TBCDSB Annual Director's Report 2021-2022

Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Our Board at a Glance/Senior Administration

In Loving Memory - Trustee Phil Pelletier

MISSION STATEMENT

The Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board is committed to providing quality education, which combines academic excellence with a concern for the spiritual, moral, social, emotional, cultural and physical growth of the student. This education is provided in a Christ-centered environment where Catholic faith and life are integrated into the total curriculum and school day. Through the ministry of teaching, the Board fulfills its mandate in partnership with the home, the Church and the Ministry of Education.

Although 2020 was something I had never witnessed before, 2021 also brought about many surprises.

Some days I felt as if the weight of the world was on my shoulders. The daily and weekly changes were never ending. Together with my team, we navigated through each day and continued to stay positive. The end of each week was a triumph and the end of each month was a victory. Words can never express my gratitude to my incredible work family, our school principals and the entire staff here at TBCDSB for all of their hard work and long hours.

As an educator, I am a lifelong learner, however, it is my hope we never have to learn first-hand from such a precarious situation. The days (and nights) we experienced are those one reads in novels and textbooks.

I am incredibly proud of the work and progress that came out of such a challenging year. Together we took each day, step-by-step, minute by minute and continued to move forward to lessen any disruption to our students. I look forward to sharing our progress in this year’s 2021-2022 Director’s Report.

God Bless, Pino

Pino Tassone

Director of Education

“Words can never express my gratitude to my incredible work family, our school principals and the entire staff here at TBCDSB for all of their hard work and long hours.

message DIRECTOR’S

Growing in Faith

Thunder Bay Catholic strives to create a community filled with compassion, inclusion, sharing and forgiveness in accordance with the teachings of Jesus. We continue to strengthen and sustain a relationship between school and church, through maintaining a positive, spiritual and emotional foundation of support for both students and staff.

Inspiring Achievement

Providing and creating an enjoyable environment filled with culture, faith, and deep learning is key for success. Together, we can inspire success and encourage collaboration.

Supporting Collaboration

Through various initiatives within our Board, educators have become even more inspired to collaborate with one another, teaming up to form best practices – creating consistency and improving concepts and lessons. Through knowledge and cultural practice sharing, and deep learning, we have successfully been able to work with students, parents and caregivers – creating a collective communicative relationship on all levels.

Ensuring Sustainability

Catholic Education is a vital piece of who we are as a Board. We illustrate the importance of Catholic Education through our social justice initiatives and good works. We create internal leaders from a young age through our advanced leadership and mentorship programs, and cultivate environmental stewardship and ecological appreciation within our schools.

Connecting Communities

Together, we form amazing partnerships between home, school and community organizations. It is important and essential to emphasize that everyone is welcome, and ensure our parents and guardians are well -informed and involved. Partnerships, especially cultural ones, are fundamental to our success. We are blessed to have a partnership with Fort William First Nation and various organizations, media outlets and community groups throughout our city.

GROWING IN Faith

ENHANCING SPIRITUALITY IN OUR LIVES

• Year two of two with our spiritual theme: We are People of Faith.

• Virtual commissioning service for staff on the first PD Day.

• Faith Development Day was virtual in the morning and in person in the afternoon. Father Rob Galea spoke about the importance of faith in difficult times and the power of prayer in healing. Dr. Jean Clinton spoke about wellness and the value of relationships. We finished the day with an uplifting eucharistic celebration.

• The Catholic Education Week theme was: Rebuild, Restore, Renew Together. It fit very well with the theme for Mental Health Week. Rather than the themes competing and educators feeling like they had to choose, we compiled resources for both themes that educators could use in their classrooms throughout the week.

• A digital library was created with various learning activities. We continued our social media campaign to share our learning and celebrate Catholic education with a broader audience using hashtags.

- Teaching Faith in our Schools -

• Our Faith Ambassador Program continued with a fall workshop theme: Faith and Wellness. Ambassadors were encouraged to bring resources back to their staff and students.

• RE Consultant visited schools and worked with teachers on implementing the Grade 7 Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ Program, supported teachers with Best Practice Documents for teaching Theme 3 in the Fully Alive program and offered in class support, particularly for grades 7 and 8.

• Continued to build capacity with prayer service by creating and sharing various templates for themes throughout the school year.

- Mental Health -

Our Catholic Faith continues to be at the centre of our efforts to support the social, emotional and spiritual lives of our students.

