December 20 2024 • Issue #61

Learning opportunities and initiatives demonstrating commitment to Thames Valley's Multi-Year Strategic Plan.

Happy Holidays from Thames Valley 

Happy holidays from Thames Valley District School Board!  

Please enjoy this holiday video celebrating how Stoneybrook Public School practices the spirit of giving in their school community.  

Mental Wellness over the Winter Break

Winter Break means disruptions to routines for families.

Throughout the break, Thames Valley’s social media accounts will be posting tips and resources to help parents and caregivers support mental wellness over the winter break.

Please follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X.

If you are in need of additional local support, please visit:

https://sites.google.com/gotvdsb.ca/familiescaregiversworkshops/finding-support  

Level Up! Career Fair - Mini Home Build Project

On November 12 - 13, at the Western Fair District Agriplex, Thames Valley students in grades 7 through 12 got to enjoy the Level Up! Skilled Trades Fair.  

Level Up! is a series of Ontario-wide, multi-day career fair events that bring together the best in skilled trades professionals across industry organizations, post-secondary institutions, businesses, associations and more. The fair was a chance for students to explore the possibilities of different career paths available in the skilled trades. 

Level Up! included hands-on exhibits, staffed by professionals across a wide range of industries, who were able to speak with students, and answer their questions. A panel of skilled trades representatives were also on hand to offer advice and insights about the exciting career opportunities available and the benefits of pursuing a career in the skilled trade industries. 

Students in the Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program from Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School participated in a mini home build project highlighted at the Level Up! Career Fair. This project is an excellent opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience while contributing to the community. 

3D Printed Prosthetics at

Caradoc Public School

Caradoc Public School students are expanding their STEM knowledge through their innovative Bionic Body and Medical Devices project.

Grade 5 Science students are designing and 3D printing medical devices and prosthetics using the Tinkercad web application. 

Pictured above are 3D printed hip and eye prosthetic pieces. Students even designed pieces with movable parts, such as articulated fingers.

This project shows students how their classroom learning has countless real-world applications.



Thank you to Fatima Leal at Caradoc Public School for sharing this initiative! 

TVDSB Aviation School

The Aviation School is a unique program open to all students throughout Thames Valley!

Aviation School is a collaborative and experiential program designed to prepare students for aviation workplace, apprenticeships, college-level training or university-level programs and meets Ontario curriculum expectations. In addition, it fosters technical skills and develops the skills of critical thinking, innovation, creativity, self-directed learning, collaboration and citizenship.

Hear from current students about highlights from their program. 

Learn more about aviation at TVDSB by visiting our website.

200 Trees for 200 Years in Port Stanley 

In honour of Port Stanley’s Bicentennial, Kettle Creek Public School students are planting a new Carolinian Forest on the berm as part of the 200 Trees for 200 Years project.

Students have worked over the past 7 years to make this project a reality.  

The initiative represents a collaborative community partnership between The Port Stanley Village Association, Municipality of Central Elgin, and the Environmental Collaborative Opportunities (“ECO”) class at Kettle Creek Public School to preserve the Lake Erie waterfront green space.  

The ribbon cutting ceremony was held on Friday, November 29, and was attended by community leaders and partners.

Karate World Champions at Evelyn Harrison Public School

Korbin and Ryker from Evelyn Harrison Public School recently competed at the World Karate Championships in Portugal, returning home with 2 gold and 3 bronze medals all together.

They were welcomed back to school with a standing ovation and cheering from their classmates. Learn more about their exciting story in this video.



Excellence begins at Thames Valley!

Child Care Community Consultation

Thames Valley values Early Years programs and specifically the integration of all Early Years programs to ensure families have a seamless, quality experience. As TVDSB expands childcare centres in schools, before and after school programs in schools and EarlyON programs, we collaborated with our Municipal partners, LDCSB, Early Years operators and our system staff to build on our values and what they look like in practice. 

