Dear Waterloo Catholic Community –

As you know we have commenced our well-deserved Christmas Break and we hope that for each of you, it is starting as well as it can under our current circumstances.  No doubt you are likely also aware, the Premier of the Province has indicated that the return to school in January will be remote.  That is, on January 4^th both our elementary and our secondary students will begin the new year learning virtually.  The decision is being made out of an abundance of caution.  We know our schools are safe.  The cases of COVID are not starting, nor are they spreading, in our schools, but we are a reflection of the community.  Closing the schools to in person learning for the early part of January will help us contain the cases that come into schools and ensure that when we return to our buildings, we are doing so in the safest manner possible.

Our elementary schools will return to face-to-face learning on Monday January 11^th, 2021 and our secondary schools will return to face to face learning on Monday January 25^th, 2021.

Just before we left for the break, we were given an indication that the government might choose a remote return in January.   Given the short timelines, we made a “best efforts” attempt to send home Chromebooks with all those students for whom we had a prior request through our comprehensive survey.  If there are outstanding orders that were missed, they will be deployed upon our return on January 4^th.   Schools and Extended Day programs currently remain closed and unavailable to staff, students and parents.  All school staff and teachers are on a well-deserved break and will be available for questions and updates as of January 4^th, 2021.

The move to remote learning will be different than last spring when the face-to-face hours with teachers was limited.  The school day will follow the bell times of your individual school and if not already received, you/your student will be given a clear indication of the daily schedule your child is to follow through your local school.  Again, we might expect that the first day or two back in January may not be perfectly smooth as we all adjust to the new reality.  St Isidore students will continue as per the usual schedule.

For our high needs special education students we would like to provide the following guidance.  In elementary, students with high needs will learn remotely as with the rest of your class and per the class daily schedule, but there will be “break-out” rooms where additional support is possible.  Your return to face-to-face learning will be January 11^th 2020.  For secondary high need students, you will also leaning virtually for the first week back (again with breakout rooms) and by January 11^th we will provide more detail with an option for transportation and face to face learning in your local school setting.

As of today, we are still planning to proceed with our Secondary Transition Survey regarding quadmesters 3 and 4.  The current decision to move to virtual is a short-term strategy and there will be a return to face to face learning on January 25^th (as we near the end of quadmester 2).  Please keep in mind if you choose “face to face learning in the bricks and mortar schools” or if you choose “virtual” that is your choice through to the end of June.

Thank you for adhering to public health and safety measures that have ensured schools remain a safe place for our students and staff.  This will be more important than ever now – both for our schools and for our community at large.  During the upcoming Christmas Break we must adhere to the guidance to limit our contacts and social gatherings.  You can check the government’s holiday web page for more direct and up-to-date guidance on how individuals and families can plan for a safe holiday season, including suggestions for safer holiday activities for children and families.

Once again, we encourage you to visit Ontario.ca/covidresponse to learn what public health measures are in place in our community – but also please be aware that these could change depending on the most current public health advice. We also suggest checking out the WCDSB website https://www.wcdsb.ca/living-learning-looking-forward/  and Region of Waterloo Public Health website https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/health-and-wellness/2019-novel-coronavirus.aspx as they contain helpful resources and supports.  If you have any questions about what your particular school is doing, please let your school principal know upon their return on January 4^th, 2021.

I will also take this opportunity to point out that mental health resources are available to students and families through Kids Help Phone, which offers 24/7 counselling and referral services across the province. To use this free resource, children can call 1-800-668-6868, or text CONNECT to 686868.

This is likely not the Christmas any of us envisioned or desired.  These challenges are real and the hardships can be quite difficult for some.  But we can see the light in the distance.  We can also see the profound light of the manger.  Let us continue to be people of hope who celebrate the birth of a tiny babe who shared a powerful message of love and salvation.  Please reach out to us if you need help or guidance, and remain confident that we are here to support you, as we walk together as a hope-filled community.  #InThisTogether  #WeGotThis

Sincerely,

Loretta Notten                                                                       

Director of Education 

Dear Waterloo Catholic Community –

As I write this letter, we sit on the cusp of our Christmas break and perhaps more than ever, we can all appreciate the need for a pause.  It is a true testament to everyone in the entire WCDSB community that we made it to Christmas with all our schools still open and thriving, despite the reality of the pandemic.  The number of cases in our schools has grown, reflecting where we are as a region, but in all circumstances, the cases are quickly resolved, and all affected individuals return to school in a short period of time.  We have had very, very few cases of “outbreak” which is defined as 2 or more related cases in a school.  So, on behalf of all – thank you for your ongoing efforts which have made the school re-opening process possible, and for adhering to public health and safety measures that have ensured schools remain a safe place for our students and staff.

