Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Community is built when people invest their time in organizations, and in each other. Near North District School Board (NNDSB) supports the building of school communities by giving staff and students the opportunity to share talents while developing leadership skills.

At West Ferris Intermediate and Secondary School, several opportunities exist for participation in mentorship and leadership, some of them for credit.

Principal Andy Gagné says having students reach out to support other students

means an approach in a different and more comfortable way, that is often well received. An example of this is the iCoach program in which students in the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) program work with and assist with technology in a class.

One of the many goals of the STEAM program is to help students master the 21^st century competencies that will help them to successfully navigate the job market of the future. STEAM students become resilient, self-sufficient learners that can quickly adapt to changing situations using the skills that they have learned in the program.

West Ferris is an Apple Distinguished School, recognized for being a centre of leadership and educational excellence. Apple supports the school’s vision as students’ creativity, collaboration and critical thinking are inspired with Mac products. It has helped STEAM students with their understanding and knowledge of technology and their understanding of collaboration and mentoring through such initiatives as iCoach.

Grade 11 STEAM student Kennedy Kerr was an iCoach for a Grade 10 academic English class. Though COVID altered the way she interacted with the class, she was easily able to help the teacher and students in a virtual mode.

In a video she created, Kennedy says, during the octomester as an iCoach, “I am not able to work with the students and the teacher one-on-one. My knowledge from the STEAM program has allowed me to adapt to this unexpected curve in my education with only a few challenges.” Kennedy was able to present work to students and the teacher with iMovies, trailers and Keynotes “in a way that can be shared and presented via online classroom meetings.”

The iCoach position provides unique leadership opportunities for the student, peer support for students in the class, and educational technology assistance to the staff.

Gagné says other mentorship positions occur in the school; within the four self-contained personal life management classrooms (one intermediate class, three secondary school classes). These are mentorship opportunities for which students can earn a credit.

As COVID created the need for cohorts, student leaders were only able to help in one class. Post-COVID, students will be able to support several classes.

At West Ferris, there are also non-credit programs that give students the opportunity to provide leadership, including in academics, physical education and sports, where secondary students mentor younger students.

These are some of the many ways NNDSB works to develop good citizenship in its students.

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For more information, please contact:

Deb Bartlett
Communications Officer
Near North District School Board
P. (705) 472-8170, extension 5010
E. Deb.Bartlett@nearnorthschools.ca

 

 

 

Wednesday, July 23, 2021

Students from across Ontario join NNDSB in summer

For six weeks every summer, students from across Ontario come to the Canadian Ecology Centre in Mattawa and earn secondary school credits that are granted by the Near North District School Board (NNDSB). The partnership between the board and the Centre has been going for approximately 30 years and has seen thousands of students learn in the “School of Experiential Education” over the summer months. Students attend for a two-week session, earning a secondary school credit (in an in-residence setting) through experiential learning. Courses from Grade 9-12 in geography, science, biology, physics and kinesiology are offered each summer.

Laura Kielpinski is the Director of Operations and Education at the Centre. In a non-COVID year, the Centre would be running four high school courses concurrently, with 80-90 students attending for a two-week session. Because of COVID, the Centre is running at 50 per cent of capacity, and some of the courses are blended, with some online and some in-person.

Kielpinski says the summer credit courses connect outdoor learning to academics, enriching the learning experience for students, whose classroom is primarily the outdoors, located within Samuel d Champlain Provincial Park. For example, the Grade 11 biology students came to a cold-water stream and monitored how heart rates changed in cold water. Kielpinski says the Centre “inspires intrigue and inquiry in learning.”

The students live on-site, experiencing a camp-like environment with cabins, campfires and canoes. “Students live here, learn here, eat here, play here,” she says. The teachers that are hired for each two-week course are outstanding educators who can bring creativity to their students; they aren’t confined by buildings and time.

The Centre is usually full by the end of the calendar year for the next summer’s program, says Kielpinski. Some students come because they are “reach aheaders” – they want to get a credit under their belt early, enabling more flexibility for options the next school year. Others just learn better outdoors and away from books. Many students are surprised to learn there are no textbooks for courses at the Canadian Ecology Centre.

NNDSB’s secondary summer school principal Jamey Byers says, “We are grateful that we have such a long-standing relationship with the Canadian Ecology Centre; it benefits students in so many ways and is a great facility. The educators and staff there have passion for what they teach, and the students are the beneficiaries of that passion.”

The first week of the 2021 summer program saw two classes – Grade 9 geography and Grade 11 biology.

Maya Yemm and Taryn Wozney are Grade 9 students, attending the Centre for the first time. Maya attends Ashbury College in Ottawa, and Taryn is a student at West Ferris in North Bay.

