HomeMy WebLinkAboutSchool Council Update 2017/04/21 - #29School Council Newsletter
April 21, 2017
WHAT'S NEW...
It was a great week at the school district...
Today was National Capital History Day in Ottawa. Congratulations and thank you
to the organizers, guest speaker Mark O'Neill, the judges and all of the participants on this
incredible event. Special shout-out to the winning school for 2017 - Nepean High
School.
Congratulations to Vicky Kyriaco, CEO of the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority
who was the winner of the 2016 Businesswoman of the Year (Organization
category) last night at the BYA Awards. Running a transportation authority is a complex
business and it is wonderful to see Vick y's hard work recognized!
Students and staff at Glashan Public School held a Symposium today on Student
Wellbeing and Mental Health The symposium, titled Open Doors, was aimed at increasing
awareness about wellbeing and mental health issues for students . Keynote speaker
Gabrielle Fayant from the Assembly of Seven Generations had a powerful message for
students on the challenges of finding mental health supports for Indigenous youth and how she
bettered her own life through learning about traditional knowledge and community.
School Climate Survey
Starting next week, students in grades 4 to 12 will have an opportunity to complete the
"OurSCHOOL" Survey about school climate. The purpose of the survey is to better
understand students' perceptions about bullying, safety at school, and student engagement.
We know that when students feel safe and welcomed at school that they are more likely to
achieve at higher levels and have a stronger sense of well-being. Many students will be
familiar with the OurSCHOOL survey as it has been in use at the OCDSB for several years.
The survey is voluntary, confidential, and takes approximately thirty to forty minutes to
complete. Students are asked to answer questions related to school climate and safety,
bullying, perception of school, sense of belonging, and their background, including age,
gender, and ethnicity. The data from this survey will be used to help school staff develop
strategies to prevent bullying and to promote safe and inclusive schools. The survey will be
conducted between April 24th and May 12th, 2017. More information was sent home by
schools and is also on our website
Mark Your Calendar! - A Date with Diversity:
Lessons from Canada and Ontario's 150th for the Next Generation
Tuesday, May 9, 2017
6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Confederation Education Centre, Cafetorium
1645 Woodroffe Avenue at Hunt Club
Parents/guardians, staff, students, and general public are invited to come together and explore
how we can foster a more equitable and inclusive culture to support learning, well-being and a
sense of belonging for the entire OCDSB community. In this community conversation about
diversity, there will be an opportunity to ask colleagues and community guests any questions
you may have about their experiences and insights. Join this timely conversation! Free
parking. Light refreshments. Register here and visit our website for more information.
Managing School Closures, Transitions and Changes
Many parents have asked questions related to school closures and transitions as a result of
the accommodation review decisions. Transition planning committees comprised of parents
and staff have been established and all of the committees have had at least one meeting. As
these committees continue to meet over the next few months, regular updates will be provided
through school newsletters and at school council meetings. Every transition plan is unique to
the school situation, however, there are transition planning guidelines which inform the work of
the these committees.
Here are some additional questions and answers. The questions about school council
finances have been repeated in the school council tips section below.
Q. - Where can I get more information about supporting my child through transitions?
The OCDSB has a Transition Guide designed to help navigate the transition for students from
elementary to secondary school. However, the guide has helpful information to assist with any
transition.
Q. - When will the new walk zones be done for students who have been redirected to other
schools?
A. - The Ottawa Student Transport Authority (OSTA) hopes to have established the new walk zones
by the first week in May. These zones will outline who is eligible for transportation. Schools will
have the new detailed maps in early May.
Q. - When will parents meet the teachers at their new home schools?
A. The staffing process for the next school year is usually finished at the beginning of
May. Principals in each of the receiving schools will decide how best to arrange a meeting where
parents are able to meet the new teachers.
Q - How do I find out about the Extended Day Program (EDP) at the new school?
A. - An individualized letter from the EDP department will be going home with every student in each
school to describe the program in their new receiving school.
Q. - When will my child's school records be moved to the new school? Will that include
information regarding life threatening conditions such as anaphylaxis?
A. Your children's school records and all information pertinent to your child's health will be at the
new home school by the time that the school year starts in September.
Q. - If my child is in a specialized program class, when will those decisions be made?
A. The Board's accommodation review decision redirected the location for a number of specialized
program classes (insert link here). Every year Learning Support Services reviews referrals for
specialized program classes and makes final placements based on the students' needs and home
locations. Those decisions will be made by the end of May. .
Q. - When will be able to apply for the International Baccalaureate Program at Merivale High
School?
