All Saints Blog Week of April 1st, 2019

Student Protest
There is some discussion that High School students in Ontario are planning a protest during the coming week. The Ottawa Catholic School Board acknowledges that students have the right to participate in peaceful protests. The role of the school staff during a student organized political protest is to ensure student safety and work to minimize classroom disruption for those that choose not to participate in any type of protest, including walkouts. This past week, I met with representatives of our student council and emphasized our wish that they pass along some important points to students. We asked them to share that safety must be the most important consideration when discussing any protest and that students have been encouraged to remain on property. We have made it clear that students who leave class to protest or who do not return to class after the protest will be marked as absent. We would also extend a reminder to students that if they leave class during instructional time, it is not an excused absence.

Grade 12 Prom Tickets
We recognize that our grade 12 students are looking forward to end of year activities such as our graduation ceremony, retreat activity and evening prom. Students are reminded that they must have submitted verification of their 40 hours of Community Service and have had these approved by the school, as well as having paid their $85 Grad fee (submitted online) before they can purchase their PROM TICKET.
Prom Tickets go on sale the week of April 8th to 12th; this means that the paperwork verifying 40 hours of Community Service must be submitted prior to April 3rd so that these hours can be approved by the school. Please ensure that if you child is graduating that these two items have been completed prior to April 3rd. Thank you for your attention to this and your ongoing support.

Ask Us Anything Contest
“Ask Us Anything Contest” by Students Offering Support and MyBlueprint: Now until April 30.
High school students can submit questions about post-secondary life on our contest page. Questions will be answered by SOS volunteers who are current post-secondary students. When a student submits a question, they are entered into a draw to win one of five $50 Amazon gift cards! Eg. Questions about picking the right courses, paying for tuition, living in student housing, etc.

Summer School Information
While planning their course selections for next year, high school students should keep in mind that Summer School programs such as Reach Ahead, online Reach Ahead, and Credit Recovery courses are available. The 2019 summer school program runs July 3 - 24 at multiple locations



There is a great deal of information on the CSPA website regarding information for parents and upcoming sessions. You can visit the website here.

Parent information session: Tech Tools in the Classroom
Are you curious about how your child is using technology in school? The Catholic School Parents’ Association is presenting a FREE evening of interactive workshops where parents will have the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the tools that students are using, and the tech resources available both at school and at home. The evening will begin with an overview of the Board’s philosophy of technology in our schools, followed by two sessions of 45-minute workshops. Parents will have a choice of workshops in each session. View the workshop descriptions and then register to attend.
Monday, April 15
6:30 - 9:00 PM
Notre Dame High School,
710 Broadview Ave

14th Annual CEFO Gala Benefit Dinner
Join us on Wednesday, May 1, 2019 at the new Infinity Convention Centre in Nepean, for our 14th Annual Gala Dinner, Cabaret & Auction, with all proceeds directed to helping alleviate poverty in our Ottawa Catholic School Board schools.
This unique social event welcomes parents, employees and Trustees of the Ottawa Catholic School Board, corporate sponsors, educational partners, social service agencies, the Archdiocese, and other community members. Guests will enjoy a live and silent auction, along with balloon and raffle sales -- all for a great cause. Staff and students involved in the Ottawa Catholic School Board's Children's Theatre Workshop will entertain guests with delightful songs!
This event sells out fast. Book your table today at cefottawa.org/fundraising.
Wednesday, May 1
6:00 PM
Infinity Convention Centre,

Communications:
Check out our blog – allsaintschs.blogspot.ca and our twitter @AllSaintsOCSB (Mr. Kelly’s - @seankellyottawa) as well as our website ash.ocsb.ca for all that is happening at All Saints!

All Saints Blog Week of March 25th, 2019

Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test

Our Grade 10 students will be writing the 2019 Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) this Wednesday, March 27th. The Ontario Literacy Test measures whether students are meeting the minimum standard for literacy across all subjects up to the end of Grade 9. Successful completion of the literacy test is one of the requirements to earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma. The staff at All Saints has been preparing your son/daughter for this test since they arrived in grade 7. Our students complete activities in grades 7&8 that provide some foundational background for the skills assessed by the test. We continue that support and growth in grades 9 and 10. Literacy development continues beyond the test until students graduate from All Saints. We are confident that students are well prepared for the upcoming test. I would encourage you to review the Ministry’s website http://www.eqao.com/en/assessments/OSSLT which provides additional information.

