We would like your input for the 2022-2023 budget.
The purpose of this brief budget survey is to gain feedback from stakeholders with respect to Board priorities. While we cannot accommodate all requests, we do want to know what is important to stakeholders which will help guide our decisions.
https://wcdsb.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1zfzfNdBBpZJjMO
RESEARCHER INVITES PARENTS AND STUDENTS TO COMPLETE SURVEY ABOUT ONLINE LEARNING IN ONTARIO’S PUBLICLY FUNDED SCHOOLS
Dear parents, guardians, and caregivers,
Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. The survey is one component of an evaluation to explore the current and future implications of online/virtual teaching and learning in the K-12 educational context in Ontario.
The Ontario Teachers’ Federation (OTF) has commissioned this external evaluation and will support its implementation at arm’s length. In phase one of the project, we facilitated focus groups with parents who shared their experiences and insights. We used this invaluable information to design a survey that reflects respondents’ collective experiences especially in relation to learning and well-being.
Now, in phase two of the project, we are circulating the survey across Ontario and inviting you to share your lived experiences, perspectives and insights by participating in the online survey. Your responses to the survey as a parent/guardian/caregiver will help us gather further meaningful information about the implications of online/virtual teaching and learning. We are also inviting you to share the student version of the survey with your child/children in order to learn about what online/virtual learning has been like for students in Ontario.
The survey takes approximately 30 minutes to complete, depending on the length of your open-ended responses. The student survey takes approximately 15-20 minutes to complete, depending on your child/children’s age/ages.
Please note that the deadline for completion of the surveys is March 1, 2022. Please also note the following:
To participate in the parent/guardian/caregiver survey, please click on the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FW66K2D
If you agree to their participation and your child/children is/are in GRADES 5-8 , please click on the following link in order for your child/children to complete the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FCSY97W
If you agree to their participation and your child/children is/are in GRADES 9-12 , please click on the following link in order for your child/children to complete the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3LF29YS
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Dr. Lisa Bayrami (lead researcher) via email info@lisabayrami.com or phone (416) 722-9050.
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and for considering the invitation to participate.
Sincerely, Lisa Bayrami and the Research Team
On February 24, 2022, the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and John Ecker, Chair of the Ontario Heritage Trust, presented projects and individuals who made exceptional contributions to heritage conservation with the 2021 Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Awards. The ceremony was held virtually.
Created in 2006, the Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Awards are annual juried awards administered by the Ontario Heritage Trust to recognize remarkable achievements in heritage conservation across the province. These inspirational achievements signal the important role that heritage conservation plays in Ontario’s communities.
Accepting the award for the Freedom Project at Heritage Hall by the Guelph Black Heritage Society, was the Waterloo Catholic District School Board’s Denise Francis. Denise serves as GBHS president.
The “Freedom Project” was an extensive renovation, conservation and restoration of the Heritage Hall (originally known as the British Methodist Episcopal Church). The Heritage Hall was built in 1880 by formerly enslaved Black individuals and their descendants who came to Canada from the United States via the “underground railroad”.
The project included an addition, which provides universal accessibility, and was designed as a sustainable building, using recycled materials where possible, looking for sustainability improvements during the building process, and prioritizing energy efficiency.
In addition, the project features a pollinator garden at the front of the building. The Norwood Francis Memorial Garden (named for Denise’s late father) features native, pollinator-friendly plants. Pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, are negatively impacted by habitat loss and fragmentation, which is especially relevant in areas like southern Ontario, with large amounts of agricultural and city development.
As our #WCDSBAwesome @WCDSBNewswire schools continue celebrating Black History Month, we proudly congratulate Denise and the Guelph Black Heritage Society for this extraordinary accomplishment, and very well deserved recognition!
About the Guelph Black Heritage Society (GBHS)
About the 2021 Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Awards
About Equity, Diversity & Inclusion in Waterloo Region’s Catholic Schools
The next meeting of the Board of Trustees is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. — Monday, February 28, 2022, at the Waterloo Region Catholic Education Centre. Masking and physical distancing guidelines remain in effect.
