Waterloo Catholic District School Board Logo
Waterloo Catholic District School Board Logo

NEW – Pope Francis Award for Ecological Leadership

Earlier this year, the Waterloo Catholic District School Board established the new Pope Francis Award for Ecological Leadership.

This important new piece of our staff recognition program annually recognizes up to three school staff members / volunteers who actively demonstrate a love for creation and care for the planet in all their interactions — people who initiate or lead environmental projects of all kinds.

In his encyclical Laudato Si’ (On Care for our Common Home), Pope Francis reminds us that “Along with the importance of little everyday gestures, social love moves us to devise larger strategies to halt environmental degradation and to encourage a ‘culture of care’ which permeates all of society” (#231).

The Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations ask that all graduates be “responsible citizen[s] who respect the environment and use resources wisely.”

And the WCDSB’s own Multi-Year Strategic Plan asks all staff to “promote stewardship of the earth and its resources” and to “implement the core teachings of Laudato Si’”.

The inaugural recipients of the Pope Francis Award for Ecological Leadership are:

Cynthia Brown: Library Tech — Holy Spirit CES

Kathy Doherty-Masters: Volunteer — St. Bernadette CES

Jennifer Venditti: Teacher — St. Elizabeth CES

May 3rd, 2019|

Catholic Education Week – Living as Joyful Disciples

During the week of May 5 to May 10, 2019, school boards within our Diocese will celebrate the significant contribution that Catholic Education has made to the community, the province and to Canada. The theme for this upcoming week is Living as Joyful Disciples. We invite you to watch Bishop Crosby’s message.

May 3rd, 2019|

WCDSB Board Meeting Bulletin — April, 2019

Meetings

Committee of the Whole Board Meeting

Monday, April 8, 2019 – Meeting Agenda Package

Public Board Meeting

Monday, April 29, 2019 — Meeting Agenda Package

Highlights

Adult Education Update

Based on adult education research reports spanning over the last decade, the social, economic and health and wellness impact of adults earning a high school diploma or participating in ‘second chance’ post-secondary education has proven to be extremely beneficial. Students experience improved opportunities in the labour market, with lower chances of unemployment and higher status jobs. Intrinsic benefits include increased confidence, motivation and improved awareness, overall social well-being and interest in lifelong learning.

For more than 30 years, and most dramatically in the last 10 years, our St. Louis Adult Learning & Continuing Education programs have committed to supporting adults to earn secondary school credits toward an OSSD, develop literacy and basic skills, gain practical employment skills and improve English language proficiency. St. Louis adult programs directly connect with these social wellness and economic impacts, so no one gets left behind – a WCDSB strategic focus for the next 3 years.

The current Provincial Adult Education Strategy aims to find efficiencies and best practices among regional adult education providers. Indirectly, St. Louis has also been a support to children under 18 who have benefitted from additional literacy and numeracy programs, summer school credits, learning languages and early childhood development.

A comprehensive report presented to the Board of Trustees on Monday, April 8, 2019 covered the following key areas:

  • Secondary School Credits (SSC)
  • Core Essentials –Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS)
  • Personal Support Worker (PSW)
  • Hairstyling / Barbering
  • Culinary Arts
  • English Language Programs (LINC & ESL)
  • International Languages –Elementary (IL)
  • Literacy & Numeracy, Continuing Education
  • Childminding (Care for Newcomer Children – CNC) and Licensed Child Care

The full report is available on pages 7-14 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Safe and Accepting Schools

At the Waterloo Catholic District School Board, we believe that every student has a right to learn in a safe, caring and supportive environment. Our learning environments foster positive Christ-centered relationships that are at the heart of all our efforts to promote student achievement and well-being. The WCDSB vision for safe and accepting schools clearly aligns with the publication of Achieving Excellence: A Renewed Vision for Ontario Education, wherein the Ministry of Education made a commitment to every student in the province of Ontario. Regardless of ‘ancestry, culture, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, language, physical and intellectual ability, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, socio-economic status or other factors’, all students should be able to access the curriculum, feel safe at school, and have a sense of belonging.

In addition to this, the Ministry of Education also introduced Ontario’s Well-Being Strategy for Education: Discussion Document which has also served to guide our Safe and Caring Schools focus in WCDSB.