• We continue to implement resources and training from School Mental Health Ontario, including the Faith and Wellness Everyday Classroom Resource, for elementary teachers (K-8) and the MH LIT lessons in our secondary system.

• We continue to develop mental health resources for use within our system which emphasize the connection between wellness and a strong Catholic Faith.

- Supporting LGBTQ Student Inclusion -

Our Catholic school communities strive to be places of compassion, inclusion and social justice for 2SLGBTQ+ students, staff and families.

• All of our secondary and senior elementary schools support growing Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) groups. In our K-6 schools, the Board supports requests from staff for more awareness level training on behalf of gender diverse students, staff and families. The goal is to champion enquiry, social justice and human dignity for all through safe, accepting and life affirming learning environments.

• During June, a PRIDE committee provided new learning resources, announcements, social media messaging and information on our approach to supporting 2SLGBTQ+ students and families and celebrating diversity within our system.

INSPIRING achievement

PROVIDING LEARNING AND WORKING SPACES THAT ENHANCE PRODUCTIVITY

In our continued work as a Deep Learning Board, we are striving to inspire and develop competencies which will engage and enrich student thinking and learning.

•We continued to work in Families of Schools to examine Pedagogical Practices, Learning Partnerships, Learning Environments, and meaningful ways to Leverage Digital while face to face or being in remote learning environments.

•We maintained an emphasis on working on the 6 Global Competencies, (Collaboration, Citizenship, Character, Creativity, Critical Thinking, Communication) which align with Learning Skills, Catholic Graduate Expectations, and the Anishnawbe Seven Grandfather Teachings.

•Unfortunately, we were unable to moderate Learning Designs due to supply teacher shortages due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We continued to monitor our Long Term Plans in Literacy, Mathematics, Religious Education, Indigenous Education, FSL, Special Education, and Deep Learning as a means to be intentional in moving forward to support educators to best meet the needs of our students.

- Teachers -

Our available Resource Support staff continued to co-teach and create learning opportunities to support student thinking.

• In addition to co-teaching sessions, learning partnerships between classroom teachers and resource teachers allowed for notable initiatives to be accomplished. In the area of Literacy, Book Clubs were investigated at the Senior Elementary and Secondary panels in order to differentiate instruction, model a variety of reading strategies and allow for student voice and choice with their reading. In practice, Grade Eleven Indigenous Voices classes integrated differentiated book clubs into the Independent Study Unit.

• In specific Grade Three classrooms, the Math Resource teacher worked on multiplicative thinking as a means to build foundational math skills to strengthen multiplication concepts. The French Resource Teacher supported recently hired French Immersion teachers through the OPSBA Collaborative Inquiry investigating best practice with CEFR strategies.

- Learners -

• Supporting student achievement is fundamental and assistance from school teams along with our Resource teachers is key. Resource Teachers supported our learners in person and in an online learning environment with whole class and small group instruction and assessments in order to support student learning.

- Administrators -

Board Administration is fully involved in Student Achievement goals and ideals.

• Superintendents, Principals, and Vice-Principals continued to build leadership and capacity with a Deep Learning lens.

• Some of the key areas of focus last year that continued to be explored were how to build clarity and focus with School Improvement Plans, especially investigating the clarity and precision of evidence when monitoring individual SIPs.

•Equitable learning practices were investigated along with the concepts of how leaders are Activators, Collaborators, and Culture Builders.

-Student Support Persons (SSP) & Early Childhood Educators (ECE) -

SSPs and ECEs play a critical role in assisting our learners to flourish and grow within our Board.

• Professional Development sessions are offered to assist in their roles, with topics including building resiliency, technology, math interventions for struggling students, FASD, and Zones of Regulation.

• Our Board BMST Trainers were able to pivot quickly during the school closure and offered BMST training virtually when necessary.

- Enhancing our Mental Health Support –

Our Board continues to prioritize mental health support, resources and services for students through the work of our Board Mental Health Leader in collaboration with community partners (CCTB, LHINS, Health Unit) and provincially, School Mental Health Ontario (SMHO).

• During the last school year, we started the process of recruiting and hiring registered social workers and psychotherapists to create our own internal Mental Health Services team, to better meet the needs of our students, staff, and community.

• We offer brief mental health counselling and support services for all K-12 schools, crisis response services to schools during the school day, coordinated mental health fan-out support to schools following tragic events, student mental health promotion and prevention programming, and staff professional development.

• We offer brief mental health counselling and support services for all K-12 schools, crisis response services to schools during the school day, coordinated mental health fan-out support to schools following tragic events, student mental health promotion and prevention programming, and staff professional development.