A. The application process for certification for this program will begin in the near future but it
could take up to two years to achieve final certification. It is hoped that the Grade
9 pre IB program would be implemented in September, 2019.
Q - Will there be any changes to the location of Continuing Education courses and
programs?
A. Every year the Continuing Education advertises its programs and locations. Any changes would
be identified in these annual publications. For example, when students register for summer school,
the locations are indicated on the registration form.
If you have additional school council transition questions which you would like addressed,
please send them to me so that we can capture them all. We will include some questions and
answers in the newsletter and posting them to the district website. Questions that are unique
to your school should be directed to the school principal.
Speaker Series/Annual OCDSB Parent Conference - Is there
something you want to learn more about?
We are starting to plan for next year's Speak er Series events and for our annual Parent
Conference and School Council Training Day. If there are topics that you would like to learn
more about, please send us your ideas. Email pic@ocdsb.ca with your suggestions
Fairy Godmother - Prom Attire - May 13th
Graduating high school students who are unable to purchase their own prom attire are eligible
to attend Fairy Godmother's Boutique Days. 1 Day Only - Saturday, May 13th 2016 at 9:00
a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Confederation Education Centre - 1645 Woodroffe Avenue. You must
have an appointment to attend a fitting. Book a fitting by ca lling 613.232.PROM or online
at http://fairygodmotherottawa.com/. More information here.
Summer Language Programs and Camps - Fun with Languages!
Give your child the opportunity to have an enriching and fun language learning experience this
summer! The OCDSB offers various International Language classes over the summer. These
language classes are free for students currently enrolled in Ontario schools.
Classes run from July 24-28th in the mornings (9:30am to 12noon).
In addition to various language classes, the OCDSB also offers Summer French Camps ("Les
amis") and Spanish Camp ("Los Amigos"). The program is designed for children ages 5 to 13
and delivered by a team of very qualified and energetic camp counsellors. A variety of both
indoor and outdoor language learning activities are offered for a fee from July 4 to July 28 at
the following locations:
Hopewell Avenue PS - 17 Hopewell Ave. Ottawa
"Les amis" runs from 9:00 to 4:00
"Los Amigos" runs from 1:00 to 4:00.
NEW!! Farley Mowat PS - 75 Waterbridge Dr. Nepean
"Les amis" runs from 9:00 to 12noon
Please call 613-239-2703 or check here for details on both of these programs.
Continuing Education Newsletter - April 2017
Check out the Continuing Education Newsletter for April 2017. We invite you to take a look at
what is coming up in our department for 2017! Again, it is totally interactive, so please click
anywhere to be linked to our website for more information on all of our programs.
This Newsletter is also available at the following link:
http://www.ocdsb.ca/programs/continuweb/CE%20Documents/CENewsletter.pdf
REMINDERS
Speakers' Speech Writing Contest
To commemorate the 150th anniversary of Confederation, the Speakers of the Senate and the
House of Commons have launched a speech writing competition for Canadians aged 12 to 17.
This national contest asks, "What does Parliament mean to you?" Young Canadians are
invited to participate by submitting a written speech via the contest webpage. The contest
closes April 21, 2017. Visit the contest webpage here or here.
Alternative Elementary Program with Core French
Did you know that the OCDSB offers an Alternative English Program with Core French? With
strong community support and parent involvement, the Alternative Elementary Program is
based on a concept of student-centered learning and this philosophy translates into all aspects
of a student's experience at school. The program provides students opportunities to meet
Ministry expectations with flexibility to allow greater concentration in areas of their own interest
and aptitudes. Read more about the Alternative Philosophy or take a look at our Fact Sheet.
Register to attend the 2017 Community Awards and Volunteer
Appreciation Event - May 31st
Confederation Education Centre - 1645 Woodroffe Avenue at Hunt Club.
Wednesday, May 31, 2017, at 6:30 p.m.
Register today!
There are so many people who make an incredible difference in our school communities. The
district has several awards to recognize the work of parent and community
volunteers. Register here to attend the 2017 Community Awards and Volunteer Appreciation
Event. Learn more about the award categories here.
Math Facts
Learning to Count
When children are learning to count, they like to touch, point to and move objects as they say
the number aloud - so encourage them to!
Have your child count toys, kitchen utensils, items of clothing as they come out of the
dryer, collections (such as stickers, buttons or rocks) and any other items your child
shows interest in counting.
Mix it up! Have your child count a set of objects but start at different places in the set
(for example, start counting in the middle of the set rather than at the beginning).