Maya liked being outside in nature and found there was a lot of cooperation among students in the course, it was not independent study. She said that helped her understand her peers better. She also thought that seeing things – such as an aquifer – made the lessons more real.

Taryn liked that the course was hands-on, and not just delivered from textbooks. She would recommend the summer course for anyone who likes being outside, and not confined to a classroom. She took the summer course to give her more flexibility to take courses she was interested in when school resumes in September.

Students Sebastian Altamirano and Liam Ferrell are both heading to Grade 11 in September. They met this summer in the biology class at the Canadian Ecology Centre.

Sebastian says he has difficulty concentrating and going to school online “didn’t work. I was distracted.” This is his first year taking the summer course and he loves going to school in the outdoor setting, where the class moves around a lot. Although there was an adjustment period, he likes the fast pace of the day, and the learning.

This is Liam’s third summer at the Canadian Ecology Centre. He loves that his classes are enriched with nature, are creative and that his two weeks is a unique blend of school and camp.

Located several hours north of his London, ON home, Sebastian likes the environment that he has not seen before. The rocks and forests are different than what he’s used to, and he saw red squirrels and a black bear during his session at the Centre.

Liam likes taking his mandatory course in the summer which allows him to take the electives he wants at his secondary school in Milton.

Sebastian says the teachers at the Centre have helped him to learn about himself. Students complete journals in which they reflect on course material and their day and their experiences. He says he has learned much about himself and how he manages; his newfound self-awareness will serve him well as he can communicate to his teachers about how he learns best.

Liam says students will love coming to school at the Centre. He describes how lessons come to life when the learning takes place outdoors, and that the education is delivered in ways that can’t be in a typical classroom.

Students interested in pursuing summer credit courses should contact their secondary school guidance counsellors and or visit the Canadian Ecology Centre’s website for more details and upcoming courses.

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For more information, please contact:

Deb Bartlett
Communications Officer
Near North District School Board
P. (705) 472-8170, extension 5010
E. Deb.Bartlett@nearnorthschools.ca

Friday, July 9, 2021

Board provides mental health services this summer

Near North District School Board (NNDSB) is pleased to offer mental health services throughout the summer.

The mental health team is providing on-going counselling to students and families who have already connected with the team and will be accepting new referrals throughout July and August.

Three youth drop-in wellness hubs are operating this summer for youth aged 10-18:

• North Bay – OUTLoud North Bay, 123 Delaware Ave. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. For information email Seth at Seth.Compton@nearnorthschools.ca
• Parry Sound – Mary Street Centre, 24 Mary St., Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 4 p.m. For information email Penny at penny.moffat@nearnorthschools.ca
• Burk’s Falls – Legacy Life Centre, 44 Commercial Dr. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 4 p.m. For information email Dorothy at Dorothy.haggartdaavis@nearnorthschools.ca

A virtual group for students aged 7 to 11 will be held that teaches strategies to cope with anxiety, anger and impulsivity. Sessions will be held July 13, 20 and 27 and August 3, 10 and 17 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., and students are expected to attend all sessions.

The team is also offering webinars for students and families beginning July 14, and virtual drop-in sessions for parents. A wellness camp is being planned in August, with times and locations to be determined.

Families are asked to register for all summer services at this link. To see what NNDSB’s mental health team does, visit this page of NNDSB’s website. Learn more about all summer supports and services here.

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For more information, please contact:

Deb Bartlett
Communications Officer
Near North District School Board
P. (705) 472-8170, extension 5010
E. Deb.Bartlett@nearnorthschools.ca

Friday, July 2, 2021

Board’s Acting Executive Officer Lisa Collins seconded for term as president of Ontario Principals Council

Near North District School Board (NNDSB) would like to congratulate Acting Executive Officer/Student Well-Being Principal Lead Lisa Collins on being elected the President of the Ontario Principals Council for the 2021-2022 school year.

Collins has handled her responsibilities at NNDSB with poise, confidence and optimism and demonstrated her commitment to being a team player with her colleagues and NNDSB. Only with solid leadership as exemplified by Lisa can we continue to move ahead towards a positive cultural shift in NNDSB.

Collins began her career with NNDSB 1998 as an educational assistant. A lifelong learner, she went on to earn her teaching degree. She taught in both the English and French Immersion streams for 11 years before becoming a principal with the board in 2010. Lisa has always been passionate about special education and student instruction and well-being.

