Feature Stories 2019-20
Grand Erie’s Board of Trustees has selected the system’s new leader – a champion to build on the goal of Success for Every Student, and an advocate for students and staff. JoAnna Roberto begins her new role as Director of Education on August 1.
The celebrations may look a little different this year, but that certainly doesn’t diminish the immense pride Grand Erie’s teachers, administrators, support staff and Trustees have for the students in this year’s graduating classes.
During this stressful time, many of us may be experiencing feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. Grand Erie’s Mental Health team has put together a resource to support students, parents and caregivers, including age-appropriate suggestions for how to discuss what’s going on, recognizing the feelings that may arise, and connections to further resources to support wellness while at home.
Thomas Breault, a Grade 12 student at Paris District High School, is one of 14 members of the school’s student council, which has been planning Paris District High School’s annual intergenerational holiday dinner since late September. Invitations were distributed to area retirement communities inviting residents to enjoy an evening of good company, music, food, and a surprise appearance by a special guest or two.
Finding innovative ways to replicate the classroom structures that allow students to achieve and thrive, while supporting teachers, students, and families during the province-wide school closures has been the responsibility of Grand Erie's Safe and Inclusive Schools team.
Registration is now underway for Summer School 2020. Courses for students in Grades 6-12 will be offered in July through Grand Erie District School Board. Students can earn a full credit, change to a different pathway, recover an unsuccessful credit or upgrade marks.
On Tuesday, Grand Erie District School Board made the decision to cancel all extracurricular activities, events and trips for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year.
Each year, schools across Grand Erie demonstrate admirable commitment and dedication towards environmental stewardship as they work to gain certification as an EcoSchool, and help make the planet a whole lot better in the process.
Nolan Cross of Brantford Collegiate Institute and Vocational School (BCI) and Amy Hutchinson of Paris District High School (PDHS) are this year’s recipients of the James Hillier Foundation scholarship.
The Ministry of Education has outlined its guidelines for the continuity of student learning during school closures for COVID-19.
Deep in the belly of Major Ballachey Public School, tucked away inside a tool cupboard in the custodian’s room, is evidence of a friendly competition one hundred years in the making.
Yesterday (February 24), the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO) announced that escalated job action, in the form of Phase 6 Work-to-Rule, will begin in school boards across the province tomorrow (February 26).
Grand Erie District School Board has completed important next steps in the analysis of data collected from its first student census.
The past few months have seen great changes to our schedules, routines and plans as COVID-19 plunged the world into an unprecedented crisis. But even in a crisis, there is opportunity, and for many, that opportunity might include returning to school to further their educations.
Government of Ontario Announces All Grand Erie Schools Will Remain Closed for the Rest of the 2019-20 School Year
As the saying goes, it takes a village. For Mt. Pleasant School’s students and staff working together to build a float for this year’s Brantford JCI Santa Claus Parade, that couldn’t be more true. The dedicated group brought to life the village the school calls home in an impressive display that showed their pride as it made its way down the parade route.
When a group discussion in one of Tollgate Technological Skills Centre’s Special Education classes back in January turned to the topic of Australia’s wildfires, students wanted to get involved and help however they could.
Grand Erie secondary school students are invited to an exciting day of innovation, forward-thinking, and career pathways in the technology, arts, engineering, mathematics, and science sectors. The 2020 Vision STEAM Conference takes place February 20 at the Sanderson Centre in Brantford, co-hosted by Laurier University’s Brantford campus, and supported by community partners.
Everyone in Grand Erie is likely familiar with the Multi-Year Plan’s goal of Success for Every Student, but they may not realize that one person is responsible for helping us understand it. “I’m the one who tracks the successes,” says Greg Rousell, the Board’s System Research Leader. No matter what you do in Grand Erie, his work has probably informed your role in some way.
A Brantford Collegiate Institute and Vocational School (BCI) student was awarded the top prize – with several Grand Erie students among the runners up – at the recent Laurier Stedman Prize celebration recognizing outstanding creative short-story writing by secondary school students.
Grand Erie has partnered with EF Tours to extend the classroom walls with a unique opportunity for secondary students to earn a credit while travelling. Students will travel to Ottawa, Montreal, and New York City while earning Civics/Careers credit (course codes CHV/GLC).
“Aaniin.” That was the salutation students at Delhi Public School learned recently when they were greeted by Aaron Bell, an Ojibway storyteller and member of the White Pine Dancers, who visited the school along with members of the group for a full day of Indigenous learning.
The Todd Eaton Memorial Track in Port Dover is getting back on track, thanks to the commitment and determination of local citizens, community organizations, and a campaign led by Lakewood Public School.
