Dear Staff

It was a pleasure to welcome you back to school this week for the first PA day of the school year. This year, our spiritual theme, “Listening with the Ear of the Heart” comes from the words of Pope Francis, who reminds us that listening is central to our faith. Through deep listening, we can expand our knowledge and understanding of the experiences of others which supports a culture of respect for human rights, equity, diversity, inclusion, and Indigenous education. 

Thank you for all who volunteered for and participated in the annual Fore-the-Kids Golf Tournament in August, principals' meeting at the Director's Summer Institute, and the elementary and secondary school Administrative Assistants PD days last week.

The Durham Catholic Children’s Foundation has had a successful start raising $30,000 at the annual Fore-the-Kids Golf Tournament. The funds raised will assist our most vulnerable families in providing basic needs that will promote student well-being which is a critical factor in student achievement. On Monday, September 5, 2022, I invite you to donate to the Foundation in recognition of International Day of Charity. A donation link is available below in this issue of the Weekly Buzz.

I wish you all a great start to school next week - as you establish routines, connect with students and families and ensure that our schools are safe and welcoming places for living and learning in faith.

Yours in Faith,

Tracy Barill

Director of Education



Become a DCDSB School Wellness Representative!

As a School Wellness Representative, you will act as the communication link between the DCDSB Staff Wellness Committee and your school, share wellness resources and materials provided by the Committee, and promote and participate in wellness workshops, campaigns, and other initiatives. You can help improve the wellness culture in your school and create a healthier environment for your colleagues. 

If you are interested in becoming a school wellness representative, please speak with your Principal and request to be added to the 'Designated Worker and Staff Wellness' log in eBase.

September's Wellness Calendar

Systems 24/7 is offering a wellness calendar for September 2022. It is full of various activities, goals, and daily tips to help improve your wellness at work and at home. Follow along with the daily activities, set personal wellness goals for the month, and keep track of your overall well-being as we transition into a new school year.

The Systems 24/7 webinars are available at https://www.systems24-7.com/ and free to everyone.

Colour Blind? Why being 'not racist' is not enough anymore

More than 70 staff members gathered for the Summer Institute for Educators at Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School on August 24, 2022. Academic and Student Services departments provided workshops covering a variety of topics, while keynote speaker and Durham Catholic Alumni, Aubrey Noronha spoke to staff on Colour Blind? Why being ‘not racist’ is not enough anymore. 

Aubrey Noronha shared steps to take on our actively anti-racist journey by building awareness, relationships and commitment. Below are things you can do on a daily basis as an actively anti-racist: 

• Admit – An actively anti-racist person admits when they have bias, when they do something racist, say something racist or believe or support a racist idea. 
• Learn & Listen – An actively anti-racist person knows that they can always learn more and welcomes information and opportunities to learn. 
• Get Comfortable with Getting Uncomfortable – We need to accept change and understand that discomfort is at the root of all growth and learning. We grow as people when we listen to uncomfortable truths, have uncomfortable conversations and get comfortable with getting uncomfortable. 
• Live Like we are Family – We are all human, so let’s be part of the same human family. As family we want the best for each other and not harm. Like all families, we are going to disagree from time to time and annoy one another. 
• Put Privilege in its Proper Place – A racist person ignores privilege, while an actively anti-racist person is aware of their privilege, acknowledge it and are not ashamed of it. You are aware that privilege means you have things in your life that don’t make your life harder. You remember that you don’t do anything to earn privilege and you are aware that other members of our human family don’t have the same privileges. Plus, you use your privilege every day for good. 
• Connect with Other Anti-Racists – As part of your anti-racist journey, you are encouraged to talk with and learn from other people who are moving forward. 
• Call Out, Call In, Call Up – Call out behaviours, words, ideas that are racist even if its uncomfortable and have a conversation with the person who is doing something racist. As Catholics, we are called to be better people and neighbours and to help each other on this journey. 
• Follow the Lead of Those Who have the Most to Lose – Learn from Black and Indigenous leaders, read books, articles and social media to continue your understanding and knowledge. 
• De-Centre Self – Transfer Power – Learn from our marginalized students. Take time to learn about their culture from their lens and collaborate with students on make their education the best it can be. 
• Look at Who Your “People” Are –Foster relationships with people who look different than you in your personal life. 
• Have Radical Humility – Imagine that it is your family member that is experiencing racism. Having radical humility means being honest with yourself about what other people experience and it leads us to come alongside our racialized family in the fight to end racism. Don’t let this be a moment – let it be a movement! 

Understanding the HREA Role 

Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) is committed to maintaining a culture of respect for human rights and the dignity of the human person. It is our shared legal and moral obligation to ensure that classrooms and workspaces are safe, welcoming, diverse and equitable. In furtherance of its commitment to identifying and eliminating any form of overt or covert racism, discriminatory practices, systemic barriers and biases from our board, DCDSB recently appointed Mr. Kayode Akomolafe as its Human Rights and Equity Advisor (HREA).

