On March 31st, in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Ontario government announced that schools and child care centres would remain closed for an extended period of time to protect the health and safety of students and staff.

To ensure continuity of learning, the government launched the second phase of its Learn at Home intiative. Developed in conjunction with education partners, the government is establishing clarity for parents, enhancing education supports, and creating opportunities for teachers and educators to connect with students.

OCSTA 2020 Virtual AGM – New Date

In a recent memo to members, Executive Director Nick Milanetti announced the following details regarding the reschedulig of OCSTA’s 2020 AGM:

On April 3, 2020, the OCSTA Board of Directors met to discuss and provide direction related to changes arising from the current unprecedented impacts on our workplace, due to emergency measures which prevent a physical gathering at this time.

• The Board officially cancelled this year’s conference and postponed the Annual General
  Meeting until June.
• On Saturday, June 27, 2020, from 9:00am – 12:00pm (EST) OCSTA will convene virtually to
  address items which are required elements of an Annual General Meeting.
• A meeting invitation for the “virtual” Annual General Meeting will be distributed to all Catholic
  school Trustees and Directors of Education. Instructions and parameters for participating in the
  virtual AGM will be provided by OCSTA closer to the meeting date.
• Election of Table Officers (President and Vice President) and CCSTA Representative: During
  these extraordinary and unprecedented times, members will be able to vote electronically, in real
  time. Rules, regulations and required parameters will be provided to all members in advance of
  the meeting.
• The current Table Officers will stay in place until the election.

OCSTA is extending the deadline date for receipt of Resolutions, Nominations and Proxy Forms as follows:

o Deadline for Receipt of Resolutions – April 28, 2020 – 12:00pm (EST)
o Deadline for Receipt of Nominations – June 5, 2020 – 9:00am (EST)
o Deadline for Receipt of Proxy Forms – June 25, 2020 – 9:00am (EST)

• If at the time of the meeting the ban has been lifted on the gathering of more than five people, trustees may be able to gather at their local Board offices to participate in the “virtual” AGM, where they may request the support of their local Board’s IT personnel, if needed. Each individual will require their own electronic device, i.e., laptop or personal computer in order to capture their individual votes. Members may also participate by phone, however, they would not have the capability to vote in real time but would have the ability to vote via proxy.
• OCSTA has been able to limit the liability to the Association under these extraordinary circumstances. The block of rooms at the Fairmont Château Laurier, and The Lord Elgin in Ottawa have been released, therefore no charges will apply to reservations made under the blocks. ▪ A reminder that all travel arrangements and rooms booked outside the OCSTA “hotel blocks” are the responsibility of the delegate.
• All AGM & Conference and Business Seminar registrations will be automatically cancelled and no action is required on your part. Paid registration fees for the 2020 AGM & Conference and Business Seminar will be refunded to all member boards. ▪ 2020 OCSTA Award Recipients will be honoured at a future in-person event. ▪ The 2021 Conference date will be announced once confirmed.
• At this time, Fall Regional Meeting dates will remain as scheduled.

We extend our gratitude to the Ottawa Catholic School Board for their leadership and commitment to date on planning this year’s AGM & Conference. These are unique and challenging times for all. Our staff at OCSTA are working remotely and, as always, can be accessed through email to address the needs of our members.

We ask for your continued prayers for the victims of the Coronavirus, for first responders, doctors, nurses and priests tending to the sick. May God bless you and your families with good health and protection during these difficult and uncertain times.

OCSTA Website Hosts Religious Education Curriculum

OCSTA Director of Education, Anne O’Brien recently issued the following memo regarding CCCB Religious Education Curriculum for Catholic schools:

At this time of Distance Learning in our province, the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA) is pleased to have formed a partnership with the National Office of the Religious Education (NORE) and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) to bring our Religion textbooks to you electronically. These resources were developed for use in Catholic schools in Canada and are approved by the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario.

OCSTA has purchased the licence for the electronic versions of the texts listed below. These texts are for the use of schools and parents and are accessible directly from the Association’s website at the following location:

https://www.ocsta.on.ca/cccb-religious-ed-curr/

At this time, we are providing a PDF version of:

1. Believe in Me, Year 7 Student Textbook

2. School by Me, Year 8 Student Textbook

3. Be with Me, Year 9 Student Textbook

4. Christ and Culture, Year 10 Student Textbook

5. In Search of the Good: Year, 12 Student Textbook

*NEW*: The Teacher’s Manual for each textbook is also available for download in this section of the OCSTA website.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Anne O’Brien, OCSTA Director of Catholic Education at aobrien@ocsta.on.ca.

Thank you.