Due to operational challenges associated with ongoing job action by the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), Grand Erie District School Board will not be issuing Term 1 Report Cards or the Kindergarten Communication of Learning.
The gymnasium at Onondaga-Brant Public School became the official site of the 2020 Summit: Global Problems of the Modern World recently, as Grade 7 and 8 students shared their learning around some of the most pressing issues facing humanity. Grade 7 students focused on the use and sustainability of various natural resources, while the Grade 8 students took on topics related to global inequalities.
After nearly 35 years in education, Grand Erie District School Board’s Director, Brenda Blancher, is retiring.
“Brenda’s dedication and commitment to our students, our staff, our parents, and our communities has been evident since she started as Director of Education,” said Greg Anderson, Chair of Grand Erie’s Board of Trustees, who offered a public thank you to Blancher during Monday’s Committee of the Whole Meeting following the Board’s acceptance of Blancher’s resignation letter.
In the heart of Norfolk County’s rural landscape is Houghton Public School, and living in the countryside certainly has its benefits: access to nature and lower pollution levels, a sense of community with your neighbours, lack of traffic congestion and construction noise. But accessing technology and other learning resources can be difficult, and without libraries, museums and other cultural assets in your hometown, the school becomes students’ passport to the world, and beyond.
Members of Grand Erie District School Board’s Senior Administration Team and Trustees were on hand at Mohawk College on Tuesday as Director Brenda Blancher signed the voluntary agreement on behalf of the board. Together, the partnership will go far towards the goals of reducing carbon footprints, improving energy conservation in school buildings and board facilities, and providing opportunities for more than a quarter of a million Ontario students through curriculum connections and experiential learning.
Tara Cronkwright is in her first year as a Vice-Principal, but her leadership experience in Grand Erie goes way back… all the way back to her days as a student, to be exact.
On Friday (March 20), the Ministry of Education announced the launch of an online portal for students and families during the province-wide closure of schools due to COVID-19.
For the second year in a row, Trustee Greg Anderson was acclaimed as Board Chair at Grand Erie District School Board’s Nomination Meeting on Monday night. Anderson, a City of Brantford Trustee, will serve as Grand Erie’s Chair of the Board for the third-straight year.
In all public health matters, Grand Erie District School Board works closely with both the Brant County Health Unit and the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit along with provincial and federal health agencies to monitor and address concerns related to Coronavirus (COVID-19).
January is Kindergarten registration month, and Grand Erie District School Board is preparing to welcome a new class of young learners, with information ready for parents to assist them during the registration process. Parents of children who will be four years old by the end of 2020 will want to take note of deadlines and required documents to ensure a seamless start to their child’s schooling next September.
Matthew Malcolm’s office door is basically always open, and there’s no such thing as an interruption.
“I fit in what I need to get done around what students need,” says Malcolm, Guidance Counsellor at Delhi District Secondary School. “No two days are the same, and if something comes up, the open-door policy means there are literally no barriers to finding a solution.”
His role requires this flexibility because students’ future successes are on the line.
Starting next fall, the English course that Grand Erie students take in Grade 11 will focus on Indigenous content and Indigenous authors. Understanding contemporary First Nations, Métis and Inuit voices will be the focus of the course, which includes updated curriculum from the Ministry of Education.
Many have applied the popular KonMari decluttering method to their homes and closets, and the result is lots of items which no longer “spark joy.” So what to do with all the gently used clothing, shoes, books, and small household items that could very well spark joy for someone else? Grand Erie Learning Alternatives (GELA) has the answer.
“My brain works differently than everybody else, so words can get mixed up and confused,” says Chloe Elliott, Grade 4 student at King George School of her experience learning to read and write. Chloe was diagnosed with dyslexia last year, and having that information has meant her family and school can work to support effective learning strategies.
It’s bright and early on Saturday, and Teacher Palwinder Kaur is making her way through the quiet hallways at Walter Gretzky Elementary School, with lesson plans and supporting materials in hand. No, she didn’t get the days mixed up; soon, the Punjabi language class she teaches through Grand Erie Learning Alternatives (GELA) will be in session.
On a scale of one to 10, Leah Cooper, a Grade 7 student at Walpole North Elementary School, is considering how much she knows about Canada’s Indigenous peoples’ cultures and traditions.
Grand Erie District School Board recognizes and values the need for strong student voices to guide the work it does. That’s why each year Grand Erie selects three Student Trustees to represent students from our jurisdiction. To ensure the diversity of student voices are heard and reflected, one Student Trustee is elected from the northern area of the Board (Brant County/City of Brantford), one is elected from the southern area of the Board (Haldimand County/Norfolk County), and one is elected from the Indigenous student communities within Grand Erie.