- Attendance Matters-

In hopes to alleviate school absenteeism, the Attendance Matters committee gatherers to collaborate and determine system-wide planning. Through the use of evidence-based tools our Attendance team is able to determine factors contributing to Persistent Absenteeism including: school climate, school safety, community safety and parental access to basic living needs.

• The unprecedented impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on students and families have been profound. To this extent, the implementation of strategies to support families includes ongoing community collaboration ensuring access to

technology, food security, housing, and mental health supports.

• By increasing the likelihood of student engagement the overall Persistent Absenteeism during the 2020-2021 academic year referrals increased by 56% due to COVID-19.

- Violence Prevention & Threat Assessment-

The Board continues to support school and community initiatives and partnerships that prioritize staff and student safety and aim to prevent violence, respond to threats of violence in a timely and effective manner.

• The VTRA (Violence Threat Risk Assessment) model was pursued without success by our Board and other Boards in the region due to different levels of readiness among staff and community partners. Moving forward, our Board continues to follow protocols in place with police to maximize student safety and respond to threats of violence.

• The Board has also been an active partner in supporting classroom-based approaches to violence prevention in partnership with local organizations.

• This past year we supported teacher implementation (Heath & Phys Ed, Religious Education, Guidance) of the Fourth R Healthy Relationships/Violence Prevention Program for grades 7-9.

• The Program has been shown to be effective in building healthy relationship skills and lowering risks of gender-based violence.

- Three Year Plans -

The Long Term Plans were monitored last year at various points in the school year. Some initiatives had to be postponed due to the continual supply teacher shortage.

- New Pedagogies for Deeper Learning (NPDL) -

Our Deep Learning sessions were offered to sixty NTIP teachers last year, elements of pedagogical practice, learning partnerships, customized learning environments, and strategies to leverage digital were introduced representing all of our schools K-12 during the 2021-2022 school year.

• The 6 Global Competencies were examined in correlation to Learning Skills, the Catholic Graduate expectations and the Anishnawbe Grandfather teachings.

• Due to the shortage of supply teachers, the participants were unable to moderate their Learning Designs as part of their collaborative inquiries.

• During the summer, four educators participated in the NPDL Facilitators Institute, growing our Deep Learning team.

- Summer Learning Program -

In an effort to reduce the summer learning gap, a Ministry summer learning initiative was delivered.

• The three-week program, offered from July 4th to 22nd, It was open to all student levels and various needs with a specific focus on literacy and numeracy.

• In partnership with Creative Therapy, a Kindergarten Skills program was also offered during the last two weeks of August to help prepare our Kinders for a successful transition to school. In total, almost 50 accessed our Summer Programs.

-Summer School -

This year, Summer school was offered to students. In addition, a reach-ahead program was offered.

- Early Years -

School educator teams received a refresher training on the Sound Skills program.

-Indigenous Transitions Wellness CampIndigenous Graduation Coaches and the incoming Grade 8 cohorts for our High Schools, came together for a transitions wellness camp.

• The focus of this two-week camp was supporting the mental health and wellness of the students and their families.

• Youth explored themes of self-care, cultural wellness, and the places in the community where they can access support. The camp also involved our new Mental Health Workers.

-French Immersion Summer Camp-

We were able to offer a one-week Summer Camp as a means to re-engage Elementary French Immersion students with oral language strategies along with the exploration of French Culture during the month of July. We had students participate from Grades 1-6.

- Empower ReadingThe evidence-based Empower Reading program is an early intervention program developed to assist children and adolescents with difficulties in reading and spelling, into independent, and flexible learners.

• Our Board has offered this program for over 15 years and we’re excited to train 6 new teachers to deliver the decoding program in the upcoming school year.

• We also will be training 4 teachers in senior elementary and high school, in the Empower Comprehension Program.

-Project SEARCH -

A Unique business-led, one-year, transition-to-work program for young people with developmental or intellectual disabilities.

• During the 2020-2021 planning year, we partnered with Thunder Bay Regional Health Science Centre and Community Living Thunder Bay to initiate the project.

• A site at TBRHSC was established, student selection occurred and staff was hired. All student interns will be ready to start in September 2022.

- Learning and Innovation Project -

The Learning and Innovation Project Fund (K-12) was a Ministry grant to support professional development, collaboration, learning, and sharing of effective practices.

• The 10 projects, funded through LIFT, were framed around components of Deep Learning and supported one of the Ministry’s priorities.

