Ottawa Carleton District School Board

On Thursday, November 26, the Ontario government announced it is launching targeted voluntary testing of asymptomatic students and staff in regions of the province which currently have a high number of active COVID-19 cases.

This rare and special live stream will feature Kanahus Manuel from the west coast (Secwepemc and Ktunaxa) who will be speaking to OCDSB students grades 9 to 12 and staff on current events taking place on Indigenous lands in British Columbia.

This is an unprecedented time, and this year, more than ever, our communities need help. The OCDSB is a proud supporter of the United Way.

The review of suspension data is an essential step in the OCDSB’s commitment to creating a culture of caring and social responsibility.

The OCDSB Indigenous Speakers Series proudly presents a webinar with Isaac Murdoch, for OCDSB grade 9 to 12 students and staff.

The OCDSB is hosting an online post-secondary education (PSE) opportunities event for students in Grades 11 and 12.

Today, we received a letter from Dr. Vera Etches which we are delighted to share with you. The letter acknowledges the importance of public education in our community and most importantly, the work that each of our staff members do to keep our schools clean and safe.

Youth Ottawa and the OCDSB were proud to present the online Rainbow Bridges Film Festival on November 19th. We showcased the student films from last year’s Rainbow Bridges participants, and had a few surprises!

In the spring, our graduating class finished high school in a year that none of us expected. Now, it's time to celebrate their achievement. On Thursday, December 10, 2020, all OCDSB secondary schools will be providing a virtual commencement ceremony for our graduates of 2020.

World Children’s Day was first established in 1954 as Universal Children's Day and is celebrated on November 20th each year to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improve children's welfare.

The top scholar at the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board for the 2019-2020 school year is Sheel Ayachi.

Today, the OCDSB is excited to share that the Government of Ontario has announced it will fund the construction of a new high school in Riverside South.

Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Abdirahman Abdi and the Black community who continue to grieve the loss of a loved one following today’s court decision.

We have been informed of a series of allegations relating to the school climate at Nepean High School. The allegations span a period of several years and involve both current and former students and staff. The allegations address issues of racism and inappropriate conduct of staff involving students.

We have been hearing your questions about COVID-19 and have assembled a list of questions and answers for you.

With so much emphasis on online learning, it is important for students to realize the responsibilities that are associated with the internet.

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board is proud to announce the launch of our new Indigenous, Equity and Human Rights Roadmap - 2020-2023.

The rise in cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa is concerning. Right now, some students are already in 14-day self-isolation while others are at home awaiting test results. While we all must continue to do our part to stop the spread of COVID into schools, more families will experience this in the weeks ahead.

We have received many questions about students with previous conditions like seasonal allergies or what to do if your child tests negative for COVID-19 and when they can return to school.

The OCDSB is excited to welcome 17,000 students to our new virtual schools – OCV Elementary and OCV Secondary to their first day of school on Friday, September 18th. Our secondary school will support approximately 4,000 students. OCV Elementary has been divided into six campuses, which allows us to better organize the 13,000 students according to their home school.

"We want children to laugh, to feel at ease, and safe." Starting kindergarten is an exciting and nervous time for students and parents alike. Especially this year.

Today, the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA) shared an important update for OCDSB families. Due to severe driver shortages, some yellow bus routes will be cancelled for OCDSB students, starting Sept. 14th. In addition, the agency also noted that some grade 7-12 students have been transitioned to public transit.

Many people have questions about class size and how many students they can expect to see in their child's class this year.

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board would like to extend deepest condolences to the family and friends of Dave Smith, who recently passed away at the age of 87.

The OCDSB is in the process of staffing for the new school year. Many people have asked questions about what these staffing changes mean, why they are necessary and why is this happening so close to the start of the school year. We wanted to explain the process in a little more detail.

We’re excited to welcome students back to school. Our new Return to School Schedule provides a detailed explanation of our plans to safely transition students back to school.

