HomeMy WebLinkAboutSchool Council Update 2018/9/14 - # 2School Council Update #2 - September 14, 2018
This is the time of year when many parents think about how to support their child's
learning. There are so many great opportunities for parents to provide support at
home and in the school.
The OCDSB Parent Involvement Committee created a wonderful booklet
called Your Child's Education - Be a Part of It! This booklet is also available
in French, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi and several other languages, is filled with ideas
you might want to consider, whether you have five minutes or a full day.
Here are some other resources you might want to look at:
Parent Tool Kit
Ministry of Education Resources
People for Education Parent Tip Sheets - there are many topics to choose from but
start with Parent Engagement
If you are looking to volunteer in the school, speak to your child's teacher, the
school principal and the school council. Find the opportunity that matches your
interests and abilities.
However you decide to get involved, you can have a positive impact and help your
child reach his or her full potential.
Important Information
We want your feedback! Parent Conference & School Council Training Day
The OCDSB is very excited to announce our Parent Conference and School
Council Training Day will be held on November 3rd, 2018. This event is held in
partnership with the Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) and the Ottawa -
Carleton Assembly of School Councils (OCASC).
We would like to invite you to provide your input on possible topics for
workshops, as well as any other feedback about the day. We have put together
a ThoughtExchange where you can provide ideas, suggestions, or reflections to
help us plan the conference. We are always interested in your thoughts, and you
can use this platform to share them until September 21st.
We thank you in advance for your participation in this, and look forward to the
conference on November 3.
Revised Health and Physical Education Curriculum, Grades 1 -8
You may have heard of some changes to the Health and Physical Education
curriculum that were announced by the Minister of Education over the summer.
Learn more about the changes here.
School Bus Transportation
With school back in session, we all need to be extra careful on the roads watching
for students walking or cycling to school or waiting at bus stops. For those using
school buses, it takes a week or two for everyone to get used to new bus routes
and schedules. If you have experienced delays, please be patient. Inquiries about
busing should be directed to OSTA.
Municipal Elections - October 22nd
The 2018 Municipal and School Board election is Monday, October 22nd. School
board trustees are elected for a four year term. Trustees provide important
oversight to school board and are responsible for setting strategic priorities, policy
and budgets. Trustees are also a really important connection to the community
and consider the concerns and interests of constituents when making Board
decisions. Check out these election resources prepared in English and French by
the Ontario Education Services Corporation. These include:
1. ‘Making a Difference for Kids' Guidebook
2. Posters and newspaper ads to promote voter participation in school
board elections
3. ‘All Candidates Meeting’ Guide
Please see the OCDSB Election Information page for more information.
Continuing Education - Fall Newsletter
Check out the Continuing Education Newsletter for September/October 2018, and
have a look at what is coming up this Fall.
Be a part of our Parent Involvement Committee!
Would you like to volunteer your time to make a difference in public
education? Apply to be a member of the Parent Involvement Committee (PIC). For
more details about PIC and the responsibility of members, please visit
our website.
Online applications must be received by Friday, October 26, 2018.
School News
There are a lot of amazing events going on in our district. Check out our
new School News section of the website to learn about the great things happening
in our schools!
Want to spread the word about your event? Send us an email
at: schoolnewslettersinfo@ocdsb.ca. We will help publicize your events on our
website.
School Council Information
School Council Elections
The election of school council members must be held within 30 days of the start of
the school year. The school community should have 14 days notice of election.
Any parent in the school is eligible to sit on school council. The details about the
election process are outlined in the School Council Policy and in theSchool
Council Elections Procedure. The election of officers (Chair, Co-chair, Secretary,
Treasurer) happens after the members of the new council have been duly elected.
Don't forget to review your school council constitution for specific provisions with
respect to your school.