- Digital Human Library (dHL) -

A partnership with dHL provided teacher professional development opportunities and resource access.

• Included in our membership are opportunities to video conference with experts, explore virtual tours and virtual reality, attend live streaming events, and join social innovation projects.

• Professional learning and development sessions were offered to our Teacher Librarians, NTIP teachers along with our School Administrators.

- 3-Year French Plan -

• In the FSL Plan, the resumption of the Grade 12 DELF was able to be completed with 85 Grade 12 students successfully challenging this certification.

• Two pilot projects were launched in partnership with OPBSA. Both these initiatives support Goal 3 from the Ministry of Education to increase student, educator, parent and community engagement in FSL.

- Board Improvement Plan (BIPSA) -

Provincial wide Board Improvement Plans are beneficial in refining and assisting with student achievement and well-being for students and staff.

• With input and assistance from Principals and Student Achievement team members, our BIPSA provides a roadmap of ways to progress and grow in improvement and future planning.

• As mandated by the Ministry, our Board is working on the development of a Board Improvement and Equity Plan (BIEP) which will replace the BIPSA. The BIEP will be launched during THE 202223 school year.

-EQAO -

During the 2021-2022 school year OSSLT testing resumed and the test was successfully administered at secondary sites in our Board.

• EQAO Gr. 9 Math along with Language and Numeracy in Grades 3 and 6 were resumed. It is important to note that there were significant changes in the administration and content of the test which will make it difficult to make comparisons to other years’ data.

• Attached are our Regional EQAO Results and our Gr. 3 and 6 EQAO Results.

SUPPORTING collaboration

ENSURE CONSISTENCY AND ENCOURAGE ONGOING IMPROVEMENT

- Day Treatment Program, Elementary -

Day treatment is offered for our Elementary students at Our Lady of Charity School (grades 3-6), in conjunction with Children’s Centre Thunder Bay (CCTB).

• Students hindered by social, emotional, and/or behavioural struggles in which their academic success is obstructed, are able to benefit from this modified academic programming.

• This program was reviewed in 2021/2022 with CCTB to discuss strategies which will enhance the program and review the memorandum of understanding.

- Coordinator for Indigenous Education -

Our Coordinator has been supporting the work of the Indigenous Education Department staff and provided resources and support.

• She met regularly with the Indigenous Student Counsellors, Indigenous Graduation Coaches, and the Resource Teachers. She has also worked with Ojibwe language teachers.

• Our Coordinator also assisted Thunder Bay Police with their Organizational Change Project.

• She also represents the school Board on various Indigenous advisory committees with community partners such as Science North and Confederation College.

- Programming -

Several successful programs were developed throughout the year, assisting educators and schools to build cultural awareness and provide strategies to support Indigenous students.

• Land-based programming was offered to Grade four and five students at Our Lady of Charity. Activities included dog-sledding, traditional medicine teachings, and nature walks.

• Indigenous Language classes and Indigenous Studies programs are offered to our students The Ojibwe Language program is offered at twelve schools. Ojibwe Language Teachers are offered professional development to assist them in understanding the curriculum expectations.

• Indigenous studies credits offered at the secondary level include Grade 11 English: Understanding Contemporary First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Voices and Grade 9 Visual Arts: Expressions of Indigenous Culture.

• Days which are culturally and nationally significant are honoured. Schools participate in events annually which recognize National Indigenous Peoples Day, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Treaties Recognition Week, and in the National Day of Remembrance at Fort William First Nation. Other significant dates which are recognized are Day of Action for Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls, National Indigenous Veterans Day.

- Partnership with Biwaase’aa ProgramBiwaase’aa, is an in-school and after-school program for Indigenous elementary students and families

• The program supports the social, emotional, physical and cognitive well-being of Indigenous students through a focus on life skills, cultural awareness, academic mentoring, structured social activities and healthy nutrition.

• St. Ann and Our Lady of Charity currently have this program embedded daily in their schools. This past year we expanded to include St. Vincent school.

- Identity Based Research Project -

• In partnership with Dr. Lisa Korteweg, a professor at Lakehead University, we completed an Identity-based research project, funded by the Ministry of Education, to examine potential systemic barriers to the voluntary self-identification of Indigenous students and staff.

• The data collected in the research provided a foundation and guide to the Indigenous Cultural Safety and equity-focussed work within the Board.

- Indigenous Counsellors -

To provide direct support to our high school and senior elementary school students, Indigenous Student Counsellors are on site.

