2018 Parent Conference

Thank you to everyone who joined us this past Saturday, November 3rd for our OCDSB Parent Conference and School Council Training Day. It was great to see many parents engaged and learning. Please look below for an electronic copy of the presentations. And be sure to check out our video recording of keynote speaker Dr. Peg Dawson. 

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Peg Dawson, Ed.D
Exit Outcomes and Executive Skills: What’s the Connection? - Presentation

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board has identified a set of 10 characteristics and skills, called Exit Outcomes, that they believe are essential not only for school success but for success in life beyond the classroom. Dr. Dawson has identified a set of 11 executive skills that are critical to effective learning. In this presentation, Dr. Dawson will draw connections between these two sets of skills and will present tips and strategies that parents can use to help their children grow the executive skills they need not only to navigate their educational path successfully but also to be prepared for life after their schooling ends. Schooling at its best is a partnership between parents and teachers—and the students themselves. This presentation will provide a framework for building that partnership.

WORKSHOPS

Pathways to French at the OCDSB - Presentation 
Nadia Towaij

Choosing the right French pathway can be a complicated decision and there are several times throughout your child’s educational journey that you will make these decisions. Your first step to understanding our French pathway options is to explore the offerings. Come learn about our unique Diplôme d’études en langue française (DELF), an internationally-recognized test of French proficiency. Our goal is to enable our students to have the confidence and ability to use French effectively in their daily lives beyond the classroom through all our FSL pathways.

Growth Mindset - Seeing Possibilities in People - Presentation

Joanna Jackson-Kelly and Julie Coburn

What is growth mindset and why is it so important for you and your child? Come and explore the valuable role that parents play in their child’s development.

Leveraging Digital Technology in the Classroom - Presentation
Richard Swandel

Find out how teachers are using technology in the classroom with your child.  Engage in activities that will provide parents with hands-on experience as to how digital technology is used in our OCDSB classrooms.

Parent Involvement Committee Session on Ministry of Education Consultation on Education Reform 
OCDSB Parent Involvement Committee 

The OCDSB Parent Involvement Committee invites you to attend a session to discuss the ongoing provincial consultation on public education reform. This is an opportunity to learn more about how to participate in the Ministry consultations, why participation is important and to collect parent feedback to the Ministry about the consultation process.

Culture, Curriculum and Identity
Sue Rice, Jacqueline Lawrence, Naya Markanastasakis, Jody Alexander and Jane Alexander 

Parents will be invited to share their experiences around culture, curriculum and identity.  A focus will include conversation about how our board connects different levels within the district to identify and address equitable access and opportunity for student success and well-being.

The Parent-Child Connection - Presentation
Emily Balla and Kristin Schaub

Parenting today can be a wonderful and exhausting journey. As parents, we often feel pressured to ensure that our children are prepared for whatever challenges come their way.  Traditional approaches to parenting, however, can often leave us (and our children) feeling disconnected and discouraged. This presentation will look at how new approaches to parenting center on what we can do to build resilience and strength in or children by focussing on the one thing that matters the most, the parent-child connection.

Self Regulation in Children and Adolescence - Presentation
Dr. Gillian Stanley and Jennifer Glassman

Self-regulation is increasingly the focus at the elementary and secondary schools and has been shown to be an important predictor of success.  This session will provide a deeper understanding of behaviour from a self-regulation and biological perspective.  Presenters will discuss strategies to help support your child's skills at home.

Math - Focus on Fundamentals - Presentation
Jennifer Offord, Karli Bergquist, Dianne Dreef, Ann Arden

Parents play an important role in their child’s attitude toward, and success with, mathematics.  This session will help you become familiar with the instructional focus of your child's learning and will include an overview of the fundamentals. This session will also provide you with resources and practical strategies to support children in developing confidence and capability in mathematics.

School Active Transportation: Engaging Parent Champions - Presentation
Vicky Kyriaco, OSTA and Elyse McCann, EnviroCentre

Why has driving kids to school become the norm? The Ottawa Student Transportation Authority, in partnership with EnviroCentre, explores the many benefits and barriers to students walking and rolling to school every day. Parent Champions, and those hoping to try a small change in their family routine, will learn how to manage safety risks, how different school communities in the Ottawa area are promoting active transportation, and how peer-to-peer messaging can influence the culture in their school community. Free resources are available to assist parents making a small, but powerful, change in their children's lives.

Let’s Talk Cannabis
Celia El-Sayegh, Ottawa Public Health

Recreational cannabis was legalized on October 17th, 2018 by the Federal Government. This may lead to questions from your teen.You may have questions as well. Come join Ottawa Public Health to learn more about cannabis, the new legislation, how to talk to your youth as well as available resources and services.

Gaming and Gaming Addiction
Liz Parsons, Rideauwood

Understanding problematic technology facing our youth today and how parents can support their youth as they navigate through the teen years. 

Special Education - Supports for my Child - Presentation
Amy Hannah 

We’re here to help. Learn more about the people and resources available to help your child with special education needs.

Supporting Students with Autism - Presentation
Leanne Forrest

This workshop will focus on the use of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) to support student achievement, evidenced based social skills programs to support mental health and well-being; and other autism initiatives within the District.

School Council Training

Best Practices for School Councils - Presentation
Michele Giroux and Engy Abdel Masieh

Knowing how to communicate with your community is critical to the work of school councils. This session will explore the importance of good governance and parent engagement and ways in which school councils can build effective relationships that help students achieve.

School Council Finance  - Presentation 
Michelle Klein and Teri Adamthwaite

This session will address school council finance and best practices. Providing you with finance advice will ensure fun, safe, and successful school council events/activities for our students and families.

School Council Websites - Presentation
Rosemary Kitts and Brenda Christie

This workshop is designed for School Council members who wish to learn techniques for updating council pages on the school’s website. You will see a demonstration of how to edit text, create new pages, upload documents, upload images, and create hyperlinks. You will also learn where to find resources and get support when working on your webpages. 

Agenda:

8:00 – 8:30 a.m. Child care drop-off 
8:30 – 9:00 a.m. Registration, Continental Breakfast and Information Marketplace
9:00 – 9:15 a.m. Welcome and Introduction
9:15 – 10:15 a.m. Keynote Speaker: Dr. Peg Dawson - Smart but Scattered
10:15 – 10:20 a.m. Transition 
10:20 – 11:20 a.m. Workshop Session 1
11:20 – 11:25 a.m. Transition 
11:25 – 12:25 p.m. Workshop Session 2
12:25 – 12:30 p.m. Transition 
12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Workshop Session 3

This event is held in partnership with the Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) and the Ottawa-Carleton Assembly of School Councils (OCASC).

Resources
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