UPPER CANADA DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

he Upper Canada District School Board’s Strategic Plan focuses on why we’re all here: because of our students. As we update our Strategic Plan and the branded poster designs that are displayed in our schools, we want to ensure our students are represented in those images.

An individual at Beckwith Public School has tested positive for COVID-19. Any individuals who may have had a high-risk exposure at the school were contacted this evening by phone or email.

Check out the awesome classroom activities and special events that happened this week in #UCDSB schools.

On Friday, February 26, the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) Student Senators met for their third quarterly meeting and elected two new Student Trustees for the 2021-2022 school year.

Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021 for a regularly scheduled board meeting.

The UCDSB Purchasing Department demonstrated immense dedication and work ethic in order to make UCDSB schools a safer place for staff and students during the COVID-19 pandemic by taking on the monumental effort of ensuring the school district’s personal protective equipment (PPE) was in place in time to welcome back students to in-person learning.

February is Black History Month and Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) schools have taken this opportunity to focus on lessons and activities that spread awareness and educate students of black history and culture.

Roxanne Harrington is a Registered Early Childhood Educator at South Branch Elementary School who consistently goes above and beyond for her students and families.

The Ministry of Education announced today that March Break 2021 will be rescheduled to April 12-16, 2021. This decision changes the school year calendar for our school district. More information about what this means for UCDSB students and staff will be shared over the coming week.

The Upper Canada District School Board is excited to announce it has received Ministry of Education approval to move forward with the Cambridge Public School child care project.

Jennifer Douwes is a caring teacher who works hard to ensure each student feels supported. As a secondary school teacher at Perth and District Collegiate Institute, Jennifer is known for her creativity, organization and classroom management style that emphasizes structure, kindness, compassion, and confidence-building through meaningful academic tasks.

The Upper Canada District School Board is proud to share that it has received Ministry of Education approval to proceed with the Winchester Public School child care project.

Connie Boros works with students, teachers and the TR Leger School of Adult, Alternative and Continuing Education in her role as the UCDSB’s Technology Enabled Learning & Teaching Contact (TeLTC). Her technical skills, determination and personal characteristics make Connie a very valuable team player.

Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met virtually on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021 for a regularly scheduled board meeting.

This morning, the Ministry of Education confirmed that schools supported by the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU), which are schools located in Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry (SDG), Prescott-Russell and Cornwall, will return to in-person learning on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021. 

Dominique Bertrand exemplifies leadership, dedication and maintains important connections with her school’s families in her role as principal of Cambridge Public School.

Kyle Baird is a teacher at Rockland District High School, and he has been​a supportive and encouraging colleague and teacher throughout the COVID-19 pandemic period.

Late this afternoon, the Ministry of Education informed us that schools in the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) which are schools in the areas of Stormont, Glengarry and Dundas (SDG), Prescott-Russell and Cornwall will continue to be closed with students learning remotely until February 10. In-person learning for students who are currently attending school will continue. ​

Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met virtually on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021 for a regularly scheduled board meeting.

From November 30 until December 9, the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) surveyed UCDSB parents and guardians seeking feedback about the school year, specifically regarding the student program experience and COVID-19 precautions in place within our schools.

In response to climbing cases of COVID-19 throughout the province, the province has issued a stay-at-home order and introduced new health and safety measures for our schools when we return to in-person learning.

With remote learning underway, the Upper Canada District School Board wants to further support your child’s learning as well as support parents and guardians. Here are ideas that families can consider to use in an effort to ensure a smoother transition and experience with remote learning, especially for those who are new to remote learning or synchronous learning.

This afternoon, the provincial government confirmed that elementary schools will continue with remote learning until January 25 for all students in our region. While we want to see students back in our schools, we understand and support the provincial government’s decision to remain vigilant to slow the spread of COVID-19 and to keep our students and staff safe. We need to ensure that we continue with daily screening for symptoms and follow public health protocols that are in place if we want to slow this virus.

As students and families prepare for the provincially-mandated period of remote learning, which starts on January 4, we want to assess the technology needs of our students who were enrolled in-person learning at their local school prior to the winter holiday break.