Grand Erie District School Board is honouring Treaties Recognition Week, November 4-8, by adding to the resources already available for educators, and emphasizing the ongoing professional development and community-building that happens year-round throughout the Board.
Active transportation by City of Brantford and County of Brant-area students will receive a major boost with a new project designed to encourage walking and wheeling on the journey to school. The project aims to work with school communities including staff, students, parents, and neighbours, along with County, City and school-board partners to identify, plan, and implement both educational outreach and municipal projects to have a direct impact on safety and walkability around schools.
With the first glimpse of snow this year, Grand Erie District School Board is reminding students and families of how the Board deals with inclement weather.
The great outdoors offers educators and students an extension of the classroom in which to teach, learn, play, and be active. Banbury Heights School hosted Take Me Outside Day at the end of October, as a way to kickstart efforts utilizing the school grounds as an inspiring learning experience with its youngest students.
Six Grand Erie elementary schools took part in Hour of Code on October 1, which is part of a larger worldwide effort to encourage students’ exploration of computer science and technology.
Starting secondary school is an exciting time, and a crucial step on the path to future success. For families and students set to begin this next chapter in 2020-21, Grand Erie secondary schools are hosting Future Grade 9 Student and Parent information nights starting this month and continuing into January.
This year students in the Hospitality Specialist High Skills Major program will prepare a full turkey dinner from scratch, with all of the traditional fixings and sides, as they work through a busy schedule of festive luncheons in a flurry of activity leading up to the holiday break. But the most meaningful meals will serve fellow students, and go toward making the season a little merrier for those in the community who might not otherwise experience it.
Brantford, Ont. – Major Ballachey Public School’s planned celebration of its 100th anniversary has been postponed due to current and pending CUPE job action.
With the announcement that CUPE has reached an agreement in their current labour negotiations, all Grand Erie schools will remain open.
It’s not too early for parents and guardians of soon-to-be Kindergarten students to get ready for September. Grand Erie District School Board’s online registration option is open, and parents of children who will be four years of age by the end of 2020 are encouraged to begin the process in the coming weeks to ensure a seamless start to the next school year.
After hearing concerns raised from students and families in the past 24 hours about the Board’s involvement in Young Canada Day activities at the Norfolk County Fair, Grand Erie has made the decision to allow all field trips connected to Young Canada Day proceed as originally.
The results are in from Grand Erie District School Board’s first student census.
For the second year in a row, students and staff at Pauline Johnson Collegiate and Vocational School are organizing Play 4 Mac Kids, an event bringing together six area secondary schools’ volleyball and basketball teams in raising funds for McMaster Children’s Hospital, Pediatric Hematology and Oncology unit, during the final regular-season games of the year.
It’s the first day of school in Grand Erie. At River Heights School in Caledonia, a thick fog has rolled in off the river. It’s no matter, though. Everyone is finding their way – whether they’re new or returning students and parents – thanks to the school’s teaching and administrative staff who are providing a welcoming first point of contact.
As soon as Jeff Benner, Principal at Hagersville Secondary School, walks into the main office first thing in the morning, there are crucial issues to be dealt with and important decisions to make. Issues around student well-being and mental health, cyber security, and other pressing matters are all in a day’s work.
The Kiwanis Field in Brantford might still be a field of dreams if it weren’t for Melanie Kraemer, Teacher at Pauline Johnson Collegiate and Vocational School, who is this year’s recipient of the Patti McCleister Memorial award, the highest honour bestowed upon a Grand Erie employee.
Grand Erie District School Board is encouraging all of its schools to take part in Waste Reduction Week from October 21-27 in an effort to raise awareness of how much waste is produced in a typical day, and to empower students to take leadership roles in finding solutions to the growing worldwide problem.
It will be an orange wave in the halls of Grand Erie schools next Monday (September 30), as the board recognizes Orange Shirt Day to educate and raise awareness of the residential school system, and the continuing impact it has on Indigenous communities.
“Some families didn’t talk about what had happened at the residential schools because the trauma was too great,” says Claudine VanEvery-Albert, who is Mohawk and a member of the Turtle clan, as well as a Grand Erie Trustee representing the interests of Six Nations students. “But my family talked about it. We talked about it a lot.”
“I’m not disabled; the built environment is disabled.”
Mike Greer, an ambassador with the Rick Hansen Foundation, made this statement during a recent presentation to Grand Erie administrators, and it’s a reality he’s reminded of on a regular basis.
Pat MacDonald is focused on the task of cataloguing teaching resources in a sunny corner of J.L. Mitchener Public School’s learning commons, and all around her, a dance party is in full swing.
Langton School’s new playground was the talk of the town last Thursday evening during the official opening of the outdoor space, and it was a fitting celebration considering it was the town that helped make it possible.