December 01, 2023 - Google Student Account Changes, Transportation Update, Ottawa Public Health: Advisory for respiratory illnesses, and more.
Hello Students,
I had the chance to visit the Youville Centre this week… a vibrant, innovative centre that nurtures the education and wellness of young mothers and their children. This Centretown site represents the value-add our organization brings to society at large. My sincere gratitude to all staff who make the extraordinary happen there, day in and day out, for your passion and perseverance in working with these amazing young adults and for your dedication and diligence in caring for their young ones.
Google Student Account Changes
Using 'sign in with Google' can give applications and sites unwanted access to a lot of the information stored in your account. In order to help students protect their data and accounts, Google recently made a change which will only allow OCDSB-approved applications to access your account. The OCDSB maintains a list that teachers have access to with hundreds of applications that have been reviewed from a safety lens for classroom use. If you run into any issue using an OCDSB-approved application, please let your classroom teacher know.
Transportation Update
The Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA) is actively working with operators to cover a shortage of approximately 20 drivers, down from 30 on November 15th. This driver shortage results in the long-term cancellation of 1.5% (82 runs) of all transportation services managed by OSTA. For more information, visit the OSTA website
Ottawa Public Health: Advisory for respiratory illnesses
Ottawa Public Health (OPH) has been preparing for the 2023-2024 respiratory illness season and it is expected that this fall and winter may be challenging with several respiratory viruses circulating at the same time including influenza (flu), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19. OPH encourages using the General Self-Assessment Tool to screen yourself and your family daily. OPH has also outlined some information and resources related to measures that you can take to continue keeping yourself and your families safe during this respiratory season.
Events:
December 11: School Within A University (SWAU) Information Session
The OCDSB, in partnership with Carleton University, is proud to announce a pilot project called School Within A University (SWAU). SWAU will provide students in grades 11 & 12 with positive opportunities to experience a university learning environment. To know more, Grades 11 & 12 students and their parents/caregivers are invited for a virtual information session on Monday, December 11, 2023, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. This session, hosted by OCDSB’s Program and Learning Innovation staff, will share details about this pilot project and also include a Q&A section.
December 20: Applying to Post-Secondary Information Session
Save the Date! We are hosting a Post-Secondary Applications Information Session on Wednesday, December 20th from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. This virtual session will provide Grade 12 students and their parents/caregivers information about the process of applying to post-secondary education in Canada, with a focus on apprenticeships, colleges and universities. We will share the participation link and additional details at a later date.
In case you missed it:
From the Boardroom:
Upcoming Board and Advisory Committee Meetings
December 5th, 7:00 p.m. - Committee of the Whole
December 6th, 7:00 p.m. - Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC)
December 7th, 5:30 p.m. - Ad Hoc Policy Review Committee
Agendas, locations, minutes, livestreams and recordings of meetings are available for public viewing using the Board and Advisory Committees' meeting calendar.
Calendars and Planning for Important Dates
Please consult the OCDSB’s Elementary and Secondary calendars for PA Days, holidays, exam dates, and more during the 2023-2024 School Year. In addition, schools avoid scheduling activities like evaluations and field trips on certain religious/creed-based days of significance. Additional dates of significance can be found on the MultiFaith Calendar (located on our home page), Dates of Significance webpage, and on the Government of Canada, Ontario Government, and United Nations websites.
In case you missed it:
Helpful Links
Thank you,
Pino Buffone
Director of Education