(Photo provided by ADSB shows Thessalon Public School Principal Jana Tetrault (left), volunteers Patricia Wynter (2nd from right) and Melinda Freer (right) with Superintendent Asima Vezina. )
NEWS RELEASE
ALGOMA DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
Thessalon Public School Wins Healthy School Award
Earlier this year, Thessalon Public School was awarded the Ophea Healthy School Award from the Ontario Physical and Health Education Association (Ophea).
Ophea is a not-for-profit organization that champions healthy, active living in schools and communities through quality programs and services, partnerships and advocacy, and is led by the vision that all children and youth value and enjoy the lifelong benefits of healthy, active living.
Thessalon Public School was acknowledged for their Healthy Living Club, an innovative project that has done an exceptional job of finding unique ways to incorporate healthy living and healthy foods, along with strong community/parent partnerships into every day school activities.
The Healthy Living Club is made up of students from the elementary school and student volunteers from Central Algoma Secondary School (CASS) along with two community volunteers who help to coordinate the club’s numerous activities:
- The Healthy Living Club partnered, last year, with CASS’s horticultural class and LEAD program. Secondary students taught elementary students how to plant trays of plants for the greenhouse.
- The LEAD class students held a contest to design a club logo and made buttons for the club members.
- Through a Trillium grant the club created a community vegetable garden at the school, the local daycare, the community centre and at Algoma Manor, Thessalon’s senior’s residence.
- The produce from the gardens has been shared with the local food bank.
- The residents from Algoma Manor worked with the students to prepare chicken vegetable pies, pumpkin pies, pickled beets and homemade vegetable soup with the harvest from the gardens. Some of the pies were sold as a fundraiser for the Algoma Manor recreation program.
- Thessalon First Nation reserve provided seeds for heritage herbs and beans and in the past the children planted the “Three Sisters” – corn, beans and squash – to incorporate the Ojibwa culture.
- The club has partnered with the local greenhouse and flower shop to learn more about planting and arranging flowers.
- The Healthy Living Club partnered with the Town of Thessalon and the Junior Ranger program to teach gardening and to help maintain the vegetable gardens over the summer.
- In the past the club has partnered with the 4H program and students learned about the community involvement component and earned 4H badges. The Healthy Living Club annually enters award-winning produce in the local agricultural fairs. The club has also worked with local members of the horticultural society.
- The school yard has been beautified through the planting of apple trees and the addition of apicnic table and bench. The club painted healthy living murals on hallway walls in the school to promote healthy lifestyles.
- The Healthy Living Club has coordinated numerous healthy living activities in the school including:
- a bike/walkathon;
- a winter outdoor scavenger hunt;
- a “Paint Your Plate” healthy lunch contest;
- Smoothie and Soup Day fundraisers; the development of a “Hand Washing” PowerPoint presented to the student body;
- promotion and coordination of a composting and recycling program; and promoting the reduced use of plastic water bottles.
The Board of Trustees thanked the representatives from Thessalon Public School who were in attendance including Principal Jana Tetrault and community volunteers Patricia Wynter and Melinda Freer.
Growth of First Nation, Metis, Inuit (FNMI) programs in ADSB and a look at positive data trends
Superintendent Kime Collver provided an overview of ADSB’s First Nation, Metis and Inuit (FNMI)
programs and how they’ve developed.
It was an excellent reminder of all the initiatives that have been undertaken in the last several years to support the learning and progress of our aboriginal students.
Over a 2 year period, from September 2006 through to 2008, ADSB began the work of implementing
the Voluntary Self-Identification program. ADSB worked closely with Ministry of Education, Regional
Officer, Bryon Brisard, First Nation and Metis partners and our coterminous board. In that time,
ADSB brought on a full time FNMI Lead teacher and schools have identified an FNMI key teacher.
We created Cultural Rooms in some of our schools and saw the development of an elementary FNMI Drum Group.
We introduced a new logo, designed by student Collin Day and staff member Muriel Elliot from WC Eaket in Blind River.