As we approach the new year, we want to let families know that staff continue to finalize details for the transition to remote learning on January 4, 2021 for all Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) students.

Adhering to provincial guidelines, the UCDSB is set to temporarily close its schools and transition to a school-board-wide remote learning model following the holiday break.

The Grade 3 French Immersion students at Westminster Public School in Brockville have a lot to celebrate this week, beyond their holiday spirit. They received news that they placed third in their category in the CBC 2020 Music Class Challenge

Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020 for a regularly scheduled board meeting. Trustees conducted the meeting in person at the Brockville Board Office, with enhanced public health measures in place that provided the option for staff and trustees to use a conference call option as an alternate means for attending the proceedings.

On December 16, the Ministry of Education provided school boards across the province with notice to encourage staff and students to take home anything they may need for distance learning before the winter break to ensure staff and students are prepared for any possible learning scenario in January.

Last week, we gave a snapshot of how our schools are giving back to their communities. Well, we couldn’t help but showcase more examples our school spirit and holiday giving as more schools within our board demonstrate a commitment to helping others.

Upper Canada District School Board Director of Education Stephen Sliwa has made the challenging decision to retire from his role within the school board, effective June 30, 2021.

UCDSB Director of Education Stephen Sliwa pens letter of well wishes for the holiday season.

The Upper Canada District School Board, along with its community partners, held a virtual ceremony on Dec. 11, 2021 and signing of the updated Violence Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA) Protocol. This protocol is a collaborative response to assessing potential violence, aimed at reducing violence and keeping our community safe.

As staff and students get prepared for the annual break, the UCDSB school communities are ensuring their community members aren’t forgotten over the holidays. Here’s a round-up of how some of our schools are giving back to their communities this holiday season.

When kids get excited about their work, those joyful feelings are contagious. And spreading happiness and joy is the purpose behind the student-run card company that has formed at Toniata Public School.

Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) Chair John McAllister was acclaimed to the role for another year on Wednesday, Dec. 2 at the Board of Trustees’ annual organizational meeting. Trustee William MacPherson was acclaimed as Vice-Chair for a third consecutive year.

If you’ve ever met Dustyn Robins, consider yourself lucky. The Grade 4 student at R. Tait McKenzie Public School in Almonte is a kind and considerate student who lights up a room when he enters. Born with Cerebral Palsy, Dustyn uses an electric wheelchair, and the school has provided supports so that Dustyn can experience a positive learning environment.

Erin Lee, a Kindergarten teacher at Viscount Alexander Public School, recently published a children’s book called “Maggie the Magnificent.” It features a spunky new student who magically grants wishes for each of her classmates.

The Upper Canada District School Board is interested in understanding parent and guardian perspectives of the 2020-2021 school year so far, especially your child’s program experience this Fall and how they are coping with the important COVID-19 precautions implemented this school year.

Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2020 for a regularly scheduled board meeting. Trustees conducted the meeting in person at the Brockville Board Office, with enhanced public health measures in place that provided the option for staff and trustees to connect by phone or virtually as an alternate means for attending the proceedings.

As an important foundational step towards establishing the Level 1 Commercial Vehicle Apprenticeship Program, the Upper Canada District School Board signed a lease agreement with the Kemptville Campus Education and Community Centre today.

Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020 for a regularly scheduled board meeting. Trustees conducted the meeting in person at the Brockville Board Office, with enhanced public health measures in place that provided the option for staff and trustees to use a conference call option as an alternate means for attending the proceedings.

With COVID-19 protocols in place, our school board had to re-evaluate how snow days/inclement weather days will work for the 2020-2021 school year.

To help enhance school safety and encourage positive learning environments, schools across the Upper Canada District School Board are promoting Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week from November 15-21, 2020.

With a dedication for Indigenous Education and Reconciliation, Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) Principal of Indigenous Education Programs, Gail Brant-Terry, was recently honoured with the Indspire Guiding the Journey Indigenous Education Awards in Leadership.

