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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSchool Council Update 2018/11/2 - # 9School Council Update #9 - November 2nd, 2018 Parent Involvement - What does it mean? I am fortunate to participate in many conversations about parent involvement. It's so important for parents to be involved in their child's learning. But every parent is different and the way they choose to get involved is different. Parent involvement happens at home by creating a supportive place for kids to grow and learn; it happens through reading and family activities; it happens by participating in school activities and school council meetings; it happens by participating in school board committees, meetings and consultations. You get the idea - parent involvement takes many forms and there is an incredible range of issues of interest to parents. That's what makes our Parent Conference and School Council Training Day so interesting to plan. Tomorrow, we will welcome over 400 parents to Gloucester High School and this conference has something for everyone! The day will begin with a keynote from Dr. Peg Dawson who will talk about our Exit Outcomes and Executive Skills and how parents can help to build these. There will be workshops on math, special education, digital technology, cannabis, active transportation, self - regulation, school council best practices and much much more. Our Parent Involvement Committee will be hosting a session on the Ministry of Education consultation. Take a look at our conference overview. I think you will be impressed with what this amazing team at the OCDSB has pulled together. We understand that not every parent can free themselves on a Saturday morning to attend, but all parents will be able to access the conference presentations on our website next week. I look forward to learning together! Important Information Treaties Recognition Week 2018 The first full week of November (November 4th - 11th, 2018) is Treaties Recognition Week. The goal of this week is to promote public education and awareness about treaties and treaty relationships. All students, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, benefit from learning about the histories, cultures, contributions and perspectives of First Nation, Métis and Inuit people in Canada. OCDSB schools will take time during the week to incorporate subject matter as it relates to Treaties within their classrooms. Reminders Municipal Elections 2018 Municipal and School Board Elections took place in Ottawa on Monday, October 22nd, 2018. The new Board of Trustees will be sworn in on December 3rd, 2018. Members of the community are invited to join us to celebrate the work of the current Board of Trustees at their last official Board meeting on November 20th, and to celebrate the inauguration of the newly elected Board on December 3rd, 2018. Voila Live Virtual Campus Every evening from Monday to Thursday, students have online access to live teachers to practice their French, and to get homework help in French, English and Math. Learn more on their website. Provincial Consultations: Education in Ontario The Ministry of Education's consultation on reform includes a series of 90 minute telephone town halls across Ontario. Additional details can be found here. Please complete the Ministry online submission form and/or participate in the telephone town hall meetings. The online survey is now open. OCDSB International Certificate Program Information Session The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board’s International Certificate Program (ICP) gives students direct access to intercultural opportunities at the local, national, and international levels. Join us at our upcoming information session on Thursday, November 15th from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Confederation Education Centre Cafetorium - 1645 Woodroffe Avenue. Visit our website to learn more. Eastern Ontario FASD Symposium: Mental Health through the FASD Lifespan The 2nd Annual Eastern Ontario FASD Symposium: Mental Health through the FASD Lifespan, will be held on Saturday November 3rd, 2018 at Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health, and will feature keynote speaker Dr. Brenda M. Knight. Register today to reserve your spot. A special event with Dr. Knight, Care for the Caregiver: An Evening for Caregivers of Individuals with FASD and/or other Brain-Based Disabilities is also taking place, on Friday November 2nd, 2018 at the Children's Aid Society of Ottawa. Further information can be found here. School Ground Greening Workshops 2018-2019 Join us for a free series of inspiring workshops designed to help you plan a successful and sustainable school ground greening project. Workshops are run from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Immaculata High School - 140 Main Street. Visit our website for more information of these workshops. Did you know about the Canada Learning Bond? The Canada Learning Bond offered by the Government of Canada helps parents get a head start in saving for their child's education after high school. This could be as much as $2,000 for your child's Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP). Learn more here. Ottawa Public Health (OPH) Immunization All children attending school between ages 4 to 17 need to be immunized according to Ontario's Immunization Schedule. Learn more here. School Council Information Important Information for School Councils School Council Resource Guide School Council Funds Management Guide School Council Insurance 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! Rockcliffe Park Book Fair A good book transports us. Every year, Book Fair offers thousands of potential journeys – at remarkable prices! Rockcliffe Park Public School is hosting their Book Fair from November 2nd to 4th, at 350 Buena Vista Rd. Come browse for fiction, non-fiction, children’s books, bestsellers and even board games, puzzles, CDs, DVDs and vinyl. The Book Fair Café will be selling hot and cold drinks, baked goods and hot meals, including vegetarian options. The event has been RPPS’ biggest fundraising activity for nearly 60 years. The money raised goes towards:  Grandparents’ Reading Day  Author & Illustrator Workshops  equipment purchases and school improvements  student field trips and guest speakers  no-strings grants to area schools to support literacy programming and other needful projects For further information on the event, including hours of operation, visit the Book Fair website. 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. 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. The highlights include School Holidays, PA Days, and District-wide Secondary Testing. OCDSB Speaker Series - Ottawa Public Health Sessions - Cannabis Cannabis is now legal in Canada. This may lead to questions from your teen. You may have questions as well. The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, in conjunction with Ottawa Public Health, is hosting free public information sessions for parents to learn more about cannabis, the new legislation, how to talk to your youth, as well as provide information on resources and services available to you and your teen. November 6th, 2018 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School — 149 Berrigan Drive, Nepean, ON K2J 5C6 Can't make it to one of our sessions? More sessions are available through the Ottawa Catholic School Board, Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario and Conseil des écoles Catholiques du Centre-Est. Learn about additional sessions here. Board and Committee of the Whole Meetings The next Committee of the Whole meeting will be on November 6th, 2018. Read the full agenda here. Watch the meeting live here. Upcoming Committee Meetings: 11/06/2018 7:30 PM Committee of the Whole 11/14/2018 7:00 PM Special Education Advisory Committee 11/15/2018 6:00 PM Indigenous Education Advisory Council 11/20/2018 7:30 PM Board, Public 11/21/2018 6:00 PM Parent Involvement Committee 11/26/2018 7:00 PM Advisory Committee on the Arts 11/28/2018 7:00 PM Advisory Committee on Extended Day and Child Care Programs 11/29/2018 6:00 PM Advisory Committee on Equity Read our Boardroom Highlights here.