April 6, 2023 - Positive Self Talk for Mental Health, Ottawa Child and Youth Initiative: “Just Ask", and more.
Dear Families,
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we have worked to communicate information about power outages, school closures, and changes to programming over the past few days. Crews are working hard to clean up affected areas and restore power to schools that were affected by outages. For those who have lost power or need assistance, many City of Ottawa recreational facilities are open to charge devices at this time. Please check the City of Ottawa’s Twitter feed and storm cleanup webpage for more information and updates.
We expect all schools to have power when classes resume on Tuesday, April 11th. In the event of any ongoing storm impact, schools will communicate with families directly. We wish a Happy Easter and Joyous Passover to those celebrating.
Positive Self Talk for Mental Health
Positive self talk and positive thinking are powerful tools for both parents and children. Research has shown that words of encouragement from ourselves or from others can affect how capable we feel when encountering new situations or tasks we find stressful. Continue reading for a few tips from the OCDSB’s Mental Health Team on how you can use positivity as a mindset for both yourself and for your child(ren), especially when you encounter challenging situations.
Ottawa Child and Youth Initiative: “Just Ask”
The Ottawa Collaborative for Parenting Support (OCPS), part of the Ottawa Child and Youth Initiative, is a community of partners working together to help families support their children's healthy development and well-being. To help families with any questions they may have about parenting, OCPS has compiled information about four community partners: 1Call1Click, Parenting in Ottawa, Ontario 211, and the Parent Resource Centre. Learn more.
Cybersecurity Resources: Safe Gaming
Did you know the Education Collaborative Network of Ontario (ECNO) has an annual calendar of cybersecurity resources for educators and families? For the month of April, they are focusing on sharing tips to help students game and navigate the metaverse safely. Learn more.
Supporting School Councils
Are you a School Council member or interested in getting involved? Visit the OCDSB's School Council webpage to learn about how School Councils work and subscribe to our Supporting School Councils newsletter for regular updates, tips, and resources. If you have questions about how to get involved in your School Council, please contact your principal.
Upcoming Events
- Wednesday, April 19: Social Media And Your Kids. Join us at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19th for a webinar with MediaSmarts, to learn more about how kids are using social networking, and discover strategies to help children and youth minimize negative experiences and maximize the positive opportunities social media has to offer. Register here.
- Thursday, April 20: Tech & Trade Exploration Night. Join us between 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at the Ottawa Technical Secondary School to explore the exciting career opportunities in the technology and trades sector. The Skills Ontario Trades and Technology Mobile Trailer will provide unique activities and simulations in multiple sectors such as welding, painting, automotive, electrical, culinary arts, design technology, and more. This is a walk-in event with no registration required. We encourage parents and caregivers, and students to attend and explore these unique career and pathway options.
Important Dates in the Week Ahead
- April 12: International Day of Pink. International Day of Pink takes place each year on the second Wednesday in April. It is an opportunity to stand up to bullying and show support for equality and acceptance for 2SLGBTQ+ people.
- April 14: Puthandu. Puthandu is a celebration of Tamil New Year’s Day. Wishing a Happy Puthandu to all in our community who will be celebrating.
- April 14: Vaisakhi. Vaisakhi is the first day of the solar year, and a celebration of the harvest. We wish a Happy Vaisakhi to those who will be celebrating.
- Holy Friday and Orthodox Easter. In Orthodox Christianity, Holy Friday commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and this year falls on April 14th. Orthodox Easter, which celebrates the resurrection, is April 16th. We send our best wishes to those observing.
- April 17-18: Yom HaShoah. At sundown on April 17, 2023, people around the world will unite for Yom HaShoah. Yom HaShoah commemorates the lives of the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust.
Ottawa Public Health’s Respiratory Virus Dashboard
A reminder that Ottawa Public Health (OPH) updates their Respiratory Virus Dashboard every Wednesday, and continues to recommend layers of protection like masks, COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, flu vaccines, and staying home when sick.
In case you missed it…
Virtual event with Dr. Peter Vermeulen - World Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month: If you missed Monday’s premiere of Neurodiversity to Neuroharmony with Dr. Peter Vermeulen, the recording is available to watch during the month of April. Dr. Vermeulen’s presentation highlights how a positive focus on our shared desire to be happy can help us move from neurodiversity to neuroharmony and increase well-being for children and youth with autism. Watch the presentation here. If you have questions, you may submit them using this form by April 14, 2023. Dr. Vermeulen will be recording and sharing a follow-up video featuring answers to the questions submitted.
Nominations Close Tomorrow: Community Recognition Awards. If you know an outstanding volunteer whose hard work and dedication is deserving of recognition in the OCDSB’s Community Recognition Awards, nominate them here by Friday, April 7th at 4:00 p.m.
Speech and Language Open House: Session Recording Available: This webinar provided information and resources about developing the child’s communication skills. Click here to view the session recording. For more information on this topic, visit this website.
Thank you,
Michele Giroux
Director of Education