Government Of Canada Funds School Feasibility Study At Curve Lake First Nation

On Friday (July 28th), the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, was in Curve Lake Nation near Peterborough to announce $142,000 for a school feasibility study for the Curve Lake First Nation.

Curve Lake First Nation awarded the contract to conduct the school feasibility study to First Nations Engineering Services Ltd., and the study is anticipated to be completed by July 2018.

Minister Carolyn Bennett with the youngest member of the CLFN youth council :) Winter Maddison Rose-Jacobs & her mom Nathalie Jacobs

This study will identify the best approach to support the highest quality learning environment for the community’s youth.

Government representatives meeting with Curve Lake staff and members of youth council

The Government of Canada is investing $969.4 million over five years in First Nation education infrastructure, for the construction, repair and maintenance of First Nations school facilities, like those in Curve Lake First Nation.

Local CLFN participants in the recent North American Indigenous Games

"We are pleased with the support from the Government of Canada, which will allow us to continue to deliver high quality education for our children," says Curve Lake First Nation Chief Phyllis Williams. "This support will advance our obligation to provide programming that is culturally viable and vital for the success of our youth, our future."

Left to right: Chief Phyllis Williams, Minister Carolyn Bennett, MP Maryam Monsef, and Members of Curve Lake Council and staff.

“I heard directly from Chief and Council of Curve Lake First Nation about the need for a local school, which would let young people from this community stay closer to home while they pursue their education," says MP Maryam Monsef. "I’m pleased that the community will be able to move forward with this important feasibility study and determine the best way we can support the youth here at Curve Lake."

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St. Paul School In Norwood Is Sending 160 Dresses To Girls In Impoverished Countries Around World

There are 120 dresses hanging in the main hall of St. Paul Catholic Elementary School in Norwood and pretty soon there will be 160—one for every girl in the school.

They used to be plain cotton T-shirts and fabric. Now they are vibrant and colourful. They have pockets and lace, polka dots and stripes, flowers and plaid.

Lined up together, hanging on a clothesline, the dresses make a powerful statement. They were sewn by the Grade 5, 6, 7, and 8 students, many of whom had never used a sewing machine before. The material for the dresses was fundraised for and donated by the school community.

The dresses will soon be shipped across the world and given to girls in impoverished countries where not owning a dress can mean not going to school.

Michele Keating is the Special Education Resource Teacher at St. Paul Norwood and an avid seamstress who runs the school’s knitting and sewing clubs.

Supporting the charity Dress a Girl Around the World, Keating had planned to make a handful of T-shirt dresses with a handful of interested students. Interest spread, and soon enough, every Grade 5, 6, 7, and 8 student wanted to take part.

The school held a fundraiser to purchase supplies. The community responded, dropping off material and volunteering to sew. Keating set the goal to make 160 dresses to represent the school’s 160 girls.

“The response from the students has been amazing," Keating says. "Every student who has made a dress has been so proud of themselves. The teachers are happy with it too, not only because it’s a great social justice cause, but we cover a lot of math curriculum, a lot of formulas for figuring out area and a lot of real-life application of measurement."

“It has really brought our whole school community together," she adds. "There was no way on earth we could have done this if I didn’t have volunteers from our community and people dropping off material. There was a whole box of lace that was randomly dropped off in my room one day. It started out being some small thing and it spread through our school and through our community.”

School principal Rob Citro takes some sewing instruction from Michele Keating.

Today, Keating has some special helpers to contribute in the homestretch of the project. Director of education Michael Nasello, school superintendent Timothy Moloney and school principal Rob Citro are making their own dresses under the supervision of experienced Grade 8s.

“I learned that you don’t have to do much to make a big difference in someone else’s life,” says Grade 8 student Eliza Buchanan, who was helping Moloney navigate the sewing machine. “You’re making something and it’s such a little thing for you, but it’s going to be something so big for the girl who gets this dress. It’s really inspiring.”

Grade 8 student Eliza Buchanan

“I think it will make us feel really good seeing all the dresses lined up in the hall because you’re doing something for other people, not ourselves, people who are less fortunate,” says Grade 8 student John Hughes, who co-created a dress with Nasello.

Director of education Michael Nasello shakes hands with sewing partner Grade 8 John Hughes

While working with the students, Nasello said one word came to mind: dignity.

“There is something really special about clothing," he says. "Clothing is not only providing a necessity of life, but it gives a person dignity. To reach out and support young people the same age or younger and to bestow some sense of dignity and support in their lives, I think is the most important type of outreach. I’m so amazed that there is an initiative like this and that it’s really involving students and adults working together to do something good for young people around the world.”

—guest post by Galen Eagle

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PVNCCDSB Embarks On Ambitious Strategic Plan Review, Will Hold Town Hall Meetings

Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board (PVNCCDSB) Director of Education Michael Nasello has embarked on an ambitious outreach campaign to hear as many voices in the school board as possible.

As part of a review of the Board’s Strategic Plan, Nasello will lead more than 60 focus groups, including meetings with students and staff in each of the Board’s 36 schools. He will also conduct a public Town Hall Meeting in each of the Board’s four jurisdictions—City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, Peterborough, and Clarington—between February and May.

Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board Director of Education Michael Nasello leads a focus group at St. Alphonsus Catholic Elementary School in Peterborough on Wednesday, February 22nd, 2017.

