Ottawa-Carleton District School Board Explained

Ottawa-Carleton District School Board
Country:Canada
Coordinates:45.3322°N -75.78°W
Chair Of The Board:Lyra Evans
Director Of Education:Pino Buffone
Free Label2:Student trustees
Free Text2:Emma Hong
Malaika Kamanzi[1]
Schools:113 elementary schools
25 secondary schools
5 secondary alternative program sites[2]
Budget:CA$974.3 million (2018-2019)[3]
District Id:B66184

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB, known as English-language Public District School Board No. 25 prior to 1999[4]) refers to both the institution responsible for the operation of all English public schools in the city of Ottawa, Ontario and its governing body. Like most school boards, the OCDSB is administered by a group of elected trustees and one director selected and appointed by the Board itself. Additionally, annually, two student trustees are selected per provincial regulation.

Every four years, within the context of the Ottawa municipal elections, an election is held within each of Ottawa's twelve trustee electoral zones to elect each trustee. Following election and annually thereafter, the board of trustees holds its organizational meeting, where the Board membership elects two of its members to the positions of chair and vice-chair of the Board. Chairs and membership of each of the Board's committees are also determined as part of the organizational meeting. In addition to the twelve trustees, two student trustees are elected by their peers, providing opportunities for the student body to become informed and involved in Board governance.

History

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board was created on 1 January 1998 in accordance with Ontario provincial government legislation including merging of the former adjacent Carleton Board of Education and the Ottawa Board of Education. The headquarters of the amalgamated school district is located at the former headquarters of the Carleton Board of Education at 133 Greenbank Road, Nepean.

Historically, and to this day, the OCDSB is one of the very few school boards in Ontario with an advisory council on the arts providing input and annual reports to the board of trustees.

In 2009-2010 the OCDSB tried to shut down the Alternative program, a group of students and parents from Lady Evelyn Alt teamed up with a trustee and won the Review.

In 2017 a family was awarded approximately $3,000 after winning a lawsuit against the OCDSB over the board's failure to take a student's complaints about bullying seriously.[5]

In 2018 two former students filed lawsuits against the OCDSB for failing its "legal duty to provide for the safety of its students".[6]

In 2019 an investigation was launched to look into what ultimately resulted in three sex offense charges against OCDSB teacher Majed Turk in July 2020. The alleged incidents occurred between September and November 2019.[7]

As of 2020, there were ongoing lawsuits filed against the OCDSB for the sexual abuse of its students by now deceased teacher and Bell High School basketball coach, Donald Greenham.[8]

In 2022 a disciplinary panel with the Ontario College of Teachers found former OCDSB teacher Peter Des Brisay guilty of professional misconduct after sexually abusing a former student in the late 1990s.[9]

Schools and programs

The OCDSB has 147 school sites (117 elementary, 25 secondary including the Adult High School, plus five secondary alternate sites). Schools within the OCDSB provide English with Core French, Alternative, Early French Immersion, Middle French Immersion, Late French Immersion, Special Education, IEP's and gifted program.[10]

Finances

The OCDSB has an operating budget of $784.8 million for the 2010–2011 school year. In 2007, the school busses belonging to the OCDSB and the co-terminus catholic school board were taken over by a new corporation: The Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (See external link, below)

Demographics

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board is the largest school board in Eastern Ontario, serving students within the City of Ottawa, covering an area of . The OCDSB is the seventh largest district by school population in the province of Ontario. Enrolment as of 31 October 2007 totalled 72,388 students (47,099 elementary and 25,455 secondary).

The District has 2,711 full-time equivalent (FTE) elementary teachers and 1,337 secondary teachers, as of 31 October 2007, with 238 principals and vice-principals. In addition to the full-time teachers, approximately 2,494 teachers are on the district's occasional teachers list. The OCDSB also has 2,059 administrative and support staff of whom 1,817 work in the schools.

The chair of the OCDSB is Lyra Evans.

Trustees

The following is a list of trustees elected to the school board since its creation.

Election Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4 Zone 5 Zone 6 Zone 7 Zone 8 Zone 9 Zone 10 Zone 11 Zone 12
Lynn Scott Jim Libbey Norm MacDonald Alex Getty Patty Anne Hill Russ Jackson Pam Morse Sheryl MacDonald Lynn Graham Albert Chambers Andrew Lam Cynthia Bled
Margaret Lange Myrna Laurenceson Joan Spice Brian Gifford David Moen
2003Alex Getty Bronwyn Funiciello Greg Laws
David Primeau
Alex GettyPam FitzGerald John Shea Rob Campbell
Mark Fisher Douglas Lloyd Pam Morse
Donna Blackburn Mark Fisher Shirley Seward Katie Holtzhauer
Christine Boothby
Anita Olsen Harper Chris Ellis Keith Penny Erica Braunovan Sandra Schwartz
Wendy Hough Rob Campbell Jennifer Jennekens Lyra Evans Mark Fisher
Justine Bell
Alysha AzizSuzanne NashAmanda PresleyLyra EvansDonna DicksonNili Kaplan-MyrthMatthew LeeCathryne Milburn
Notes

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Student Trustees .
  2. Web site: 2019-2020 Director's Annual Report to the Community. OCDSB.ca . Ottawa-Carleton District School Board . 27 November 2021 . 1.
  3. Web site: 2018-2018 Director's Annual Report to the Community . OCDSB.ca . Ottawa-Carleton District School Board . 29 September 2019 . 1.
  4. Web site: Ontario Regulation 107/08. e-Laws. Government of Ontario. 15 April 2014.
  5. News: Family who successfully sued school board over bullying claims shares story CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2018-11-07. en-US.
  6. News: Former students sue board over alleged abuse by music teacher CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2018-11-07. en-US.
  7. News: OCDSB teacher charged with sex offences CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2020-07-02. en-US.
  8. News: Ireton. Julie. 8 July 2020. Ontario school board found 'vicariously liable' in sexual abuse case. CBC News. 1 September 2021.
  9. News: Ireton. Julie. 27 May 2022. Retired Ottawa teacher sanctioned for sexual abuse of student in 1990s. CBC News. 26 July 2022.
  10. Ottawa-Carleton District School Board . Strategic Directions – A Report to the Community – Fall 2007 .