February 1 to 5 2021 is #WCDSBPetWeek in Waterloo Region’s Catholic Schools.

Throughout the week, we invite all students and staff to share on social media their pets, and how their pets are helping them cope with COVID-19.

If your family doesn’t have a real pet, please feel free to create a “virtual” pet and share that …. or share a favorite stuffy.

We are all #InThisTogether – and everyone can play!!

Remember to use the hashtag #WCDSBPetWeek when you share.

And then check out www.wcdsb.ca/wcdsbpetweek frequently as all the posts are gathered!!

Meetings

Committee of the Whole Board Meeting

Monday, January 11, 2021 – Meeting Agenda Package

Public Board Meeting

Monday, January 25, 2021 — Meeting Agenda Package

Highlights

Healthy Active Living Report

Healthy Active Living in the WCDSB is integrated across multiple areas of the Multi-year Strategic Plan and plays a key role in fulfilling mental health and well being goals.

The 2019-2020 school year saw evidence of much success within the Healthy Active Living portfolio. The five priorities addressed during the past school year were:

1. New Health & Physical Education Curriculum
2. Don’t Walk in the Hallway – Physical Literacy Programing
3. Foundations of a Healthy School
4. Rowan’s Law
5. Learn at Home – COVID 19 Program Support

Moving ahead through the remainder of 2020-21, and on into 2021-22, the primary focus in the Healthy Active Living portfolio will lie in supporting schools through a full return to school plan in the Health & Physical Education world.

• New protocols will affect regular routines, including physical activity patterns from Kindergarten through Grade 12. Students are limited in the equipment that they use, the sanitization protocols necessary, and the physical distancing required to keep all students and staff safe.
• At a time in which Physical Education needs to be one of the pillars of mental health and well-being, it will take great creativity and communication to ensure our system of teachers feel fully supported. This will be achieved through weekly emails to the Primary Planning Time Team and the use of the Weekly Announcements platform. Administrators will have the opportunity to have the Healthy Active Living Consultant virtually attend staff meetings so support can be provided directly to educators.
• It will be crucial that plans continue to be flexible as the year progresses, and efforts will be made to communicate with our Public Health office and other school boards across the province to ensure best practices are being observed.

The report is available beginning on page 10 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Math Strategy Update

As well as providing an update with respect to the following listed math priorities, the report presented on January 11^th illustrated how we are responding to the changing landscape of education. Specifically, the report detailed how we are leveraging technology to enhance each student’s learning experience and how we continue to strive to know our learners to respond to their needs & learning achievements — thus moving each student forward along their learning and life journey.

• 2020 Math Curriculum, Grades 1-8 – Addendum to Growing Success & Update on Evaluation of SELs
• Math Coaching Support (Elementary) – Revised, Cycle 1, Nov. 23 – Dec. 18
• October 9 Numeracy PD Day: Elementary & Secondary
• Math Professional Learning Opportunities: Reaching Educators Virtually & Digitally
• Resource Update: Usership Data for Knowledgehook, Mathology.ca & NEW Digital Manipulative Supports
• Secondary Update – Grade 9 Student Feedback, EQAO Field Test, 2021 De-streamed Grade 9 Math Course

Next Steps for Math Professional Learning: Elementary & Secondary

A) Continuation of:

○ Virtual professional learning, via webinars, to respond to teacher & student needs in real time

○ Math coaching support for board-identified schools; support for periphery schools ongoing by consultants; explicit support for St. Isidore staff ongoing by both math coaches and consultants

○ Pre-planned math webinars for all divisions of educators and administrators to support the new elementary curriculum, and the educational landscape serving all learners, as it evolves

○ Keeping educators informed of ministry math resources updates and abreast of all support(s) being offered via the weekly math news updates

B) Purposefully collaborating across Program Services to provide highly-accessible services that are aligned to assist our educators in ‘knowing their learners’ and responding effectively. Prioritizing ‘just-in-time’ support, for all educators, students, and administrators continues to be our collective goal.

The report is available beginning on page 14 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Extended Day Programs

All school boards in Ontario are required in every elementary school, to ensure the operation of an Extended Day program or third-party operation for children from JK to Grade 6, where sufficient demand exists.

The Extended Day program is an integral part of the Early Learning Kindergarten program at WCDSB and is led by registered Early Childhood Educators (RECE). The program is funded by parent fees and set on a cost-recovery basis.

In 2020, the Board of Trustees approved an Equal Billing Fee for Extended Day Programs not to exceed $26.25 per day, including PD days, Christmas, and March Break.

On January 25, 2021 — to cover rising costs to run the program – the Board of Trustees increased the daily fee to $27.00 per day. Fees are prorated based on school bell times and can be found on the board’s website, along with a list of schools currently offering the program.

