September 21, 2016
Helping Keep Families Informed
Welcome back to another school year!  We hope that you have enjoyed a fun and restful summer with your family!
 
The CSPA meeting is scheduled for 7:30 PM on Wednesday, September 28, 2016, in the OCSB Boardroom, 570 West Hunt Club Road. All school council members, parents/guardians of OCSB students are invited to attend. We encourage all schools to send a representative, even if a CSPA rep has not yet been elected.
 
This month's presenter will be Nicki Dunlop who will be speaking about 
Parent Engagement: How councils can help to welcome newcomers to their school and encourage their involvement.   

During the Construction Zone we will discuss ways parents and councils can welcome and encourage new families to become involved in your school. What are the barriers and what can we do differently? Let's talk! 
Wanted: CSPA School Council Reps
 
Dr. Stuart Shanker:  Nov. 3rd at St. Paul HS 
Intro to Self-Reg - Stress Behaviour versus Misbehaviour


Dr. Shanker will look at why children and youth are so over-stressed toda y, with particular attention to the nature of hidd en stressors and the distinction between misbehaviour and stress behaviour. He will explain the 5 steps of self-regulation, not just in a way for  
parents to apply these with their children, but also for themselves. 
Register Now to attend: http://bit.ly/CSPA_selfreg
 
Coming Soon:  Boot Camp for School Councils  Nov. 7th
 
We're beginning planning for the next school council information evening we affectionately call "Boot Camp for School Councils" and we're looking for your input! What are the key questions or challenges you would like to have discussed? Please take a moment to answer our 2 question survey!  The location for Boot camp is still being decided.  Hope you will join us on Nov 7th!
CSPA Exec Update

Thank you to all parent volunteers who served on CSPA Executive last year.  Your work behind the scenes is much appreciated!
CSPA Executive elections will take place at our October 26th CSPA meeting. If you would like to share your time and your skills and are interested in specific education issues, or in getting a broader board-wide perspective of Catholic education, consider joining our team.  We meet at 5:30 PM before our general CSPA meetings. 
For further info visit our website: OttawaCSPA.ca or contact    cspachair@gmail.com
Approved PRO Grants

Congratulations to the  50 OCSB schools who will receive a Parents Reaching Out Grant for 2016-17. These grants provide funds to support parent involvement in school. Please find a detailed list of approved PRO Grants below.    http://bit.ly/OCSB_PRO1617
 
OCSB International Languages Program
click poster to view

The International Languages Program is open to all children regardless of their language background. More than 20 languages are offered in this FREE program. Take advantage of a wonderful opportunity for students (JK-Grade 8) to learn and/or maintain an international language (other than English or French).
Learn more at conted.ocsb.ca
 
Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education (OAPCE)
NEW this year! We have joined the Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education (OAPCE) and in keeping with Ministry of Education policy, all OCSB councils must elect an OAPCE Rep. To keep it simple, your CSPA Rep will also be your OAPCE Rep. No additional work is anticipated.  Visit OAPCE.org for more information.
 
Financial Report for School Councils due Oct. 12th
 
The OCSB School Council Annual Financial Report for the period September 1, 2015 to August 31, 2016 is due by October 12, 2016. 
All school councils  should have received  instructions  and the reporting template. A sample report and memo can be also found on our website:

www.ottawacspa.ca/school-councils/best-practices-treasurers.html
 
Online Math Homework Support for Students, Grades 7-10

Homework Help is a valuable math resource for students in grades 7 to 10, as it allows them to access live, anonymous tutor chat sessions with certified Ontario teachers. In these sessions, the tutors will guide students to solve math questions after school hours. The live Homework Help chat room service is available for students from 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM
Sundays to Thursdays 
 
Upcoming Events

Oct. 4
Social Networking Safety  at St. Gabriel School
Nov. 3
Saint Paul Catholic High School
Nov. 7
Boot Camp for School Councils  - Details pending 
Nov. 15
Dr.Jean Clinton - Frank Ryan School - Details pending
 
For more details on these and other events, please visit CSPA's event calendar:  www.ottawacspa.ca

Catholic School Parents Association (CSPA) 
E-mail : OttawaCSPA@gmail.com |  Website : OttawaCSPA.ca