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Regional Meetings Start in September

Beginning in September OCSTA will deliver the annual round of Fall Regional Meetings at five different locations across the province. The schedule and location of each meeting was included in a memo that was sent to all trustees and directors of education in June.  For your reference the information follows and is also available in a printer friendly PDF format.

WEST – Wednesday, Sep. 23, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Hosted by: London CDSB (519) 663-2088
5200 Wellington Rd. S., London N6E 3X8

NORTH EAST – Saturday, Sep. 26, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Hosted by: Sudbury CDSB (705) 673-5620
165A D’Youville St.
Sudbury, P3C 5E7
A wine and cheese reception for delegates and spouses will be
held on the evening of Sep. 25 at the Radisson Hotel Sudbury.
Details to follow.

NORTH WEST – Friday, Oct. 2, 3-9 p.m.

Hosted by: Thunder Bay Diocesan Catholic School Trustees’ Association
Location: Da Vinci Centre, 340 Waterloo St. South
Thunder Bay, P7E 6H9

CENTRAL – Wednesday, Oct. 7, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Hosted by: Hamilton-Wentworth CDSB
Location: Nicholas Mancini Centre (905) 525-2930 (x 2800)
44 Hunt St., Hamilton, L8R 3R1

EAST – Wednesday, Oct. 21, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Hosted by: Algonquin & Lakeshore CDSB (613) 354-2255
151 Dairy Avenue, Napanee, K7R 4B2

If you are unable to attend the meeting in your area your area you may register for a meeting in any of the other areas if more convenient.

The format of the meetings is designed to engage our membership in dialogue with OCSTA Directors and staff.  There will be both faith development and business components to each session.

A draft agenda for the meeting is available for download here.

Pre-meeting Preparation Required

Preparing for Board Presentations – Challenges Faced by Boards in Establishing Budgets

Boards are asked to prepare a brief (5-minute) overview of the challenges associated with the budget planning process. These overviews can be presented by each respective board Chair (or designate) at the Regional Meeting.  Please bring printed copies of the presentation to share with delegates.

Some questions to consider:

• Was it necessary to change delivery of programs?
• What type of consultation process was followed?
• Was it necessary to draw on reserves?

Register Now for Fall Regional Meetings

To register online, click here.

New OCSTA Executive Director to Start August 1st

Nick Milanetti

On June 9, OCSTA issued a news release welcoming the appointment of the Association’s next Executive Director – Nick Milanetti.

Mr. Milanetti is an accomplished Catholic educator with more than 30 years’ experience at the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board. During this period he has served as a school administrator, a Supervisory Officer of Schools and most recently Superintendent of Human Resources.

Mr. Milanetti’s appointment will be effective August 1, 2015.

We invite all members to read the full news release here and to extend a warm welcome to Nick when he joins OCSTA on August 1st!

Niagara Catholic DSB Director of Education Receives National Award

OCSTA is pleased to acknowledge the national recognition of Niagara Catholic DSB Director of Education, John Crocco, who was recently named top administrator in Canada by the Canadian Association of School System Administrators (CASSA).

Read excerpt below from the Niagara Catholic DSB news release:

John Crocco received the organization’s prestigious EXL National Award, naming him as the 2015 Canadian Superintendent of the Year, during the CASSA Annual Conference, which took place in Montreal July 2-4, 2015. Annually, CASSA affiliates from all provinces and territories nominate a Supervisory Officer for the National Award. CASSA then selects a Superintendent or Director as their Superintendent of the Year.

National nominees must be individuals who have “shown exemplary leadership ability and who have enhanced school administration (and) have brought honour to themselves, their colleagues, and their profession; given exemplary service to their provincial or national professional association; and made significant contributions to the field of education through their service, writings, or other activities, therefore serving as role models and teachers to others.” From this list of affiliate nominees, a Canadian Superintendent of the Year is chosen.

This honour follows Mr. Crocco’s selection as the Ontario EXL Award recipient by the Ontario Catholic Supervisory Officers’ Association (OCSOA), an affiliate of CASSA, in April 2015.

“Congratulations to Director of Education John Crocco for being recognized as the 2015 recipient of the prestigious EXL National Award, presented by Canadian Association of School System Administrators (CASSA) at the CASSA Annual Conference in Montreal,” said Father Paul MacNeil, Chair of the Board. “Director Crocco is a tireless advocate for Catholic education wherever he goes. He is a dynamic and innovative leader, which is evidenced by this national recognition. On behalf of the Board and the entire Niagara Catholic family, I congratulate him on this very well-deserved honour.”

“Really, this is a team award for Niagara Catholic,” said Mr. Crocco. “And for all of my colleagues in Catholic education and our Board in recognition of our service to students.” said Mr. Crocco, acknowledging the Senior Administrative Team which nominated him for the OCSOA Award earlier this year.

“It may have been my name that was announced for this national award, but this honour recognizes the outstanding efforts of Niagara Catholic’s exceptional Senior Administrative Team, who work tirelessly to support the school administrators and staff each and every day. I share this honour with them, with the Board and all staff who serve the vocation of Catholic education for the students of today, and the future. As I have said before, they are a platinum medal team of leadership, knowledge, talent and friendship and represent the very best in Catholic educational leadership in Ontario. Our students are best served by all of us who are engaged in what we continue to accomplish together; for the students we know and the faces and names of students we may never know, but count on us every day to be and do our very best in Catholic education as the feet, voices and hands of Jesus.”

Congratulations John!

Educator’s Lifetime Dedication to Catholic Education Celebrated on CTV News

The Toronto Catholic DSB recently had one of their retiring teachers featured on CTV because of the tremendous response of the community to the lifetime service of educator, Vincenzina “Vincy” Angelone.

After a 46-year career at St. Brigid Catholic Elementary school, Mrs. Angelone made the decision to retire.  At the end of this school year this well-loved educator was greeted with a surprise farewell assembly, to celebrate her commitment to Catholic education and serving the needs of students in the community after so many decades.

Mrs. Angelone was not only a teacher at the school, but also a former student at St. Brigid. She first became a member of the St. Brigid community as a grade one student back in 1952.

View the CTV video coverage.

God bless Mrs. Angelone!