DETERMINING WHETHER TO STAY THE COURSE OR GO IN NEW DIRECTION

“Our current Strategic Priorities have been serving us well, but after three years we’re at a crossroads, and we want to hear from our students, staff, parents and communities to help us determine whether we should maintain the current path or head in a new direction,” Nasello says.

Throughout the next four months, Nasello will also hear from the Board’s clergy partners, examine issues from a First Nation Métis and Inuit perspective, and receive input on topics such as special education and welcoming newcomers from Syria and elsewhere.

“We’re committed to transparency and accountability and that means we want to hear from as many voices in our system as possible,” Nasello says.

Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board Director of Education Michael Nasello

WHEN THE TOWN HALLS TAKE PLACE

PVNCCDSB welcomes the public and those invested in Catholic Education in their communities to have their voices heard in this review process and attend one of four public Town Hall meetings (all meetings take place 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.)...

Thursday, February 23rd, 2017
Lindsay, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School (260 Angeline St. N)

Wednesday, March 29th, 2017
Cobourg, St. Mary Catholic Secondary School (1050 Birchwood Trail)

Thursday, March 30th, 2017
Peterborough, St. Peter Catholic Secondary School (730 Medical Dr.)

Tuesday, May 9th, 2017
Courtice, Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary School (2260 Courtice Rd.)

Please spread the word on your social media channels about these important town halls.

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PTBO Game Jam 02 At Fleming College Was Huge Success

UPDATED (February 23rd) with more pictures below....

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More than 150 participants took place in PTBO Game Jam 02, held February 17th to 19th at Fleming College’s state of the art Kawartha Trades and Technology Centre. More than half of those in attendance were game developers, resulting in an impressive 33 games being created.

Watching hockey while making games Saturday night

This semi-annual, not-for-profit showcase of all things game development saw programmers, designers, artists and others involved in game-development disciplines gather to plan, design and create games in a specified time frame.

PTBO Game Jam 02 also presented an event-opening Educational Block that featured Robert French, who led a seminar on the steps and processes involved in the creation of PAC-MAN.

“Watching the organic growth of this event has been astonishing,” says principal event organizer Matthew Davey of Peterborough game development studio dotBunny.

“Hearing the stories of individuals and their journeys to get here made all the work organizing it well worth it. I can't wait to see what we can do for PTBO Game Jam 03 as we are now starting to catch the eye of much larger markets.”

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UPDATE: Here are more pictures from PTBO Game Jam 02...

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St. Peter's Catholic Secondary School No. 1 Locally In Fraser Institute Report Card

In the Fraser Institute's Annual Report Card released on Ontario's secondary schools, St. Peter Catholic Secondary School is No. 1 locally in the academic rankings, with a rating of 7 out of 10, putting it 222 nationally out of 740 schools ranked.

Crestwood and Adam Scott each scored a 6.7 rating, followed by Thomas A. Stewart at 6.6, Holy Cross at 5.9, and Kenner at 4.8.

The rankings are decided by math and literacy testing among Grade 9 students.

View the detailed report here.

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The Vital Role Peterborough 9-1-1 Dispatchers Play (& What You Should Know)

This week (April 10th to 16th) marks National Communicators Week, a week dedicated to celebrating the work of 9-1-1 dispatchers and educating and reminding residents about the appropriate use of 9-1-1.

“There are no minor players on our team—every member of our Service makes a significant contribution,” says Peterborough Police Service Chief Murray Rodd. "Our 9-1-1 communicators and dispatchers play an essential role in serving as the community’s gateway to emergency response 24/7/365 and also serving as our officer’s lifeline when they are on the road.”

Below is an overview of the 9-1-1 team in Peterborough...

How It Works: The 9-1-1 Communications Team In Peterborough

The Peterborough Police Service’s 9-1-1 Communications Centre is comprised of a 9-1-1/Communications Manager, four Communications Shift Supervisors and 12 communicators aligned to coincide with the four platoon system. The Centre receives all 9-1-1 Emergency Calls for the City of Peterborough, the Ward of Lakefield and the Township of Cavan Monaghan. In 2015, the 9-1-1 Communications Centre received 47,706 9-1-1 calls, a 32 percent increase from the previous year.

9-1-1 Dispatchers Highly Trained

“9-1-1 dispatchers are highly trained to get people the help they need in the most effective way possible. They have mastered the art of listening and of asking the right questions. They must be both empathetic and efficient,” says Alison Kirkland, Communications Centre Manager. “Their job is one that can be extremely stressful during major incidents but it is also extremely rewarding knowing they were able to help dispatch assistance in an emergency.”

What You Need To Know When Making 9-1-1 Call

• If calling 9-1-1, it is important to stay as calm as possible, do not panic and talk in a clear manner. Understand there will be questions but answering them does not slow down the emergency services being dispatched. Emergency 9-1-1 Dispatchers are trained to get you the help you need in the most efficient and effective way possible.

• Listen to the Dispatchers. They need to get all the important information so that all Emergency Responders required are sent.

• Do not hang up the line until instructed to by the Dispatcher. Anything can happen and Emergency Services need to know your situation at all times until they arrive.

• Teach your children how to use 9-1-1. Practice with a pretend phone, and make sure they understand it’s important to call 9-1-1 only in an emergency.

• Be sure to dial 9-1-1 only when the situation you are reporting requires an immediate response by Police, EMS or the Fire Department. If you are in doubt that your situation is an emergency, always err on the side of safety.

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