“Come back to the Lord your God. He is kind and full of mercy; he is patient and keeps his promise; he is always ready to forgive and not punish…. the Lord your God will… bless you…” – Joel 2:13-14
The SNCDSB Halo is a digital resource provided to staff, trustees and local clergy according to the liturgical calendar that provides links to virtual resources, reflections, and prayer services, as well as information about saints, feasts, and other important aspects of Catholic culture to compliment our religious education programming.
Bell Let’s Talk Day was Wednesday, January 25.
This year’s Bell Let’s Talk Day campaign highlighted ways we can all create meaningful change and take action by doing one or more of the following:
- Choose a mental health organization to learn about or support
- Help a friend struggling with their mental health by learning how to support them
- Ask about how your school, workplace or community is creating change for mental health
- Nurture your own well-being by practicing and learning mental health strategies
- Get involved in a mental health initiative or organize an event to support mental health
- Engage in conversations about mental health to fight the stigma
You can find resources, learn more about some of the organizations providing mental health support and services throughout Canada and download the Bell Let’s Talk toolkit to begin your own conversation about mental health and create positive change. https://letstalk.bell.ca/
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SNCDSB Attendance Counsellor, Michelle Edmond supports students to attend school regularly or to be reintegrated into school after a prolonged absence. Michelle works with parents to help support them with their child’s attendance and any other difficulties they are facing that may be preventing their child from attending school.
Why is attending school regularly and on time important?
Starting as early as kindergarten, too many absences can cause a child to fall behind. Missing just 10% or 2 days per month can make it harder to learn to read and perform in math. Studies show that good attendance at an early age will help children succeed in highschool, college and at work. We also know that children with regular attendance tend to feel better about themself and about school.
Being late for school can also result in students falling behind. For instance, if a student is 60 minutes late everyday, it adds up to about 8 weeks of missed learning.
What are some of the benefits of regular attendance?
Regular attendance helps students stay on track. It is difficult to catch up when time is missed. When a child starts the day late, it has an impact on their entire school day.
Good attendance helps to build confidence and habits that will last a lifetime and transfer to life beyond school.
We also know that children tend to feel academically and socially connected with good attendance.
What can parents and families do to promote regular attendance?
- Set a regular bedtime schedule and morning routine at home. Lay out clothes and pack lunches the night before.
- Show interest in school. Talk to your kids about their plans for the future and the importance of education
- Communicate with the school. Stay connected with their teacher and school staff. If need be, inform the school on reasons for absences and request missed work.
- Encourage your child to attend school regularly by using a calendar and celebrating progress
- Develop back up plans for getting to school.
- And if possible, try to avoid medical appointments and trips while school is in session.
What can people do if they want support or information on improving their child’s attendance?
They can contact their community school and speak with the school Principal, or they can contact Michelle Edmond at medmond@sncdsb.on.ca.
We want to hear from families. Their feedback will help us make our schools where students want to be.
On January 27, 2023, Superior North Catholic District School Board schools celebrated Family Literacy Day. This day was created to increase awareness and appreciation of the importance of reading and engaging in other literacy-related activities as a family. Doing so can help your family learn, grow, and bond together.
The #SNCDSB Math Team creates monthly math activities for parents and guardians to do at home with their kids! Doing math activities at home can help children build confidence in their math abilities and develop important skills!
We hope these ideas help you and your family have fun while learning math!
The Math Team prepared a learning session for all #SNCDSB Principals. The training was delivered during the two-day Principal Meeting that took place on January 17th and January 18th. The training was designed around our observation and qualitative data collection of our Principals' needs.
The Math Team went through all Guided/Balanced Math components and what a Math classroom environment should look like. Principals were also provided with an Editable Balanced Math Observational Checklist to use as a reference. Principals will be able to support teachers and actively monitor the Math block. This work aligns directly with the Board Improvement Plan expectation for School leaders and the Catholic Leaders Framework. School leaders are expected to support educators and monitor content delivery and student learning to improve students' successes.
Students across #SNCDSB have been meeting virtually for the "Student Lead" Mental Health and Wellbeing Committee to discuss ways to promote Positive Mental Health Change in their schools. Currently, students are working on Anti-Bullying Posters that will be displayed across our board in the near future.
Mental Health and Well-being Resources for Students, Staff, Caregivers, and Families:
The SNCDSB Positive Behaviour Support Workers help support students’ social-emotional needs and help students to be successful in the classroom. They work elbow to elbow with teachers, EAs, principals, families and the multidisciplinary team to ensure we work together towards the common goal of positive student well-being. The Positive Behaviour Support Workers work in the classroom and use evidence-based programming to teach the students skills to build their social-emotional skills.
How did schools at Superior North Catholic District School Board promote Pink Shirt Day?
Each school participated in ways that made sense to them and their students. The Positive Behaviour Support Worker in each area, along with the teachers and principal, promoted the day through activities catered to each of our schools. There was a lot of discussion and activities in the classroom about anti-bullying for the students. There was programming and resources available for our educators to access.