On November 13, 2024, together with the municipal childcare managers and the LDCSB, we hosted 75 participants who provided us with their thoughts on our collective values. The participants included representatives from our partners; childcare operators, before and after school operators, EarlyON operators, municipal childcare managers, LDCSB, as well as TVDSB system staff including the Interim Director, Superintendents, System Principals, System Managers, and Principals. We were also fortunate to have the voice of a retired Early Years Advisor from the Ministry of Education. 

Our next step is to reach the voices of families and children who participate in childcare, before and after school programs, EarlyON programs and Kindergarten. What is important to those families for a seamless, quality experience among all Early Years programs within schools? 

 "The Consolidated Municipal Service Managers (CMSMs) were excited to take part in this initiative of creating collective values. This event allowed an opportunity for collaboration between school staff, municipal staff, childcare providers, and early years community partners and focused on identifying ways to align our programs while also building capacity.  By connecting in this way, participants were able to identify shared goals, share and learn from each other's expertise, and explore new opportunities for working together to enhance services for children and families who access education and programs in our schools and communities." (Elgin CMSM) 

"Effective communication between administrators, educators, and operators is essential for enhancing a sense of belonging within the community and fostering supportive relationships. It is crucial that everyone feels they belong in the system. The primary focus is on families and children, with children at the center of decision-making processes. Families are key stakeholders and should be an integral part of these discussions. Whitehills Childcare Association is committed to partnering with the entire Early Years system to create and maintain meaningful and supportive connections." (Whitehills Childcare Association) 

“I’m so proud of the work our team did in organizing and co-hosting the “Values for Practice” session held last month. What struck me as powerful was not only the energy in the room but also the dialogue engagement that resulted in amazing ideas and commitments going forward. Thank you to all of our partners in this journey together. The ultimate benefactors will be our students and their families.” (Bill Tucker, Interim Director  of Education, Thames Valley District School Board) 

Blind Hockey at Canada Life Place 

On November 21, the ‘Try Skating and Blind Hockey’ event was held by Blind Hockey Canada at Canada Life Place.

Students ages 3 to 20 who are blind or partially sighted were invited to spend the day at the arena to connect with peers and try out this excellent sport.



Students explored the dressing room, player’s bench, penalty box, and visited the Zamboni before pairing up with a mentor for an on-ice session. Thank you to the London Knights for partnering with us for this remarkable event and helping to make sports accessible to all.

Virtual Kindergarten Information Session

Parents and caregivers with students entering Kindergarten in September 2025 are invited to attend a live, virtual information session on January 27, 2025. Registration for this online session will be open from January 13, 2025 to January 24, 2025.

The online session will give participants an overview of Thames Valley District School Board’s Kindergarten program and provide information on how the school will help support their child’s transition to kindergarten. 

Parents and caregivers will also learn about some of the typical ways children spend their day at school, and take a tour of a Kindergarten learning space.

For more information on kindergarten registration, please go to www.tvdsb.ca/Kindergarten. 

Holiday message from Beth Mai, Chair, Thames Valley District School Board

Dear TVDSB Community,

The holidays are here, and with them comes a chance to look back on the past year. It’s been an eventful one, filled with some challenges, but also many opportunities and marked a significant period of growth for us all.

I’d like to take a moment to express my deepest appreciation for everyone who makes our board what it is today. 

I’m grateful for our caring school communities, and for the families who choose Thames Valley. Your trust and partnership are essential to our success. And of course, thank you to our students, who have accomplished so much during the past year. 

All this is possible because of our dedicated staff. Whether you are a teacher, student, custodian, or any other staff member, please know that your contributions are valued and recognized. The Thames Valley District School Board would not exist without such incredible dedication. Your efforts make a profound difference in the lives of so many.

This holiday season, I hope you can spend time with those who mean the most to you. And take some well-deserved time to relax, recharge, and appreciate the moments we have together.



Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season and all the best in the new year. We look forward to seeing you back on January 6.

Warm regards,

Beth Mai

Chairperson

Board of Trustees

Thames Valley District School Board