UPPER CANADA DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

The Upper Canada District School Board celebrated creativity, innovation, and its impact on student learning within the district recently by announcing the 2022 Trustee Innovation Award winners.

Students at Russell High School wrapped up an initiative that turned students into authors and mentors, and tackled social justice issues connected to the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Right to Read inquiry at the same time.

Eight Almonte District High School (ADHS) students worked collaboratively in their math and English classes to design, plan and budget for a project to build two raised garden boxes at Almonte Country Haven, a retirement home in Mississippi Mills.

The Ghost and the Potatoe Party, The Secret of the Lost Scroll, and Blue Bess and Her Race Car all have one thing in common - they were created from the imaginations of Kindergarten to Grade 2 students at Williamstown Public School.

The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB), in partnership with the Ahkwesahsne Mohawk Board of Education (AMBE), have officially entered into a new five-year service agreement.

Four Grade 8 students from Perth District and Collegiate Institute represented their 100 classmates on Friday, June 17 in the Perth Council Chambers to present to members of council, community members, and parents and guardians their findings from a recent water study done on the Tay River.

Eleven weeks, 11 schools, and nearly 2,000 students later, the hands-on skilled trades tour has come to a close with a final stop at Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School.

More than 50 athletes represented the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) at the OFSAA Track and Field Championships, held June 2-4 at York University in Toronto.

For the 10th week in a row, Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) students are getting the chance to experience real-world learning in the skilled trades, right outside their classroom doors.

The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) recognized excellence in members of its staff on Monday, June 6, during the 2022 Celebration Night awards ceremony.

During the month of June, the UCDSB will be celebrating National Indigenous History Month. This is a time to learn, grow, and celebrate Indigenous peoples and culture. The UCDSB is specifically situated on the traditional Anishinaabek and Haudenosaunee territories.

They shoot, score, and capture gold! Char-Lan District High School not only hosted the 2022 EOSSAA junior soccer championships this week, but earned gold in the girls’ division.

This week, the St. Lawrence College Mobile Skills Training Labs moved to Tagwi Secondary School and students are experiencing real-world learning in the skilled trades using power tools, building circuits, and learning how to challenge and fuel their bodies in new and healthy ways.

June is widely known as Pride Month, and the Upper Canada District School Board will celebrate all month long as we remain committed to supporting our members of the LGBTQS2+ community.

This week, the St. Lawrence College Mobile Skills Training Labs are on site at St. Lawrence Secondary School (SLSS) where students are experiencing real-world learning in the skilled trades using power tools, building circuits, and learning how to challenge and fuel their bodies in new and healthy ways.

It’s a goal...and a gold! Glengarry District High School played host to the 2022 Eastern Ontario Secondary School Athletic Association (EOSSAA) soccer championships.

Upper Canada District School Board athletes earned dozens of gold, silver, and bronze medals at the 2022 EOSSAA Track and Field Championships, held May 19 and 20 at Thousand Islands Secondary School.

For the seventh week in a row, Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) students are getting the chance to experience real-world learning in the skilled trades, right outside their classroom doors.

Thirty-six Akwesasne students from Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School (CCVS) returned today from a three-day, for-credit experience at the Thompson Island Cultural Camp, also known as Ionkwa'nikonri:io.

An after-school credit program at St. Lawrence Secondary School (SLSS) is offering students a unique hands-on cultural culinary experience. The Indigenous Culinary program, which is new to the school this year, brings in a variety of guests from across the country – both virtually and in-person to share with students Indigenous culinary.

These real-world learning opportunities are grabbing the attention of community and industry members, too. This week, members of Council from the Town of Prescott, along with Martyn Beckett, School College Work Initiative (SCWI) liaison officer visited the site as well.

Learning comes in many different forms and one after-school credit option for Indigenous students at Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School (CCVS) is helping with their mind, body, and soul.

Building connections and practicing writing skills through pen pals has been a staple for the past couple of years for a Grade 3/4/5 class at Rideau Vista Public School.

When it comes to fundraising for the Terry Fox Foundation, Laggan Public School and Char-Lan District High School are leaders within the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB).

An energetic and curious group of Grade 7 to Grade 12 students at Thousand Islands Secondary School are engaging in an exciting and unique hands-on experience this week.

Mental health and well-being play a significant role in both our personal and professional lives. This, of course, includes students.

The Upper Canada District School Board is proud to share that it has received Ministry of Education approval and additional funding to proceed with the Westminster Public School gym addition and retrofit of existing spaces.

