This year, we’ve shared many School News stories showcasing innovative learning, equity initiatives, student achievements, and collaborative projects. As the year comes to a close, we caught up with a few schools to see what they’ve been up to since we shared their stories.
Dunning-Foubert Students Showcase Food Security Projects
Dunning-Foubert Elementary School’s food sustainability project continues to grow. All year long, students have been planting, growing, and harvesting food. They had the opportunity to visit Parkdale Food Bank to learn about access to food in the community, and participated in a community consultation on redesigning the Parkdale food table. Together with Ottawa Network for Education (ONFE), students also learned how to preserve food.
Recently, students hosted a Green Showcase to share what they’ve learned through their indoor and outdoor gardening projects. They also created locker installations focused on their food security project. They’ll work with the community to water and care for the plants throughout the summer. Listen to this CBC All in a Day feature to hear the young gardeners reflect on their year!
North Gower Marlborough Public School Hosts Film Festival
Grade 3-5 students at North Gower Marlborough Public School hosted a film festival in May to cap off a year of learning through filmmaking and music. Students created short films that highlighted UN Sustainable Development Goals and how they hoped to see their community grow and thrive. They led interactive workshops for their peers in Kindergarten to grade 3 about animation, green screens, making music on Soundtrap, and jobs on film sites. The film festival welcomed families and community partners, and students collected over $400 for the local food bank!
In June, North Gower Marlborough Public School joined educators from 40 schools across Canada at the University of Ottawa for the Canadian Playful Schools Network Conference. The event included dynamic workshops, planning sessions, and school showcases. North Gower Marlborough staff shared their filmmaking project while connecting with educators from across the country to examine play and how it enhances student learning.
Uncovering Untold Histories at Glebe Collegiate Institute
At Glebe Collegiate Institute, young historians joined a behind-the-scenes tour of the War Museum to view the medals they had studied as contributors to The Medals Project – an online database providing new insights into the soldiers and nurses represented in the museum’s medal collection. They are grateful to the War Museum for giving them this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see artifacts and learn about history in a way they never could have imagined.
A group of Glebe students also conducted an interview with Historian and Retired Professor Cynthia Toman to learn more about the contributions of WW1 Nursing Sisters they studied as part of Project True North. Toman shared insights about the forgotten legacies of Canadian nurses who served over 100 years ago. Communications Technology students are editing the footage, which will be shared as an educational resource for teachers.
Lisgar Musicians Get “Lost Together” with Blue Rodeo
The members of the Lisgar Flute and String Ensemble were treated to a private performance of Blue Rodeo’s iconic song “Lost Together” at The National Arts Centre on March 31. This past December, the Flute and String Ensemble won third place in the national CBC Canadian Music Class Challenge for their interpretation of this song. The members of Blue Rodeo took the time to meet the Lisgar musicians, sign the back of their award, and posed in photos with everyone. It was a truly memorable experience for everyone involved!
Exploring Math Through Sewing at Berrigan Elementary School
Berrigan students have continued exploring math through sewing this spring. The school has a dedicated Sewing Club where students are designing and sewing their own clothes, while using math skills to design and measure fabric for their creations. Some students traced their own clothes to make custom-fitted dresses. Others used calculations to design dresses, skirts, and tote bags. Way to sew!
Merivale High School Students Create Tote Bags for Community Organization
Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) students from Merivale High School continued using their creativity to support community causes. They created tote bags which will be used to raise funds for Bereaved Families of Ontario, a non-profit organization that supports individuals who have experienced the loss of a loved one. Working with DeSerres and a professional artist, students used a variety of techniques to create the bags, including cyanotype printing, fabric painting, and block printing. They presented their creations to Jane Davey, Program Manager at Bereaved Families of Ontario, when she visited the school to share her story and discuss how the organization works with grieving individuals across the city.
West Carleton Students Explore Diverse Food and Solutions to Social Challenges
West Carleton Secondary School's Culture and Food Fair continued into the second semester. Students in the Anthropology, Psychology, and Sociology course visited Somerset Street to explore the area’s rich cultural diversity. They plotted their data on a Google Map and selected cultures to investigate further through food. Students prepared presentations in French and English and collaborated with the Food and Culture class to make a variety of dishes – from Egyptian goulash to Phad Thai to Brazilian brigadeiros!
Meanwhile, students in the Challenge and Change in Society course toured downtown Ottawa, gathering evidence of social challenges and progressive ideas. They created a Google Map and discussed challenges that exist in the city, such as accessibility, sustainability, income inequality, and equity. Each student selected a challenge and created an interactive presentation on supports that are available or need to be developed to address it.
Many of these projects were made possible by the OCDSB's Innovation and Adolescent Learning Department, along with support from a variety of community partners. Visit our School News page to read more about these and other initiatives from 2022-2023!