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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSchool Council Update 2019/5/31 - # 36School Council Update #36 - May 31st, 2019 The OCDSB is committed to improving equity of access and opportunity for all students. In November 2019, the district will undertake the collection of student identity based data. In preparation for this survey, we are working with community partners, staff, students and families to better understand the experiences of students and families in our District - things that helped them to succeed; the barriers and challenges they had to overcome; and what we might do differently in future to ensure equitable access to learning opportunities and outcomes. We held excellent meetings with community partners in May 2019. Today, we hosted student focus groups and learned so much from participants about their experience in school. In June, we will host focus group sessions for parents and guardians. A letter of invitation will be sent to all parent and guardians this week. In order to ensure sufficient space, we welcome everyone interested in participating to register for one of three focus group sessions. These sessions will be of particular interest to students and families who have experienced racism, bias, or barriers, including anti-Black racism, anti-Indigeneity, anti- Semitism, Homophobia, Islamophobia, Transphobia, Poverty/Classism, and Ableism/Disabilities. Watch for a email from the school district about these sessions. The feedback from these sessions will help to inform our planning for the data collection process in the fall. We will be working on this over the summer and will have more detailed information about the survey in the fall. Important Information 2019-2020 Staff-Recommended Budget The 2019-2020 Staff Recommended Budget was presented at the May 29th, 2019, Committee of the Whole (COW) Budget meeting. The link to access the budget documents can be found on our website. The Committee of the Whole Budget Continuation Meetings are scheduled as follows:  3 June 2019 – Delegations/Debate (Special Board scheduled if required)  10 June 2019 – Delegations/Debate (Special Board scheduled if required)  17 June 2019 – Debate (Special Board scheduled if required) Delegations for the June 3rd meeting who register with Board Services by 12:00 p.m. (noon) on Monday, June 3rd, will be allocated four minutes to speak. All other delegations will be allocated two minutes to speak. Delegations for the June 10th meeting who register with Board Services by 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 6th, will be allocated four minutes to speak. All other delegations will be allocated two minutes to speak. Delegation requests or questions regarding the delegation process should be directed to Nicole Guthrie in Board Services (nicole.guthrie@ocdsb.ca or 613-596-8211 ext. 8643). 2019 Student Recognition Awards The 2019 Student Recognition Awards are in the record books. Just over 250 students, staff and their families were in attendance at the 14th annual awards celebration on Thursday, May 30th. The evening is designed to acknowledge the work of graduating grade 12 students from all 26 OCDSB High Schools including Adult High School and 6 secondary alternate sites. In addition, one student is presented with a District Excellence in Equity Award. Some students have left war-torn countries, some have overcome physical and emotional barriers, and some are change makers who challenge societal norms in the classroom and around the world. The one thing they all share is their commitment to learning. The students embody honesty, respect, and responsibility. Their stories have just begun. These students are confident enough to know they can change the world for the better - so they will! We wish these students and all student’s success and happiness as they begin a new chapter in their life. "The Lads" Benefit Concert for the Education Foundation of Ottawa Join The Lads for a night of high energy and rocking music! This group of current and former teachers, principals and administrative leaders will have you moving all night long to their deep set list and danceable classics. Dance the night away to help the Education Foundation of Ottawa support disadvantaged students in Ottawa. See some of the finest musicians the OCDSB has to offer in support of a fantastic charity. Proceeds will support the Student in Crisis Fund at the Education Foundation of Ottawa. Date: Saturday May 6, 2017 Location: Greenfield’s Gastro Pub – 900 Greenbank Road – Barrhaven Time: 9 pm (doors open at anytime) Tickets: $15 in advance – NOTE: Greenfields now has preferred seating $10 at the door – general admission seating available For tickets: https://www.barrhavenspub.com/live-music.html Get your tickets early – this is sure to sell out! Building Brighter Futures Together 2019-2023 "Education must not simply teach work - it must teach life." W.E.B. Dubois This quote by W.E.B. Dubois is a great summary of what we heard from students, parents and staff in our strategic plan consultations. In fact, it resonated so much, that we incorporated it into our new plan. We are excited to share our draft strategic plan with you. This plan is all about building a culture of innovation, a culture of caring and a culture of social responsibility. It recognizes culture as a driver of change. Please take a few minutes to review the draft plan. We'd love to hear your feedback. You can read the draft plan poster in PDF or You can read the draft plan in HTML which allow use of the translation feature on our website. Please share your feedback by June 7th. Learn more OCDSB Outdoor Education Centre's Spring Newsletter Check out the Outdoor Education Centre's Spring Newsletter to see what's happening at the Bill Mason & MacSkimming Centres. OCDSB Volunteer Appreciation Reception and Community Recognition Awards June 13th, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. 