December 18, 2009

"For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests on his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

Merry Christmas

Finance Brief & Pre-Budget Consultations

The OCSTA 2009 Finance Brief has been provided to the Minister of Education as well as senior Ministry officials.  The brief provides recommendations  for improvements to the funding of education.  Much of this year's brief deals with matters that are still outstanding from previous recommendations made by OCSTA.  The 2009 brief serves as a basis for ongoing discussions between the Association and the government.

The 2009 Finance Brief has been uploaded to the OCSTA website and can be viewed by clicking on the following URL address http://www.ocsta.on.ca/OCSTASubmissions2009.aspx .
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The Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs will meet to conduct Pre-Budget Consultations beginning in January.  The Committee intends to hold public hearings in Niagara Falls, London, Dryden, North Bay and Kingston during the week of January 25, 2010; and in Toronto on February 1, 2, and 3, 2010. OCSTA has registered for the session to be held in Toronto.

Boards who are interested in addressing the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs are encouraged to register.  Please note that the deadline is Wednesday, January 13, 2010. Boards who do not wish to make an oral presentation but who are interested in commenting on the issue may send a written submission to the Clerk of the Committee at the  Room 1405, Whitney Block, Queen's Park, Toronto, ON M7A 1A2 / (416) 325-3883.

For more information please contact Kevin Kobus, Senior Policy Advisor, Finance - kkobus@ocsta.on.ca / (416) 932-9460 ext. 238.

Seminar for Chairs, Vice Chairs and Directors of Education

January 15 & 16, 2009
Doubletree by Hilton Hotel - Toronto Airport (655 Dixon Rd.)
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SEMINAR PRESENTATION HIGHLIGHTS:

• Paula Peroni, OCSTA President:  OCSTA Update and Discussion of Current Issues
  
  
• Fr. Norm Roberts, Teacher, Dufferin-Peel CDSB:  Forward Together in Hope

Fr. Roberts has addressed OCSTA delegates at previous events, addressing the opportunity and potential of the Home-School-Parish relationship. In this keynote address, Fr. Roberts will discuss the important role Catholic school board leaders play as part of a community of Catholic educators involved in managing, protecting, and promoting Catholic education in Ontario.

• Hugh Kelly, Miller Thomson LLP:  WORKSHOP: Implementing Bill 177 - An Act to Amend the Education Act with respect to student achievement, school board governance and certain other matters.

An examination and discussion of Bill 177 and practical implications for Catholic school boards.

• Simcoe Muskoka CDSB: Jim Canning Chair, Michael O'Keefe, Director of Education and Diane Legg, Manager Corporate Communications and Public Affairs:  Come Grow with Us: Welcoming Families to Catholic Education at Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board

In keeping with the province-wide focus on addressing declining enrollment and engaging communities, the Simcoe Muskoka CDSB developed an engaging multi-media community resource package entitled "Come Grow with Us."  This session will provide an overview of the research, consultation and strategic planning that went into creating this promotional resource.

• Leona Hobbs, Director of Communications, Social Media Group:  A Social Media Strategy for Catholic School Boards

This workshop will examine OCSTA's newly developed social media strategy and review suggested social media guidelines for OCSTA Member Boards.

• Jim Grieve, Assistant Deputy Minister, Ministry of Education:  Ontario's Early Learning Program - Overview and Discussion

• The Hon. Kathleen Wynne, Minister of Education:  Provincial Update and Discussion
  
  
• Kevin Costante, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Education: Perspectives on Ministry Initiatives and Ontario's Catholic Schools
  

For registration information please contact Pam DeNobrega at pdenobrega@ocsta.on.ca / (416) 932-9460, 234.

Annual Seminar for Catholic School Board Communicators

Each year the Association hosts an event for Catholic school board communications staff to discuss best practices in school board public relations.  This year the event was once again kindly hosted, on November 23, by the Dufferin-Peel CDSB.

