November 26, 2009

As vital partners in education, the Ministry of Education wants to know what you think about its proposed Parent Engagement Policy.

A draft of the policy Parents in Partnership – A Parent Engagement Policy for Ontario Schools, is posted on the website for review. We are seeking feedback and hope you will fill out the online survey. There is one for individuals and one for groups such as School Councils to consolidate their comments. Groups may also find the facilitators guide helpful.

The survey will be available until December 31, 2009.

Parent engagement takes many forms – be engaged and help us develop a policy that includes your opinions.

Contact the Parent Engagement Office at 416-327-7988 if you have any questions.

View full text at:

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/parents/involvement/survey.html

Students entering French Immersion programs, do so in Grade 1 or Grade 7 only.

The Halton District School Board takes pride in offering Immersion and Extended French programs for students beginning in Grade 1 (Early) and Grade 7 (Extended). In these bilingual programs, students attend a Halton District School Board elementary school designated as a French Centre, where they receive half their instruction in English and half in French. This provides students with the opportunity to achieve a working command of French and simultaneously acquire the personal growth, knowledge and skills expected in the regular program.

Registration forms for the French Immersion program are available at any school within the Halton District School Board, including the French Centres listed below. Applications should be returned to the student’s home school by January 15, 2010.

In preparation for the 2010 school year, information evenings will be held at the following French Immersion Centres:

Oakville

• Forest Trail Public School, 1406 Pine Glen Rd. – Thu, Jan 7, 6:30 p.m.
• Linbrook Public School, 1079 Linbrook Rd.  – Tue, Dec 8, 6:30 p.m.
• Munn’s Public School, 1511 Sixth Line – Tue, Jan 12, 6:30 p.m.
• Palermo community at Lorne Skuce Public School, 150 Ridge Dr. - Thu, Jan 7, 6:30 p.m.
• Pine Grove Public School, 529 Fourth Line - Wed, Jan 6, 6:30 p.m.
• Sunningdale Public School, 1434 Oxford Ave. – Thu, Jan 7, 7:00 p.m.

Regional

• Sir E. MacMillan Public School, 1350 Headon Rd., Burlington - Thu, Jan 14, 6:30 p.m., Late Immersion Program Only (Grade 7 Entry)

Acton

• Robert Little Public School, 41 School Lane – Wed, Jan 6, 6:30 p.m.

Burlington

• Alexander’s Public School, 2223 Sutton Dr. – Wed, Jan 6, 6:30 p.m.
• B.T. Lindley Public School, 2510 Cavendish Dr. – Tue, Jan 12, 7:00 p.m.
• Charles. R. Beaudoin Public School, 4313 Clubview Dr. – Wed, Jan 13, 7:00 p.m.
• Clarksdale Public School, 2399 Mountainside Dr. – Wed, Jan 6, 7:00 p.m.
• Maplehurst Public School, 481 Plains Rd. E. – Thu, Jan 7, 6:30 p.m.
• Orchard Park Public School, 5151 Dryden Ave., Burlington – Thu, Jan 7, 6:30 p.m.
• Pineland Public School, 5121 Meadowhill Rd. – Thu, Jan 7, 6:30 p.m.
• Tom Thomson Public School, 2171 Prospect St. – Wed, Jan 6, 6:30 p.m.

Georgetown

• George Kennedy Public School, 75 Weber Dr. – Thu, Jan 7, 6:30 p.m.

Milton

• E.W. Foster Public School, 320 Coxe Blvd. – Wed, Jan 6, 6:30 p.m.
• Martin Street Public School, 184 Martin St. – Thu, Jan 7, 7:00 p.m.
• P.L. Robertson Public School, 840 Scott Blvd. – Wed, Jan 13, 6:30 p.m.
• Robert Baldwin Public School, 180 Wilson Dr. – Thu, Jan 14, 6:30 p.m.

Parents with questions about the Halton District School Board’s French Immersion program can contact Renée B. Meloche, Acting FSL Coordinator at the New Street Education Centre, 3250 New Street, Burlington, 905 631-6120, extension 437.

See you in the Studio Theatre!

Would you like to know where you’re going to be on November
25th, 26th or 27th at 7:00 p.m.?

Let T.A. Blakelock be your host for an evening of a LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. Join Audrey TWO as she enacts her diabotinous plan to take over the world, one high school student at a time.

Tickets on sale at the school or the door to Blakelock’s studio theatre every evening of each performance.

For more information visit the T.A. Blakelock website: http://tab.hdsb.ca.

Boys-only schools?  All day every day kindergarten?  The curious may find these podcasts of Steve Paikin’s “The Agenda” on TVO interesting:

Alanna Mitchell | Chris Spence
Wednesday, November 18 2009, 8:00 PM

• Brainstorm: Atkinson Fellow Alanna Mitchell and how neuroscience can improve our education system.
• Reading, Writing… and Boys-Only Schools? Toronto District School Board Director of Education Chris Spence on paving a new educational path.