At a Special Board meeting on Wednesday, August 26, Trustees approved the OCDSB 2020-21 operating budget of $1,008.3 million, capital budget of $97.9 million and the use of $5.4 million in recently announced Ministry grants to address incremental instruction and school operation costs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In celebrating Capital Pride, Youth Ottawa and the OCDSB wanted to share a video showcasing 2SLGTBQ student voices. The video is a reel of student films from the Rainbow Bridges Project. This was an experiential, for-youth-by-youth project where high school students involved with the school’s GSA (gay-straight alliance or gender and sexuality alliance) worked together to innovate new ways of creating safer schools.

Thank you for the cooperation and patience as we move one more step closer to the start of the school year. The Confirmation of Attendance process is now complete. We understand how challenging it was to make this decision under such short timelines and we are deeply grateful for the cooperation from OCDSB families.

Dear OCDSB Families, With new direction from the Ministry of Education and lots of good feedback from the community, we have updated our Return to School plan. Our plan is still built on three models of instruction...

Thank you to everyone who completed the Confirmation of Attendance form. We had a 91% response rate which breaks down as follows...

The Ministry of Education has just released an important Policy/Program Memorandum (PPM) with new requirements for Remote Learning which will affect the OCDSB Return to School plan.

On July 30th, the Government of Ontario released its plan for school reopening for September.

The Government of Ontario has confirmed funding for the building of two new elementary schools in the Fernbank area and south Barrhaven.

The 2020-2021 School Year Calendar has been approved by the Ministry. School year calendars are distributed to all students at the beginning of each school year. The school year calendar lists school holidays and other important dates.

As part of our commitment to employee wellbeing, OCDSB administrative departments have scheduled a common two-week vacation period for many staff from 27 July 2020 to 7 August 2020 inclusive.

Are you (or someone you know) interested in being on the Education Foundation of Ottawa (EFO)’s Board of Directors? The EFO is currently seeking 7 Board of Directors positions. As a local registered charity, EFO is committed to leveling the playing field for students of the OCDSB. Learn more about this opportunity to help support OCDSB students in need!

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board recently launched a survey to gather feedback on the experience of parents/guardians, students and staff with the Learn At Home model that was implemented in March-June 2020. This survey also gave parents/guardians, students and staff an opportunity to share their thoughts on the plans for the next school year.

On Thursday, July 16, 2020, the Board considered an appeal filed by Trustee Donna Blackburn in regards to a Code of Conduct decision. In considering the appeal, the Board reviewed both the decision regarding the breach of the Board Member Code of Conduct, and the decision of the Board imposing sanctions.

On July 9 and 10, the Board of Trustees held a Special Board meeting to discuss plans for school reopening in September. The meeting began with parent delegates speaking about their experiences and sharing their thoughts ahead of the trustee discussion. The Board also received additional written statements from parents which were shared with trustees.

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board has launched a survey to gather feedback on the experience of parents/guardians, students and staff with the Learn At Home model that was implemented in March-June 2020. This survey also gives parents/guardians, students and staff an opportunity to share their thoughts on the plans for the next school year.

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board has been advised by the Ottawa Police Service that Majed Turk, an individual employed by the OCDSB, has been charged with one count of sexual assault, one count of sexual interference and one count of criminal harassment.

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board has censured Trustee Donna Blackburn under the Board Member Code of Conduct and strongly recommended she offer her resignation.

The OCDSB is still accepting applications for our Co-op Program for the 2020-2021 School Year.

The Ottawa-Carleton District Board will hold a Special Board Meeting on Monday, June 29, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. to deal with a Code of Conduct complaint.

We are proud to celebrate their incredible success and achievement of our graduating students. Watch a message from OCDSB Education Director Camille Williams-Taylor to the Class of 2020.

Report cards will be available to parents on June 24, 2020, for elementary students and July 3, 2020, for secondary students through a secure online Report Card Portal. Parents will be able to login and see their child’s report card.

