UPPER CANADA DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD

Last week students in the Brockville Collegiate Institute (BCI) Fashion Class partnered with the school’s Green Team to hold a glamourous fashion show with an environmental twist. The event highlighted the negative impacts of fast fashion on our planet while showcasing the trendy options available at local thrift stores.

Students from Montague Public School rewarded four local charities in May, after raising more than $4,000 through their core French Real-World Learning project, ‘Café Days.’

On May 27, 12 schools from across the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) gathered at the North Grenville Municipal Centre for a showcase event, highlighting their participation in the ‘We Were Here’ initiative, in collaboration with The Hill 70 Memorial Project.

The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) is happy to announce that the school theatre at Perth and District Collegiate Institute (PDCI) will be receiving a significant upgrade. The UCDSB recently allocated more than $100,000 to be invested in the theatre.

Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. Key items discussed in the public session are as follows.

Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) athletes won more than 30 gold medals at the 2024 Eastern Ontario Secondary Schools Athletic Association (EOSSAA) Track and Field Championships, held May 23 and 24 at Thousand Islands Secondary School in Brockville.

For the third consecutive year, both Laggan Public School and Char-Lan District High School are the proud recipients of the Ted Kennedy Legacy Award.

The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) has teamed up with the Lanark County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) to bring books that emphasize safe and inclusive communities to schools in Lanark County.

At the regularly scheduled Russell Township Council meeting on May 13, council awarded Russell Public School (RPS) Grade 6 student Rory Renwick with a Citizen Recognition Medallion, a symbol of gratitude from Russell Township and the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), for the compassion, courage, and leadership she demonstrated during a bus accident on April 22, 2024.

The entrepreneurial spirit is thriving at Pleasant Corners Public School (PCPS), where four classes from Grade 5 to Grade 7 are embarking on a journey of innovation and business expertise through the KIDpreneurship project.

Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. Key items discussed in the public session are as follows.

Forty talented students from the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) showcased their skills and dedication at the 2024 Skills Ontario Competition held in Toronto, May 6-7. These students, who had previously qualified at the SKLZ competition, SKLZ carpentry competition, SLZ intermediate competition and the Skills Ontario Qualifier, demonstrated their expertise across various disciplines, representing the school board with pride.

A Real-World Learning project that began in 2023, morphed into a larger event for 2024, with two Perth-area schools gathering for the 2nd annual Walk for Water to raise awareness for clean drinking water in Canada.

The alluring aroma of authentic Thai cuisine filled the air on Wednesday, May 1 as students at Smiths Falls District Collegiate Institute (SFDCI) transformed the school foyer into an International Café, complete with a delicious six-course meal and a lesson on the rich culture and history of Thailand.

A project to engage a Grade 3 student with autism at Beckwith Public School has grown into an a-maize-ing success, after he sold more than 1,500 bags of popcorn in a one-day school fundraiser.

Students at Cambridge Public School (CPS) are spearheading sustainability initiatives aimed at fostering a greener, more environmentally conscious future for their school community and beyond.

Char-Lan District High School is thrilled to invite the community to an electrifying evening of music at the Char-Lan Recreation Centre on Thursday, May 9. The event, Rok the Rek, promises an unforgettable performance by the school's acclaimed band, Clanstock.

This past weekend, four medals were brought home by Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) students from the Skills Ontario Qualifier at St. Lawrence College, Kingston.

Approximately 120 Grade 7/8 students from across the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) gathered in Kemptville on April 9 to compete in the 2024 SKLZ Competition.

Due to the absence of the local music festival in Cornwall this year, several Upper Canada District School Board school bands are missing out on a significant and anticipated performance opportunity. Knowing the important role performing plays in a band program, teachers Erin Ritchie from St. Lawrence Secondary School, Colleen Leslie from Seaway District High School and Joel Exner from North Dundas District High School, came together to find a solution.

Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, Apr. 10, 2024. Key items discussed in the public session are as follows.

When Nationview Public School’s Grade 1/2 classes learned about a fire that devastated a school in a remote northern First Nations community, they jumped at the opportunity to help them.

A Remembrance Day Real-World Learning (RWL) project that saw students visit a local cemetery to place stones on veterans’ graves uncovered a local soldier whose name is missing from the Almonte Cenotaph.

The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) International Education Program is thrilled to announce its nomination as a finalist in the prestigious StudyTravel Secondary School Awards 2024. The UCDSB has been recognized in the "High School Board/District in Canada" category, alongside five other exceptional finalists, out of more than 100 Canadian school boards offering international education programs.

South Grenville District High School (SGDHS) kicked off their 8th annual Relay for Life campaign in support of the Canadian Cancer Society late last week.

Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, Mar. 27, 2024. Key items discussed in the public session are as follows.

Pleasant Corners Public School (PCPS) is proud to announce the remarkable achievement of its Grade 1 classes, who recently authored and illustrated eight captivating "who would win" style books.

Last week, in celebration of March being National Engineering Month, North Dundas District High School (NDDHS) witnessed a flurry of innovative activities as the Grade 9 Design and Tech class took the lead in organizing a dynamic STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) workshop in partnership with the National Engineering Association of Canada.

This week, Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) students showed off their carpentry and woodworking skills at the Eastern Ontario SKLZ competition, a continuation of the SKLZ competition held last month in Cornwall.

Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, Mar. 6, 2024. Key items discussed in the public session are as follows.

Finn Vanderlinden, a Grade 4 student at KPS, won the best Podcast/Podcaster category for his weekly ‘Finn’s Friday Forecast’ contribution on the audio streaming site Blast the Radio (BTR). He won the same award in 2023.

Grade 4/5 students at Wellington Elementary School became builders during Black History Month, using thousands of bricks to create portrait mosaics of five Black trailblazers and hosted an art show to highlight their work.

Drummond Central School students welcomed Amanda Fox to the school for a jingle dress performance and powwow workout.

Last week, Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) students showed off their skills at the Eastern Ontario SKLZ competition, clinching a total of 23 gold, silver, and bronze medals, with 11 individuals and teams advancing to upcoming competitions.

The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) Student Senate held its annual Student Trustee Election on Monday, Feb. 26 and elected Maheen Riaz and Annika Squires as the 2024-25 Student Trustees.

Students at Thousand Islands Secondary School (TISS) may call themselves the Pirates, but unlike their greedy namesake, they are more than happy to share their treasure with those in need.

The Upper Canada District School Board is pleased to share that the Ministry of Education has provided additional funding for Swift Waters Elementary School that will keep the project on budget and ensure it opens for students in September 2024.

Avonmore Elementary School is committed to teaching students healthy habits and cultivating a culture of well-being. After two consecutive years of receiving gold-standard recognition by the Physical and Health Education Canada (PHE Canada) for their work, the school has now been featured on the PHE Canada Podcast!

Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024. Key items discussed in the public session are as follows.

Staff and students within the Upper Canada District School Board will be celebrating Black History Month all February long with lessons, activities, field trips and more that emphasize ongoing learning about the Black community. The goal is for all staff and students to participate in classroom activities that celebrate the history, culture, perspectives and lived experiences of Black Canadians.

The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) was excited to celebrate the expansion of Westminster Public School with a grand opening of the gymnasium addition at the school.

History students at Athens District High School (ADHS) have been captivated by their work to help identify fallen WWI soldiers, and this past term they brought the project to life for members of the community.

A student startup at North Grenville District High School has not only garnered invaluable real-world learning (RWL) experiences this semester, but has significantly boosted the online presence of a local business.

Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024. Key items discussed in the public session are as follows.

At Russell High School, a remarkable transformation is taking place within the special education classroom, also known as Apartment 217. This project is reshaping the educational landscape for students in Life Skills classes. Apartment 217 isn't just a room; it's mock apartment where students cultivate essential life skills, ensuring they are well-equipped for success beyond the classroom.

In an inspiring initiative to combat student hunger, Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School (CCVS) opened the Sharing Pantry, a student-led project involving the Food and Nutrition, Everyday Life Math, English and Construction classes.

That’s a wrap! Students at Gananoque Intermediate and Secondary School (GISS) have been working hard on stage and behind the curtain with the Thousand Islands Playhouse (TIP) to bring a fully formed theatrical production to life.

Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023. Key items discussed in the public session are as follows.

Ontario’s Minister of Education Stephen Lecce has shared a video message with families and students. Watch the video here.

It’s a cooking tradition 15 years in the making, as South Grenville District High School staff, students and local dignitaries come together for an annual Holiday Lunch.

While it all came down to who could eat the most bugs in one minute, the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) came out as the real winner.

The Thousand Islands Watershed Land Trust (TIWLT) is a valuable community partner of the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) and on Dec.1 it received $100,000 in funding to help support their efforts to offer real-world learning opportunities at the Glen Elbe Learning Centre, located east of Athens, to UCDSB students.

Last week, high school students from schools across the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) gathered at the TR Leger School of Adult, Alternative and Continuing Education – Kemptville Campus to participate in the Tools in the Trades Boot Camp, a hands-on event aimed at introducing students to various trades and essential employment skills.

Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, Nov.22, 2023. Key items discussed in the public session are as follows.