Kathleen Wynne | Early Childhood Politics
Thursday, November 05 2009, 8:00 PM

• Ontario Minister of Education Kathleen Wynne on her government’s all-day kindergarten plan … and how we’ll pay for it.
• Kindergarten-plus? The right idea at the right time? The political ABCs of early learning.

Charles Pascal | Niels Veldhuis | Roy Romanow
Tuesday, June 16 2009, 8:00 PM

• A longer school day: Dalton McGuinty’s education advisor Charles Pascal and his report in favour of full-day kindergarten.

In Oakville on Thu, Dec 3 at White Oaks SS – North Campus

Upcoming Pathways Planning Information Evenings will allow parents and students to explore all of the opportunities that high schools have to offer in Halton.

The Halton District School Board is changing to better meet individual needs, helping more students succeed in their chosen pathway after high school, whether they are pursuing apprenticeship, college, university or the workplace.

We would like to invite you to our upcoming Pathways Planning Information Evenings to find out more information about the new and innovative programs that are being implemented by the Halton District School Board and how to plan for them in your child’s senior years of high school.

Come out and get more information on how your child can better prepare themselves for a rapidly changing world, at the same time as receiving a relevant, engaging and active education that meets the individual interests and needs of students.

Join us at 6:30pm on any of the following Pathways Planning Information Nights:

• Tuesday November 3, 2009 at M.M. Robinson High School, Burlington
• Wednesday November 4, 2009 at Georgetown District High School, Halton Hills
• Thursday November 5, 2009 at Bishop Reding Catholic Secondary School, Milton
• Thursday December 3, 2009 at White Oaks Secondary School – North Campus, Oakville

These programs include the new Specialist High Skills Major programs, Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Programs, Specialty School to Career programs, expanded Cooperative Education programs, Dual Credit college programs and more.

We feel that it is very important to inform our community (parents and students) on how the Halton District School Board is changing to best meet the needs of our students and prepare them for this ever changing world that we live in. We hope you are able to come out and learn more about these valuable opportunities for our students.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us for more information or visit our website at http://www.hdsb.ca/pathways.

Sincerely,

Dave Lewis
Pathways Coordinator
Halton District School Board
905-631-6120 ext. 424
lewisd@hdsb.ca

Christine German
Pathways Project Manager
Halton District School Board
905-631-6120 ext. 445
germanc@hdsb.ca

News Release – October 13, 2009

The Halton District School Board has scheduled official groundbreaking ceremonies for its two new elementary schools in Oakville. The ceremonies will take place at the school sites as indicated below:

In the Palermo community:
Tuesday, October 20, 10:00 a.m.
2561 Valleyridge Dr., Oakville

In the Clearview community:
Tuesday, October 20, 11:00 a.m.
2860 Kingsway Dr., Oakville

Construction of these schools will begin immediately, with the official opening anticipated for September 2010.

In attendance at the ceremony will be Halton District School Board trustees, administrators, local government officials, area residents, and a number of students who will attend the new schools when they open.

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For additional information, contact:

Marnie Denton, Manager, Communication Services
Halton District School Board
(905) 335-3663, (905) 842-3014, (905) 878-8451

Abbey Park Parent Council and their public health nurse present the first of several parent information sessions, open to all, this Thursday, Oct 8 in the library at Abbey Park from 7pm to 9pm on the topic “Teen Sexuality and You” (click for poster).

Decision needed regarding Lakeshore Woods elementary site.

Staff Report 09145: Long Term Accommodation Plan – 2009 and the Plan were posted this week on the Board’s Planning website at http://www.hdsb.ca/AboutUs/Planning/Pages/LongTermAccommodationPlan.aspx and will be introduced at tomorrow night’s (Wed 7 Oct 09) Board Meeting.

Other documents of interest on the HDSB Planning Department’s 2009 LTAP webpage:

• Tutorial of Long Term Accommodation Plan (LTAP)
• Summary of Elementary and Secondary Enrolment Growth
• Long Term Accommodation Plan Summary Sheet – Sept. 24, 2009
• Long Term Accommodation Plan – Sept. 24, 2009

By Municipality;

• Burlington Booklet
• Oakville Booklet
• Halton Hills Booklet
• Secondary Booklet

Excerpt from the Brookdale 50th Anniversary Webpage

Brookdale 50th Anniversary

Saturday October 3rd 1PM-4PM

1:00 PM Start of event

• BBQ located at front of school: nominal fee
• Enter school: Welcome, sign in, name tags, option of colouring school logo for any children, purchase raffle tickets

Explore Decade rooms and reminisce with past students

2:00 PM Presentation in Gymnasium

• Mayor, Principle, Ward 2 school trustees, Brookdale song by students
• Celebration by singing Happy Birthday, cupcakes and beverages

Explore Decade rooms and reminisce with past students

3:30 PM Raffle draw located in Gym

3:45 PM Community balloon send off and thank you

Thank you Adjourn until 2019