The logo was the ideal representation of the partnership ADSB has with our Aboriginal partners.
Since 2006, our students and staff have enjoyed an ongoing relationship with community partners (including the Indian Friendship Centre, North Shore Tribal council) and have established important links to First Nation partners and Elders.
Within the past six years, ADSB has either hosted or presented at key FNMI provincial conferences, symposiums including the Circle of Light conference and a session with Ontario’s Auditor General.
As well, ADSB was invited to present at the Indigenous Education Summit, a national conference.
The first year ADSB asked students to voluntarily self-identify as First Nation, Metis or Inuit was 2007/2008 and that year we had 1,199 students voluntarily self-identify.
Last year (12/13) we had 1,591 self-identify. As of October 31st increase of 398 students since 2007.
The Board’s Urban Aboriginal Program, founded in 2003/2004, celebrates its 10 year partnership between ADSB and the Indian Friendship Centre.
To date, 58 students have graduated from the program with a combined number of 915 credits earned.
Over the past number of years ADSB began tracking EQAO results for our FNMI students.
Over time (since 2006/07), we have seen increases at almost all levels (Grade 3 and Grade 6 reading, writing and math and in Grade 9 Academic and Applied Math).
As an example, in Grade 3 writing, 42% of FNMI students reached a Level 3 in 07/08. In 2010/11, 71% of FNMI students reached a Level 3, an increase of 29%.
In Grade 6 Reading in 2006/07 34% of FNMI students reached a Level 3, while in 2011/2012 60% of FNMI students reached a Level 3, an increase of 31%.
Superintendent Collver reiterated to the Board that staff and administration have demonstrated an incredible commitment to reaching all students.
The programs that have been introduced and the work of all involved over the past several years, reminds us that we are all contributing to and supporting our FNMI students.
French as Second Language Update
Superintendent Brenda O’Neill introduced Tracy Reid, JK-12 French Second Language (FSL) Special Assignment teacher with the ADSB.
Tracy provided an overview of the direction that FSL instruction is taking over the next several years by sharing highlights from the Ministry of Education document “A Framework for French as a Second Language in Ontario Schools”.
This is a newly developed document with a 10-year (roll out) plan.
The vision for FSL in Ontario encompasses a heightened awareness of the value of learning French and takes it a step further to look at and understand the broader advantages to be gained from learning a second language.
The benefits of learning an additional language are now widely acknowledged.
Second-language learning enhances overall literacy skills.
There is evidence that learning another language can help in the development of interpersonal and social skills by increasing self-confidence and self-esteem.
As the Internet makes global communication more widely available, a second language can prove to be an economical and cultural asset.
The FSL Framework’s Vision Statement: “Students in English-language school boards have the confidence and ability to use French effectively in their daily lives.”
The goals of the FSL Framework are three-fold:
• Increase student confidence, proficiency, and achievement in FSL.
• Increase the percentage of students studying FSL until graduation.
• Increase student, educator, parent, and community engagement in FSL.
The framework provides six strategic focus areas that help to identify what makes a strong FSL plan.
School boards can use these to develop and implement their own plans over the 10 year period of the framework.
1. Heightening awareness of FSL programs and benefits.
2. Enhancing leadership and accountability.
3. Strengthening programming to improve achievement in FSL.
4. Supporting all students.
5. Implementing effective practices in planning, teaching, and assessment.
6. Expanding student learning opportunities and heightening engagement.
Superintendent O’Neill added that ADSB is currently surveying students in the French Immersion program to get their feedback and input which will be utilized to further enhance our French Immersion program.
Policies under review:
Superintendent Vezina brought forward a number of policies which are currently under revision which include:
• Policy #6.11 Animals in Schools
• Policy #6.13 Smoking on School Property
• Policy #6.45 Policy for Anaphylaxis
• Policy #6.56 Naming of Schools
• Policy #6.53 Accessibility Standards for Customer Service
*************************