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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSchool Council Update 2019/3/8 - # 25 School Council Update #25 - March 8th, 2019 It's hard to believe that March Break is here already! It's been a long winter and this is a much needed opportunity for students and staff to spend some time on leisure activities. There are lots of activities going on in Ottawa - take a look at this list from Ottawa Tourism. However you spend your week, have a good one! A reminder that our administration offices are open next week. Happy March Break and Happy International Women's Day. Take good care, Michele Important Information Social Work Week - March 4th to 10th, 2019 The theme for Social Work Week 2019 is “From everyday issues to complex needs. Social Workers, it’s what we do.” This is a great opportunity to highlight the role of the OCDSB social worker. The school social worker is an integral part of the LSS department, as well as each school’s multi-disciplinary team. The overlying principle of the job is relationship building which can encompass many aspects. They intervene directly with students, parents and school staff to resolve and manage a range of social, emotional, and mental health issues affecting school performance. School social workers can provide a range of services including direct intervention, crisis intervention, consultation, assessment, training and prevention. Social workers, along with the LSS team, play an important role in the OCDSB School Learning Plan for Well-Being, Pathways to Care, and helping to build mentally healthy classrooms. Our staff have a wide variety of professional and practice experiences and our department has made a commitment to evidence-based practice. International Women's Day - March 8th, 2019 International Women's Day is celebrated on March 8th every year. It is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women - and a call to action for gender balance. Let’s join the conversation to celebrate, support and empower women everywhere! Stay Connected with your child's school with the OCDSB App Check out the new OCDSB mobile app. It makes staying connected with your children’s school(s) easy and accessible: 1. Download the app. 2. Choose the school(s) you want to follow and gain access to school calendars and school news. 3. As a bonus you get busing information, cancellations or delays, school directory, emergency alert notifications and other communications. But wait…there’s more…you can get two apps in one. The SchoolMessenger app is available within the OCDSB app and will give you access to your child’s attendance, school-to-parent communications and more. Get the free OCDSB app at the App Store or for Android in the Google Play Store. Earth Hour is March 30th, 2019 Once again the OCDSB is participating in the world’s largest grassroots environmental movement, Earth Hour! Since its beginning in 2007, Earth Hour has inspired millions of people to take action for our planet, including the OCDSB. This year OCDSB schools and administration have been encouraged to take part in the Earth Hour challenge on Friday, March 29th, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. You can join this global movement and bring awareness to climate change at home on March 30th from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., by turning off the lights and all other electronic devices that are not required for the hour. Opioid Parent Information Night - March 25th, 2019 You may have questions about the opioid crisis and what it means to the young people in your lives. We would like to take this opportunity to invite you to attend the upcoming KNOW MORE parent-teacher seminar being hosted by Health Canada in your community. This seminar will help parents and teachers learn the facts about opioids and the impact of the opioid crisis from expert panellists. The panellists will also share insights on how to talk to your teens and students about this important topic. Where: John McCrae Secondary School 103 Malvern Drive Ottawa, ON K2J 4T2 When: Monday, March 25th, 2019 Doors open: 6:30 p.m. Event: 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. This informative session is free for all to attend, but seating is limited. More details about the event, including panellists and presentation topics, can be found online. Deadline to register for this event and to submit any questions you may have for our panellists is March 22nd, 2019. RBC Spirit of the Capital Youth Awards 2019 These awards recognize the extraordinary accomplishments of youth in Ottawa whose passion and dedication continues to make the community, and the world, a better place. Nominate an outstanding youth today that has overcome adversity and shown remarkable courage to tackle some of our community's most pressing challenges. Nominations close Wednesday, March 20, 2019. Winners will receive $1,000 towards academics or projects from Youth Ottawa. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony taking place in late spring at Ottawa City Hall. For more information or to fill out a nomination form, click here. Reminders OCDSB 2019 Community Member Recognition Awards Volunteers make such an important contribution to our schools. The OCDSB Community Member Recognition Awards are a great opportunity for you to recognize that individuals in your school or community who make a difference. If you know a community member, parents, volunteer, or business partner who has made a difference please consider nominating them through our formal recognition awards program. Online nomination forms must be completed no later than 4:00 p.m. Friday, March 29th, 2019. The 2019 awards will be presented at the Volunteer Appreciation Reception and Community Recognition Awards Ceremony on Thursday, June 13th, 2019, at 6:30 p.m. in the Cafetorium at the Confederation Education Centre. Learn more about our Award Categories. OCDSB Announces the Appointment of Eric Hardie to Superintendent of Instruction The OCDSB is pleased to welcome Eric Hardie to the position of Superintendent of Instruction. Eric's first day in this new role will be April 8th, 2019. He has fourteen years of K- 12 leadership in urban and rural settings and is currently the Principal of Experiential Learning in the Upper Canada District School Board. Welcome Eric! Proposed 2019-2020 School Year Calendar - Subject to Ministry Approval For those looking to start planning for next year, the proposed calendar for the 2019-2020 school year is now available on our website. Parent Involvement Committee Seeking Community Representatives The OCDSB is seeking two Community Representatives to serve on its Parent Involvement Committee (PIC). If your organization is interested in appointing a staff or community representative to PIC, please consider submitting an application. For more information please visit our website. Applications must be submitted by March 22nd, 2019. Smart Start Youth Summit - March 16th & 17th Smart Start Youth Summit is a free, all-expenses paid weekend leadership retreat for youth aged 13-24. For application details and FAQs visit the website. Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Teaching Each year, Canada’s History Society recognizes 6 teachers for innovative approaches to teaching Canadian history. Applications are due April 1st, 2019. Visit CanadasHistory.ca/GGAward. Paint it Up! - Funding Available for Projects Funding is available for outdoor mural art projects that support graffiti prevention, youth empowerment, community safety and the beautification of Ottawa neighborhoods. Applications must be received on April 2nd, 2019. Ottawa Public Health (OPH) Immunization All children attending school between ages 4 to 17 need to be immunized according to Ontario's Immunization Schedule. OPH has the authority to suspend from attending school students for whom OPH does not have a record of immunization. Parents can contact OPH by phoning 613-580-6744 or visit parentinginottawa.ca/immunization. Learn more here. School Council Information School Council Liability Insurance The following text serves to clarify the difference in insurance coverage between the School Council’s liability insurance, and the District’s liability insurance. The School Council Liability Insurance, paid for by the District, applies when members of School Council (as defined in the School Council Constitution) are acting within the scope of their duties, and the event is organized and controlled by the school council. Coverage exclusions, under this policy, include, but not limited to, pyrotechnics and fireworks, sports teams and all organized sport activities, skiing, fitness training, gymnastics, and stage/prop construction. If school councils engage in activities beyond the scope of their duties, e.g. running music programs, social activities, or sports clubs, they are advised to:  Not use the school name and clearly stating, in any correspondence to parents, that it is not a school sanctioned event;  Purchase an additional insurance policy, as the event is not covered the School Council Liability Insurance;  If using the school or school property, book the space through the Community  Use of Schools (CUS) department;  Consider using a consent form for persons participating in the event; and  Consider a vetting process for all volunteers. The District’s insurance policy provides liability coverage for school council members only when they are acting as volunteers to a principal-approved, organized and supervised event. For more information, please check the School Council Insurance webpage. Should you have any questions, please contact the Risk Management Team. 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 the School News section of our website to learn about some of the great things happening in our schools! Woodroffe High School to Participate in Care Canada's "Walk in her Shoes 2019" Students of Woodroffe High School will be participating in the 2019 version of Care Canada's "Walk in Her Shoes" campaign on Tuesday, March 19th, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Everyday women and girls in developing countries walk an average of 6 km every day to collect clean water. By walking in their shoes, students at Woodroffe High School will be raising funds to help provide water closer to home, meaning girls can go to school and women can earn an income instead of walking hours a day to collect water. Read the full story here. 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 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.