There are four key components at the foundation of Ontario’s well-being strategy:

  • Positive Mental Health
  • Safe and Accepting Schools
  • Healthy Schools
  • Equity and Inclusive Education

On Monday, April 8, 2019 the Board of Trustees received a detailed report on the Safe and Accepting Schools portion of the strategy.

One example of ongoing success in this key area is illustrated by the school board’s suspension and expulsion data.

Overall, the WCDSB is trending downwards in terms of the overall number of suspensions over time (1492 suspensions in 2012-2013 school year vs. 945 suspensions in the 2018/2019 school year). The recidivism rate for suspensions also continues to be on the decline in both elementary and secondary schools. And, finally, in secondary schools, we are observing 49% fewer suspensions over time.

In addition to suspension / expulsion data, the report also looked at:

  • Alternative Suspension Program
  • Board use of various data platforms and predictive models
  • Cannabis education
  • Umbrella Project
  • Board partnership with Community Justice Initiatives (CJI)

To read the full report, please see pages 15-24 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Long-Term Accommodation Plan (LTAP)

The purpose of the Long-Term Accommodation Plan (LTAP) is to provide an update on enrolment status, demographic trends as they relate to enrolment, and future accommodation initiatives including boundary changes, school closures, new schools, and additions/renovations.

The LTAP includes recommendations for:

  • Land acquisitions (purchase)
  • Land disposition (sale)
  • Capital projects (additions, new schools, major renewal projects)
  • Accommodation solutions (boundary changes, school closures, portables, partnership agreements)

All recommendations are subject to approval by the WCDSB Board of Trustees as per Board Policy IV010: Facilities/Accommodations – with the exception of specific renewal (major repair) projects.

The full LTAP is available on pages 25-142 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Information Technology Strategic Plan: 2019-2024

The 2019-2024 Information Technology Strategic Plan was presented to the Board of Trustees on April 29, 2019.

The plan is divided into the following key focus areas:

  • Community Engagement
  • Infrastructure
  • Pedagogy
  • Process Optimization
  • School Technology Refresh
  • Staff Development

The following chart offers a glimpse at the ambitious scope of work on tap for the duration of the plan.

The full plan is available on pages 22-73 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Board Chair’s Update

Each month, Board Chair Bill Conway reports on the activities of the Board of Trustees. The report for March 2019 is available on page 77 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Upcoming Board Meetings

Committee of the Whole Board Meeting

Monday, May 13, 2019

St. Mary’s High School, Kitchener

Regular Public Board Meeting

Monday, May 27, 2019

St. Mary’s High School, Kitchener

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board, representing more than 96,000 Catholic school supporters, operates 49 schools and four adult education facilities, serving more than 40,000 elementary, secondary and continuing education students in Waterloo Region – continuing a 183-year tradition of quality, inclusive, faith-based education. Follow us on Twitter: @WCDSBNewswire – #WCDSBAwesome.

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For more information, please contact:

John Shewchuk – Chief Managing Officer | (519) 578-3660 | john.shewchuk@wcdsb.ca

 

April 30th, 2019|

WCDSB Announces Langs as 2019 Community Partner Award Recipient

Waterloo Region, ON – The students, staff and trustees of Waterloo Region’s Catholic Schools proudly congratulate Langs — 2019 recipient of the WCDSB Community Partner Award.

The award has been presented since 2001 at the WCDSB’s annual Appreciation Night, in recognition of outstanding contributions made to Waterloo Region’s Catholic Schools by an individual or agency serving the students, staff and greater community of Waterloo Region.

QuickFacts

>> Formerly known as Langs Farm Village Association, Langs was established as a community development project in 1978 by a group of citizens and service providers concerned about vandalism and the lack of accessible services in the community. Since then, Langs has grown to become a dynamic, respected multi-service organization that uses a community development approach to provide comprehensive health, social and recreational services that are responsive to the changing needs of the community.

>> The Vision of Langs (“Changed lives, healthy communities”) and the organization’s values (Integrity, Respect, Accountability, Collaboration, Innovation & Excellence) complement and in many ways mirror the WCDSB’s own Vision (“Heart of the Community – Success for Each; A place for All”) as well as the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations.