The holidays are going to look a little different this year. We understand that there may be challenges as the winter break approaches but we encourage all families to consider what we can all do to make the return to school in January 2021 as safe as possible. I would also like to remind you about the actions we are taking to reinforce the health and safety protocols aimed at protecting our students, educators and staff while limiting the spread of COVID-19 at schools.

Throughout this challenging time in our history, I have used the refrain #InThisTogether and it has been a way to emphasize that we are a team in all of this.  That we do have each other’s back.  What one of us does, affects all of us.  During the upcoming Christmas Break we must adhere to the guidance to limit our contacts and social gatherings.  You can check the government’s holiday web page for more direct and up-to-date guidance on how individuals and families can plan for a safe holiday season, including suggestions for safer holiday activities for children and families.

I also wanted to take this opportunity to speak to you about our upcoming Transition window in secondary.  As indicated, we have one further transition window in both elementary and secondary.  Our secondary survey will be open January 4^th to January 6^th.  At this time, you will have the opportunity to indicate if you wish to move your child back to face to face learning (adapted model) in their community school or if you wish to move to St Isidore (virtual school).

This choice will apply for the remainder of the year – including into the warmer spring months of April, May, and June.  We have to limit ourselves to one final transition window to be able to facilitate the challenging student and staff scheduling that needs to take place.

As a reminder, anyone feeling ill should not attend school. All children, students, staff, and visitors must be screened for symptoms of illness every day before attending school or childcare. To help meet this requirement, you may use the provincial COVID-19 school screening tool.  Self-screening will still be a requirement when we return to school and we will continue to reinforce masking and hand hygiene, as well as cohorting and physical distancing with students and our staff.

We encourage you to visit Ontario.ca/covidresponse to learn what public health measures are in place in our community – but also please be aware that these could change depending on the most current public health advice. We also suggest checking out the WCDSB website https://www.wcdsb.ca/living-learning-looking-forward/   and Region of Waterloo Public Health website https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/health-and-wellness/2019-novel-coronavirus.aspx as they contain helpful resources and supports.  If you have any questions about what your school is doing, please let your school principal know.

Once again, I want to share that it is perhaps inevitable that when the provincial and regional numbers rise, we too will see some cases.  I realize that if you get a letter saying there has been a case of COVID in your school that it is most unsettling.  If we ask a cohort to quarantine it is to ensure that they remain safe and that the rest of our school community remains safe.  Our safety protocols are working.

We sincerely thank you for journeying with us.   May each of you and your families enjoy a beautiful Christmas Season.  Perhaps it is entirely fine that it will be less social, less focused on material goods, much simpler in every way but firmly focused on family, for isn’t it true that the very first Christmas was exactly that.  Let us continue to be people of hope who celebrate the birth of a tiny babe who shared a powerful message of love and salvation.  Please reach out to us if you need help or guidance and remain confident that we are here to support you, as we walk together as a hope-filled community.  #InThisTogether  #WeGotThis

Sincerely,

Loretta Notten, Director of Education

Waterloo Region, ON – The Board of Trustees of the Waterloo Catholic District School Board has elected Waterloo / Woolwich / Wellesley Trustee Melanie Van Alphen as Chair of the Board, and Waterloo / Woolwich / Wellesley Trustee Jeanne Gravelle as Vice-Chair of the Board. The meeting was held Monday, December 7, 2020.

The Board of Trustees is comprised of the following representatives:

Bill Conway (Cambridge / North Dumfries) – Past Chair

Manuel da Silva (Cambridge / North Dumfries)

Kevin Dupuis (Kitchener / Wilmot)

Jeanne Gravelle (Waterloo / Wellesley / Woolwich) — Vice-Chair

Wendy Price (Cambridge / North Dumfries)

Greg Reitzel (Kitchener / Wilmot)

Brian Schmalz (Kitchener / Wilmot)

Melanie Van Alphen (Waterloo / Wellesley / Woolwich) – Chair

Tracey Weiler (Kitchener / Wilmot)

Abby Barbosa  and Kate Morrison are the Student Trustees.