This helps to develop the idea that the counting of objects can begin with any o bject
in a set and the total will still be the same.
Sing counting songs and use counting in meaningful ways in games, such as Hide-
and-Seek. Counting games, rhymes and songs exist in every culture. Some
counting songs and rhymes help children to count forward and backward as well.
Parents Reaching Out (PRO) Grants 2017-2018 - Deadline May
25th
Great news, the Ministry has announced the 2017-2018 Parents Reaching Out (PRO) grants
program. This year, special consideration will be given to proposals that promote increased
access and awareness of math strategies and resources for parents to support their children's
learning at home and at school. Special consideration will be given to eligible projects from
school councils that promote increased access to and awareness of math strategies and
resources for parents to support their children's learning at home and at school, or support the
engagement of parents from Indigenous or racialized communities, or encourage parent
engagement in promoting the value of arts, in support of student success. The deadline for the
2017-2018 PRO grant submissions is Ma y 25, 2017. Applications must be submitted online.
For more information, please visit the Ministry website.
School Council Business
This week, the district completed a review of issues relating to the loss of school council funds.
While much of this information applies to the schools directly involved in the review, all school
councils will be interested in the lessons learned from this review and the next steps. The
following things were identified:
There is a need for more training, resources and supports for school adm inistrators
and school councils, including chairs and treasurers, on overseeing school council
financial practices;
The district should consider strategies to reduce cash handling in schools;
The current school council finance policy assigns an oversight r esponsibilities to
principals, which is difficult if the school council banks separate from the
district. This could be addressed through a review of the current school council
financial policy to consider a requirement that all schools bank through the d istrict;
There is a need for more consistent practice in how suspected thefts are investigated
once reported. This could be addressed by the development of a procedure on the
steps to be taken when a loss of school council funds is reported - this would
include process, roles, responsibilities, communications, conditions for restitution,
etcetera;
Over the next few months as we consider next steps, more details will be provided.
School Council Finance Transition Questions
What happens to the school council in a school that is scheduled to close?
A school council is associated with a particular school. When a school is scheduled to close, the
school council plays a role in planning for the transition to the new school. Once the school closes,
the school council ceases to exist. The council will need to document their decisions about closure
related items by way of motion, close off their finances, and consolidate their records. The school
council records can be consolidated with the school records and managed in accordance with the
district retention schedule.
What happens with School Council Funds?
Generally speaking, school council funds follow students. For example, if school a is closing and all
students are being redirected to school b, the school council funds would go from school a to school
b. This becomes more complicated if students are being redirected to more than one school or if
only some students are being redirected. In these cases, the school council funds
follow the students on a proportionate basis. The Finance Department is working on a
new section of the School Council Finance Guide which will bring greater clarity to these issues.
Watch for more information about this in the next two weeks.
Are there limitations on what school councils can spend money on if the school is closing?
Funds are supposed to be used for the purpose for which they were collected. If this is no longer
possible because of a pending closure, the council will need to have a school council discussion
about how to use the funds and will need to document any decisions made. Decisions about
spending or redirecting funds should be made by motion, documented in the minutes, and clearly
accounted for in financial records.
BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Meetings that Matter....
The next Board Meeting will be on Tuesday, April 25th at 7:30 p.m. at 133 Greenbank Road in
the Boardroom. Read the full agenda here.
Board and Committee of the Whole Meetings
Please note there have been changes to the schedule for the Committee of the Whole Budget
meetings. The new schedule is as follows:
30 May 2017 - Presentation of the staff recommended budget (new date)
05 June 2017 - Public delegations and committee questions
12 June 2017 - Budget debate commences
19 June 2017 - Budget debate (if required) and recommendation to the Board
Staff anticipates the 2017-2018 Budget will be approved at the Board meeting of 26 June 2017.
* The timelines for registering as a delegation (4 minutes) at Budget Committee have been
extended to noon Monday, June 4, 2017. To register in advance, please contact
nicole.guthrie@ocdsb.ca. Anyone can register just prior to the start of the meeting as a 2
minute delegation.
Questions and comments relating to the Budget can be sent by email
to budgetinfo@ocdsb.ca.
Upcoming Meetings:
4/24/2017
7:00 PM Advisory Committee on the Arts
4/24/2017
7:00 PM Alternative Schools Advisory Committee
4/25/2017
7:30 PM Board Meeting
4/27/2017
6:00 PM Advisory Committee on Equity
5/2/2017
7:30 PM Committee of the Whole, Public
Boardroom Highlights can be found here.
