OCSB update: Ottawa Catholic School Board trustee’s report

Submitted by Jeremy Wittet, Trustee, Zone 7 (Kitchissippi/Bay Wards) – 

Jeremy Wittet, Trustee, Zone 7 (Kitchissippi/Bay Wards)

Graduations and year-end celebrations

As the 2017/18 school year comes to a close, I want to congratulate all students who are moving on from elementary school to high school and those graduating from grade 12 who are moving on to post-secondary school, apprenticeships or the world of work. Our students continue to accomplish great things and have grown up to be exemplary ambassadors of our school district.

I also want to thank the parents, grandparents and guardians who volunteer their time in our schools. Without their involvement, many extracurricular activities and special events would not be possible. Everything from pizza days, field trips, community BBQ’s, fundraisers and book sales. They really do make it look easy!

Lastly, a big thank you to our teaching staff, school and senior administrators, professional staff, custodians, office admins, maintenance crews and bus operators. Our OCSB staff are some of the most professional and dedicated people in the City of Ottawa. They continuously go above and beyond to help students succeed and truly feel included and valued throughout their school experience. I hope everyone has a safe and fun-filled summer, see you back at school in September!

School board budget passes

On June 12, the Board of Trustees passed the 2018/19 budget in the amount of $548.6M. The budget is balanced and contains a number of invests in front line services that support student needs. Some of the budget highlights include: new guidance counsellors for grades 7/8, additional classroom educational assistants, more second language teachers, new social workers and psychology workers to help with mental health and wellness, literacy and numeracy investments and more money for musical instruction in the classroom. The board had solicited public input and met with many school leaders and parents to determine needs and address concerns of inequity throughout the board. Thank you to everyone who provided input during the budget process.

Catholic Education Week 2018

Catholic Education Week was held from May 6-12 and was filled with many activities throughout the city. I had the pleasure of attending many of Kitchissippi and Bay Ward events including, the Family Muffin Breakfast at Our Lady of Fatima School, Family Breakfast Open House at St. Rose of Lima School, the STEAM Ahead Open House at St. George School and Family Potluck and Variety Show at Notre Dame High, just to name a few. Education Week is a great opportunity for families to visit their children’s schools and see the exciting projects they are involved with. I want to thank all the families who actively participate in their child’s education. You have a major impact on the success of our school system.

Contact me at 613-721-2376, via email at Jeremy.Wittet@ocsb.ca or on Twitter @OCSBWittet.

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