The days that were reserved for exams will now be instructional days. To provide a greater balance of instructional days in each quadmester, the start and end dates of each segment had to be adjusted. Please note, these quadmester date changes apply to all secondary students, including those who are learning remotely. Here is a summary of the changes.

I am responding on behalf of the Board of Trustees to your letter that we received on October 28, 2020. First of all, we thank you for sharing your concerns about learning in the time of COVID-19.

This week, many schools across the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) will be engaging in learning opportunities surrounding Treaties Recognition Week, which is celebrated annually during the first week of November.

Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, October 28, 2020 for a regularly scheduled board meeting. Trustees conducted the meeting in person at the Brockville Board Office, with the option for staff and trustees to call in, as per regular practice.

The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) is delighted by today’s announcement that the Kemptville Campus Education and Community Centre has received the green light to become a training facility for the Level 1 Commercial Vehicle and Equipment training though the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP). The UCDSB looks forward to developing this opportunity in partnership.

When Grade 4 Thousand Islands Elementary School student Ava Deryaw found out her classmate needed a new wheelchair, she got creative. Ava’s classmate, Ducky Steacy, has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. Ducky needs a new wheelchair that will better fit her growing body. A new wheelchair costs approximately $6,000, and Ava says she realized she could help her friend’s family with the equipment purchase.

Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, October 14, 2020 for a regularly scheduled board meeting. Trustees conducted the meeting in person at the Brockville Board Office, with the option for staff and trustees to call in, as per regular practice.

If your child is currently enrolled in digital remote learning (either synchronous or asynchronous digital) with the Upper Canada District School Board, then you can see how the online tools are essential to your child’s learning experience. Using these tools may be a learning experience for you, too!

Six Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) employees have been recognized for their creative thinking and practices during the 2019-2020 school year with a Trustee Innovation Award.

As we have now settled students into daily learning routines, we want to provide parents and students with updated information about student evaluations and when reports will be sent home over the course of the 2020-2021 school year.

Inspiration was ignited at Upper Canada District School Board’s Indigenous Student Leadership Forum, even though it was presented in a different way: virtually.

Operating any business or organization has become more complicated during the current pandemic and this is true for school boards, the Upper Canada District School Board included. You may have seen in the media that school boards are having challenges getting casual staff to address employee absences at schools. Although there has only been one case of COVID-19 in the UCDSB, the number of staff members that are away from school with COVID-19-like symptoms, awaiting test results and/or self-isolating is increasing.

Staff and students across the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) are dressed in orange today, September 30, to honour the Indigenous children taken away from their families and placed in residential schools in Canada.

Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, September 23, 2020 for a regularly scheduled board meeting. Trustees conducted the meeting in person at the Brockville Board Office, with the option for staff and trustees to call in, as per regular practice.

This morning administrators at Chimo Elementary School were contacted by the Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit, informing them that a person at the school had tested positive for COVID-19.

The start to this school year has been like none we’ve ever had, and like anything new, is hasn’t been without some challenges along the way. I want to begin by thanking all our parents and guardians for their assistance and careful attention in helping our schools experience a successful start to the new school year.

We know this has been a school year beginning like no other. Like you, we are trying to navigate a situation that changes almost daily. In this environment, our schools are doing their very best to make sure every student receives an education, while we protect health and safety. As we do so, we want to provide you with specific notice on how the school district staff will use specific platforms to support remote synchronous learning and how we ensure privacy and security of participants.

Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met virtually on Wednesday, September 9, 2020 for their first regular board meeting of the 2020-2021 school year. Trustees conducted the meeting in person at the Brockville Board Office, with the option for Trustees to call in, as is the usual practice.

We are just a week away from welcoming students back to school and we are excited for their return. There has been lots of work happening behind the scenes within our school district and with our public health units to make sure the return to school is a safe one.

Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board met virtually on Wednesday, September 2, 2020 for a Special Board of Trustees meeting. The meeting was broadcasted live and recorded using Microsoft Teams. Trustees discussed several agenda items.

As we approach the beginning of September, it is important that I take this opportunity to reach out to parents and students who are preparing for a return to school in a matter of days.