We are a caring community and we must remember to reach out and support each other; we must acknowledge that what is happening is not okay; and we must remain committed to speaking out against racism in all its forms.

The OCDSB has released the first summary report of its Valuing Voices – Identity Matters! survey of students from kindergarten to grade 12. The results demonstrate the rich diversity of the OCDSB student population and provide data the school board will need to consider as it prepares its Indigenous, Human Rights and Equity and Indigenous Roadmap to be released in fall 2020.

Anyone who wishes to apply for a Cross Boundary Transfer and did not do so during the application period of February 3rd to 18th, 2020, will need to complete the following form: OCDSB 118E Elementary School Transfer Application OCDSB 118S Secondary Student School Transfer Application

The response to Grade 6-8 Virtual Elementary Summer School has been significant. In order to have time to staff, create classes, communicate with parents and to ensure everything is ready for July 2nd, registration will be closing on Monday, June 8th.

It’s a sad reality in Ottawa that too many families struggle with food security. While grocery shelves may be nearly full, not everyone can afford a stable supply of healthy and nutritious food.

June is National Indigenous History Month, including National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21. This month is an opportunity to reflect upon the history, contributions, culture and strength of First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples.

In June, the OCDSB is celebrating Pride Month, which recognizes the impact that 2SLGBTQ+ people have had around the world, across our communities, and in our District. We are proud of our diversity and committed to providing a safe, welcoming environment for all students and staff.

The human rights and dignity of every person must be protected, and that can only be done when we individually and collectively take action to disrupt and dismantle the systems that perpetuate racism and oppression. The OCDSB commits to this work and to actively engage in the listening, learning and collaboration necessary to build a better way forward together.

OCDSB schools have raised more than a quarter of a million dollars for cancer research through participation in the 2019 Terry Fox School Run.

Over 1100 students shared 521 thoughts and assigned 22,556 ratings on how we can celebrate the class of 2020 while following physical distancing recommendations.

All OCDSB schools will remain closed for the rest of this school year, per Ministerial order. This provincial decision was based on advice from the Chief Medical Officer of Health. Staff, students and families will receive more information today.

An update on the formal investigation into a complaint regarding an alleged incident between a trustee and a young person in March 2020.

We wanted to provide answers to many of the questions that you have been asking about assessment, evaluation and end of year activities.

On Sunday, April 26, Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced that all publicly-funded schools will remain closed to students until at least May 31, 2020.

The Director’s Citation Awards recognize outstanding and significant staff contributions to the District and its students, over an extended period of time, showing a level of imagination, enthusiasm, and professionalism that constitutes a worthy model for others.

A tentative agreement has been reached between the Ontario Government, Ontario Public School Boards' Association (OPSBA) and Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) teachers.

Over the past few weeks, we have been working to contact students to check in and make sure things are okay. However, we haven’t been able to reach all families. If you have not spoken with your teacher or principal, please email them as soon as you can. You can also contact our Family Reception Centre, which supports families whose primary language is not English: 613-239-2416 or familyreceptioncentre@ocdsb.ca

We are committed to a Culture of Caring. Everyone deserves an opportunity to learn. With school closures due to the COVID-19, we were suddenly forced to move learning online. Unfortunately, not all OCDSB students have access to a computer or wifi.

We have received many questions from students and parents about assessment, evaluation and reporting during this time.

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board has been made aware of reports of an incident in a community park that involved a Trustee and a resident. We are not aware of all of the details related to this specific incident, but we are very concerned about the allegations of racism and bias that this has generated.

OCDSB Learn At Home is the second phase of a province-wide learning strategy to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. OCDSB Learn At Home is a way to focus student learning on key concepts so that students can finish their academic year and be supported to advance to the next year or graduate.