The full report is available on beginning on page 34 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

2021 Property and Major Capital Construction Update

Each year, a detailed report is provided to the Board of Trustees summarizing various property transactions that have occurred in the past year, and that will be carried out in the near future.

In September 2019, the Board submitted the following Capital Priority funding requests for consideration by the Ministry of Education:

• A new 1,400 pupil place grade 7-12 school in east Kitchener
• Funding for an additional 164 pupil places at Huron Brigadoon elementary school in south west Kitchener
• Funding for a capital solution for St. John in Kitchener
• Funding for a 350-pupil place school in South West Cambridge shared with the co-terminus board
• Funding for a 400-pupil place school in south west Kitchener (Rosenberg)
• Funding for an 8-classroom addition plus a new gym and library at St. Agnes school in Waterloo

The Ministry has since approved funding for:

• A new 1,400 pupil place grade 7-12 school in east Kitchener
• A total of 650 pupil places plus an 88-space childcare centre on the Huron Brigadoon site in southwest Kitchener
• A 354-pupil place school in south east Cambridge
• An 8-classroom addition plus a new gym and library at St. Agnes school in Waterloo

The report also provides detailed property disposition and acquisition information, as well as an update on major construction projects.

The full report is available on beginning on page 37 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Trussler North Administrative Boundary Adjustment

On January 18, 2021, the WCDSB’s Executive Council approved an administrative boundary adjustment between St. Paul CES and Blessed Sacrament CES, effective immediately.

St. Paul CES has a capacity of 303 pupil places, and in 2020/21 has 7 portables on the site. The Long Term Accommodation Plan (2020) identifies that the school is projected to be at 167% capacity by 2022, and 190% by 2024. Further, there are 590 unbuilt low density residential units in known plans of subdivision identified within the St. Paul CES attendance boundary. Most of the forecasted enrolment pressure is generated from the Trussler North area, which is bussed to St. Paul, but located in Kitchener Southwest.

As shown on the maps, board administration has redirected future students in the lower ‘Bussed to St. Paul’ area to Blessed Sacrament. Blessed Sacrament can better handle additional enrolment and will also be part of the Huron Brigadoon Boundary Review Process.

No students are affected by these minor adjustments, and as such, no community consultation is required.

The full report is available on beginning on page 42 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Huron-Brigadoon Boundary Review

Addressing enrolment pressure in South West Kitchener has been a board priority for many years. A boundary review was first undertaken in this area in 2008/2009 and involved Blessed Sacrament CES, John Sweeney CES, Monsignor Haller CES, Our Lady of Grace CES, St. Kateri Tekakwitha CES, and St. Timothy CES. The phased implementation of that review included the construction of a new school in Huron Brigadoon.

In July 2011, the board received funding approval to construct a new 400 pupil place elementary school in Huron Brigadoon. In the absence of a new Huron Brigadoon school, a report was brought to Trustees in October 2013 to implement various boundary changes in South West Kitchener, and revise the boundaries of the 2008/2009 Phase 1 decision.

In 2015, a further commitment was received to fund the construction of five childcare rooms. Due to development delays, the board was not able to purchase the Huron Brigadoon site as planned.

In August 2019, the board was finally able to purchase the Huron Brigadoon school site.

It is now necessary to establish a boundary for the new Huron Brigadoon school in advance of its opening and redraw the boundaries of existing schools in the area to ensure enrolment relief, where feasible, and sustainability of enrolment.

Consequently, on January 25, 2021 the Board of Trustees approved initiation of the Huron Brigadoon Boundary Review to include Blessed Sacrament CES, John Sweeney CES, Our Lady of Grace CES, and St. Kateri Tekakwitha CES, with the purpose of creating a boundary for the new Huron Brigadoon Catholic Elementary School. The timeline for the boundary review will be finalized in February, 2021.

The full report is available on beginning on page 50 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Board Chair’s Update

Each month, the Chair of the Board reports on the activities of the Board of Trustees. Chair Melanie Van Alphen’s report for January 2021 is available on page 75 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Student Trustees Update

Student Trustees Abby Barbosa and Kate Morrison presented their monthly update – covering activities in WCDSB’s secondary schools. It is available beginning on page 72 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Upcoming Board Meetings

Committee of the Whole Board Meeting

Monday, February 8, 2021

Waterloo Region Catholic Education Centre

Regular Public Board Meeting

Monday, February 22, 2021

Waterloo Region Catholic Education Centre

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board, representing more than 96,000 Catholic school supporters, operates 48 schools and four adult education facilities, serving more than 40,000 elementary, secondary, and continuing education students in Waterloo Region – continuing a 185-year tradition of quality, inclusive, faith-based education. Follow us on Twitter: @WCDSBNewswire – #WCDSBAwesome.

– 30 –

Dear Waterloo Catholic Community –

We hope this letter finds you and your family well, and that you and your families are managing to stay positive during this most unique of years.