1645 Woodroffe Avenue Please join us as we celebrate the valuable contributions of all our volunteers and celebrate our 2019 Community Recognition Award winners and nominees at our annual appreciation event. See full list of nominees. This is our chance to show our appreciation for the contributions our volunteers make every day in supporting students, staff and our schools. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to connect with our community and show our appreciation for the significant and valued work that our volunteers do in our schools for our students. Register Now Reminders 2019-2020 School Year Calendar Approved by the Ministry The 2019-2020 School Year Calendar has been approved by the Ministry. Parent Information Sessions: The Parent-Child Connection New approaches to parenting center on what can be done to build resilience and strength in children, by focusing on the parent-child connection. Learn more. Continuing Education Newsletter - May to June 2019 Take a look at what's coming up in the Continuing Education Department this Summer. Stay Connected with your child's school with the OCDSB App The new OCDSB mobile app makes staying connected with your children’s school(s) easy and accessible. Learn more. Ottawa Public Health (OPH) Immunization All children attending school between ages 4 to 17 need to be immunized according to Ontario's Immunization Schedule. Parents can contact OPH by phoning 613-580-6744 or visit their website. School Council Information Tips on Building a Multicultural School Council A School Council works best when it is fully representative of the school community. Building a multicultural school council means giving the opportunity for both parents and students to share their experiences, beliefs and celebrations. This helps the council plan activities and events which will engage the whole community. Here are a few tips to help build a more diverse school council.  Remember that not all cultures view parent involvement in school the same way. It is important to communicate the value and opportunity for parents in the school to partner with the principal as part of the school council.  English may be a challenge for some parents. You may want to translate information sheets, agendas, minutes etc. in the key languages spoken by parents. In addition, providing interpreters at events and/or meetings will also make all parents feel respected and welcomed at the school.  Offer culturally relevant programs to parents on ways that they can support their children and the school.  Host a multicultural night which includes students and parents. Invite the school community to host tables or pavilions that provides information, demonstrates customs and perhaps offers a sampling of food from their countries. Use this evening to encourage parents to come to a meeting and consider joining the council.  Be open to the new ideas that diverse parents bring to the table. Maybe some of the strategies used at previous schools can bring exciting new ways to work on enhancing the education experience of all students at the school.  Encourage current members to engage others who can translate for parents and make them feel welcomed in the school council. This may help these parents feel they can contribute to the work of the school council.  The Ministry of Education provides most information for parents in many languages. Support your community by providing copies of these types of resources in the various languages spoken by your school community. Other School Council Resources: 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! Fielding Drive Public School's 50th Anniversary Celebration On Friday, June 21st, 2019, the School Council at Fielding Drive Public School would like to invite everyone to join them for their 50th Anniversary Celebration! It will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the school - 777 Fielding Drive, Ottawa. Learn more. 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. Highlights include School Holidays, PA Days, and District-wide Secondary Testing. Board and Committee of the Whole Meetings The next public Committee of the Whole meeting will be on June 3rd, 2019. Read the full agenda here. Watch the meeting live here. Upcoming Committee Meetings: 06/03/2019 7:00 PM Committee of the Whole, Budget 06/04/2019 7:30 PM Committee of the Whole, Public 06/12/2019 7:00 PM Special Education Advisory Committee 06/18/2019 7:30 PM Committee of the Whole, Public 06/24/2019 7:30 PM Board, Public Read our Boardroom Highlights here. Stay Connected OCDSB staff, students and community members can view the District's