The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) is excited to share that the new public school being built at 556 King St. West will be named Swift Waters Elementary School.

The Upper Canada District School Board’s (UCDSB) Board of Trustees has elected Ward 3 Trustee Jamie Schoular as Chair and Ward 1 Trustee Lynda Johnston as Vice-Chair for 2023-2024. 

Afaq Virk, a Grade 12 student at Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School (CCVS) and one of the current Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) Student Trustees, is garnering international attention on his science fair project about assistive technology.

Hazel Pevere is a Grade 8 student at Chimo Elementary School in Smiths Falls, and after some hard-fought bouts is the new Ontario Boxing Champion in the 57kg Novice Female Division!

A group of students from Almonte’s R. Tait McKenzie Public School gathered at Auld Kirk Cemetery on Wednesday, Nov. 8 for a unique, hands-on act of remembrance to honour fallen military veterans.

Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, Nov.8, 2023. Key items discussed in the public session are as follows.

The UCDSB Digital Learning Team has been hitting the road again this school year with high tech tools aimed at sparking the imagination of students in a digital world. On Thursday, Nov. 2, team members Bryan Kearney and Shelley Murphy stopped by South Crosby Public School in Elgin with the popular Climate Action Kits for an immersive day of coding with an environmental spin!

“Every Holocaust survivor’s story is a love story…the love of life, family and freedom,”— this is the powerful message that students from North Grenville District High School heard from Andy Rèti. Rèti is a child survivor of the Holocaust and was a guest speaker at the school in late October to help provide some context to students for the upcoming UCDSB Holocaust Education Week.

We’ve been made aware by police that there is a potential threat against French Catholic Schools and English Catholic Schools in some areas of Ontario today. Police are investigating the matter.

Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, Oct.25, 2023. Key items discussed in the public session are as follows.

The Upper Canada District School Board has made another significant investment in special education, allocating an additional $2.5 million in Ministry of Education funding to hire new special education teachers to support students across our district.

Iroquois Public School teacher Christine Brady and budding artist Ella Parsons, a Grade 7 student at Pleasant Corners Public School (PCPS), are thrilled to announce the release of their children’s book, "Where Does Bella Go?", published in September 2023.

World events such as mass violence, wide-spread political unrest, natural disasters, or even the death of a significant public figure can have negative impacts on local communities, individual families, teens, and children.

Students from four Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) schools received a first-hand look on how municipal governments operate, including a meet and greet with Mississippi Mills Mayor Christa Lowry, and tour of the municipal offices and public works department on October 17, coinciding with Local Government Week, October 16-20.

Students from schools across the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) are showing their commitment to reconciliation by participating in Walk for Wenjack events, in support of the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund. These events aim to raise awareness and funds while honouring the memory of Chanie Wenjack, a 12-year-old Anishinaabe boy who lost his life while attempting to walk 600 kilometers back to his family from a residential school in 1966.

Today, the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB), local dignitaries and members of the South Glengarry community celebrated the grand opening of the Williamstown Public School addition with a ribbon cutting ceremony. This occasion marks the completion of a $6.6 million expansion project, funded by the Ministry of Education and UCDSB renewal funds.

Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, Oct.11, 2023. Key items discussed in the public session are as follows.

Our thoughts are with staff, students, families and community members who have been impacted by the terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians and the crisis that has unfolded.

The 2022-2023 school year marked the second year in a row that Avonmore Elementary School has earned an Ontario Physical and Health Education Association (OPHEA) Healthy School gold certification from Physical and Health Education Canada (PHE Canada). The school's dedication to promoting physical and mental well-being garnered attention during the kickoff of the first-ever National Healthy Schools Week (Oct. 2-6), which included a special visit from PHE Canada.

Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023. Key items discussed in the public session are as follows.

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (commonly called Orange Shirt Day) is recognized on September 30 each year to commemorate the tragic residential school experience, honour the healing journey of the survivors and their families, and commit to the ongoing process of reconciliation.

There is a very small number of protesters at some of our schools and administrative sites today. We know this event impacts our students and staff, especially the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. The UCDSB actively supports our legal and ethical responsibility to uphold the rights of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

Char-Lan District High School's annual Drive Your Tractor to School Day not only marked another successful year of celebrating the community's rich agricultural heritage, but also served as the official kickoff for the Agriculture Specialist High Skills Major (Ag SHSM) program for the academic year. This tradition, which began in 2016, has grown to become an integral part of the school's commitment to fostering a strong connection between agriculture and the local community.

Trustees with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023, for the first meeting of the 2023-2024 school year. Some of the items discussed in the public session are as follows.