Grade 12 Prom Tickets
We recognize that our grade 12 students are looking forward to end of year activities such as our graduation ceremony, retreat activity and evening prom. Students are reminded that they must have submitted verification of their 40 hours of Community Service and have had these approved by the school, as well as having paid their $85 Grad fee (submitted online) before they can purchase their PROM TICKET.
Prom Tickets go on sale the week of April 8th to 12th; this means that the paperwork verifying 40 hours of Community Service must be submitted prior to April 3rd so that these hours can be approved by the school. Please ensure that if you child is graduating that these two items have been completed prior to April 3rd. Thank you for your attention to this and your ongoing support.

Fake News Workshop
Ms. MacKinnon, one of our Teacher Librarians, prepared the following information for students that was part of an activity around “Fake News” in our Learning Commons in February. We would invite you to take a look at the information below.
Fake news workshop

Waupoos Foundation Family Summer Vacation

The Waupoos Foundation (Waupoos Family Farm) offers affordable vacation opportunities for low income families with children 16 years and under. There will be sports, crafts, swimming lessons, camp fires, tractor rides, story times and most importantly, opportunities for shared connection with their family members and others.  Our summer application deadline is May 1st and we give priority to families who have not yet vacationed at Waupoos Farm.
Please consider referring a family today!
Our summer vacation application downloaded and printed at: http://bit.ly/Waupoos2019summer
Learn all about summer vacations at www.waupoos.com

40 Hours of Community Service
Since 1999, the Ministry of Education has required all students to complete a minimum of 40 hours of community involvement activities as part of the requirements for an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) (As stated in Ontario Secondary Schools, Grades 9 to 12: Program and Diploma Requirements, 1999). The purpose of the community involvement requirement is to encourage students to develop awareness and understanding of civic responsibility and of the role they can play and the contributions they can make in supporting and strengthening their communities. The Ottawa Catholic School Board has always encouraged this community service to take place in the Parish, School, or the wider community. There is a list on the back of the Community Service form that all students complete that highlights many of the eligible activities that students may complete to fulfill this graduation requirement. When the expectation around community service was introduced by the Ministry of Education, they developed a list of activities that may not be chosen as community involvement activities and that are therefore ineligible activities. Included as part of that list of those expectations outlined by the Ministry is an activity “that would normally be performed for wages by a person in the workplace”. As your son/daughter works toward this graduation activity, we would encourage them to review the list of accepted activities to ensure they are meeting the proper requirements. You will find a link (below) to the All Saints community service hours form, with a list of appropriate activities on page 2. Hard copies of this form are available in our student services department.
Community Service Hours Form - All Saints



There is a great deal of information on the CSPA website regarding information for parents and upcoming sessions. You can visit the website here.

Communications:
Check out our blog – allsaintschs.blogspot.ca and our twitter @AllSaintsOCSB (Mr. Kelly’s - @seankellyottawa) as well as our website ash.ocsb.ca for all that is happening at All Saints!

All Saints Blog Week of March 18th, 2019

Grade 9-12 Letters of Progress and Parent-Teacher interviews
Letters of concern for students in grades 9-12 were sent out as part of a message the week before the March Break. All Saints wishes to remind parents of high school students (grades 9-12) that parent/teacher interviews will be held on Thursday, March 21st. There will be an early dismissal at 1:30 pm that day for all students in grades 7-12. The scheduled times for interviews are from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm and again from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm. Parents/guardians are reminded that if they are unable to schedule an interview with a particular teacher, they are welcome to contact the teacher at the school to have a telephone discussion. Please note interviews are 10 minutes in length and parents are asked to request a maximum of one interview slot per teacher.

