Choice in a pandemic – who knew? Ottawa Catholic School Board!
Choice is not a word we associate with the pandemic. Still, thanks to the Ottawa Catholic School Board opening two new virtual schools in September 2021, that is precisely what OCSB offered our students and their families – choice!
The OCSB created two new virtual schools – Blessed Carlo for elementary students and St. Josephine for secondary students. These are permanent OCSB schools. Students and staff in both say, “Learning virtually is the same but different when compared to brick-and-mortar schools.”
If we look at the virtual high school, the curriculum meets all provincial standards, and programs such as French Immersion, Co-op, Dual credits, and the Achievement Centre are all offered – just virtually.
Deep learning remains the foundation of how students learn, which can be seen in the arts, languages, drama, science and math. One need only check out St. Josephine High School’s Twitter account to see how students find innovative, creative and collaborative ways to showcase their talents. For example, it is unlikely an in-person student would use a bathroom towel, a bedsheet, pita bread and a paper towel to create art. But when learning virtually, students see the potential in everyday materials in their homes. Creativity is front and centre in the online learning environment.
More than 1,100 OCSB high school students learn virtually. They come from the east, west, north and south of Ottawa. The students have diverse backgrounds and cultures and likely would never have met if they had attended their local high schools. The school has 94 employees representing educators, administrators, faith leaders and resource teams.
Meanwhile, at Blessed Carlo Elementary Catholic School, educators, support staff, mental health and faith leaders focus on virtual wellness. When students feel connected and part of a school community, they succeed academically, socially and emotionally. Building diverse relationships is also encouraged at Blessed Carlo, as the partnerships between the home, parish and the business community are critical to creating innovative learning opportunities, wellness initiatives and celebrating international cultures.
To ensure student equity, OCSB provided all virtual students with the tools they needed to succeed. We distributed Chromebooks and Wifi sticks to those requiring them. We also collaborated with parents who were new to virtual learning by providing tip sheets and holding two parent webinars to help families navigate their children’s online tools and answer questions. These live events were recorded and posted to the virtual schools’ websites so all parents could view them at their convenience.
When students were asked why they wanted to learn virtually, the answers were both unexpected and expected. One of the most surprising was that many students described the virtual environment as more social. These students enjoyed interacting with their teachers and peers more in the online school and enjoyed meeting students and educators from across the city. Students reported feeling more comfortable, and as a result, their confidence grew, and they felt more at ease reaching out to classmates and teachers.
Not surprisingly, students liked getting an extra half hour of sleep in the morning, not having to take the bus, having hot meals all day, and staying at home with their pets and family. Students also rated the tech tools and apps and quiet learning environments as major pluses.
As a school board, we still believe in-person learning is best for most students, but I am proud to be part of a board that sought solutions and altered policies to meet the needs of all students dealing with a worldwide pandemic. “Deep learning” embraces creativity, communication, collaboration, character, critical thinking and citizenship. OCSB students, educators and trustees practise deep learning inside and outside the classroom and boardroom.