Acting Executive Collins began working with the Ontario Principals Council in 2016 as the Elementary Provincial Councillor for NNDSB. She was then appointed Member at Large for 2017-2018, was elected Vice-President for 2019-2020 and served as President-Elect for 2020-2021. Collins looks forward to advocating on behalf of school administrators across Ontario in her new role as the President and will be residing in Toronto while she is seconded from the NNDSB for her one-year term with the Ontario Principals Council.

We are very proud of Lisa’s accomplishments in her career and are excited to celebrate her achievements in the coming year.

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For more information, please contact:

Deb Bartlett
Communications Officer
Near North District School Board
P. (705) 472-8170, extension 5010
E. Deb.Bartlett@nearnorthschools.ca

Tuesday, June 22, 2021

Board commits to transparent communication with community about Parry Sound JK-12 build

Following through on its commitment to provide accurate, transparent and timely communications to stakeholders, Near North District School Board (NNDSB) will be publishing information about the new school on the JK-12 Parry Sound build section of the capital planning page of the board website. Anyone interested in the build will find Board reports and minutes, the build committee’s terms of reference, media releases and the compilation of questions and answers from the community feedback survey.

The purpose of the page, which will be updated regularly, is to hold news, details and questions/answers about the build in one place.

NNDSB has held three information sessions for various stakeholders. There have been presentations to the Town of Parry Sound council, a session with the architect for the public and a session for staff who will be affected by the project.

Following the community presentation about the new build, the community was invited to share questions and concerns in an online form, which closed Thursday afternoon. The information is being compiled by theme (to avoid repeated questions) and questions and answers will be posted online by July 16, 2021.

This is just one more way this board is demonstrating its commitment to excellence in communication and excellence to relationships – two of the four priorities in the Multi-Year Strategic Plan (MYSP). The community has been waiting many years for the Parry Sound build to happen and this board is motivated to see students in a new school capable of providing a 21^st century education.

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For more information, please contact:

Deb Bartlett
Communications Officer
Near North District School Board
P. (705) 472-8170, extension 5010
E. Deb.Bartlett@nearnorthschools.ca

Monday, June 21, 2021

Board Highlights for June meeting

The following are the highlights of the Near North District School Board (NNDSB) meeting of Tuesday, June 15, 2021.

Board meetings will open with words from Elder

To improve the work the board does in honouring the Truth the Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, it was announced that NNDSB’s Board of Trustee meetings will include an opening prayer by an Elder.

Tuesday night’s meeting opened with a prayer in Anishinaabemowin from Elder June Commanda of Nipissing First Nation. In her translation, she said she thanked Creator for today, this life, and everything Mother Earth provides us with – water, plants, food and medicines. She thanked Creator for the gift of life and helping us to be brave and strong-hearted.

Trustee Nichole King, the Board’s First Nations representative, read a poem she wrote called Our Children as the Board paid tribute to the children whose remains were found at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School.

Coaching supports students with different needs

At the request of the SEAC Committee, Trustees heard a presentation from Rick Cunningham of LEARNstyle about the work that company is doing with NNDSB students who access special education programs and services.

LEARNstyle provides technology coaching support for school boards and families. The project began in September 2020 for students in Grades 7 and 8 and has since been expanded to include junior and secondary students. The goal is to help the students adapt to the expansive use of technology in education.

The company builds relationships between the students and coaches, which leads to students trusting their coaches, and coaches understanding the student’s greatest need and choosing the best strategies.

Cunningham says coaching students with different abilities on utilizing technology can “change the trajectory of their life.” The goal is to move students through four stages – full guidance, moderate guidance, minimal guidance and full independence.

He added that cancellations and no-shows of NNDSB students is the lowest of any board and attributed that to the engagement and excitement of staff.

Trustee Harry Fry, Chair of the Special Education Advisory Committee, said “the success has been quite astounding.”

Lead shares information on Indigenous Education

At the request of the Equity Advisory Circle Committee, NNDSB’s Indigenous Education Lead, Tracy Hendrick, gave a presentation about the creation of resources that assist educators to better support Indigenous students and their families.

Hendrick says 10.8 per cent of the board’s students self-identify as Indigenous (First Nation, Métis or Inuit), although she expects there are more who are not comfortable identifying themselves. The self-identification helps the board create programs and supports for Indigenous students and their families.

Hendrick, who started in her position in fall of 2020, began using Sway, a Microsoft app, as a tool to keep herself organized. She soon discovered that it was a great way to curate content and make it available to anyone in the board. She has been adding resources for staff, including the creation of resources (by NNDSB Anishinaabemowin teacher Falcon McLeod) that are relevant locally, and in the local dialect.

The resources, she says, “are not for special events or by Indigenous People”.  Hendrick says many non-Indigenous people want to teach Indigenous Studies courses and do it right, and the resources she’s compiled are comprised of content and how to teach it.

