April 21, 2008 | Vol. 20, No. 14

WHAT'S INSIDE?

OPSBA Calls for Nominations for Elected OPSBA Positions
20^th AGM & PROGRAM 2008
Full Time Early Learning
OPSBA Letter to Dr. Charles Pascal, Early Learning Advisor, Office of Premier of Ontario, April 23, 2008
OPSBA in the Media
Ministry of Education UPDATE
Hamilton-Wentworth DSB — The Virtual Blackboard, April 2008
Toronto DSB Presents Annual Educational Computing Conference for Educators
Calendar of Events

OPSBA Calls for Nominations for Elected OPSBA Positions

The OPSBA 2008 elections will be held as part of the Annual General Meeting which takes place from June 12 to 15 at the Sheraton on the Falls Hotel in Niagara Falls. The school boards in Central West Region are hosting OPSBA’s 20th Anniversary Annual General Meeting and Program. DSB of Niagara, as the school board in the host city, has made special efforts to welcome delegates to the Niagara region and to enrich the conference program.

Executive Positions for Nomination and Election

Positions to be decided through the election process at the Annual General Meeting, and at the accompanying regional meetings include:

• President;
• Two Vice-Presidents; 
• Vice-President / Vice Chair of each of the five regions – Central East, Central West, Eastern, Northern and Western.

Please note the following important timelines if you are running for an elected OPSBA position.

Nominations for President, Vice Presidents, and Regional Vice Presidents

• The deadline for nominations is 30 days prior to the AGM where elections are held. This means nominations for President, Vice President and Regional Vice President must be received at the OPSBA office by 5:00 p.m. on May 14, 2008.
• If any candidate is interested in standing for more than one of the positions noted above, the candidate must declare his or her interest in each respective position by the deadline (5:00 p.m. on May 14). This is very important, as there will not be an opportunity for "dropping down" (being considered for a different position if unsuccessful for the first) on the day that elections are held at the AGM.
• Nominations are only accepted from the floor of the AGM in situations where the number of advance nominations received is fewer than the number of positions to be filled.
• As well, nominations for Regional Vice President for each of the five regions must be submitted by the deadline date (May 14, 2008). Nominations will ONLY be accepted from the floor of each Regional Council election meeting where no nominations for that Region’s Vice President’s position have been received in advance.

Nominations for Regional Vice Chairs and Core Issue Work Groups

• The nomination and election process for the position of regional vice chair (Alternate to the Regional Vice President) or for representatives to the Work Teams (Education Program and Policy Development) permits nominations from the floor of the meeting. However, advance nominations that are received by 5:00 p.m. on May 14, 2008 will be included in the election handbook/materials distributed to voting delegates.
• There is a requirement that candidates for the position of Regional Vice Chair (alternate to the Regional Vice President) must be a confirmed member of the Board of Directors.  

Nominations, Nomination Forms and Biographies

• Nominations can be made by a trustee from a member board in good standing once they have confirmed the nominee is willing to stand for the elected position.

The 2008 Election Nomination Form, as well as the OPSBA Guide to Roles and Responsibilities are available online.

• Trustees running for election are asked to have the nomination forms, along with a brief biography to the OPSBA office no later than 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14, 2008.
• It is suggested as a guideline that a biography be up to one page in length and include a photograph.
• This information will be printed in the AGM Handbook, which is distributed to member boards so they can review the slate of candidates and provide guidance to their voting delegates. 
• Information on the candidates running for election will also be posted on the OPSBA website after the May 14 deadline.

Confirmation of Appointments to Board of Directors and Elections to Core Issue Work Groups

Also, during the Annual General Meeting and Conference:

• Member boards confirm appointments (and alternates) to OPSBA's Board of Directors for the 2008-2009 term.
• School authorities elect two representatives to the Board of Directors.
• Confirmation is received regarding the treatment/school authorities' representative.
• The First Nations Caucus meets to elect a representative.
• During the Regional Meetings, each region holds elections to choose their members and alternate members to the Education Program and Policy Development Core Issues Work Groups for 2008-2009.

See
2008 Election Nomination Form
OPSBA Guide to Roles and Responsibilities

For more information: Florenda Tingle, Executive Coordinator, ext.108

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20^th AGM & PROGRAM 2008
Thursday, 12 — Sunday, 15 June, 2008

Sheraton on the Falls Hotel and Conference Centre
5875 Falls Avenue, Niagara Falls, Ontario

HOSTED BY OPSBA’S CENTRAL WEST REGION

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:

Dr. MICHAEL THOMPSON — Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys
Psychologist, school consultant, an internationally renowned speaker and author or co-author of seven books.