• Student Counsellors support students transitioning to our schools from northern communities, and offer school-based mentoring, leadership and cultural programs.

• Indigenous Student Counsellors are members of school mental health and well-being teams and work closely with guidance departments, school mental health professionals, and our Mental Health Lead.

- Indigenous Grad Coaches -

The Indigenous Graduation Coaches have been providing support and programming for Indigenous students at St. Patrick and St. Ignatius High schools.

• This past school year, the Board received funding to pilot an Indigenous Graduation Coach program in a senior elementary school until December 2022.

• The Indigenous Grad Coaches provide academic, social, and emotional support to Indigenous students. They work closely with the Indigenous Student Counsellor, and with community organizations to provide academic programming, mentorship and cultural learning, lunch and after-school programs.

- Cultural Rooms -

Cultural rooms offer our students a quiet place of contemplation, ceremony and community.

• Two new cultural rooms created for St. Ann and Bishop Gallagher.

• A new Cultural room is planned and budgeted for St. Jude.

- Programming -

Indigenous Language classes and Indigenous Studies programs are offered to our students, with the Ojibway Language program expanding further, reaching more schools.

• Programming is offered to our Ojibway Language Teachers, assisting in understanding the curriculum expectations.

• Professional Development is in partnership with Lakehead University’s Indigenous Language Instructor Program.

• Together with programming, cultural celebrations also occur within our schools, and we participate annually in National Indigenous Peoples Day, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Treaties Recognition Week, and in the National Day of Remembrance at Fort William First Nation.

- Indigenous Education Council (IEC) -

With guidance from our Indigenous Education Council (formerly the Indigenous Education Advisory Committee), Indigenous programming and services are designed and expanded. The Council provides direction and vision as it relates to Indigenous student success.

- Self-Identification-

Voluntary self-identification of Indigenous ancestry is an excellent opportunity for students to declare their culture and background.

• This additional knowledge provides information to our Board and schools, assisting in utilizing resources to support Indigenous student success.

• All Staff were given the opportunity to self-identify during the Identity Based Research Project.

- Full Day Kindergarten at Fort William First Nation -

Full Day Kindergarten is offered at Fort William First Nation as a satellite campus of St. Ann school. This project was launched in September 2018 and continues to educate students in the 2020-2021 school year. The program has been successful, particularly in cultural programming, with an increase in student attendance and an improvement in student language and speech.

- International Student Program -

Partnered with MLI, a company that specializes in the recruitment of International students.

ENDURING sustainability

- Identify, Develop & Support Leaders -

Leadership plays a pivotal role in any organization.

• Implementation of a Board Leadership Development Strategy (BLDS) is extremely imperative in the roles of Principal and Vice Principal.

• Focusing on mentoring aspiring and experienced leaders is imperative in succession planning and performance appraisal. Unfortunately, the Ministry put a pause on funding this program for the 2021-22 school year.

• We are in the process of reviewing the Aspiring Leadership Program with the intention of finding innovative ways to support it through our own funds.

- Resource SupportBoard Resource staff follow a two-tiered system of support for students considered at risk academically.

DEMONSTRATE THE VALUE OF SUPPORTING CATHOLIC EDUCATION

• One level focuses on the teachers and the other on the students themselves. Support for staff includes capacity building in Literacy and Numeracy and Indigenous world views, to help increase performance at all levels for all students.

• Our Literacy, Numeracy and French Resource teachers co-plan, co-teach and co-debrief with classroom teachers to strengthen content area understanding and instructional strategies.

• An emphasis on improving teacher pedagogy, including the integration of Deep Learning, is a focus for this team.

• The Indigenous Student Support Teacher works directly with students to inquire and discover which learning strategies work best for which students.

• Our English Language Learner Teachers work to support student culture and to strengthen language development and learning skills.

• Our Indigenous Education Resource Teacher worked with teachers to infuse Indigenous worldviews into classroom work, bringing Indigenous perspectives into the curriculum. Part of the role includes highlighting resources that teachers can use to support the integration of the TRC Calls to Action within their practice.

• Our Resource SSPs, provide support to staff and students in the areas of ABA, technology support and communication support.

• Our Resource ECE provides support to ELKP educators in programming, self-regulation, and assessment.

• Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the reallocation of resource staff, not all staff support was available consistently throughout the 2021-2022 school year.

- Special Education Teacher & Student Support -

In order to remain up to date on topics relating to Special Education, Board resource staff attend professional development conferences and participate regularly in RSEC (Regional Special Education Committee) meetings to share best practices and resources.