School trip preparedness being reviewed

Student safety and well-being is a priority at NNDSB, which also realizes that learning experiences outside of school can deepen understanding. To ensure that board policies and processes reflect provincial best practices and provide families with as much information as possible to make informed decisions, a thorough review of policies and procedures has resulted in the testing of a School Trip Preparedness (STP) template.

The template is a visual method of communication that shares the out-of-school learning opportunity with parents with maps, photos and concise language to identify the activity and rational for attending, map links for parents and emergency services, contact information of leaders and providers, curricular links, initial assessment and acknowledgement of risk, emergency preparedness including communication protocols and mustering areas, and more.

Specialist High Skills Major lead teachers were trained June 16 on how to complete the STP template, and future training dates will be held next school year. Information gathered from the first round of training, including teacher feedback will be used to update the board’s administrative guideline to align the guideline to the STP template. 

Student Trustee provides final report

Madelaine Hall-Paradis, NNDSB’s student trustee, gave her final report to the Board. Her term ends August 30, and she was acknowledged as this is the last scheduled board meeting of her term. Cecilia Darling is the student trustee-elect.

Student Trustee Hall-Paradis reported on how various secondary schools managed graduation photos, how the Ontario Student Trustees’ Association is working to achieve menstrual product equity in all Ontario schools, and that students are encouraged to participate in a Pride month photo contest showcasing pride or solidarity for the LGBTQ2S+ community.

Trustees approve Multi-Year Strategic Plan

The Board approved the Multi-Year Strategic Plan (MYSP) following an extensive 16-month collaboration with stakeholders. Over the summer, staff will get to know their role in the MYSP, which will be implemented in September.

Nanos Research, Ramsay Partners Inc. and Ministry special advisors Wayne Joudrie and Wally Easton engaged with stakeholders to gather input to determine strategic priorities for the board. Those priorities – excellence in teaching and learning, communication, building relations and innovation – will guide all work done by NNDSB for the period 2021-2026. All school, department and board improvement plans will align with these priorities, with student achievement and well-being at the centre of all the board does.

The MYSP is a living document that will be responsive to Ministry and community changes.

Board approves $160.9 million budget

Trustees approved the 2021-2022 budget, which has an operating revenue of $160.9 million. The budget was developed, after review for efficiencies and savings, to align with the Multi-Year Strategic Plan (MYSP) and provides resources that support the Board’s mission and vision. The Finance Committee met for a thorough review of the budget in advance of the Board meeting and recommended its approval.

Expenditures are projected at $161.2 million, resulting in a deficit of $417,000, or 0.3 per cent of the total budget. COVID has significantly impacted revenue and expenses this year, and the Ministry of Education is allowing boards to access previous years’ surpluses to assist with the current budget. The Ministry has allowed two per cent of operating grants ($2.9 million for NNDSB) but asked boards to budget half this amount.

Build committee engages with council, community

A report in the agenda package brought trustees up to date with the status of the Parry Sound Build Committee and its two sub-committees, the building and programming sub-committees.

The programming sub-committee’s focus will be on room allocations, move management and how to accommodate programming in the new build. The building sub-committee will ensure the project stays on track. There will be meeting over the summer with specific department staff to design specific spaces.

Representatives of NNDSB were invited to the Parry Sound town council meeting on June 1 to provide an update on the JK-12 build. The deputation lasted 90 minutes.

On June 8 there was a community session at which stakeholders heard from the architect about the new build. Members of the community were invited to provide comments and questions online. Now that the online form has closed, those questions and answers are being compiled and will be published on the board website.

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Note: the full agenda package is posted on the website prior to meetings, and official minutes are posted after they are approved at the next board meeting.

Information about Near North District School Board:

Near North District School Board is an English-language public school board serving the North Bay – Parry Sound – Nipissing area. The Board consists of approximately 10,000 students in 27 elementary schools, seven secondary/senior schools and various alternative learning centres. For more information, please visit nearnorthschools.ca and follow Near North District School Board on social media.

For more information, please contact:
Deb Bartlett (she/her)
Communications Officer
Near North District School Board
P. (705) 472-8170 ext. 5010
E. Deb.Bartlett@nearnorthschools.ca

Thursday, June 17, 2021

Trustees approve MYSP that will be board’s roadmap

The five-year roadmap that charts the course for Near North District School (NNDSB) has been approved by the Board of Trustees. It has taken 16 months of extensive research and collaboration to get the Multi-Year Strategic Plan (MYSP) to this stage. Now that the plan is approved by the Board, staff will be oriented to their role in the MYSP, which will officially launch in September.