Detailed information about the Board of Trustees – including contact information, board agendas and minutes and board policies is available by clicking —–> HERE … Then click the “Our Governance” link.

On November 30, the Ontario government launched the Support for Learners program.

Through this program, the government is providing financial support to help parents and guardians with additional costs during the 2020-2021 school year, during the second wave of COVID-19.

Eligible parents or guardians will receive a one-time payment of:

• $200 for each child up to age 12
• $250 for each child or youth up to age 21 years with special needs

This is a new program, and all parents or guardians who are residents of Ontario with eligible children will need to submit a new application for each child.

As of today, eligible parents or guardians can go to Ontario.ca/SupportforLearners for more information and to apply for the one-time financial support. The deadline to apply is January 15, 2021.

Support for Learners funding is intended to directly support parents to provide children and youth with key educational resources like workbooks, school supplies, technology and developmental resources during these unprecedented times.

Meetings

Committee of the Whole Board Meeting

Monday, November 9, 2020 – Meeting Agenda Package

Public Board Meeting

Monday, November 23, 2020 — Meeting Agenda Package

Highlights

2020 Community Planning and Partnership Report

It is the role of school board management to determine which facilities are suitable for partnerships and which entities are suitable as partners. These decisions are made in a way that is well-informed, well-coordinated, transparent, and consistent with the goals and priorities of the Waterloo Catholic District School Board’s  Multi-Year Strategic Plan, WCDSB’s Catholic values and social teachings, as well as student achievement, well-being and safety.

Suitable space for sharing with a partner, is defined by APF012 as:

• 200 surplus pupil places or a school utilization at or below 70% and this trend is expected to continue
• No accommodation review within the next 3 years
• Space not required for school resources or other board programming
• Size and configuration of the available space
• Ability to separate the partnership space from student areas
• Availability of separate exterior entrance
• Adequate parking for both the school and partner needs
• Site use restrictions
• Facility condition including the adequacy of utilities
• Municipal zoning bylaw restrictions
• Other criteria as appropriate

Currently, no WCDSB schools are suitable candidates for community partnership opportunities.

The report begins on page 7 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Pastoral Plan Update

Catholic schools exist to support the evangelizing mission of the Church. Catholic parents send their children to Catholic schools with certain expectations. The overriding expectation is that their daughter/son will experience education permeated with religious values, religious instruction and be invited to participate in the sacramental life of the church. To this end, we endeavor to provide opportunities to live out and inform our faith through implementation of our Pastoral Plan, which is informed by the Ontario Bishops’ pastoral letter, Renewing the Promise.

Due to ongoing labour action — and then school closures due to the Covid-19 pandemic — our Year 2 Pastoral Plan launch was delayed.

While we continue to be unable to gather for larger events due to public health protocols, we used a video launch in early October to transition from Called to Belong to Gathered to Become.

Highlights of Gathered to Become activities include:

• Pastoral Plan banners placed in the entranceways of all WCDSB schools
• Commissioning of Gathered to Become song by Jan Bentham, a retired Ottawa Catholic DSB teacher, to be used throughout the pastoral year and included in our launch video
• Gathered to Become Video launch: https://youtu.be/PBQFPsoeE9Q
• Becoming Butterfly (& chrysalis) will visit each school site for one week throughout the 2020-2021 school year with accompanying support activities
• Gathered to Become Divisional Videos (Prepared by our Elementary Chaplains, Heejung Cho and Sarah Kwiecinski)
• Video Read Alouds of The Marvelous Mustard Seed and The Very Hungry Caterpillar by our Learning Commons staff for primary students
• Partnership with the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory who will provide activities and content to discover what it means to be a species at risk in Canada. This aligns with celebrating Laudato Si’ (5^th year anniversary) and the call to care for our Common Home by Pope Francis
• Google meet experience with Saint John’s Bible to explore Becoming Transformed through the Word of God. Included in this experience is a session on Bugs in the Bible
• Virtual Gr. 8 Retreats developing theme of Gathered to Become / Transformation until Mount Mary and Camp Brebeuf are accessible
• Virtual tours of Parish Churches continue, and recent invite went out to priests at the Waterloo Deanery Meeting
• Adult faith formation activities: Margaret Silf book club to reflect on Hidden Wings (2017) and Born to Fly (2017), two books on the theme of transformation in the Ignatius spiritual tradition
• Family of School Pastoral Team workshop/meetings to support the ongoing work of animating our pastoral year led by Religion and Family Life Consultant