• Resource staff facilitated virtual sessions for all school special education teachers addressing: Ministry or Board initiatives, changes or additions to current regulations or processes, data sharing and reports on current trends as well as training in new special education software, assessments, and intervention programs.

• Supporting students with special education needs is a priority. We ensure fairness and inclusivity, creating a sense of belonging, where students are motivated to meet their greatest potential.

• Support for struggling learners follows a ‘Response to Intervention’ approach which applies the appropriate Tier level of 1, 2, or 3. This is accomplished by having a process in place for inschool special education teams to monitor and assess student progress and make next step referrals to Board-level support and then to more focussed interventions provided by special Board programs, or agency partnerships.

• An area of great attention and focus this year has been on the OHRC Right to Read Inquiry and the benefit of a Structured Literacy approach to instruction. The hiring of an additional Early Intervention Teacher ensures that as many struggling Grade 1 and Grade 2 students as possible receive the Fundations program, a tier 2 intervention.

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Ensuring Continuous Renewal of Facilities -

TBCDSB Plant Department and Capital Project Planning Team planned for a busy 2021-2022 project season, as the previous two years were challenging due to supply chain issues and the COVID-19 Pandemic. The following list illustrate projects that were completed throughout the year:

• St. Patrick Science Rooms - State of the art science rooms with chemical storage and classroom space.

• New Boiler Plants at St. Martins, St. Ann and St.Jude Schools. Continuing to invest in our elite Automated HVAC System.

• New culture rooms at St. Jude and Bishop Gallagher were designed and constructed with great detail to respect and honour Indigenous culture.

• New roof replacement at Pope John Paul II School.

• Multiple playgrounds, outdoor classrooms, turf projects and asphalt projects were completed to promote outdoor learning and play for our students and staff.

• Secure Access has been completed in 80% of our sites through the creation of vestibules, locked doors and entry cameras/tablets.

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Ensuring Quality Technology -

Technology is a priority for Thunder Bay Catholic and our Information Technology Team is committed to providing support to staff and device rollout. The following are some of the initiatives, investments and projects that were prioritized in 2021-2022:

• Completed Elementary Teacher Chromebook Deployment

• Expedited Deployment of 1-1 Chromebooks for Senior Elementary and Grade 9 Students Board Wide a year early. This was a significant investment illustrating the Boards commitment to utilizing technology.

• Principals and Vice Principals PC Launch

• IT is continuing the improvement of Technology in the classroom by installing new 75” Televisions and supporting technology to improve the student experience in our classrooms.

• Cybersecurity and Technology is at the forefront for IT as our team continues to improve protection for staff, students and systems.

• Investment in Wifi and connectivity has been a priority through purchase and installation of new access points in all of our sites.

• VOIP Phone Rollout remains a priority as more sites are being activated.

• NTIP, (New Teacher Induction Program) facilitated leveraging digital sessions for new teachers on the use of new and current approved software focussing on the role this can have to enhance the learning environment.

- Increasing Environmental Friendliness -

Schools continued to develop their gardens and water bottle filling stations were added to reduce waste and highlight how an individual’s actions can make an impact on the environment.

- Health and Safety Performance Improvement -

Our Board values the health and safety of our students, staff and guests. In order to remain safe, and prevent injuries

• The Board continued to respond to the pandemic by working closely with the Ministry of Education, Public Health Ontario and Thunder Bay District Health Unit. Staff and students continued to receive masks and rapid antigen tests throughout the school year.

• Thunder Bay Catholic continued to invest in top quality disinfectant, hand sanitizer and cleaning products. Our custodial group continued to go above and beyond ensuring spaces were safe and clean. Additional portable HEPA filtration units were deployed throughout our Board.

- Pandemic Committee -

The Pandemic Committee was called into effect in March, 2020. The objective of the Pandemic Committee was to ensure clear communication, preparedness, effective problem-solving and to support learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• The Committee continued to meet on a monthly basis throughout the school year in order to ensure all pandemic response measures were in place.

- Ensuring Board Governance and a Balanced Budget -

We continually implement and verify that we are in compliance with new Ministry directives and legislation.

• Together, our Board supports the work of our Trustees in the development and review of policies and procedural by-laws and through professional development sessions.

• Together, with Senior Team, we implement the recommendations of the Operational Review, the internal and external audit committees, and Risk Management feedback in a timely manner.