The HREA will provide system-level leadership in meeting obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code and continue to build capacity to foster a culture of human rights, maintain welcoming, respectful working and learning environments in the board. The HREA will also facilitate the resolution of human rights concerns/complaints through transparent and accountable processes which may include investigation, mediation or other forms of complaint resolution.

The HREA acts in a non-partisan capacity to protect and advance human rights as articulated in the Ontario Human Rights Code and school board policies.

The HREA will also maintain appropriate independence and impartiality and will not:

• provide legal advice or representation to, or act as legal counsel, or
• provide other advice or take other actions in relation to any party in a dispute that may place them in an actual or perceived conflict of interest in relation to any other party to the dispute.

To deliver on this mandate, the HREA commits to working collaboratively with students, all board staff, Trustees, families and communities to advance human rights, equity, diversity, inclusion and the dismantling of systemic barriers in the board.

For human rights, equity, anti-racism and anti-discrimination concerns, please contact the HREA at:

Kayode Akomolafe, Human Rights & Equity Advisor

Telephone: 905-576-6150 ext. 22232

Email: [email protected]

Teachers, Copyright, and Fair Dealing 

Know your rights and know your limits! 

Thinking of using a short excerpt from a copyright-protected work in your classroom? First, find out if you need permission from the copyright owner. 

The Fair Dealing Decision Tool helps teachers decide, with just a few clicks, whether fair dealing permits classroom use of short excerpts from print materials, artistic works, or audiovisual materials without needing to obtain copyright permission.

It takes 30 seconds on FairDealingDecisionTool.ca to determine if the intended use is fair dealing.  

Every teacher should bookmark the Fair Dealing Decision Tool: 

www.FairDealingDecisionTool.ca.

2022 OCSTA Short Video Contest for CDSB Students

OCSTA is pleased to announce the return of the OCSTA Short Video Contest which this year celebrates the Catholic Education Week theme for the year – Catholic Education: We are Many, We are One.

Students in Grades 4-12 are invited to create a 2-minute video highlighting acts of Christian service to others that give witness to our faith. All participants are asked to upload completed videos to YouTube for viewing and adjudication by the provincial committee. 

To view full contest details please click here.

Register to Vote in Municipal and School Board Elections

If you are a resident, owner or tenant of property in Ontario, a Canadian citizen and 18 years of age or over, you can vote in Ontario’s municipal and school board elections. To confirm that your information is current and accurately reflected, please visit voterlookup.ca.

Oshawa Municipal & School Board Elections

The City of Oshawa has provided the following information for Oshawa residents regarding the upcoming Municipal & School Board Elections on Monday, October 24. Qualified Oshawa voters don’t need to wait until Voting Day to cast their ballot! In addition to the traditional Voting Day and advance voting opportunities, qualified Oshawa voters can request to vote-by-mail this year.

To cast your vote from home, Oshawa voters should visit voteoshawa.ca and request a vote-by-mail package by completing the following process:

• confirm their voter information (name, date of birth, Oshawa address);
• provide an email address (in the event that an Election Official needs to contact them); and,
• upload a piece of identification.



Alternatively, Oshawa voters could request their vote-by-mail package in-person at Service Oshawa (50 Centre St. S.) or over the phone (905-436-3311).

Vote-by-mail packages can be requested until Monday, September 12 and will be mailed out beginning Monday, September 26. Learn more at oshawa.ca/votebymail.

For more information on the 2022 Municipal & School Board Elections, please visit our website at voteoshawa.ca or contact City Clerk Services at 905-436-5639 or [email protected].

Numbered Memos

Review this week's numbered memos, click here

September 1, 2022

• STSE22-23006 Program Support Teacher Meetings
• ACSE22-23004 STREAM Lead Resources and Professional Development Training  
• HRS22-23006 - eBASE Logs and Inspection
• HRS22-23005 - IGT Roster Process 
• HRS22-23004 - K-12 Curriculum Consultant - Equity and Culturally Relevant and Responsive Pedagogy
• HRS22-23003 - Consultant - Technology Enhanced Learning-REVISED  
• STSE22-23005 IEP Consultation and Completion Dates  
• STSE22-23004 Student Services Directory and Staffing Assignments 
• STSE22-23003 Safety Plans and Notification of Risk of Injury  

August 31, 2022

• FACI22-23001 Board Courier Services
• BUSI22-23001 School Bookkeeping Procedures
• BUSI22-23001 Year End Checklist
• BUSI22-23002 Fiscal Year End
• BUSI22-23003 School Generated Funds External Auditor Requirements
• HRS22-23002- COVID-19 Related Absences and Procedures

August 30, 2022

• ACSE22-23002 Copyright Awareness Materials for Educator
• ACSE22-23003 2022 OCSTA Short Video Contest Grades 4 -12