May 24, 2024 - 2023-2024 Community Recognition Award Nominees, Director’s Citation and Employee Recognition Awards, and more.
Dear OCDSB Families,
Although it was a shortened work week, it has been a very busy one. I dropped in on one of our elementary program review parent consultations on Wednesday night at Glashan Public School. This program review is an opportunity for us to think about what programming we offer, how and where it is offered, whose needs are served, and how schools may be redesigned to better meet the needs of current and future generations. Parents had a lot to say about their experiences with the current model and ideas on how to improve our current model. I’m grateful for the time our community is putting into this review.
I also visited Farley Mowat Public School and felt the incredibly warm and welcoming environment created for teaching and learning by the students and staff. I was able to spend some time at D. Roy Kennedy Public School… an engaging, vibrant site full of diversity and dynamism. In both instances, talented teams of student ambassadors toured me through their sites. It was awesome to hear these learners speak so proudly of the learning, well-being and social responsibility of their sites!
2023-2024 Community Recognition Award Nominees
This year, more than 40 outstanding volunteers have been nominated for the 2023-2024 Community Recognition Awards, in celebration of the positive impact they’ve made in our classrooms and beyond. The award recipients will be announced at our Board Meeting on May 28th, 2024. Meet the nominees!
Director’s Citation and Employee Recognition Awards
We are fortunate to have so many caring staff members who commit themselves each day to the learning and well-being of students. Our annual Director’s Citation and Employee Recognition Awards provide a moment to recognize the remarkable contributions of educators, support staff, and administrators. On Tuesday, we held a special event here to celebrate this year’s recipients. Congratulations to all of the amazing staff members for their dedication and commitment. Visit our website for a list of all the winners and read their inspiring nominations.
June 6th: OCDSB Speaker Series: Boosting Parents’ Knowledge and Confidence – Youth and Substance Use
Join us for a virtual session with Rideauwood Addiction and Family Services on June 6th from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. This session will provide parents and caregivers with the most current information on youth and substance use, reasons why some youth experience problematic substance use, and effective parenting strategies to support their youth’s overall health and well-being. Learn more and register now.
Elementary Program Review - Public Meetings
Thank you to those who joined us at our in-person sessions held so far. These consultations are important as we want to hear the perspectives of students, parents/caregivers and staff regarding their experiences and how we approach education in the future. Despite some speculation, we have not planned to take a certain course of action over others. Staff will review the feedback from our communities and propose recommendations in the fall for further discussion.
Upcoming sessions:
Wednesday, May 29th, 2024:
Longfields-Davidson Heights Secondary School: 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Sawmill Creek Elementary School: 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Avalon Public School: 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 30th, 2024:
Virtual Session - Register now.
6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. This session will follow the same format as our in-person sessions with break-out rooms led by Elementary Principals, Trustees, and Superintendents.
Online - You can still also share your feedback on Engage OCDSB. We’ve received just over 1,650 contributions so far, and the feedback page will remain open until Friday, June 28th at 4:00 p.m.
June 3rd: Jewish Students Group Meetup
We thank all the students who attended the previous virtual meetup. On Tuesday, June 3, 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., we have another opportunity for Jewish students in grades 7-12 to virtually connect with others at different schools around the city, and share common experiences, feelings, ideas and achievements in a safe space, facilitated by Jewish OCDSB staff. For more details and to register, email [email protected].
Recording Available: Be the Difference with Gaelin Elmore
This week, we welcomed speaker and facilitator Gaelin Elmore for a virtual session exploring the transformational power of belonging. Watch the recording on YouTube!
Reminders:
Secondary Report Cards
Secondary report cards (semestered schools) will be emailed to families and eligible students on Monday, April 29th, 2024. For more information, visit ocdsb.ca/ReportCards.
May 29th - Black Youth Forum (Grades 9-12 Students)
African, Black and African-Caribbean (ABC) students in Grades 9-12 are invited to join us for the seventh annual Black Youth Forum taking place on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Share your Feedback - New Ministry Directives on Personal Mobile Devices and Vaping: Visit Engage OCDSB to learn about the changes and share your feedback by June 14th.
Hop! Spring into Spring Challenge
The 2024 Hop! Spring into Spring challenge, by OSTA and EnviroCentre, is underway from now until May 31st. Students can log their walks and win prizes.
Healthy Democracy Student Leadership Award - For Secondary Students
Students are encouraged to apply for The Healthy Democracy Student Leadership Award ($1000). Read more about the application process. The deadline is June 28, 2024.
From the Boardroom:
Approved Policies
In April, the OCDSB’s Board of Trustees approved revisions to the District’s student transfer appeals process and approved a new policy covering pregnancy and parental leave for trustees.
Upcoming Board and Advisory Committee Meetings
May 27th, 7:00 p.m. - Committee of the Whole, Budget
May 27th, 7:00 p.m. - Arts Advisory Committee
May 28th, 8:15 p.m. - Board Meeting
May 30th, 6:00 p.m. - Advisory Committee on Equity
Agendas, locations, minutes, livestreams and recordings of meetings are available for public viewing using the Board and Advisory Committees' meeting calendar.
Calendars and Planning for Important Dates
Please consult the OCDSB’s Elementary and Secondary calendars for PA Days, holidays, exam dates, and more during the 2023-2024 school year. In addition, schools avoid scheduling activities like evaluations and field trips on certain religious/creed-based days of observance. Additional dates of significance can be found on the MultiFaith Calendar (located on our home page), Dates of Significance webpage, and on the Government of Canada, Ontario Government, and United Nations websites.
OCDSB Career Opportunities
Positions available include:
Visit our careers page to see job opportunities at the OCDSB and find out how you can make a real difference supporting our students and staff.
In case you missed it:
Helpful Links:
Thank You,
Pino Buffone
Director of Education