- Special Education -

An area of great attention and focus this year has been on the OHRC Right to Read Inquiry and its recommendations.

• As we follow it closely we have begun the process of developing a 3-year early identification and intervention plan that was initiated in the 2021-22 school year.

• The Special Education 3 yr Plan includes the following priorities: Tiered Early Intervention including Structured Literacy and Math Interventions, Consistency in the monitoring and accountability of IEP development and implementation and the IPRC process and, implementation of Essential Skills programming at senior elementary and second-level within special education programs.

The following actions were also initiated in the 2021-2022 school year:

• The Primary Heggerty Phonological Awareness Program was introduced and all grade 1 teachers were trained in the program. The program was also purchased and distributed to the Grade 2 teachers for those who wanted a head start on the training planned for this school year.

• Special Education Teachers were provided with the Bridge the Gap Program, a reading intervention program for students grade 3 to 12.

• We began the implementation of the Developmental Disabilities Pilot, Project Search, by securing our host business, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and community partner, Community Living Thunder Bay. The first cohort of students were identified, staffing complement established and program specific staff training was started. This program will be delivered on site in a classroom at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. It will offer a fully immersive learning and work opportunity for students with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. Wrap around supports will be in place to support the transition into the world of work upon program completion.

- Intake and Assessment, Early Years -

Several methods of assessment are used in the early years, identifying next steps, further assessment, specialized intervention or ongoing monitoring.

• Ages and Stages Screening Tool, Sounds Skills Screener, Brigance screens and the updated, revised Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-Third Edition (WIAT- III), are some of the tools used to help identify academic strengths and weaknesses of a student. These screening tools help to make decisions regarding eligibility for educational services.

• A practice started during school closures, and carried over into this year, our Special Education teachers contacted each newly registered family and completed a condensed version of the ASQ to ensure that we were prepared to meet the needs of our incoming students.

- Students with Autism -

Due to the transition of the Ontario Autism Program to new programs that had not yet been implemented, specifically the Early Entry Program and Core Services, we had a select number of students whose high needs were met by the Board contracting ABA services from several local agencies. Qualified ABA therapists developed plans and provided direct services within our school settings.

This year our Board was funded by the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Children and Youth Services, to support the Ontario Autism Program. Much of the funding was used to support the training and professional development of staff, as well as the transitions of students from school to school. The funds also supported a Board Autism Consultant position and a School Based Behaviour Lead whom we contracted from a partner agency. This Lead was able to work with students with challenging behaviours, mentor Board staff, and work directly with families to support in the home.

CONNECTING communities

ENSURING ALL PARENTS & CAREGIVERS FEEL WELCOMED & INVOLVED

- Communication and the Pandemic -

Communication, especially throughout a global pandemic, remained a priority for our Board.

• Ensuring staff, students and families were aware of the changing situation was imperative.

• Positive communication continues to be of great importance.

• Utilizing various social media platforms, our website and SchoolMessenger, we continue to send informative messages and good news stories across our system.

• Communication with our external and internal audience is vital in creating a warm, inclusive and transparent environment for all.

• Utilizing social media, especially Facebook and Instagram, provides an effective and immediate way to connect.

- COVID-19 Food Distribution -

Throughout the months of the COVID-19 pandemic, TBCDSB supported Roots to Harvest in the distribution of food to families in need.

• Each week, a few of the dedicated members of our Student Achievement team, volunteered after school hours to hand out substantial bags of food that were assembled by Roots to Harvest.

• With school closures, this important initiative was essential to many of our families who normally relied on breakfast and lunch programs to feed their children.

ENSURING

equity

FAIRNESS AND INCLUSION THROUGHOUT OUR BOARD

Embracing inclusion and fairness throughout our Board, we continue to work and establish a variety of initiatives supporting equity.

• System administration established direction for our schools and monitored their progress closely. Teachers, support staff, parents and students partnered together to implement these initiatives such as: Natural Helpers, We Day Student Conference, Choices Programming, Student Advisory Council and Student Senates, Indigenous Educational art projects and an Indigenous Studies Course.

• The formation of many inclusive groups including, Gender and Sexuality Alliance, Positive Space and Rainbow Alliance create spaces for engagement in social justice work, inclusion, and celebrate diversity throughout the school communities.

• All system and school leaders are engaged in the School Improvement Planning, with a focus on student wellbeing. Principals are directed to establish and maintain a safe and accepting school committee and many of these groups assist with this improvement.

