Ottawa Carleton District School Board

Dear Families, We have reached the end of another school year, and what a year it was! Together, we overcame challenges and found our way to many new accomplishments, exciting milestones, and unforgettable moments of community and connection. I have been so inspired by our students’ enduring drive to learn, and the way they have shown support for one another. I also want to thank staff for their commitment to and focus on student learning and to making our schools better, safer, and more welcoming places to be.

Dear OCDSB Families, A Reminder to Take Home Personal Belongings As we approach the end of the school year, please ensure your child collects their personal belongings from their classroom or locker before the last day of school.

Dear OCDSB Families, June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day, an opportunity to celebrate the beauty and brilliance of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples. This is a day that Indigenous students and staff may decide to engage in activities with family and community at home or at events. We also encourage all families and students to take the opportunity to learn more and celebrate, or to join in a community activity. Our work in this area is led by the OCDSB's fantastic Indigenous Education Team.

End of Year Report Cards Parents, guardians and eligible students (grades 7-12) will soon be receiving report cards via email. Your child’s Ontario Education Number (OEN) is required to access the report card: if you will need help identifying or using your child’s OEN, we ask that you please contact your school now, as there will be limited capacity for schools to respond to queries once the school year ends.

Dear OCDSB Families, I hope you all have power fully restored. Thank you again for your understanding as we worked through the challenges of reconnecting all schools to the power grid. We have so much appreciation for the outstanding efforts of hydro and city crews, and OCDSB staff, whose combined efforts allowed all OCDSB schools to be open for in-person learning on Thursday, June 2. We are grateful to all who have worked so hard to ensure our schools can reopen safely.

Dear OCDSB Families, Thank you again for your patience as our staff worked to respond and adapt to the various power and internet outages affecting our community.

Dear OCDSB Families, We’d like to remind you that there will be no school for elementary or secondary students and no childcare on Monday, May 23. We hope you enjoy a safe and happy long weekend.

Dear OCDSB Families, I hope you’ve been enjoying some of the wonderful summer weather we’ve been having this week. Here are a few upcoming events and other details to keep in mind as we begin approaching the end of the school year.

Please Join us in Celebrating the Recipients of the 2021-2022 Director’s Citation and Employee Recognition Awards As we come to the end of Education Week, we are pleased to announce the OCDSB staff members who are recipients of this year’s Director’s Citation and Employee Recognition Awards. Congratulations to all the staff members who were nominated - we are grateful for the hard work and dedication they bring to their roles each and every day. Read more on our website.

May 2-8 is Mental Health Week This year, Mental Health Week takes place from May 2-8. The theme of the week is Empathy, before you weigh in, tune in.

Over the past week, we have received a number of questions from students, staff and families in response to the OCDSB’s new mask mandate. To provide more details, we have updated our website with a few new FAQs to answer some of the common questions we are receiving. We understand these adjustments have been challenging for some students and families, and we thank you for your patience and understanding as we implement these changes.

We would like to remind you that there is no school for elementary or secondary students tomorrow, April 15th, or on Monday, April 18th. Whether you are celebrating a holiday, taking a few days with family or friends, spending time outdoors, or taking part in any other activity, we wish you a safe and happy long weekend.

We know that many families are having to adjust schedules in response to temporary class closures and we apologize for the inconvenience. We continue to have challenges recruiting sufficient replacement staff to cover absences. While COVID is definitely a factor, we have also experienced gastro viruses in some parts of the community. We continue to encourage following public health guidance to check daily for symptoms, stay home when ill, practice regular hand washing and wear a mask.

Dear OCDSB Families, April is World Autism Awareness Month Today is the first day of World Autism Awareness Month. We’d like to share a few words from our students and from Peter Symmonds, Superintendent of Learning Support Services at the OCDSB, as we begin this month of awareness and acceptance together. We encourage you to also visit our website to learn more about World Autism Awareness Month and to participate in one of our webinars or other activities.

Thank you for your patience and understanding during this first week back at school. We have been navigating a number of changes to public health guidelines, and so grateful that staff, students, and families have worked together to make these transitions as easy as possible.

As we begin March Break, we’d also like to remind you that Daylight Savings begins on Sunday, March 13th. Don’t forget to set your clocks ahead one hour.

Dear OCDSB Families, Guidance for Families on Discussing the Situation in Ukraine In the past week, we have seen a dramatic increase in violence in Ukraine. These events may be deeply upsetting for many students, families, and staff members, particularly those who may have loved ones affected. Our thoughts are with all of those impacted at this time.

The news of the escalating conflict in Ukraine is deeply troubling, particularly for those who may have loved ones affected by the violence. This comes after a particularly difficult time in our own community and all in addition to the ongoing stress of the pandemic.

Dear OCDSB Families, Ottawa Police Service has advised citizens to expect an increased police presence in the downtown area due to the ongoing protests. Schools in the downtown core were open today with regular monitoring and contact with Ottawa Police Service.

This parent update contains information about the Upcoming PA Day and Family Day, 2022 Black History Ottawa Youth Leadership Awards, Rapid Antigen Tests and more

January was a long month for all of us! It’s nice to welcome February and great for our secondary students to start the second semester with a return to four classes per day. And some good news - March Break is only 5 weeks away.

Elementary and Secondary Transfer Application Period:​January 31st - February 11th The student transfer application period (elementary and secondary) runs from January 31st until February 11th. If you wish to have your child attend a school other than their designated school, you must complete a student transfer application.​Learn more on our website

We experienced a number of weather challenges and delays this week, but it was great to be able to welcome many of our students back to in-person learning. Thank you for your patience and flexibility, we recognize the challenges that come with change.

Earlier today, we shared detailed information about the return to in-person learning. We’d like to once again express our gratitude for your patience and understanding during the many changes and transitions we have experienced this month.

Thank you to everyone for your patience and understanding as we made the transition to remote learning for in-person students.

Today, the Ontario government announced that all schools will be closed for in-person learning until Monday, January 17, 2022. OCDSB in-person students and OCV students will begin remote learning starting on Wednesday, January 5.