Some schools had assemblies during the week and will continue to promote pink shirt day and anti-bullying throughout the school year.
What is the Superior North Catholic District School Board's stance on bullying at school, and how does the Positive Behaviour Support Worker's role help create bullying awareness?
Our board has an anti-bullying policy which clearly states what constitutes bullying. Our schools take bullying, including cyberbullying, very seriously, which is unacceptable in our schools. We support students in developing healthy relationships with each other to create a safe and effective learning environment.
In my role as a Positive behaviour support worker, I work with students and educators daily and promote positive behaviour within the school. We do this through teaching and modelling appropriate behaviours, and we teach students the skills to solve problems. We have programs such as Second Step with some lessons on bullying, Zones of regulation, and Roots of Empathy. These evidence-based programs have lessons on problem-solving, respecting each other, understanding emotions and developing coping strategies. When students are aware of their emotions and can understand how others are feeling, it teaches students to have empathy and show kindness to one another. This reduces the likelihood of bullying within our schools.
Kindergarten Registration is now open! Parents and guardians are invited to contact the principal in their Superior North Catholic District School Board community school to learn more about our schools and programs and schedule a visit!
After you complete the online registration, the Principal in your community will contact you with more details!
Starting February 13, 2023, all #SNCDSB schools will use the SafeArrival absence reporting system.
Using the Safe Arrival system, parents can report daily absences and even schedule absences in one of three ways:
- Toll-free number: 1-833-525-9072,
- the https://go.schoolmessenger.ca website, or
- the SchoolMessenger mobile app to report your child’s absence in advance.
The Focus on the Future priority for the 2022-2023 school year is the effective adoption and implementation of the ministry’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) D2L’s Brightspace, which has been personalized at SNCDSB and referred to as The SNCDSB Hub. Digital portfolios provide students with a tool to track, document and share their development of knowledge and skills throughout their learning journey. Each classroom has been provided with the opportunity for in-class support to ensure the goal of uploading five pieces of evidence was met by the deadline of February 1, 2023. The Brightspace for Parent App launched in February.
Catholic Parent Involvement Committee
The purpose of the Catholic Parent Involvement Committee is to support, encourage and enhance parent engagement at the Board level to improve student achievement and well-being. Ontario Regulation 612/00 requires all Ontario school boards to establish a Parent Involvement Committee and outlines its composition, function and mandate.
Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC)
Each Board in the Province of Ontario is required to establish a Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) as defined in Ontario Regulation 464/97 made under the Education Act, Special Education Advisory Committees. SEACs help school boards understand the special needs of exceptional children as well as formulate and implement favourable policies, programs, and services.
Indigenous Education Advisory Committee
Your voice can help shape the delivery of Indigenous educational programs and services. In 2014, through the Ontario First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Education Policy Framework Implementation Plan, the Ministry of Education indicated that all school boards would establish formalized processes, such as establishing IEACs to support local implementation of the framework. IEACs provide guidance to school boards and schools in building stronger relationships with their communities, sharing information, identifying promising practices, and enhancing collaborative work to support First Nation, Métis, and Inuit student achievement and well-being.
Audit Committee
The primary role of the Audit Committee is to provide assurance to the Board of Trustees that the school board has the appropriate culture, personnel, policies, systems and controls in place to safeguard the school board's assets and to accurately report financial information to internal and external users.
JANUARY 4, 2023, was National Ribbon Skirt Day!
On December 20, 2022, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada announced that Bill S-219, An Act Respecting a National Ribbon Skirt Day, received Royal Assent and is now an Act of Parliament.
Every year on January 4, National Ribbon Skirt Day will provide an opportunity for everyone in Canada to recognize, learn, and celebrate the importance of Indigenous traditions and expressions of important cultural practices. The Ribbon Skirt is one such tradition.
On January 18, Erin Roxborough, Anishinaabemowin Boodawe Program Manager, spoke to our Principals and identified supports provided by the Anishinaabemowin Boodawe Committee that our schools can and are accessing. Specifically, the Teacher and Learner Support Program has recruited Ojibwe language speakers and local knowledge keepers to join a team of helpers. They aim to support Ojibwe language teachers in local schools and local people taking Ojibwe classes. Ideally, the team of helpers will agree to be contacted when help is needed with Ojibwe language pronunciations, translations, writing, singing, understanding, and learning. This could involve visits to classrooms with the Ojibwe Language Specialist staff. Speakers can set the days/hours when they would be available to be contacted and will provide their contact information for all teachers and learners to access.
“Growing up, I always was actively involved in the community… In Manitouwadge, with it being such a small community and having so many things to do here, everything is just a step out your front door.”– Aaron Baker, Principal at Our Lady of Lourdes
We are pleased to share the 2021-2022 Annual Director's Report.
The Superior North Catholic District School Board's Annual Report overviews our multi-year strategic plan and summarizes our 2021-2022 highlights and successes. Our plan is founded on four priorities; Faith & Justice, Academic Excellence, Indigenous Education and Focus on the Future.
Credits:
Apple Wagon Films, #SNCDSB Schools