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Highlights from the March 8 Board of Trustees Meeting
Highlights from the March 8 Board of Trustees Meeting
Posted on 03/10/2023

Full details on presentations, reports, and discussions can be found in the agenda or reviewed in the recorded broadcast. Video segments are linked in the subhead for each item below.

March 10, 2023 – Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, March 8, 2023. Some of the items discussed in the public session are as follows. 

 

Superintendent of Schools Deanna Perry presented the 2023-2024 School Year Calendar to Trustees for approval.

Perry noted the draft calendar comes after extensive consultations with various stakeholders, which includes the Parent Involvement Committee (PIC), Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC), and employee groups. Public consultation took place in January and February with a total of 295 respondents. Feedback from the consultations was considered on the draft calendar. The school year calendar was also created in consultation with the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario.   

Trustees unanimously approved the 2023-2024 School Year Calendar. It will now be submitted to the Ministry of Education for final approval. Details of the draft School Year Calendar can be found here. 

 

Superintendent of Human Resources Chad Brownlee presented an update on how the UCDSB is supporting school-aged children and adult learners who are newcomers and asylum seekers in the Cornwall area.  

Brownlee shared that since Cornwall’s Dev Centre was established as a Canadian newcomer and asylum seeker transition centre in September, 86 school-aged children are attending Bridgewood Public School, 11 at Central Public School, 25 at St. Lawrence Secondary School and 11 attending Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School. Additionally, TR Leger staff have conducted over 400 English assessments and have 180 adult learners with a growing waitlist. As of January, 778 newcomers/asylum seekers are residing at the Dev Centre and Ramada Hotel.  

Since the increase in September, UCDSB has added additional English as a Second Language instructors at Bridgewood Public School and St. Lawrence Secondary School to support English language learners, the establishment of three English as a Second Language courses at St. Lawrence Secondary School, three TR Leger Adult English Classrooms at the Dev Centre along with two teachers, Instructional Supervising Monitors and one English as a Second Language instructor, and two teachers, Instructional Supervising Monitors, an English as a Second Language instruction and Site Administrator along with a Kindergarten to Grade 2 and Grade 3 to 6 classroom at the Dev Centre.  

Brownlee noted that in addition to increased staffing and supports, schools are also supporting students through inclusive morning announcements and national anthems, the Dev Centre Facebook Page being linked to Bridgewood Public School’s page to focus on student work, monthly good news assemblies with student recognition and promoting real-world learning. 

 

Superintendent of Schools Marsha McNair along with Principal of Equity and Inclusion Dan McRae provided an update as it relates to equity and inclusion at the UCDSB and more specifically Black History Month initiatives that took place in schools.

McNair shared that the UCDSB is committed to ensuring that students, staff and communities are educated about the valuable contributions of all members of society. This includes resources and connecting to the Board Improvement and Equity Plan’s goal of everyone being able to see themselves in the curriculum to achieve their full potential.

McRae appraised Trustees of some of the learning resources and projects that schools engaged in during Black History Month. This included students and classes learning about notable Black Canadians, reading graphic novels and poetry by Black authors, learning the history of Black History Month, celebrating Black culture, and watching Heritage Minute stories. McRae also shared that they work closely with the Student Equity and Inclusion subcommittee and are supportive and excited about how the UCDSB highlights and promotes equity and inclusion.

A real-world learning project is ongoing between the Smiths Falls Police Service and area elementary schools. McRae says this project involves Duncan J. Schoular Public School, Chimo Elementary School, Lombardy Public School, and Montague Public School. The schools and police service are working together to promote and highlight the research, projects and learning of Black history to the greater community. 

 

For media inquiries, please contact:   

April Scott-Clarke   Manager of Communications   Upper Canada District School Board   [email protected] 

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