The MYSP is more than just an assertion of the work the board wants to accomplish. It is a comprehensive document that incorporates the voices and concerns of internal and external stakeholders into a plan whose goals all focus on student achievement and well-being. As a living document, the MYSP will adapt as new ministerial and community initiatives come forward to align with the board’s ultimate goal of student achievement and well-being.

Board Chair Jay Aspin said, “With strong and capable leadership from our Director, Craig Myles, this Multi-Year Strategic Plan has been one of the most important initiatives our board has undertaken. This strategic plan will be our compass in focusing on marshalling our resources on student achievement and well-being over the next five years. This process included comprehensive survey scans by Nik Nanos of Nanos Research, one of Canada’s most prominent research firms who concluded ‘our board was headed in the right direction’. Committee Chair Trustee Bill Steer did a tremendous job of shepherding our board through this important process despite the disruptive challenges of a pandemic.”

The MYSP has four strategic priorities: Excellence in Teaching and Learning, Excellence in Communication, Excellence in Building Relationships and Excellence in Innovation. The work of the committee included overseeing the creation of improvement plans for schools, departments and the board that set measurable goals that aligned with the four priorities.

With the MYSP in place, the processes and decisions of the board will be guided by the plan, which will ensure all resources are aligned to the board’s core purpose of student achievement and well-being.

The full MYSP report to the board can be found on Page 64 of the agenda package. All MYSP information can be accessed on the MYSP page of the board’s website.

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Information about Near North District School Board:

Near North District School Board is an English-language public school board serving the North Bay – Parry Sound – Nipissing area. The Board consists of approximately 10,000 students in 27 elementary schools, seven secondary/senior schools and various alternative learning centres. For more information, please visit nearnorthschools.ca and follow Near North District School Board on social media.

For more information, please contact:

Deb Bartlett
Communications Officer
Near North District School Board
P. (705) 472-8170, extension 5010
E. Deb.Bartlett@nearnorthschools.ca

Tuesday, June 15, 2021

Trustees approve compliant 2021-2022 budget

North Bay, ON –

At tonight’s meeting, the Board of Trustees of the Near North District School Board (NNDSB) approved the 2021-2022 budget, which has an operating revenue of $160.9 million. The budget was developed, after review for efficiencies and savings, to align with the Multi-Year Strategic Plan (MYSP) and provides resources that support the Board’s mission and vision.

The budget was first reviewed and approved by the Finance Committee, which is chaired by Board Vice-Chair John Cochrane.

Ministry of Education funding to boards is provided based on enrolment and the needs of students in each board. NNDSB expects to receive 90 per cent of its operating revenue from the province in the form of operating grants based on enrolment of 9,488.5 students in the 2021-2022 school year, an increase of 136 students.

Expenditures are projected at $161.2 million, resulting in a deficit of $417,000, or 0.3 per cent of the total budget. COVID has significantly impacted revenue and expenses this year, and the Ministry of Education is allowing boards to access previous years’ surpluses to assist with the current budget. The Ministry has allowed two per cent of operating grants ($2.9 million for NNDSB) but asked boards to budget half this amount. This budget is compliant.

This year’s operating budget projects a decrease of $3.4 million (2.1 per cent) less revenue than 2020-2021 revised estimates.

The budget has been prepared with the knowledge there will be support for remote learning in the fall, though there was not enough information to determine the number of students registered with the remote school. There will be further Priorities and Partnership Funds (PPF) announced in the coming weeks which may reduce the deficit.

By function, 71 per cent of operating expenses are spent on instruction. A further 17 per cent is on pupil accommodation, which are costs associated with maintaining the buildings that house students.

Of the work done by staff throughout this school year, Board Chair Jay Aspin says, “What a year! This board has overseen the consolidation of three high schools into two and put final touches on the consolidation of three elementary schools into one in North Bay, as well as the consolidation of two elementary schools with a high school to form a K-12 school in the Parry Sound area. The completion of a Multi-Year Strategic Plan will focus resources on student achievement and well-being over the next five years.

“Every staff member deployed new and innovative methods of instruction to deal with disruptions in the face of a costly and unpredictable pandemic. All these accomplishments have been achieved with a small deficit due to the dedication and hard work of all members of the Near North board,” says Chair Aspin. “It has been a remarkable year that has moved our board forward considerably despite being challenged by extremely difficult conditions.”

The full budget report can be found beginning on Page 91 of the agenda package.

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For more information, please contact:

Deb Bartlett
Communications Officer
Near North District School Board
P. (705) 472-8170, extension 5010
E. Deb.Bartlett@nearnorthschools.ca