Videos highlighting the pastoral theme and Tweets celebrating #Gathered to Become can be found at:

https://www.wcdsb.ca/gathered-to-become/

The report begins on page 10 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

ESL and ELD

For many decades, the Waterloo Catholic District School Board has celebrated the contributions of its English Language Learners (ELLs) and worked to meet their needs in a variety of settings. English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers continue to work in all our schools to support staff, students, and families in developing language skills necessary for success in a changing society.

Support for ELLs is articulated in the WCDSB’s Board Improvement Plan for Student Achievement (BIPSA) as educators are called upon to clearly know the needs of these students and respond to them in a collaborative and effective manner. As well, the Board’s Multi-Year Strategic Plan (MYSP) identifies and promotes the use of culturally relevant and responsive pedagogy as a strategy to meet the goals of achievement and well-being.

English as a Second Language (ESL) programs are for students whose first language is other than English or is a variety of English significantly different from that used for instruction in Ontario schools. Students in these programs have had educational opportunities to develop age-appropriate first-language literacy skills.

English Literacy Development (ELD) programs are for students whose first language is other than English or is a variety of English significantly different from that used for instruction in Ontario schools. Students in these programs are most often from countries in which their access to education has been limited, and they have had limited opportunities to develop language and literacy skills in any language. Schooling in their countries of origin has been inconsistent, disrupted, or even completely unavailable throughout the years that these children would otherwise have been in school. As a result, they arrive in Ontario schools with significant gaps in their education. We refer to these students as SLIFE, Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education.

Data indicate a steady increase in the number of students registering at the WCDSB (JK-Grade 12) from various countries all over the world. A large majority of these students have English as an Additional Language Learning needs, at the earliest steps to proficiency. Many students are arriving to us as SLIFE, requiring foundational literacy and language development and orientation to school life in Ontario.

Despite travel/immigration restrictions due to COVID-19, the Newcomer Reception Centre (NRC) has welcomed over 50 students to the WCDSB, some being new immigrants (parent study/work permit, or Permanent Resident), and many as secondary migrants from other provinces such as Alberta and Manitoba

The report begins on page 64 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Special Education Update

Ensuring the well being and safety of students and staff is the central, overall goal for WCDSB during the 2020-2021 school year within the global COVID-19 pandemic. The Ministry of Education and Public Health directed an adapted return to learn for our secondary students and a conventional return to learn for our elementary students in September of 2020. The Ministry of Education also mandated the option for students to attend a virtual school setting (e.g., St. Isidore at WCDSB) if not opting for the adaptive or conventional return.

The Ministry of Education advised that students with high needs attend school full time if the adaptive model was deemed the mode of delivery at a board level. This was a thoughtful decision on the part of the Ministry as the virtual learning environment is very challenging for many students with Special Education needs. Staff in Student Services have completed departmental goals in the form of logic models to frame the work of our staff in ensuring academic achievement and well being for our students.

The November 23 report provides details on the following:

• COVID-19 Infographics & Tip Sheets
• Developmental Skills for COVID-19 Protocols
• Assistive Technology – Reaching Students and Staff Through Remote/Virtual Training
  • Education and Community Partnership Program (Section 23)
  • The Young Adult Program (YAP)
  • Lutherwood Day Treatment Program – U12
  • Hope Harbour House
  • Child and Adolescent Inpatient Psychiatry (CAIP)

The report begins on page 70 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Mental Health Update

In the unique situation with the global pandemic, we have adapted our practices to place a very strong emphasis on preparing our system to promote a mentally healthy return-to-school. Our annual plan provides the broader objectives of what we hope to achieve over the course of the year, while remaining flexible and adaptive as the needs of our students and system evolve.