The Upper Canada District School Board is pleased to share that the 2022-2023 School Year Calendar has been approved by the Ministry of Education and is now available to view.

The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) is proud to announce that it has received additional funding from the Ministry of Education and the approval to proceed with the new Brockville Elementary School to be located at 556 King St. West.

A keen group of Grade 8 to Grade 11 students at Gananoque Secondary School are engaging in an exciting and unique hands-on experience this week

The Upper Canada District School Board, in partnership with Kemptville Campus, is excited to share that the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skill Development has granted the two organizations close to $1 million in funding that will allow for developments and expansion of programming at the TR Leger School of Adult, Alternative and Continuing Education trades and apprenticeship training facility on Kemptville Campus.

Carleton Place High School (CPHS) welcomed Ottawa-based organization Monarch Cricket to the school this week for an Ontario Federation of School Athletic Association (OFSAA) Try Day, focusing on cricket.

An eager to learn and enthusiastic group of Grade 9, Grade 10, and Grade 11 students at Smiths Falls District Collegiate Institute (SFDCI) are engaging in a unique hands-on experience this week that is allowing them to learn how to weld, cook, build, and how to move and fuel their body in ways to make it strong and healthy.

April 21 is World Creativity and Innovation Day! From Makey Makey and MakeDo kits to finding creative ways to spark curiosity and learning from students in Kindergarten to Grade 12, each day Upper Canada District School Board, students and educators engage in creative and innovative learning.

An energetic and excited group of Grade 8, Grade 9, and Grade 11 students at Perth District & Collegiate Institute (PDCI) engaged in a unique hands-on experience this week that allowed them to learn how to build, cook, weld, and how to move and fuel their body in ways to make it strong and healthy.

Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) staff and students will be dressed in pink tomorrow, April 13, for International Day of Pink to show their support and solidarity for people in our school system and community that identify as Two-Spirited, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Queer, Intersexed, Asexual or express their gender and sexuality in other ways.

Learning to weld, build, wire circuits, cook, and how to move and fuel your body in ways to make it strong and healthy – this is what Grade 8 and Grade 9 students at Carleton Place High School are taking part in this week.

North Dundas District High School (NDDHS) students Emma and Ava Acres pulled a win with their curling team on Sunday, April 3 at the U18 Provincial Curling Championship in Kingston.

Two Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) secondary schools are the proud recipients of a generous donation from the Desjardins Foundation. Char-Lan District High School and Glengarry District High School each received $3,000 to support school-based projects that focus on experiential learning in the trades and agricultural programs.

Upper Canada District School Board Student Senators are focused on change and improvement – not just for the school board, but within the community.

A vision for maximizing classroom space and creating new learning opportunities has developed into St. Lawrence Secondary School (SLSS) Construction students having their own on-site tiny home.

The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) is getting set to provide students with additional hands-on and real-world learning in skilled trades this spring.

March 22, 2022 – Magnificent works of art created by Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) students are on display at the Tay River Health Centre in Perth.

March 21, 2022 – Education, conversations, and denouncing racial discrimination are vital to creating change. At the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB), we acknowledge the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, which takes place each year on March 21, as a way to reaffirm our commitment of providing a safe, inclusive, equitable future for all.

Students at Cambridge Public School recently experienced a fun-filled day of French activities all while expanding their French language skills.

March 8 is International Women’s Day, an annual day to celebrate the achievements of women, raise awareness of gender bias and take action for equality. In the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB), young female students are breaking gender stereotypes by exploring opportunities in male-dominated fields of work.

The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) Communications & Relationship Management (CRM) Department has been recognized by the Canadian Association of Communicators in Education (CACE) with five BRAVO! Awards.

The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) Student Senate held the annual Student Trustee Election virtually on Friday, February 25 to elect the two new Student Trustees for the 2022-2023 school year.

The last Wednesday of February is widely known as Pink Shirt Day, and one that students and staff across the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) recognize each year. The intent of Pink Shirt Day is to raise awareness and promote conversations about anti-bullying to foster a more kind, caring, and inclusive world. Pink Shirt Day began in 2007 after two Nova Scotia high school students took a stand against bullying when their classmate was bullied for wearing a pink shirt.

February is Black History Month and Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) schools have taken the opportunity to focus on and celebrate Black history and culture, and the significant contributions that Black Canadians have had on our country.

February 11, 2022 - In the spirit of the 2022 Winter Olympics taking place in Beijing, China, schools across the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) are holding their own Olympics.

The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) is proud to share that it has received approval to proceed to tender for the expansion project at Williamstown Public School, in Williamstown, and additional funding to complete other enhancements at the school.

