Meetings

Committee of the Whole Board: Monday, January 15, 2018 – Meeting Agenda Package

Public Board Meeting: Monday, January 29, 2018 — Meeting Agenda Package

Highlights

Foundations for a Healthy School

Empirical research around the world shows a direct connection between healthy habits and academic achievement, positive mental health & well-being as well as decreased undesirable behaviours in school. WCDSB has had a great history with respect to health promotion and physical activity development for our students and is truly at the leading edge in the province with respect to the implementation of health related policies and opportunities for our students. WCDSB’s long standing commitment to health and wellness is evidenced by the P.A.L.S. program (Playground Activity Leaders in School), the adoption of the Food & Beverage Policy, Active & Safe Routes to School and our dedication to Daily Physical Activity.

In 2013, the WCDSB formally embraced the Foundations for a Healthy School framework and between 2014 and 2017, sixteen schools adopted the framework. It is the Board’s goal to eventually have all WCDSB schools operating under the framework. Further information about the WCDSB’s work within the Foundations for a Healthy School framework is available on pages 13-15 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Renewed Math Strategy

The Renewed Math Strategy (RMS) aligns with key components of the Board Improvement Plan for Student Achievement (BIPSA) and numerous board priorities articulated in the Multi-Year Strategic Plan. Regular reports on the progress being made under the RMS are presented to the Board of Trustees. The most recent report was provided on January 15, 2018 and can be found on pages 16-23 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Waterloo Region Catholic Schools Foundation Update

The Waterloo Region Catholic Schools Foundation (WRCSF) is a registered charitable foundation with a community-based board of directors and has been in existence for nearly two decades. The WRCSF supports the students of the Waterloo Catholic District School Board through a variety of initiatives, all of which focus on three key priorities: Mind, Body, & Spirit. Specifically, the WRCSF supports:

  • Program enhancements important to our Catholic education community, but not necessarily viable through government funding, including arts, athletics, science & technology;
  • Equity and opportunity for all our learners, including social-economic challenges, unique learning requirements;
  • The faith component of Catholic education, including sacramental programs, retreat programs and Catholic youth leadership.

A full report on the WRCSF’s activities and accomplishments is available on pages 8-12 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

French Immersion Review Update

French Immersion is an inclusive opt-in program that was first offered in the 2015-16 school year at St. Anne CES, Kitchener and Sir Edgar Bauer CES, Waterloo. In 2016-17, the program expanded to Cambridge and opened at Our Lady of Fatima CES. We offer a 50% program, in which 150 minutes of instruction are offered in French, and 150 minutes in English. As with all our Second Language Programs, French Immersion is designed for students whose first language is not French. The entry point for French Immersion is in Grade 1. It is currently open to all residents of Waterloo Region at the three satellite sites. In our third year of the program, we are servicing 216 students.

The French Immersion Review Committee met for the first time on November 28, 2017 and most recently met on January 16, 2018, to review data related to i) program priorities, ii) student accommodation, iii) grade level entry point and iv) overall program model at current sites. The committee is comprised of Board central staff (FSL consultant, supervisory officers, and manager of planning), school administrators, and parents. A detailed report of the committee’s ongoing work is available on pages 34-36 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Leadership Strategy: 2017-18

The WCDSB’s Leadership Strategy has gone from 19 aspiring leaders in 2012-13, to 418 in 2016-17.

Overall Goal: To develop leadership capacity to support the achievement of goals outlined in the Multi-Year Strategic Plan and the Board Improvement Plan for Student Achievement.

Goal One: Create and promote leadership opportunities that engage all school and system leaders in order to strengthen staff capacity for instructional and spiritual leadership, to enhance organizational effectiveness, and to support succession planning as defined by research, Strong Districts and their Leadership and the Catholic Leadership Framework.

Goal Two: School and system leaders in the WCDSB will develop the capacity to appropriately respond to the needs of learners by fostering a holistic view of student learning that encourages shepherd, servant and steward leadership.

Goal Three: Create and provide opportunities for enhancing leadership capacity for the entire system by engaging in active professional lifelong learning, faith formation, mentorship and coaching.

An extensive overview of the strategy is available on pages 37-39 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Dominican Encounter with Faith & Hospitality

The Dominican Encounter with Faith and Hospitality is an experiential learning opportunity offered to all Waterloo Catholic DSB secondary students in their Grade 11 or 12 school year. Applications are collected and approximately five students are chosen from each of our secondary schools, for an excursion total of twenty-five students. Applications are also invited from WCDSB staff to serve as supervisors for the excursion. On January 29, 2018 the Board of Trustees received a staff presentation providing an overview of this transformative program. The report is available on pages 28-33 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Student Trustees Report

Student Trustees Kate Jamieson and Meghan Nemeth presented their monthly report on activities in WCDSB’s secondary schools. The report contains highlights of the Ontario Student Trustees’ Association’s Student Platform – a 16-point list of recommendations to the Ontario government and opposition parties — based in part on responses to the Student Survey completed in November, 2017. Their full report is available on pages 46-48 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Upcoming Board Meetings

Committee of the Whole Board: Monday, February 12, 2018

Regular Public Board Meeting: Monday, February 26, 2018

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board, representing more than 96,000 Catholic school supporters, operates 52 schools and four adult education facilities serving more than 40,000 elementary, secondary and continuing education students in Waterloo Region – continuing a 182-year tradition of quality, inclusive, faith-based education. Follow us on Twitter: @WCDSBNewswire – #WCDSBAwesome.

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For more information, please contact:

John Shewchuk – Chief Managing Officer | (519) 578-3660 | john.shewchuk@wcdsb.ca