40 Hours of Community Service
Since 1999, the Ministry of Education has required all students to complete a minimum of 40 hours of community involvement activities as part of the requirements for an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) (As stated in Ontario Secondary Schools, Grades 9 to 12: Program and Diploma Requirements, 1999). The purpose of the community involvement requirement is to encourage students to develop awareness and understanding of civic responsibility and of the role they can play and the contributions they can make in supporting and strengthening their communities. The Ottawa Catholic School Board has always encouraged this community service to take place in the Parish, School, or the wider community. There is a list on the back of the Community Service form that all students complete that highlights many of the eligible activities that students may complete to fulfill this graduation requirement. When the expectation around community service was introduced by the Ministry of Education, they developed a list of activities that may not be chosen as community involvement activities and that are therefore ineligible activities. Included as part of that list of those expectations outlined by the Ministry is an activity “that would normally be performed for wages by a person in the workplace”. As your son/daughter works toward this graduation activity, we would encourage them to review the list of accepted activities to ensure they are meeting the proper requirements. You will find a link (below) to the All Saints community service hours form, with a list of appropriate activities on page 2. Hard copies of this form are available in our student services department.
Community Service Hours Form - All Saints

Chronic Absenteeism
One of the topics at our last school council meeting was a review of a CBC video and article that covered the issue of chronic absenteeism at schools. I have included the links to this information below. We would encourage parents to contact the school if they have questions regarding our attendance policies or need support with issues related to student attendance.
Chronic absenteeism - http://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1442336323638/
article on absenteeism:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/school-absenteeism-pediatrics-1.5005670

Community Expectations Reminder
We have asked our staff to review some basic reminders with students over the next few days. This is an opportunity to reinforce some general expectations that have been reviewed by our student council as well as our school council this year. We will emphasize the following with students:

• Attendance - Students should understand the importance of regular attendance in their classes.  We recognize that sometimes appointments or health issues affect school attendance, however, we encourage a diligent approach to attending on a daily basis.
• Hats/hoods - should not be worn in class, nor in hallways unless students are making their way toward exits at the end of the day.
• Bags / coats not permitted in classes - Students have been given a locker, and bags and coats should be left there.  This is a safety consideration that keeps classroom aisles clean.

Approach to Rich Summative Tasks / Exams
Our School Leadership Team has provided the following explanation for students and parents regarding summative tasks in High School. For Grades 9 to 12, a final grade (percentage mark) is recorded for every course. The final grade will be determined as follows (based on Growing Success document, p. 41):

• Seventy percent of the grade will be based on evaluation conducted throughout the course. This portion of the grade reflects the student’s most consistent level of achievement throughout the course, although special consideration is given to more recent evidence of achievement.
• Thirty percent of the grade will be based on a final evaluation administered at or towards the end of the course. This formal evaluation typically includes a Rich Summative Task (RST) and an exam that translates into a total of 30% of the student’s final mark and can take a few days up to 2 weeks depending upon the subject of study. For this reason, we ask families NOT to schedule trips, appointments, or other activities where a student would miss class time during the months of January or June. The final evaluation allows the student an opportunity to demonstrate comprehensive achievement of the overall expectations for the course. Given these expectations, an incomplete summative evaluation will result in a “no mark” as a student’s final evaluation on their transcript.

There is a great deal of information on the CSPA website regarding information for parents and upcoming sessions. You can visit the website here.

Communications:
Check out our blog – allsaintschs.blogspot.ca and our twitter @AllSaintsOCSB (Mr. Kelly’s - @seankellyottawa) as well as our website ash.ocsb.ca for all that is happening at All Saints!

All Saints Blog Week of March 4th, 2019

Beginning of Lent
This week marks the beginning of the holy season of Lent. Ash Wednesday is one of the most important holy days in our liturgical calendar. Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent, a period of fasting and prayer. Ash Wednesday takes place 46 days before Easter Sunday, and is chiefly observed by Catholics, although many other Christians observe it too. Ash Wednesday comes from the ancient Jewish tradition of penance and fasting. The practice includes the wearing of ashes on the head. The ashes symbolize the dust from which God made us. As the administrator applies the ashes to a person's forehead, he speaks the words: "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
Ottawa Archdiocese Norms for Lenten Observance

Kindness Award

We are very proud of Bryson Ouellette, our master recycler, who received an award from the Ottawa Kindness Group last week. Rabbi Bulka and Cindy Smith from the Ottawa Kindness Week organization presented the award to Bryson and his mother, for Bryson’s contributions to All Saints. Bryson and his worker who provides support, recycle three days a week at All Saints, ensuring that the work is complete for our students and staff. Thanks for your continued work Bryson!