EVENTS AND REMINDERS
Places to Go...Things to Remember
Regina Street Alternative Program Open House - May 10
Regina Street Public School - 2599 Regina Street.
Wednesday, May 10 at 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Regina Street Public School will offer the Alternative Program for elementary students
beginning this September 2017. Parents/guardians are invited to learn more about the
program.
Used Electronics & Clothing Drive for Sir Wilfrid Laurier - April 22-
23
Saturday, April 22 - Sunday, April 23
8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Ray Friel Parking Lot, 1585 Tenth Line Road
What's in your closet? Bring your old electronics (TVs, video systems, etc.) and your used
clothing to the Used Clothing and E-Recycle event. Saturday, April 22- Sunday, April 23 at Ray
Friel Recreation Complex Parking Lot. This event is a fundraiser for Sir Wilfrid Laurier
SecondarySchool School Council. All funds received benefit the school.
Presentation on Bullying Prevention - Briargreen and Leslie Park
Public Schools
The school councils of Briargreen and Leslie Park are joining together to host a presentation on
bullying prevention. The presentation will be held on Wednesday, April 26th at 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
in the library at Briargreen Public School, 19 Parkfield Cresc ent. The presentation by Vania
and Winston Karam an Ottawa mother/son team that have been dedicated to fighting bullying
together for over 5 years. They have been featured in dozens of media stories across North
America. The struggles they have both overcome are an inspiration to everyone. They will
deliver a message of hope and empowerment to both students and parents! The presentation
will be geared towards parents and students (grade 4 or older). Click here for more details.
Please RSVP to: bgpscouncil@gmail.com or leslieparkpscouncil@gmail.com .
English Public Speaking Competition - Final Competition
Convent Glen E.S. - 1708 Grey Nuns Drive
Gymnasium
Thursday April 27th at 6:00 p.m.
Social Networking and Online Security Talk with Paul Davis -
Wednesday May 2 at 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Adrienne Clarkson Elementary School - 170 Stoneway Drive, Nepean
Topics include: Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Smartphones and Digital Trails,
Cyberbullying, Texting/Sexting, Online Gaming, Online Security. This information session is
brought to you by the ACES Parent Council.
Registration: To register and get your FREE ticket please click here:
https://acespauldavispresentation.eventbrite.ca
Should you need childcare, a limited number of childcare spots will be provided for school aged
children free of charge during the event.
If you have any questions about the presentation or ticket ordering, please
contact acesschoolcouncil@gmail.com
Ridgemont's Mental Health Symposium and Multicultural Pot-luck
Dinner - May 5th
Friday, May 5th from 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Ridgemont High School - 2597 Alta Vista Drive
Ridgemont's School Council presents, "Happy Minds...Happy Families" - a Mental Health
Symposium and Multicultural Pot-luck Dinner. Guest speakers include Mariam Meade (RN and
Relationship Counsellor) and Caroline Alince (student). There will be student performers and
student art exhibits will be on display.
Reminders: Rideau High School's 60th REUNION - May 5th and
6th at 7:00 p.m.
Rideau High School's 60th Reunion Committee (RHS60RC) would like to invite everyone to
celebrate this milestone. On May 5th, we will be hosting a Pub and Memorabilia Night at
Rideau High School to remember the good times that were shared within the Rideau High
School community and have an opportunity for former students, teachers, support staff, and
community members to remember and reconnect with one another. On May 6th, we will be
hosting a Last Rideau Reunion Prom Night theme to celebrate and recognize Rideau High
School's graduation from its current stage in its lifecycle and give a formal celebratory farewell.
Learn more here. Join our group on Facebook: Rideau High School 60th Anniversary
CHEO Workshops on MindMasters 2 at Alta Vista P.S. - May 11th
MindMasters 2 is a free toolkit, developed by CHEO, for children from JK to Grade 3, to help
children learn mindfulness, relaxation and positive thinking strategies that will help them
manage emotions and cope with stress. Learn about the toolkit (including the free app for
iPad) at a 3-part workshop series at Alta Vista Public School 1349 Randall Avenue in the Main
Gym 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. on May 11th. Attend any or all workshops. Child minding is available.
These tools can be modified for all ages. More information can be found here.
Speaker Series
Parents, guardians and caregivers are invited to join us for our free Speaker Series
Presentations. The presentations will begin at 7:00 p.m.
Gender Identity and Gender Expression Presentation:
Thursday, May 4th, 7:00 p.m.
Sir Robert Borden High School Auditorium, 131 Greenbank Road