Crystal Bay Centre for Special Education

Monday, February 27, 2023

Good morning, 

Tomorrow, February 28th is our student Winter Carnival. Activities include: snowshoeing, snowperson building/snow angels, sledding, making taffy, hot chocolate station, water-based snow painting, ball toss, hoola hoop games and fresh baked beaver tails. A reminder for your child/youth to dress warmly (snow pants, winter boots, toque and mittens). Inclement weather date is March 2nd.  

March 1: Transition Planning Fair (in-person)

Learning Support Services is organizing an in-person event for parents and caregivers of individuals with developmental disabilities to know more about the services and supports offered by organizations in Ottawa. This event will take place on Wednesday, March 1st, 2023, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Confederation Education Center. OCDSB staff will be on site to help guide families to connect with the type of services they need. Register Now. To know more, visit our website. 

March 2: Speech Language Pathologists Virtual Open House

OCDSB’s Speech Language Pathologists are offering a virtual open house on March 2nd, 2023, 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m., for parents/caregivers of children of all ages. This webinar will provide information and resources about developing the child’s communication skills. See website for more information and to register. 

School Council News

You can still provide input to the OCDSB’s next Strategic Plan using this survey link to voluntarily and confidentiality share your insights directly and electronically with the OCDSB Communications team. 

Fundraising for Crystal Bay: https://flipgive.app.link/teams/join?fundraiser_name=Lillian

Team code: BWTTVY and campaigns.mabelslabels.com  -search for Crystal Bay’s name.

Next meeting is Tuesday, March 21st at 6:30pm using Google Meet shared in School News email. 

News From Your Trustee, Suzanne Nash

As I noted in January, providing monthly updates is an important commitment as is responding in a timely way to emails. I have heard about lack of snow clearing on school sidewalks; crossing guards and safety for students who walk to school; school bus delays, cancellations and poor communications; cancelled exams for grade 9 and 10 students; and, construction noise-levels that disrupt learning and endanger kids safety. On the matter of snow clearing, I contacted City Councillors Jeff Leiper and Theresa Kavanagh who are working to ensure that this is a priority. I have visited with crossing guards who are being ignored, honked at and worse.  I am looking to act on a suggestion to have a “crossing-guard awareness day”.   I am brining the issues of school bus reliability and lack of timely communication directly to the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA) when it meets next week.  I voiced your concerns with the Board’s approach to cancel exams for grade 9 and 10 students at our meeting on January 31.  The Director of Education, Michelle Giroux, indicated that the approach would be reviewed to guide future directions and would report back to the Board.  I have received support from my board colleagues regarding efforts to address construction-noise levels near schools.  Councillor Leiper is very active on the issue and is speaking with his colleagues and by-law staff about some kind of revisions to the noise by-law to account for schools.  I continue my visits to schools in Bay-Kitchissippi adding Woodroffe Avenue, Lakeview, and Woodroffe High School for a total of 10 schools visited.  I participated in all OCDSB-led strategic plan consultations and have had a number of one-on-one conversations with constituents. Your insights on priorities that matter most to support student learning and well-being will guide my focus as we get set to approve the OCDSB 2023-24 Budget.   To the OCDSB students whose phenomenal talents were on full display at An Afternoon Celebrating Black Excellence, “Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live” (Dr. Mae Jemison Engineer, Physician, Astronaut - the first Black women to travel into space). Please continue to reach out at [email protected] Take care. Suzanne

Community Partners

Ottawa Public Health: We invite you to view this link for information on free dental screening and free dental care under the Healthy Smiles Ontario program.

Developmental Services Ontario -Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) -Things to Know & Answers to Common Questions Tuesday, February 28, 2023 6:30-8pm Questions about this event can be sent to Marth Beach at [email protected], or Alexandra Shannan at [email protected] 

Looking ahead

March is Bangladeshi Heritage Month, Hellenic Heritage Month and Nutrition Month

Mar. 1: Transition Planning Fair 6-9pm Confederation Education Centre

Mar. 2: Speech Language Pathologists Virtual Open House

Mar 13-17: March Break -no school for staff or students

Mar 21: School Council Mtg 6:30pm

Mar 25: Parents for Diversity Conference for Black Parents at Brookfield High School

Some February photos:

Thank you for your continued support, 

Kathryn and Kati