New School Council - Contact Information
Please send us an updated list of school council contact information after your
elections. We are looking for names of school council chairs, vice-chairs and/or
co-chairs. Send the information to Policy Analyst Engy Abdel Masieh
at engy.abdel.masieh@ocdsb.ca. As soon as the new school council members
are elected, please e-mail us the following:
Names
Phone numbers
Email addresses
This information is shared with trustees and superintendents and is also used to
keep you up to date on school council information.
Year-End Reporting of School Generated Funds - Due September 21, 2018
By law, school council financial activities must be included in the school board's
year-end financial statements. Please ensure that the information below is
completed and copied in an email to yearendfinancials@ocdsb.ca no later than 21
September 2018.
Your e-mail should include the following:
School Name
School Council Chair
Opening balance of all reconciled bank accounts, investments and cash on
hand on August 1, 2018
The amount raised by school council during the year from August 1, 2017,
to July 31, 2018
The amount spent by school council during the year from August 1, 2017,
to July 31, 2018
Closing balance of all reconciled bank accounts, investments and cash on
hand on July 31, 2018
In cases where your school council's banking arrangements are administered by
the school, the school council is not required to provide this information because
the school's annual report would cover these requirements; however, please
advise Michelle Klein at michelle.klein@ocdsb.ca if your school council is in this
category.
Annual Report - Due October 30 2018
School Councils are required to submit an annual report to the District on its
activities, including fundraising. The school council annual report is a requirement
included in the "School Opening Documentation" process conducted by the
principal.
On or before October 30, 2018, please submit your school council annual report
to your school principal and forward a copy to Policy Analyst Engy Abdel Masieh
either by e-mail at engy.abdel.masieh@ocdsb.ca, or by mail to 133 Greenbank
Road, Ottawa, ON K2H 6L3.
School Council Liability Insurance
The OCDSB provides liability insurance coverage for school councils. The policy
period is November 1, 2018, to November 1, 2019. More information will be
provided to principals and shared with school councils when it becomes available.
Movie Nights by School Council
In order for your school council 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 ending September 1, 2019. Please
contact your school principal for more information on the registration and reporting
requirements.
Important Information for School Councils
School Council Resource Guide
School Council Funds Management Guide
School Council Insurance
Dates to Remember
School Year Calendar
The 2018-2019 school year elementary and secondary calendars are available on
our website, and a hard copy was distributed to students and staff this week. The
highlights include School Holidays, PA Days, and District-wide Secondary
Testing.
2018 Parent Conference &
School Council Training Day
We're very excited to announce that
we will again be hosting the OCDSB
Parent Conference. The event is
held in partnership with the Parent
Involvement Committee (PIC) and
the Ottawa-Carleton Assembly
of School Councils (OCASC).
Mark your calendar for Saturday,
November 3rd, 2018, and stay tuned
for further information.
The conference will be held at
Gloucester High School.
Speaker Series 2018-2019
Enjoy these free information
sessions highlighting leading ideas
in education that will allow us to work
collaboratively to better support
student learning.
Upcoming session:
Concussion Management
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sir Robert Borden High School - 131
Greenbank Road
Gordon & Kathleen Stringer
and
Dr. Michael Vassilyadi,
Pediatric Neurosurgeon, CHEO
Founder, CHEO Concussion Clinic -
Ottawa Chapter
Director for ThinkFirst/ Parachute
Board and Committee of the Whole Meetings
The first regularly scheduled Committee of the Whole meeting of the school year
will be held on September 18, 2018. The Public session begins at 7:30 p.m.
Watch the meeting live here.
Upcoming Committee Meetings:
9/18/2018 7:45 PM Committee of the Whole, Public
9/24/2018 7:00 PM Advisory Committee on the Arts
9/25/2018 7:30 PM Board, Public
9/26/2018 7:00 PM Audit Committee
9/27/2018 6:00 PM Advisory Committee on Equity
9/27/2018 7:00 PM OCASC Secondary School Committee
Stay Connected
OCDSB staff, students and community members can view the District's website. Keep in touch by following us
on Twitter, visiting our Facebook and LinkedIn pages, and watching our videos on YouTube.
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