A new Board Scan – adapted to focus the work that needs to unfold in the context of COVID-19 – will be released by School Mental Health Ontario later this fall and will continue to inform the work we will do to achieve these overarching goals for the 2020-2021 school year:

1. To strengthen system-wide commitment to WCDSB’s vision for mental health and wellbeing through initiatives which engage students, parents, and staff in working towards mentally healthy school communities.
2. To continue to support strengths-based, trauma-informed practice in the education setting
3. To build staff capacity to support students and ourselves in mental health and wellbeing.
4. To continue to expand and strengthen our community partnerships, creating a coordinated and integrated pathway of care for students
5. To continue to promote and educate regarding our Suicide, Self-harm, and Depression protocol, while continuing to review prevention programming, interventions and postvention unique to the needs of students within WCDSB.
6. To promote evidence-informed practice across all three Tiers with clear and measurable objectives.

Over the course of 2019-20 we continued to prioritize equipping staff, students, and families with the knowledge they need to promote positive mental health in their students. This included PD opportunities that reached more than 2,664 staff, students, and/or families with tailored training to targeted groups including the Secondary School Improvement Heads, the Student Success Team, the Vision Itinerants, Guidance Teachers, EAs, CYCWs, and Parent Councils. We also made substantial investment in co-facilitating the Mo Willems Emotional Literacy lessons in multiple classrooms at two targeted schools.

The WCDSB Mental Health and Well Being Action Plan for 2020-21 is provided as part of the report, which begins on page 78 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Update on WCDSB COVID Education Delivery

At the current time, Waterloo Region’s Catholic schools are engaged in learning under our new COVID-19 reality. Our staff, students and parents have been introduced to a new way of experiencing learning and their schools, be that in our face to face learning environment or in the newly conceived virtual environment. COVID-19 has changed the landscape of a traditional school experience and the staff of our board have planned, prepared, and have now implemented this new reality.

As we end November 2020, we have approximately 4,187 students learning virtually and 19,900 students learning face to face. Thus, at this point approximately 17% of our total student population has opted for the virtual learning environment. We are averaging 7 positive COVID-19 cases a week in our schools, but in virtually all cases, the positive case runs its course, with very few instances of any transmission. We have had since re-opening just two limited outbreaks which again were quickly resolved. This is a strong indication that all our protocols are working. All cases begin with an origin in community and we are seeing WCDSB as a reflection of the broader community.

The transition of additional students at the Thanksgiving benchmark resulted in an additional 29 teachers transitioning to St. Isidore, resulting in a total of 119 virtual classes, K-8.

Our start up thus far has gone smoothly. The fact that our schools are open and thriving is a huge accomplishment. As our parents said in our recent ThoughtExchange – Great Job! It is a reflection of our stellar staff. We believe our schools and workplaces remain safe, but the desire for choice has been presented to parents and we realize people are in different places with their comfort level with COVID-19.

We have had parents share success stories of their children’s joy in being back in a face to face learning environment, and we hear success stories of the work happening by our St. Isidore team. Health and safety must remain our primary concern and motivator. Things do continue to evolve despite the best of planning. What continues to remain constant is the dedication and resilience of our staff, students and WCDSB community.

Finally, the month of November has also provided an opportunity to celebrate Anti-Bullying Cyber-Awareness Month. A multi-media virtual campaign inviting students to answer a series of challenge questions helped to raise the profile of many activities that were shared for the classroom. It is important to find new ways to continue to celebrate the milestone events and focus themes that characterize a school year. Further, we do hope that wellbeing and mental health will be nourished on the solid foundation of our Spiritual Development Day. Our spiritual wellbeing and the strength we receive through this important day in our calendar cannot be understated. With keynote speakers David Wells and Kike Ojo-Thompson we were able to dig deep into the emotions people are feeling, the challenges that we are experiencing and a constructive, hope-filled path forward.

The report begins on page 87 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Board Chair’s Update

Each month, Board Chair Bill Conway reports on the activities of the Board of Trustees. The report for November 2020 is available on page 94 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Student Trustees Update

Student Trustees Abby Barbosa and Kate Morrison presented their monthly update – covering activities in WCDSB’s secondary schools. It is available beginning on page 91 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Upcoming Board Meetings

Inaugural Meeting

Monday, December 7, 2020

Waterloo Region Catholic Education Centre

Regular Public Board Meeting

Monday, December 14, 2020

Waterloo Region Catholic Education Centre

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board, representing more than 96,000 Catholic school supporters, operates 48 schools and four adult education facilities, serving more than 40,000 elementary, secondary and continuing education students in Waterloo Region – continuing a 184-year tradition of quality, inclusive, faith-based education. Follow us on Twitter: @WCDSBNewswire – #WCDSBAwesome.

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