Hi OCSB students – we would like to introduce ourselves. We are Sia Srivastava and Sharaphaajan (Sharu) Sivapalan, your student trustees for the 2022-2023 school year. If you want to know what we do, please check out this article by OCSB news.
One of our key roles is to help inform you about what is happening at the Board level and how it impacts your education. This newsletter will highlight some exciting projects currently underway.
Increased Tutoring Support
Our school board received funding from the Ministry of Education to help bridge learning gaps, support academic success and focus on overall mental health and wellness. The Board used these funds to support a student tutoring program.
The program utilized support from in-school, after-school, summer programs, and community partnerships to focus on math, literacy and other foundational learning skills. Almost 4000 students took advantage of this unique opportunity!
If you want more information, please check out this slideshow created by Shelley Montgomery (Superintendent of Student Success, Elementary), Sean Kelly (Superintendent of Student Success, Intermediate/Secondary), and their incredible teams!
E-learning Requirements
E-learning courses are delivered using the internet (asynchronously) and do not require students to be physically present with one another or with their teacher.
E-learning courses do not include remote learning or courses found at our virtual schools. Students who entered Grade 9 in the 2020-2021 school year will be required to earn a minimum of 2 e-learning credits to obtain their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). You can opt-out of the e-learning requirements with your parent’s permission. They need to fill out the opt-out form on the Parent Portal.
Our Board has been offering E-learning courses since 2013. When the program began, there were only 15 sections. Today you can choose from 43 sections of e-learning courses! Contact your guidance counsellor or check out this slideshow created by Sean Kelly (Superintendent, Student Success, Intermediate/Secondary) if you want and his fantastic team!
What is the Binogi Platform?
Binogi is a super cool platform teachers can use to support Math, Science and Geography content using videos 3-5 minutes long in multiple languages. Binogi works with teachers, subject experts, scriptwriters, voice actors, illustrators, animators, and especially with us students to create a fantastic variety of entertaining and educational lessons.
These lessons are offered in several languages, such as English, Swedish, Somali, Thai, German, and French, for example. You can find Binogi in your student portal under the other resources section. If you would like more information, please check out this slideshow created by Ben Vallati (Superintendent, Continuing & Community Education), Sinead Tsang (English as a Second Language Consultant), Jennifer Gauthier (Educational Consultant, Intermediate/Secondary Student Success), and their wonderful teams!
Find Out More About Summer Programming
Did you know the work doesn’t stop at the Board Officer over the summer? The Special Education and Student Services Department provide summer programs to support students, families and staff. The Board offered:
- Summer Counselling
- Transition Groups and;
- CREW
A whopping 860 students participated in these outstanding programs! If you would like more information, please check out this slideshow created by Nicola Benton (Superintendent, Special Education and Student Services), Sharon Lerher (Social Work Lead), and their marvellous team!
Experiential Learning Opportunities
Our Board offers many experiential learning opportunities for students that focus on learning in and outside the classroom.
- Vertical gardens/grow towers
- OCSB Career Week
- Take Our Kids to Work Day
- Launch 2022
- ONFE Career Panels and;
- Social Entrepreneurial Program (SEP website)
If you would like more information, please check out this slideshow created by Sean Kelly (Superintendent, Student Success, Intermediate/Secondary), Neda Bernabo (Consultant for Experiential Learning), and their fantastic team!
Reach out to us with any questions
These are just a handful of the amazing opportunities the Ottawa Catholic School Board continues to offer to support our education. We would like to thank Mr. D’Amico, Mrs. Donaghy, the Board of Trustees, the Executive council, and staff on behalf of all students as they continue to support our education. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us, Sharu (sharaphaajan.sivapalan@stu.ocsb.ca) or Sia (sia.srivastava@stu.ocsb.ca). We would be more than happy to answer your questions or concerns. Take care!