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Home My WebLink AboutSchool Council Update 2019/1/11 - # 17School Council Update # 17 - January 11th, 2019 This afternoon our community suffered a tragic bus accident. While details are still unfolding, we understand there are many injuries. Our thoughts are with all of those affected and with our first responders. In situations like this, we are reminded how fortunate we are to have such a supportive community. This type of accident can generate considerable media coverage. Limiting the extent of media coverage that children are exposed to in an age appropriate is a strategy that parents may want to consider. There are multiple resources available to help parents prepare to speak to their children about tragic events, including this tip sheet. You can find more information on our website. Important Information Building Brighter Futures Together @OCDSB The OCDSB strategic planning process is well underway, and in January 2019 the District will enter the Strategies & Actions stage which includes two evenings of focus group discussions. At the focus group sessions, participants will be provided with feedback from the idea exchange and will work in groups to explore and discuss the results from the online consultation, and help define specific strategies and actions for achieving identified goals. Space is limited so all participants must pre-register. Please click on the Register Now hyperlink below for the date you’d like to attend. The focus group meetings will be held on: Wednesday, January 23rd, 2019 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sir Robert Borden High School 131 Greenbank Road Register Now Thursday, January 31st, 2019 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Cairine Wilson High School 975 Orléans Blvd Register Now Agenda 6:00 p.m. Light Refreshments and Meet and Greet 6:30 p.m. Thoughtexchange Consultation Overview 7:00 p.m. Focus Group Sessions 8:30 p.m. Wrap-up, Final Thoughts To learn more about our strategic planning process visit our website. Kindergarten Registration 2019 If your child will be 4 years old before December 31st, 2019, then they are ready to start kindergarten in September 2019. Call or stop by your child’s new school to pick up a registration package or register online. Visit our Kindergarten Information Nights page for dates and times by school. To find your local school, try our helpful School Locator. You will be asked for your home address and the type of program you wish to enroll your child in our District. Don't worry if you miss the official registration week. You can register anytime in one of our schools or online. Take a look at our Welcome To Kindergarten video and see some of the many new experiences your child will enjoy. OCDSB Mobile App The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) has launched our new mobile app designed to enable students, families, staff, and the broader community to stay informed about district and school news, and events. The free app ‘OCDSB’ can be downloaded from Apple in the App Store or for Android in the Google Play Store. Users can also select “push notifications” when they download the app to receive the latest news from the district and your school(s). The app allows users to subscribe to their schools of choice and provides families with instant access to school calendars and news items as well as links to sports schedules, busing information and social media accounts. New information will continue to be added. Once you have downloaded the OCDSB app you will be prompted to also download the SchoolMessenger app. Learn more about SchoolMessenger. 2019 Prime Minister's Awards Do you know an amazing teacher or early childhood educator? Why not start the New Year off on high note by nominating them for a Prime Minister’s Award (PMA)? The Prime Minister’s Awards nomination deadline is January 14th, 2019. Past recipients have said winning a PMA was the highlight of their teaching career. So help make some memories and nominate a terrific teacher today! Visit the website for more information. Any questions can be sent by email to ic.primeministersawards- prixdupremierministre.ic@canada.ca or by phone to 613-991-4255. OCDSB Speaker Series - Free Information Session UNSTOPPABLE YOU with Unstoppable Tracy Schmitt February 28th, 2019 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Earl of March Secondary School, 4 The Parkway, Kanata No matter where you are in life, sometimes you just need to be inspired. Join us and “Unstoppable Tracy” as she shares how you can use humour and motivation to crush your obstacles and soar to the top! Reminders High School Information Nights Making decisions about high school? Come to an OCDSB information to help you make an informed decision when choosing a high school, OCDSB schools host information night for parents and grade 8 students. Learn everything you need to know about our incredible variety of schools, programs and courses. Upcoming sessions:  Gloucester High School - January 14th  Colonel By Secondary School - January 15th  Merivale High School - January 16th  Woodroffe High School January 16th Visit our website for a complete list of Information Nights by school. Ottawa Public Health (OPH) Immunization All children attending school between ages 4 to 17 need to be immunized according to Ontario's Immunization Schedule. Under the Immunization of School Pupils Act, students attending school in Ontario are required to be vaccinated against nine (9) diseases or have a valid exemption. Parents are required to report all immunizations done at the doctor's office to OPH. Under this Act, OPH has the authority to suspend from attending school students for whom OPH does not have a record of immunization. Parents/guardians of these intermediate and secondary students received written notice from OPH in the mail by November 21st. Suspension orders are scheduled to be mailed to households on January 25th, 2019 (Grades 7 - 12) and scheduled to be enforced on February 20th, 2019. Parents seeking more information can contact OPH by phoning 613-580-6744 or visit parentinginottawa.ca/immunization. Learn more here. School Council Information 2018-2019 Pro Grants Announced - OCDSB Schools Receive $84,475 Ontario Parent Reaching Out (PRO) Grants are designed to support parents in identifying barriers to parent engagement in their own community, and to find local solutions to involve more parents in support of student achievement and well-being. This year 87 OCDSB school councils will receive up to $1,000 each. School councils are required to submit a report back for the completed project by July 15th, 2019. The report is to be completed online here. Information on how your school can apply for PRO Grants for next year is available on the Ministry of Education website. For inquiries, please contact OCDSB Policy Analyst at engy.abdel.masieh@ocdsb.ca. 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! Nepean High School's 20th Annual Spaghetti Dinner - January 17th, 2019 Nepean High School’s Key Club International is hosting their 20th annual spaghetti dinner on January 17th, 2019. At the event, club members will be serving guests a spaghetti dinner and other treats, and there will be a silent auction and raffle prizes to win. All items, including the food, have been donated by local businesses. The event is held each year in order to raise money for a selected charity. This year the charity is Ten Thousand Villages, a local organization that sells handmade products made by people from communities throughout the developing world, often made from natural or recycled materials. The organization is planning on using the money to rebuild a pottery shop that was devastated in the recent earthquake in the Philippines. Tickets for the event can be purchased online for $8.00, or at the door for $10.00. Everyone is welcome to come out and support this wonderful event! 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 Semester 1 Secondary Exams - January 25th - 31st, 2019 Exams are scheduled for students in grades 9-12 from Friday, January 25th to Thursday, January 31st, 2019. Semester 2 begins Monday, February 4th, 2018. Looking for homework help? Check our website here for helpful resources. Elementary PD Day - January 25th, 2019 Reminder that there is a PD Day for all Elementary schools on January 25th. School Year Calendars The 2018-2019 school year elementary and secondary calendars are available on our website. The highlights include School Holidays, PA Days, and District-wide Secondary Testing. Board and Committee of the Whole Meetings The next Committee of the Whole meeting will be on January 15th, 2019. Read the full agenda here. Watch the meeting live here. Upcoming Committee Meetings: 01/15/2019 6:30 PM Committee of the Whole, Public 01/16/2019 7:00 PM Special Education Advisory Committee 01/17/2019 6:00 PM Indigenous Education Advisory Committee 01/21/2019 7:00 PM Audit Committee 01/24/2019 6:00 PM Advisory Committee on Equity Read our Boardroom Highlights here. Stay Connected OCDSB staff, students and community members can view the District's website. Keep in touch by following us on Twitter, and downloading our new app, visiting our Facebook and LinkedIn