By Pepper Parr
May 4th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton District School Board joins school boards across Ontario in celebrating Education Week from May 4-8, 2020. This year, the HDSB will celebrate Education Week through a different lens each day to focus on the importance of schools, staff, families and the community working together to support the well-being and success of students.
Students at Bateman high school in a cooking competition with fire fighters – the kids won.
“While we may be learning differently right now, Education Week provides an opportunity for us to demonstrate how we are working together and doing our best to keep the continuity of learning in supporting students at the Halton District School Board,” says Stuart Miller, Director of Education for the HDSB.
“Without question, student success and well-being is a partnership among schools, parents/guardians and the community. The current COVID-19 situation exemplifies it more than ever. During Education Week, we celebrate students and staff, and we also want to take the opportunity to acknowledge the support our HDSB families have been providing their children during these many weeks of teacher-led distance learning,” adds Miller.
Monday, May 4 – Emphasizing the #HDSBstillconnected social media campaign to foster support among Halton District School Board staff, students and families during the Ontario school closure. The campaign demonstrates that although we cannot be together right now, we are still connected.
Tuesday, May 5 – Engagement & Achievement: The HDSB will highlight how students engage in their learning, school, and community, and how staff contribute to a collaborative learning environment.
Wednesday, May 6 – Stewardship & Resources: The ways in which students are provided with innovative and creative opportunities and supported through technology and resources within accessible and equitable environments will be explored.
Thursday, May 7 – Equity & Well-Being: Examples will be shared of how the HDSB strives to provide an inclusive and caring learning environment while advancing a culture of respect that supports the
well-being of all students and reflects the changing needs of school communities.
Friday, May 8 – Celebrating Excellence: On the final day of Education Week, the HDSB is celebrating the accomplishments and successes of HDSB students and staff.
The Board is proud to recognize the success of students through its annual Celebration of Student Excellence event on Thursday, May 14. Given the current school closure, this will be a ‘virtual’ event that will start at 7 p.m. Each year, one student per school is honoured for their excellence in academics, athletics, self-improvement, community work, citizenship or student leadership. A link to the ‘livestream’ of the ceremony will be on the homepage of the HDSB website (www.hdsb.ca).
This is what the Halton District School Board has to say about the week during the year that we look at what we have managed to do in educating the students that are going to be tomorrow’s leaders.
Is that all that is going to come out of the world facing the biggest pandemic we have every experienced – and the experience isn’t over yet.
What will we be doing differently this time next year?
Students answering survey questions about school closings while their parents debate with school board officials in the same room.
What will the students take away from this experience?
What will the parents take away from it – along with a deep appreciation for what those teachers do day in and day out?
What will teachers know in a year that they do not know now?
While we struggle to meet the educational needs for a situation we did not see coming our way – there is more to our reaction to the disease than appreciating the students that are being recognized by their schools.