Black History Month Activities

, celebrated Black History Month with a very creative classroom door display! The door features a beautiful Black woman with a collage of prominent Black figures, including many Black Canadians. From the moment students approach the door, they are reminded of the month-long holiday intended to celebrate Black culture.
February is Black History Month, and All Saints was proud to celebrate Black culture and heritage through various initiatives. Each morning in February, following the national anthem and morning prayer, the legacy of Black Canadians past and present was honored. Their contributions to important causes impacting the Black community were highlighted. To kick off Black History Month activities at All Saints, Ms. Ann Marie Vanneste, a grade 10 teacher, extended an invitation to all Black students and staff in the school to join together for the first ASH Black community photo in the history of the school, which opened in 2002. With enthusiasm, approximately 50 students and staff gathered in the school gym for the photo! Ms. Vanneste, who hopes to make the photo an annual event, remarked “this picture has been 17 years in the making!”

To celebrate black culture and heritage, Ms. Erin Doak, a grade 9 & 10 teacher, along with Ms. Claire Bagnell, one of the guidance counsellors

Students at All Saints also celebrated Black History Month through meaningful awareness activities in the Learning Commons. Classes were invited to join Mme Linda MacKinnon, teacher librarian, and student teacher, Mlle Sanyu Bishop, to learn about the accomplishments, legacies, and influence of prominent Black persons. In small groups, student viewed biographies of well-known Black Americans throughout history and shared how they themselves could be more like these distinguished individuals. Below are excerpts of what students wrote when asked to reflect on which Black person they most admired after having viewed the biographies and why.  

“Maya Angelou because she stood up against injustice and used her voice to help others.”
“Michael Jordan”. His story inspires me to be successful in my sport”.
“Oprah Winfrey because she spreads happiness and advocates for others in need.”
“Muhammed Ali. Not only was he disciplined in his sport, he was never afraid to fight for what he believed in.”

As a final activity, students were invited to colour a piece of “kente” cloth made out of paper choosing colours which have symbolic meanings in African culture. The colours they chose related to the traits of the person they most admired. The “kente pieces” were then collected to form a kente shirt display. “Kente”, which means basket and originated in Ghana, is an iconic visual representation of African culture, heritage and pride.
To learn about black heritage, a curated mini-library of books was made available in the Learning Commons by Mme MacKinnon. As part of the collection, the award-winning novel “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas is featured. “The Hate U Give” represents the word THUG, as the book aims to provide insight into the lives of those from the black community who are perceived as “thugs” in society and therefore targeted and killed by police. The book was used for a novel study in Ms. Doak’s grade 10 English class first semester and is also currently being read in grade 10 English classes this semester.

Letters of Concern grades 9-12
Our secondary letters of concern will be delivered to parents at the end of this week. Parent-teacher interviews for students in high school will be scheduled for Thursday, March 21st. More information to follow.

Transition Guides for Parents - Ottawa Catholic School Board
Now available online! Resources to help parents and students with the transition from Grade 6 to Grade 7, as well as the transition into High School. Follow this link for more information on both, along with other available translations.

Educational Savings
Many parents wonder how much to save for their child's education. They also wonder how soon they should start. The answer is simple. Save Early, Earn More. Even small savings each year will translate into substantial savings later.
To learn more about the CESG, the CLB, RESPs and more, please visit the Government of Canada Education Savings information page.



There is a great deal of information on the CSPA website regarding information for parents and upcoming sessions. You can visit the website here.

Communications:
Check out our blog – allsaintschs.blogspot.ca and our twitter @AllSaintsOCSB (Mr. Kelly’s - @seankellyottawa) as well as our website ash.ocsb.ca for all that is happening at All Saints!

Coming Up:
March 9th to 17th: March Break