DAVID WARLICK — Our Students • Our Worlds
This presentation, by 30+ year educator, author, and technologist, will explore some of the changes and challenges in education and arrange them as a set of converging conditions that will provide direction for retooling our classrooms for the 21st century.

THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF ONTARIO, HONOURABLE DAVID ONLEY

WORKSHOPS

• Safe Schools
• Energy
• Update on Current Legal Issues
• Suicide Intervention Program
• Research Gender Project
• Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities – What Schools Need to Know
• Videostreaming
• Visit to Niagara College – PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED (maximum 150 delegates)

FRIDAY NIGHT:  Dinner at Queenston Heights Restaurant (extra cost)
PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED (see Registration Form for details)

GOLF:
For those delegates interested in playing golf, please contact Dennis Randall at drandall@niagaraparks.com.  Dennis is CPGA Professional-Golf Sales Manager at Legends on the Niagara & Whirlpool Golf Course, Niagara Parks Commission.  We thank Dennis for generously offering to act as liaison in arranging golf.

NETWORK whilst celebrating our 20th Anniversary!

At the AGM we will determine our priorities and directions for the coming year, elect our officers and plan for the future. This event also includes a comprehensive professional development program of stimulating, challenging, and inspiring speakers and in-depth workshops, as well as abundant networking opportunities for trustees.

Make plans now to attend!

Welcome reception:  Thursday, 12 June 2008 at 7:30 p.m.
Conference ends:  Sunday, 15 June 2008 at 11:30 a.m.

Watch OPSBA’s Fast Reports for regular updates and future announcements.

The Registration Form and the Preliminary Program are available online.

For more information: Gail Anderson, Executive Director, ext.109; Ernesta Graham, Events Coordinator, ext.115; or Susan Weinberg, Policy & Professional Development Coordinator, ext.128

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FULL TIME EARLY LEARNING

OPSBA Letter to Dr. Charles Pascal, Early Learning Advisor, Office of Premier of Ontario, April 23, 2008

Kindergarten plans would be second rate, teachers' union says
As reported by Jill Mahoney, Globe & Mail, April 23

The prospect of holding full-day kindergarten in non-school buildings with a mixture of teachers and early childhood educators would result in a second-rate education, an Ontario teachers' union says.

David Clegg, president of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario, said parents would not accept such measures.

"The potential for having equivalent education off site would be substantially less and as a parent, I would be concerned about that," he said.

Mr. Clegg was responding to comments from Charles Pascal, the provincial government's early learning adviser. Mr. Pascal raised the possibility in an interview with The Globe and Mail that boards with surging enrolment and tight space could offer kindergarten in community centres, daycares, churches and workplaces.

He also said children could be taught by certified teachers and early childhood educators, who largely work in daycares.

Mr. Pascal is advising Premier Dalton McGuinty on implementing full-day kindergarten for the province's four- and five-year-olds.

The government has said it would phase in full-day junior and senior kindergarten, which is now largely provided half-time, starting in 2010.

Mr. Pascal, who began his two-year appointment in February, noted he is still gathering facts and has not decided which model he will recommend.

Mr. Clegg said allowing early childhood educators to take charge of classes for partial or whole days would be an "erosion" of education, noting teachers receive more training.

He said providing kindergarten in outside facilities would deprive children of the benefits of schools, including libraries, gymnasiums and computer labs.

"The parents of this province expect the best quality education at a school with fully certified teachers delivering the program," he said.

In addition, Colleen Schenk, president of the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association said providing kindergarten in non-school locations could make the transition to Grade 1 in another building difficult for children.

She said it would also pose challenges for parents with other children since they would have to ferry their youngsters to and from different locations.

"There's different ways of making the model work, but it needs to be in consultations with school boards," she said, noting that her organization has not yet been asked about the issue.

For more information: Jeff Sprang, Director of Communications, ext.111

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Ministry of Education UPDATE

Memo Summary: April 2008

See
http://cal2.edu.gov.on.ca/apr08.html

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Hamilton-Wentworth DSB — The Virtual Blackboard, April 2008

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29th Annual Educational Computing Conference for Educators

The Educational Computing Organization of Ontario (ECOO) will be holding its 29th annual conference for educators from November 12-14 at the Sheraton Parkway North Hotel in Richmond Hill, Ontario.

From April 16 to May 9, ECOO is also challenging all Canadian teachers to name this conference! The teacher who comes up with the best conference name will win a free 2-day registration to the ECOO 2008 conference. Original submissions for the name of the 2008 ECOO conference should be submitted to contests@ecoo.org with “Conference Name” as the subject line on or before May 9th, 2008. All questions relating to this contest should also be directed to contests@ecoo.org. Please submit your full name, school, school board and email contact with entry.

See
Quest for a Name
29th Annual Conference for Educators

For more information: email office@ecoo.org

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Calendar of EVENTS