On April 6 th , all OCDSB schools will move to Phase 2 of Learn at Home. This is a period of transition for all of us. We are continuing to take a phased approach to our Learn At Home and will focus on teaching and learning in two week blocks. This will give us an opportunity to hear how it is working for our families and students and make any necessary adjustments. We are fortunate to have such caring educators who have been checking in with students and families over the past two weeks. We’ve encouraged our staff to work together and to be thoughtful and age appropriate about the number of points of contact for both students and families.

Dear OCDSB Families: Today, the Government of Ontario announced that schools and child care centres will remain closed to students until Monday, May 4, 2020. As these dates come closer, this decision will be re-evaluated based on public health advice and the closure may be extended if necessary.

Dear OCDSB Families: As we kick-off a new week, I wanted to touch base and let you know about our progress to date. As you can appreciate, developing a plan to support learning for 75,000 students while schools are closed, is a challenging task. There are still many questions about next steps and we anticipate further direction from the Ministry of Education, but there is lots to report on.

Dear OCDSB Families: I wanted to provide an update of our current progress on supporting student learning during the COVID-19 closure and some information about possible next steps. I know that there are many different perspectives on this issue, and at the OCDSB, we are working to find a path forward that meets the many needs and perspectives.

Dear OCDSB Families, Please find attached a letter from the Minister of Education which contains information relating to the closure of schools in response to COVID-19.

The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) has reached tentative central agreements with the Government of Ontario, the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association and the Council of Trustees’ Associations. Separate tentative central agreements have been negotiated for ETFO’s teacher/occasional teacher and education worker members.

As you know, the OCDSB has been closely monitoring the development of the coronavirus (COVID-19). We remain committed to keeping families informed about this situation and how it impacts our schools, families and staff.

In keeping with a commitment to good governance, transparency and accountability, the Board of Trustees (Board) of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board has recently approved revisions to its Code of Conduct and has established a policy for the appointment of an Integrity Commissioner.

The proposed calendar for the 2020-2021 school year is now available on our website. Please note that this is subject to Ministry Approval, which is received on or before May 1st of each year.

In a special OCDSB board meeting Tuesday, Justine Bell was sworn in as new trustee for Zone 10, Somerset Kitchissippi, for a term ending November 14, 2022.

Our sincere condolences to those affected by the tragic plane crash in Iran. To our community, locally, nationally & internationally, we offer our deepest sympathy and support to those whose family, friends, colleagues & loved ones were victims in this tragedy. Together we mourn.

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board takes the health and safety of students and staff extremely seriously. In accordance with expanded provincial lead testing requirements in 2017, all designated drinking locations in OCDSB elementary schools were tested in 2017 and 2018 and we anticipate that the expanded testing in secondary schools will be completed in 2020.

The OCDSB is pleased to announce the appointment of two Superintendents of Instruction who will begin their new role with the school district effective, January 6, 2020.

At its annual organizational meeting on December 2nd, the OCDSB elected a chair and vice chair of the Board of Trustees for the 2019-2020 year.

Ottawa Public Health requires proof that your child has received proper immunization. Under the Immunization of School Pupils Act, students attending school in Ontario are required to be vaccinated against nine (9) diseases or have a valid exemption. Parents are required to report all immunizations done at the doctor's office to OPH. Under this Act, OPH has the authority to suspend students for whom OPH does not have a record of immunization from attending school.

Get free access to Voilà Live’s Virtual Immersion Campus. Every evening, from Monday to Thursday, OCDSB students have access to live teachers online to practice their French and get homework help in French, English and Math

New guidance regarding the restriction of cellphones in schools has been released today from the Ontario Ministry of Education.

On Wednesday, Aug. 21, the Ontario Ministry of Education issued its revised elementary health and physical education (HPE) curriculum. This approach will take effect starting in the 2019-2020 school year.

Check out the new OCDSB mobile app It makes staying connected with your children’s school(s) easy and accessible.

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board has been advised by the Ottawa Police Service that an individual employed by the OCDSB has been charged with offences related to sexual assault between 2000 and 2018. These are in addition to similar charges against the same individual announced by the Ottawa Police Service in August 2019.