Ottawa Catholic School Board Trustee’s Report
By Sharlene Hunter
Welcome back! The Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB) welcomes all new and returning students, families and staff to the 2023-24 school year. We hope you made positive memories with family and friends and found time to rejuvenate.
The OCSB owes its continued success to the hard work of our educators, administrators, support staff and trustees. Whether we face staff shortages, provincial negotiations, societal issues or the death of a beloved member of our OCSB community, we always prioritize caring for one another.
In keeping with this message of community, it is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Sister Shelley Lawrence on May 29. Before becoming an OCSB Zone 9 trustee in 2018, Sister Shelley spent 25 years serving the students, staff, families and the greater communities of four local high schools – St. Paul, St. Matthew, Immaculata and St. Francis Xavier – as a chaplaincy leader.
Mark Mullan, the OCSB board chair, said: “Sister Shelley helped students from every social and economic background thrive during her time in local schools. She spent her life in the service of Catholic education, and as trustee, she worked to ensure Catholic schools are places where all students feel welcomed and cared for.”
Zone 9 Trustee selection
Catholic school trustees govern and bridge the gap between school communities and board staff while serving as ambassadors and advocates for Catholic education. Nine individuals are vying for the position of Zone 9 trustee. These candidates are Cameron Bonesso, Ernest Cordero, Guillermo Fernandez, Joe Hum, Philip Lewis, Luka Luketic-Buyers, Patricia MacKinnon, Andrew Sutton and D’Arcine Thompson. Ultimately, one individual will be chosen for the job.
The interviews for trustee candidates are scheduled for Thursday, August 24. After the interviews, a special board meeting will be held where voting, recommendation and swearing-in will occur.
OCSB’s budget is more than numbers on a spreadsheet
The Ottawa Catholic School Board has crafted a $649-million budget for the upcoming school year with input from trustees, stakeholders and departments, including Catholic Learning Leaders. This document will guide our actions.
What can you look forward to this school year? The OCSB is committed to promoting universal religious values based on Catholic principles. We strive to create a warm, inclusive environment that fosters learning and personal growth.
The OCSB is dedicated to enhancing academic success and well-being for Indigenous students while promoting knowledge and appreciation of their history, culture, perspectives,and contributions for all students.
We are committed to continuous improvement and fully embrace our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Framework. This framework serves as our guide to identifying and eliminating discriminatory practices and barriers that diverse groups may encounter in our schools.
The on-going support of mental health professionals backs our board’s approach to promoting mental health and well-being in schools.
The OCSB is constantly forging partnerships that provide advantages to students and employers, guaranteeing excellent skilled trades work placements and learning experiences.
Every OCSB school has a reading recovery teacher who has been professionally trained. Our team is dedicated to aiding these teachers and all others by offering helpful resources and opportunities for professional growth. This will enhance literacy intervention and enable students to build their reading skills confidently.
Our board is committed to improving math education by destreaming, recruiting 22 teachers to teach Grades 7 to10 and hiring three full-time math learning partners.
Every student will benefit from Deep Learning competencies, regardless of their chosen career path or personal goals. To achieve this goal, a total investment of $7.5 million has been made in improving Outdoor Learning Spaces and Wifi connectivity. This investment will enable school communities to integrate innovative concepts and approaches into their outdoor learning environments.
We look forward to seeing you all on September 5.
Sharlene Hunter is manager of communications at the Ottawa Catholic School Board.