General Information About WCDSB Board Meetings
Information About the Board of Trustees
(Agenda files can be large. If you are experiencing issues downloading a file, right click on the link and choose “Save Target As…”.)
February 21 to 25, 2022 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!!
Tuesday, March 1⋅7:00 – 8:00pm
On behalf of the Waterloo Catholic District School Board and the Business Education Partnership, you are invited to this “Free” online Skilled Trades career discovery event on, March 1st, 2022 from 7:00-8:00pm for WCDSB staff, parents, and students between Grades 7 to 12.
REGISTER TODAY AT:
https://www.bepwr.ca/blog/5-great-reasons-for-a-career-in-the-trades
February 18, 2022
Due to the current weather conditions ALL SCHOOL BUSES, TAXIS AND SPECIAL EDUCATION ROUTES operated by the Board are cancelled. All schools are CLOSED and it will be a Remote Learning Day. Students should visit their virtual classrooms for resources. All before and after school programs and child care centres co-located in schools are CLOSED.
Having real world work experiences is a great way for youth to make decisions to inform their academic goals and career plans. As they makes plans to navigate their way through high school, youth and their families should know about a couple of programs that provide this opportunity while also developing many transferable skills.
In this session, our partners at Waterloo Region’s English school boards will share a brief overview of the Specialist High Skills Major program (https://www.bepwr.ca/blog/specialist-high-skills-major-s) and Co-op Education (https://www.bepwr.ca/blog/cooperative-education). They will give a general idea about each program and why to consider it as part of your high school education.
Another great option covered in detail in an earlier session is the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) (https://www.bepwr.ca/blog/oyap) which is available on our Youtube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh1D76qh45zmEDMJTu8E54w) .
This session will be of special interest to students in grades 7 – 10.
Register for this free event at: https://www.bepwr.ca/blog/explore-your-future-real-world-work-experiences-in-high-school
Waterloo Region – Starting Friday, February 18, all youth 12-17 years of age who have already received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine will be eligible for their third dose 168 days (about six months) after their second dose. This age group will now be able to benefit from the additional protection of a third dose as Ontario eases more restrictions.
Youth aged 12-17 years of age will be able to walk into any of the regional vaccination clinics for their third dose. Vaccines are also available at many pharmacies and some doctors’ offices for their patients.
“We are looking forward to administering third doses to 12-17 year olds to help protect them from COVID-19 and to keep them in school and doing the activities they enjoy,” said Vickie Murray, lead of the vaccine rollout in Waterloo Region.
“We have lots of capacity at our vaccination clinics to administer third doses to youth so they can more safely resume extracurricular activities and do more of the things they enjoy as restrictions ease.”
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February 8, 2022
Dear Parent or Guardian,
Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership in helping us to keep our schools open and safer for in-person learning.
Vaccines are safe and continue to be the best way to protect Ontarians from COVID-19. Getting as many of our residents vaccinated is also important for the protection of our youngest children (0-4) years, who are not yet able to get the vaccine.
Clinics for 5 – 11 year olds and their families are being held across the Region. These clinics provide first and second doses to children. A parent or guardian must come with the child to a clinic. First, second and booster doses are also available to household or family members. All clinics are walk-in only, no appointments. You and your child can also visit a pharmacy in your community to receive a vaccine. Please visit RegionofWaterloo.ca/GetaVaccine to see a listing of all clinics and participating pharmacies.
While COVID-19 vaccines are safe, we understand you or your child may have questions about the vaccine. Please speak to your child about why it is important to get vaccinated against COVID-19. If your child has a fear of vaccination, please visit COVID-19 Vaccines for Children. If you have questions about COVID-19, vaccines for children and youth please read the Vaccine Information Sheet for Children or you can book a confidential phone appointment with a SickKids clinician by visiting COVID-19 Vaccine Consult Service.
Thank you for your ongoing support to help keep our schools open and our community safer for all.
Sincerely,
Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang,
Commissioner and Medical Officer of Health
Region of Waterloo Public Health and Emergency Services