>> In 1978, Langs founders envisioned Langs as a place where partners worked together to bring health and social services under one roof. The HUB model evolved over several years beginning in 2011 when Langs moved into the HUB@1145, what is now known provincially as a ‘Community HUB’. Langs’ North Dumfries Community Health Centre Satellite Site is also a Community HUB, known as the HUB@2958.

Quotes

“We are honoured to be the recipient of the Community Partner Award from the Waterloo Catholic District School Board. Our partnership with WCDSB has been instrumental to our success for the past 40 years. By working together, we have made a difference in the lives of thousands of students and families.”

~~ Bill Davidson, Executive Director, Langs

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board, representing more than 96,000 Catholic school supporters, operates 49 schools and four adult education facilities, serving more than 40,000 elementary, secondary and continuing education students in Waterloo Region – continuing a 183-year tradition of quality, inclusive, faith-based education. Follow us on Twitter: @WCDSBNewswire – #WCDSBAwesome.

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For more information, please contact:

John Shewchuk — Chief Managing Officer

(519) 578-3660

 

April 16th, 2019|

Model United Nations

Approximately 60 student delegates from the five high schools of Waterloo Catholic District School Board descended upon St. Benedict C.S.S. on March 20, 2019, with the goal of solving important global concerns. The St. Benedict Model United Nations club was pleased to host these delegates who debated, conferenced and offered solutions to issues as diverse as nuclear proliferation, gene editing, sexual violence in warzones, and corruption in foreign aid. By the end of the day, a sense of collaboration and collegiality was established as students walked away with a greater sense of the challenges that the world community faces when confronted with global tensions. The day was highlighted with words of wisdom shared by Mr. Paul Heinbecker, former permanent ambassador to the United Nations for Canada, and former graduate of WCDSB; and Gallit Dobner, political counsellor to the Canadian embassy in the Netherlands.

March 29th, 2019|

Board of Trustees Meeting – Monday, March 25, 2019

The next meeting of the Board of Trustees is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. — Monday, March 25, 2019 — at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School – 50 Saginaw Parkway, Cambridge.

Meeting Agenda

General Information About WCDSB Board Meetings

Information About the Board of Trustees

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board, representing more than 96,000 Catholic school supporters, operates 49 schools and five adult education facilities serving more than 40,000 elementary, secondary and continuing education students in Waterloo Region – continuing a 183-year tradition of quality, inclusive, faith-based education. Follow us on Twitter: @WCDSBNewswire – #WCDSBAwesome.

March 22nd, 2019|

Have Your Say: 2019-20 School Year Budget Survey Now Open

Dear WCDSB families, students, staff, and interested community members:

We are busy preparing our budget for the next school year!  Each year, as part of our budget development process, we ask stakeholders for input on areas of the budget that have the flexibility to incorporate community feedback into our financial planning.

The budget survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete and anyone and everyone with an interest in Catholic education in the Region of Waterloo is welcome to fill it out.

The survey is open now and will close on March 25, 2019.  Results of the survey will be shared as part of the 2019-20 budget presentation which will take place at Resurrection Catholic Secondary School in Kitchener on June 3, 2019.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/wcdsbbudget19-20

Last year’s (2018-19) board budget is available by clicking HERE.

We thank you for your feedback — and for your ongoing support of Waterloo Region’s Catholic schools!

February 28th, 2019|

WCDSB Board Meeting Bulletin — February, 2019

Meetings

Committee of the Whole Board Meeting

Monday, February 11, 2019 – Meeting Agenda Package

Public Board Meeting

Monday, February 25, 2019 — Meeting Agenda Package

Highlights

Annual Report – Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region (STSWR)

Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region (STSWR) has been serving the Waterloo Catholic District School Board since 2007 through the provision of home to school transportation services for our students. This is accomplished by contracting with school bus and taxi operators to service routes built by STSWR transportation technicians. STSWR is owned by the Waterloo Region District School Board and Waterloo Catholic District School Board. Each board pays an equal share of management costs. In addition, each board pays for their direct costs of transportation and a prorated share of overhead (based on ridership).

Many jurisdictions in Ontario are struggling with transportation, be it significant increases in rates charged by operators, driver shortages, or legal issues. STSWR has not been immune to these challenges (driver shortages being one of them), but for the most part costs have been reasonable and service levels have been stable.