I must begin as I did at the beginning of the month by sincerely thanking all our staff for their exceptional efforts since our return from the break.  It has been a learning curve for so many and we know that learning remotely as a full system, requires a great effort from everyone involved.  In that spirit I also want to applaud our students and parents for their flexibility, as we have all adjusted to a new way of learning.  We all continue to adapt throughout this year but at every turn, our students continue to learn and make strides forward.  But more than that – they are hopefully understanding that there is a foundation of care, where their well-being is our highest priority.

The main purpose of this letter is to inform you that the government and Ministry of Education specifically, have communicated that Waterloo Region will continue learning remotely at this time.  While a number of regions across the province have now returned to face-to-face learning, each region is being assessed based on the COVID positivity rates within that region.  This approach will ensure that when our staff and students do return to the classroom, we will be doing so safely.

We know our schools are safe and there is a desire to ensure they remain safe.  Closing the schools to in person learning for the remainder January and early February will help us contain the cases that come into schools and ensure that when we return to our buildings, we are doing so in the safest manner possible.  It is our understanding that the next window for return will occur on February 11^th.  We would expect to hear approximately a week before then as to which regions will be permitted to return to face to face learning.

The continuing exception to this direction is our students with special education high needs in elementary, and our community active living and ELD students in secondary.  Families who are affected by this option for learning have already been contacted directly.  We offer our sincerest thanks to the staff who have been going into our buildings and serving those students.

The one other relevant update you may be wondering about is the elementary school transition survey.  There was to be one final opportunity for parents to indicate if they wanted their children to learn remotely for the remainder of the year.  This survey was to take place January 27^th to 29^th.  Given that we are all remote at this time and that we will not be well served by any transitions at this time, we will defer the survey until our return date and circumstances are clear.  We will be sure to clearly communicate the survey dates to you when we are ready to administer the survey.

Once again, we encourage you to visit Ontario.ca/covidresponse to learn what public health measures are in place in our community – but also please be aware that these could change depending on the most current public health advice. We also suggest checking out the WCDSB website https://wcdsb.ca/living-learning-looking-forward/   and Region of Waterloo Public Health website https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/health-and-wellness/2019-novel-coronavirus.aspx as they contain helpful resources and supports.  If you have any questions about what your particular school is doing, please reach out to your local school principal.

I will also take this opportunity to remind that mental health resources are available to students and families through Kids Help Phone, which offers 24/7 counselling and referral services across the province. To use this free resource, children can call 1-800-668-6868, or text CONNECT to 686868.

If there are any further updates we will certainly share them as soon as possible.  Please know that we continue to be in this together and day by day we will make it through.  Let’s continue to remain people of hope, informed by our Faith and a desire to do the best for the students in our care.  Please reach out to us if you need help or guidance, and remain confident that we are here to support you, as we walk together as a hope-filled community.  #InThisTogether 

Sincerely,

Loretta Notten                                                                       

Director of Education 

The next meeting of the Board of Trustees is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. — Monday, January 25, 2021. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, this meeting will be streamed live on Youtube:

It’s time to sign up for the 2021-22 school year – and registering to attend one of Waterloo Region’s 43 Catholic elementary schools has never been easier.

• Children born in 2017 are eligible for Year 1 Kindergarten (JK).
• Children born in 2016 are eligible for Year 2 Kindergarten (SK).

Parents can access the Online Pre-Registration form by clicking on the Register for School link on the WCDSB Homepage and then choosing Kindergarten Registration.

To finalize your child’s registration, please contact your local Catholic school directly, for individual registration dates and times.

QUICKFacts

~~ When registering your child to attend a Catholic elementary school you must be prepared to provide proof of the child’s date of birth and either the child’s Catholic baptismal certificate or the Catholic baptismal certificate of at least one parent or guardian.

~~ If you are non-Catholic, but wish to explore a Catholic education for your child(ren), please review the WCDSB Admissions to Catholic Elementary Schools policy. Our secondary schools are open to students of all faiths.

~~ A complete list of WCDSB schools that will offer the Extended Day Program in 2021-22 will be web-posted before the end of this current (2020-21) school year. Please call your school directly for information about the Extended Day Program. A complete list of WCDSB schools currently providing the program is available via this link: Extended Day Program.

~~ For information about French Immersion programs in Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge, please click here: French Immersion Registration Information.

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board, representing more than 96,000 Catholic school supporters, operates 48 schools and five adult education facilities serving more than 40,000 elementary, secondary and continuing education students in Waterloo Region – continuing a 185-year tradition of quality, inclusive, faith-based education. Follow us on Twitter: @WCDSBNewswire – #WCDSBAwesome.

The next meeting of the Board of Trustees is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. — Monday, January 11, 2021. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, this meeting will be streamed live on Youtube:

Please visit the link below to read a special letter from the Minister of Education, regarding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic:

MINISTER’S LETTER