During the first week of Black History Month, we saw UCDSB classes creating artwork and displays, celebrating the contribution of Black Canadians, exploring books with big messages and engaging in meaningful conversations.

January 28, 2022 – Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, January 26, 2022. Some of the items discussed in the public session are as follows. 

For our students who are participating digitally during this remote learning period, here are some tips and reminders you might find helpful:

Staff and students throughout the Upper Canada District School Board are turning the page on a new learning experience – through outdoor Storytime Trails.

On Friday, Dec. 3, approximately 900 Grade 7 and Grade 8 students from schools in the eastern region of the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) took part in a skilled trades exploration activity.

This week, more than 30 classrooms from 28 different schools in the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) are dedicating at least one hour of class time to coding activities. The Hour of Code, which runs from Dec. 6-10 this year in conjunction with Computer Science Education Week, is a global movement that introduces Kindergarten to Grade 12 students to STEM and computer programming concepts.

To honour Human Rights Day, we asked our UCDSB Learning Commons Team for their recommendations for age-appropriate and engaging books focused on the topic. All of these books are available on the free Sora reading app (All UCDSB staff and students have a log in!) or in your school’s library collection.

Showcasing strategic plan initiatives, staff innovation and the student voice, the 2020-2021 Upper Canada District School Board’s Director’s Annual Report is now available to the community.

With December 3 being International Day for Persons With Disabilities (IDPWD), we wanted to share some of the UCDSB resources and programs we have available for students with disabilities:

Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) Trustee John McAllister was acclaimed to the role of Chair of the Board for the 2021-22 school year at the Board of Trustees’ annual organizational meeting held on December 1.

With long-standing involvement connecting students and staff with Indigenous culture, traditions and teachings, Upper Canada District School Board Indigenous Education System Support Teacher Bill Montgomery has received national recognition.

The Grade 9 dance students at Tagwi Secondary School closed off their Quadmester 1 Dance course recently with a virtual dance tour and workshops for kindergarten to Grade 2 students.

Last spring, Cambridge Public School staff completed a book study together that has since transformed the daily learning experiences of Grades 3-6 students.

After learning about the prevalence of youth homelessness in Lanark County and how simple things like shampoo and lotion or toothpaste can make a difference in the life of those experiencing homelessness, Grade 5 and 6 students at Naismith Memorial Public School were inspired to help.

Last week, South Crosby Public School classrooms engaged in learning activities surrounding Secret Path Week, a national movement commemorating the legacies of Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack.

On Friday, Oct. 15, Liza Hicks’ Grade 2 and 3 students at Pakenham Public School sat excitedly in the school front entrance hallway. After a quick briefing on safety and planting rules, each student was given a plastic bag filled with daffodil bulbs, a shovel, and sent outside to start their planting adventures.

On Friday, Oct. 15, Sweet’s Corners Elementary School staff and students watched and cheered as French Teacher Sara Langman had 12 inches of hair cut off, completing their school’s Terry Fox Challenge.

To continue with its ongoing efforts to bring equitable opportunities to each student, the Upper Canada District School Board has made menstrual products free and accessible in every school across the district and dispensers are now installed in all relevant washrooms.

From inspiring keychains to cartoon dragons, students from across the Upper Canada District School Board have received resources to ignite conversations about mental health.

Indigenous education, teaching truths and committing to reconciliation is woven into the every-day curriculum and culture at the Upper Canada District School Board. Today, students and staff showcased interactive community displays and stunning artwork, held outdoor ceremonies, planted heart gardens, and so much more, all to commemorate the first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day today. Here are a few examples of how our students, staff and community came together

To officially launch the Level 1 Commercial Vehicle Apprenticeship Training Program, the Upper Canada District School Board, in partnership with the Kemptville Campus Education and Community Centre, the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario, le Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario, and le Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est, hosted a grand opening today at UCDSB’s TR Leger site on Kemptville Campus.

On September 30, flags will be at half-mast throughout the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) and staff and students will be dressed in orange, to recognize and share in learning for the 8th annual Orange Shirt Day and the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

To showcase support for new Canadians, TR Leger Immigrant Services commemorated Welcoming Week today.

Farm equipment filled the parking lot at Char-Lan District High School today for their third annual Take your Tractor to School Day.

When siblings Will, Lucas and Campbell O’Neill learned about the current situation in Afghanistan, they wanted to do their part to help.

From improving air quality to installing hundreds of water bottle re-filling stations, the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) continues with its commitment to ensuring schools remain a safe and healthy place for staff and students this school year.