Progress was made during 2017-18 in the following areas:

  • Significant reduction in incidences of speeding through the use of GPS technology
  • Expansion of the School Travel Planning program using provincial grants
  • Bus evacuation training (introduction of a new program)
  • Installation of alcohol sensors on school vehicles
  • Better compensation for bus drivers

The full report is available on pages 11-27 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Kindergarten Program Update

For most Waterloo Catholic District School Board students and their families, the initiation to Catholic education begins in Kindergarten. For decades, the WCDSB has been at the forefront of educational excellence and progress at this key developmental stage. This two-year program, “…is a child-centred, developmentally appropriate, integrated program of learning for four- and five-year-old children. The purpose of the program is to establish a strong foundation for learning in the early years, and to do so in a safe and caring, play-based environment that promotes the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development of all children.” (The Kindergarten Program, 2016, p. 8)

Within the WCDSB’s Board Improvement Plan for Student Achievement (BIPSA), Kindergarten is addressed in many ways:

  • A focus on supporting students in reading, comprehending and producing increasingly complex texts using meaning cues, syntax cues, and visual cues (semantics, syntax, phonology, pragmatics, and morphology).
  • A focus on increasing student achievement in Mathematics within the Number Sense and Numeration strand (NSN). Specifically, we are working on developing a deep understanding of quantity and magnitude.
  • A prioritization of community partnerships and early interventions to support children and families as they prepare for success in our schools.

To read the full program update, please see pages 28-32 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Parent Engagement Update

Ontario’s Parent Engagement Policy recognizes many different forms of parent engagement, and that each is an important contributor to student and school success. Within the policy, parent engagement includes:

  • Providing a positive learning environment at home, actively working with children to support what they are learning in school, and making learning an important part of the day
  • Having productive conversations with teachers so that there is clear communication between the school and the home
  • Becoming involved in school activities and volunteering to help with school events, trips and other activities
  • Participating in School Councils at the school level and Parent Involvement Committees at the board level to provide perspective.

The WCDSB has continually focused on supporting the partnership between home and school to meet the various forms of parent engagement as presented in the Ontario Parent Engagement Policy by promoting and supporting:

  • Celebration of our Catholic School Advisory Council Chairpersons through our WCDSB annual commissioning ceremony
  • Parent Reaching Out Grant applications, system and regional
  • Supporting Schools and Parent Involvement Committees through “Grassroots Sharing Events”

The complete Parent Engagement Update is available on pages 33-37 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Special Education Foundational Math Update

WCDSB builds capacity, skills and knowledge in educators to ensure that high quality programs and services are provided for all our students. The Special Education Liaisons are responsible for building capacity with educators in our WCDSB community.

We are continuing to foster a system of inclusion that nurtures the whole student, ensuring wellness across their development; spiritually, emotionally, socially, physically and academically. During the 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 school years, Learning Disabilities and Mathematics has been a focus for professional learning for our WCDSB staff. The WCDSB support model is based on the “Learning for All” Ministry Document, which uses a tiered approach for supporting student learning in Mathematics.

Our goal for this 2018-19 school year is to create socially and academically inclusive classrooms through a collaborative model of Resource Teacher Support. By developing the role of the resource teacher through a collaborative model of support in Mathematics, we will endeavor to ensure that Mathematics is accessible for all learners.

The complete update is available on pages 12-17 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Student Trustees Report

Student Trustees Izabella Tyc and Meghan Nemeth presented their monthly report on activities in WCDSB’s secondary schools. The report is available on page 21 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Board Chair’s Update

Each month, Board Chair Bill Conway reports on the activities of the Board of Trustees. The report for February 2019 is available on page 22 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Upcoming Board Meetings

Committee of the Whole Board Meeting

No Meeting

Regular Public Board Meeting

Monday, March 25, 2019 — Cafeteria: St. Benedict CSS, Cambridge

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board, representing more than 96,000 Catholic school supporters, operates 49 schools and four adult education facilities, serving more than 40,000 elementary, secondary and continuing education students in Waterloo Region – continuing a 183-year tradition of quality, inclusive, faith-based education. Follow us on Twitter: @WCDSBNewswire – #WCDSBAwesome.

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For more information, please contact:

John Shewchuk – Chief Managing Officer | (519) 578-3660 | john.shewchuk@wcdsb.ca

February 26th, 2019|

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