report - Due 30 October 2019
School councils are required to submit to the District an annual report on their activities for the past year. On or before October 30, 2019, please ensure to submit your report to the school principal and forward a copy to Engy Masieh, 133 Greenbank Road, Ottawa, ON K2H 6L3 or by email at  [email protected] .

Further School Council information can be found on our website .

Other Resources:

Board and Committee of the Whole Meetings
The next Committee of the Whole meeting will be held on October 15th, 2019, in the boardroom at 133 Greenbank Road at 7:30 p.m.

 Watch the meeting  live here .

Upcoming Committee Meetings: 

For a summary of our board meetings, read our Boardroom Newsbriefs here .
Stay Connected
Follow us on  Twitter , Instagram, visit our Facebook and  LinkedIn pages, and watching our videos on  YouTube. Download our app for info on the go through the apple store or google play.
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