Media representatives from major media outlets at the provincial level (Kristin Rushowy-Toronto Star, Moira MacDonald-Toronto Sun and Mike Wise-CBC) presented their perspectives on the ways in which Catholic school boards respond to media queries and promote their priorities to the media. They also answered many good questions from Seminar delegates and provided keen insight to assist boards in advancing the Catholic education agenda in the media.

Seminar attendees also participated in a digital communications session that provided an overview and some training on how to start thinking about social media as part of a board's communication strategy.

	Kristin Rushowy, Education Reporter, Toronto Star.
	Moira MacDonald, Education Columnist, Toronto Sun and Mike Wise, Reporter, CBC TV.
	L-R: Mary Jo Deighan, Communications Manager, Toronto CDSB, Emmy Szekers Milne, Toronto CDSB and Tracy Austin, Communications Manager, Brant Haldimand Norfolk CDSB.
	L-R: Noel Martin, Director of Catholic Education, OCSTA; Chris Cable, Communications Manager, York CDSB; Michael Weaver, Communications Officer, Algonquin Lakeshore CDSB; Marnie Jadon, Communications Officer, Hamilton-Wentworth CDSB.
	John Stunt, Executive Director, OCSTA.
	Bruce Campbell, General Manager, Communications and Community Relations, Dufferin-Peel CDSB.
	Regan Corelli, Administrator, Economic Development and Communications, Sudbury CDSB.

Friars' Student Writing Award

From the Catholic Register:

The Catholic Register is proud to join with the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement to sponsor a writing contest for Ontario Catholic high school students.

The Contest:
Students are invited to submit a short essay based on a question related to the theme for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.  The upcoming week of prayer (Jan. 24 - 31) will have the theme: You are the witnesses to these things (Luke 24:48).  The question students are asked to contemplate is: What is God calling us as Christians to do in this Scripture verse?

The essays, up to 500 words, will be judged by a panel of professional journalists.

PRIZES:
1st place - iPod touch, 32GB memory; 2nd place - iPod nano, 16GB memory; 3rd place - One year subscription to The Catholic Register.

Eligibility:  For students aged 14-18 attending an Ontario secondary school.
Entry deadline:  January 11, 2010.  Winners will be announced later that month.
To enter: Essays must include student name, age, address, telephone number, school and grad. Send essays by:


For more information please call: (416) 934-3400 (ext. 344) or (416) 934-3410

OCSTA in the News

The Peterborough Examiner

Legislation should reflect schools: Mackle;

The Peterborough Examiner
Wed Dec 16 2009
Page: B3
Section: News
Byline: BRENDAN WEDLEY EXAMINER STAFF WRITER;

Proposed changes to the provincial Occupational Health and Safety Act need to reflect the education environment, not just the needs of the traditional labour sector, the local Catholic school board education director says.

Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board trustees received information on Bill 168, the Occupational Health and Safety Amendment Act, 2009, at a meeting last night.

The legislation should take into account the role of the employer, the obligation of the employees to comply with the board's mission and the board's responsibility to support its employees' skill sets, education director John Mackle said.

It's "to enhance what we're all about, which is serving kids," he said.

Trustees heard that board officials will meet with union leaders on Jan. 18 to discuss the proposed changes to the workplace health and safety legislation.

The changes would incorporate regulations dealing with violence and harassment in the workplace. Ontario Catholic School Trustees' Association was one of the groups that made a joint submission on behalf of school boards in the province to the legislature's social policy committee last month.

It's important to take into consideration the unique nature of workplaces such as schools and other learning facilities, the associations state in the submission.

One of the examples the associations use is the definition of workplace violence.

"We know that some students with special needs may not be capable of controlling their behaviour and or may not know their behaviour could cause an injury," they state. "Because of their disabilities, these students may hit, kick, push or bite. School boards have resources, strategies and accommodations to address these behaviours. These students have the right to equal treatment in obtaining education."

It's a thoughtful, precise and well-reasoned submission, trustee Joe Whibbs said.

"It's eminently reasonable what the boards are saying," he said.