• Our Board has created a de-streaming team and participated in various Ministry workshops building capacity in our Board while preparing our schools to increase educator capacity, student engagement, achievement and well-being.

• As a Board, we are finding ways to make cultural shifts identifying and dismantle systemic discrimination and structural inequities.

- Trades, Entrepreneurship & Further Programming -

Through programming such as Ontario Youth Apprenticeship (OYAP) and Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM), Co-Operative Education (Coop), Aboriginal Youth Entrepreneurship Program (AYEP), Dual Credit, and Advanced Placement Programs, our students have amazing opportunities at their disposal.

• Conferences and programming aimed towards women and Indigenous students are becoming recurrent, with positive role models and entrepreneurs inspiring them to get involved in the career of trades.

• Growing partnerships with sector-specific employers provide students with the opportunity to build tradespecific skills and knowledge. This allows students to develop a direct connection between dual credit courses and their placement as a viable career pathway. It allows students to experience post-secondary education, while earning secondary school credit and college credit.

• We have 12 SHSM programs successfully running. We received enhanced funding to offer additional sections of manufacturing, hospitality and cooperative education to increase SHSM participation.

• These programs have seen an increase in student enrollment along with an increase in SHSM completion rates as they provide opportunities for students to participate in sector-specific experiential learning, reach ahead and industry applicable certification and training.

• Students graduating with an SHSM red seal on their diploma, transitioned to a post-secondary pathway with applicable skills, training, education and experience. We also received expansion funding to support the development of a TBCDSB SHSM Website. This innovative website design will allow students, teachers and families to track SHSM program progress.

• Continuing to strengthening our partnerships with post-secondary institutions provides increased opportunities for guided tours of various institutions, classrooms, and shops; along with presentations and workshops have been provided to students at both high schools and alternative education programs.

ENROLMENT

Corpus Christi - 231

Holy Cross - 349

Holy Family - 381

Our Lady of Charity - 134 St. Ann - 221

St Bernard (Eng) - 201 St Bernard (FI) - 336 St. Elizabeth - 265 St. Francis - 159 St. Jude - 149 St. Margaret - 177 St. Martin (Eng) - 226 St. Martin (FI) - 334 St. Paul - 148 St. Pius X - 241

St. Thomas Aquinas - 194 St. Vincent - 131

TOTAL GRADE JK TO 6 - 3,877

Bishop E Q Jennings - 235

Bishop Gallagher - 256

Pope John Paul II - 555

TOTAL GRADE 7 to 8 - 1,046

TOTAL ELEMENTARY - 4,923

St. Ignatius - 1,073

St. Patrick - 1,075

TOTAL SECONDARY - 2,148

TOTAL ALL STUDENTS - 7,071

2021-2022 Expenditures

2021-2022

at a glance OUR BOARD

2021-2022 SENIOR ADMINISTRATION

SENIOR TEAM

Front row, Pino Tassone, Director of Education; From Left to right : Sheila Chiodo, Superintendent of Business & Corporate Services, Allison Sargent, Left: Superintendent of Education; Jean-Paul Tennier, Superintendent of Education, Omer Belisle, Superintendent of Education;

DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION: Pino Tassone

SUPERINTENDENT OF BUSINESS AND CORPORATE SERVICES: Sheila Chiodo

SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION:

Omer Belisle

SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION: Jean-Paul Tennier

SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION: Allison Sargent

MANAGER OF EMPLOYEE SERVICES: Chad Rojik

FAITH LEADER:

Fr. Ciarán Donnelly

COMMUNICATIONS TEAM:

Alexandra Franków, Communications Officer

Brent Mandryk, Manager of Business Services

IN LOVING memory

PHIL PELLETIER

November 28, 1960 - December 16, 2021

In December of 2021, our dear friend and Board Trustee, Phil Pelletier, fell asleep in the arms of the Creator.

Phil served on the Board of Trustees for 25 years, dedicating his life to Catholic Education and the betterment of student pedagogy.

His kindness was illustrated through his actions and words and his calm demeanour was felt by all, especially children. This past year we have felt an indescribable emptiness; we have missed his contagious laugh and loving spirit.

It has been a difficult past two years losing members of our Board family. Although they are gone, they are never forgotten.

We are incredibly blessed to have Phil’s legacy live on, as his daughter Sarah, has earned his Trustee position.

This 2021-2022 Director’s Report is dedicated to Phil. We know he is safe and loved in the paradise of the Creator.

THUNDER BAY CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOO L BOARD

This is Us!

www.tbcschools.ca