Welcome Back — School Starts Tuesday, September 7

September 1, 2010, Ottawa, ON — It’s that time of year again where city streets are filled with children carrying backpacks and yellow buses can be seen on every road. School starts for just over 67,500 Ottawa-Carleton District School Board students on Tuesday, September 7.

Looking Forward to School Year 2010 – 2011

Early Learning:
22 Early Learning Programs will be operating for the first time this school year.
 We will be working on plans to expand the program into seven more sites for 2011-2012 and even more in future years.

School Effectiveness
 We will continue to move forward in this area where we are recognized as a provincial and world leader.
 We will be concentrating on the importance of creativity and leadership in education.

Secondary Review
 We will initiate work on a comprehensive district-wide secondary review; parameters are soon to be established.
 The review will span at least two years and will become our primary focus for program and accommodation issues during that time.

Diversity
 We will continue our work in the diversity area.
 In late November/early December we will be undertaking a district-wide student survey that will collecting information about demographics and school climate; the survey will be confidential and voluntary. Data from the survey will help us in understanding our students, their cultural history, their perceptions about school, and the issues that influence learning.
 We look forward to expanding community partnerships and enhancing community relations.

Strategic Plan
 2010 – 2011 is the final year for the current strategic plan.
 We will begin developing our next strategic plan. Consultations will take place this fall and we expect a plan to be in place by the end of the school year. The 21st Century Learner: Schools for the Future article will be used as the basis for consultation.

Director Barrie Hammond says students and staff are looking forward to a great school year. He adds, “Schools are the heart of a community and when we work in partnership with parents and community colleagues, we can make important connections that allow us to better serve the needs of all our students.”

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For more information, please contact Communications Officer Sharlene Hunter at 613-596-8264.