April 14, 2023 - Supporting Student Learning in Technology and Trades, Secondary Report Cards, and more.

April 14, 2023 - Supporting Student Learning in Technology and Trades, Secondary Report Cards, and more.
Posted on 04/14/2023

Dear Families, 

With the change in weather, many students are now walking and biking to school. Please watch carefully for walkers and cyclists on the way to and from school.

Supporting Student Learning in Technology and Trades 

This spring our schools and programs have offered a number of learning experiences to help OCDSB students explore technology and trades. Recently, the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), in partnership with the Canadian Welding Bureau, hosted a Welding Exploration Camp for female high school students, to help spark their journey toward a career in the trades. Read the story to learn what these students thought of the experience! 

Next week, we are hosting a Tech & Trade Exploration Week at Ottawa Technical Secondary School. We invite families and students to join us on April 20 from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at OTSS to explore career opportunities in technology and trades and experience the Skills Ontario Trades and Technology Mobile Trailer. This opportunity provides unique activities and simulations in welding, painting, automotive, electrical, culinary arts, design technology, and more. This is a walk-in event with no registration required. We encourage parents, caregivers, and students to attend and explore these unique career and pathway options.

Secondary Report Cards 

Report cards will be sent to secondary students and families via email on Friday, April 28, 2023. You will need your child’s Ontario Education Number (OEN) to access the report card, which you can find on a previous report card.  If you do not have the OEN, please contact the school. When entering the OEN, include the hyphens (dashes) so the format is XXX-XXX-XXX. Visit our website for more information about report cards. Please note, the next distribution of elementary report cards will take place in June. 

Graduating Students: Community Involvement Graduation Requirement, 40 hours

A reminder that students graduating in the 2022-23 school year are required to have 40 hours of community involvement. For the past two years, the Ministry has provided flexible ways for students to obtain community service hours. These flexible measures continue to be available for the 2022-23 school year for all students. Please contact your child’s school for more details, and learn more about community involvement hours on our website

Board Member Code of Conduct Policy Consultations

Ontario school boards are required to adopt a code of conduct for trustees and to review it each election year. On April 4, 2023, the Committee of the Whole discussed the current Policy P 073 GOV - Board Member Code of Conduct and possible revisions. Details can be found in Report 23-018. The OCDSB now invites feedback on this policy from parents, students, staff and community members by emailing [email protected] by April 25, 2023. 

2023-2027 Strategic Plan: Consultation Report

Between November 2022 and March 2023, we engaged the OCDSB community to set the direction and develop objectives for the 2023-2027 Strategic Plan. Our goal was to capture the stories and experiences of students, staff, and families to inform a strategic plan that resonates with the community. Engaging in these conversations was rewarding - we listened to what you had to say and built some new connections. Six recurring themes emerged throughout the consultation, and were largely consistent across participant groups. Learn more

Register Your Child for French or Spanish Summer Camp 

Is your child interested in learning a new language or practicing their language skills this summer? Registration is open for the OCDSB’s French and Spanish Summer Camps. Open to students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8 in any school board, these immersive summer camps help students to learn and enhance their language skills in an engaging and fun-filled learning environment. Learn more and register here

Upcoming Events 

  • Wednesday, April 19: Social Media And Your Kids. Join us at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19th for a webinar with MediaSmartsto learn more about how kids are using social networking, and discover strategies to help children and youth minimize negative experiences and maximize the positive opportunities social media has to offer. Register here
  • Thursday, May 11: Know Your Rights at School. We invite parents and caregivers to join us from 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. for a virtual session to know more about the rights and supports available in the OCDSB for trans, gender diverse and questioning students and their families. Register Now. We will share more information at a later date. 
  • Thursday, May 25, 4:30 - 8:00 p.m: Emily Carr Middle School 50th Anniversary: Students, families, and alumni are invited to join Emily Carr Middle School’s 50th anniversary celebration. Tickets are available online for $5; the deadline to register is May 1. To learn more, submit photo memories, and sign up for email updates, visit our website.

Important Dates in the Week Ahead 

  • April 16: Orthodox Easter. Orthodox Easter, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, is recognized this year on April 16th. We send our best wishes to those observing.
  • April 16 - 22: National Volunteer Week. During National Volunteer Week we celebrate the volunteers who help strengthen the fabric of our schools and communities. Don’t forget to thank the volunteers making a difference in your school!
  • April 17-18: Yom HaShoah. At sundown on April 17, 2023, people around the world will unite for Yom HaShoah. Yom HaShoah commemorates the lives of the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust.
  • April 21: Eid al-Fitr. Eid al-Fitr is a joyous celebration that marks the end of Ramadan. We wish a Blessed Eid to all who will be celebrating.
  • April 21: Ridvan. The Festival of Ridvan commemorates the 12 days Bahá’u’lláh spent in the garden of Ridvan outside Baghdad. We wish a happy Ridvan to all who will be celebrating.
  • April 22: Earth Day. Earth Day is an opportunity to both appreciate and celebrate our incredible planet, and to raise awareness about pollution and climate change and how we can work together to make a difference.

In case you missed it…

Ottawa Public Health’s Respiratory Virus Dashboard: A reminder that Ottawa Public Health (OPH) updates their Respiratory Virus Dashboard every Wednesday, and continues to recommend layers of protection like masks, COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, flu vaccines, and staying home when sick.

Virtual event with Dr. Peter Vermeulen - World Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month: The presentation highlights how a positive focus on our shared desire to be happy can help us move from neurodiversity to neuroharmony and increase well-being for children and youth with autism. Watch the presentation here. If you have questions, you may submit them using this form by today, April 14, 2023. Dr. Vermeulen will be recording and sharing a follow-up video featuring answers to the questions submitted. 

Speech and Language Open House: Session Recording Available: This webinar provided information and resources about developing the child’s communication skills. Click here to view the session recording. For more information on this topic, visit this website.

As we head into the weekend, many families in our community will be marking holidays like Vaisakhi, Puthandu, Holy Friday, and Orthodox Easter. We send our best wishes to those celebrating and hope all our students, staff members, and families have the opportunity to enjoy this nice weather.

Thank you, 

Michele Giroux
Director of Education

 

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