Ed Centre Staff Gain a New Perspective on Familiar Territory Staff at the Education Centre gained a new perspective on familiar territory on May 9 as they took part in sighted guide training. About 40 Waterloo Region District School Board staff members joined Alyssa Clelland, a blind
School Councils: Dedicated to Supporting Students School Councils in the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) play an integral role, as they provide the direct voice and connection to the community we serve every day. They are the champions of their schools – working diligently to fundraise and
Our Schools, Their Journey Before we bid farewell to our Class of 2019, we asked graduates from all sixteen of our secondary schools and our alternative education sites to reflect on their WRDSB journey – the people who inspired them, the advice they would give to
WRDSB Conference Helps Students Find Their Voice For two months, secondary students across our district worked hard developing their ideas to increase student engagement in their schools. In April, they presented their ideas to WRDSB staff, trustees, community members and their peers as part of Phase 2
Student Film Takes Centre Stage at the Charlies Student filmmakers from across Waterloo Region came together for the 48th annual Charlie Awards Film Festival, hosted at the Original Princess Cinema in Waterloo, in April. The event celebrates films made by students in the public, coterminous and private schools
Cooking Up French Language Skills at Elizabeth Ziegler The smell of freshly baked cookies and the sound of French music was in the air at Elizabeth Ziegler Public School in Waterloo in April, as students were treated to a unique French language learning opportunity. Throughout that week,
Learning from the Land at the WRDSB Students in the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) aren’t confining their learning to the classroom, thanks to Land Based Indigenous Studies. Nicole Robinson, equity and inclusion officer – Indigenous focus with the WRDSB, explained that this program aims
WRDSB Prioritizes Equity and Diversity in the Workplace The sun was shining bright as students from Eastwood Collegiate Institute transformed the Kitchener Market into a learning space for all on Friday, June 21 to help mark National Indigenous Peoples Day. Students and members of the public had the chance to take part
WRDSB Prioritizes Equity and Diversity in the Workplace In April 2019, the WRDSB launched the Workforce Census in order to gain detailed insight as to the cultural, social and demographic makeup of our workforce. Peter Rubenschuh, superintendent, Student Achievement and Well-Being, helped to lead the Workforce Census campaign and explained it’s part
Award Recognizes Superintendent’s Contribution and Dedication to Education Sitting in her office adorned with memories from her career at the Waterloo Region District School Board, Coordinating Superintendent Lila Read (now Associate Director) reflected on the path that led her to this position. When she started nearly
Students Bring the Bookshelf to the Hallway at Southwood At first glance, it may look like a bookshelf in a library, but it’s actually a hallway at Southwood Secondary School in Cambridge. The striking artwork is the result of months of work by the Paint a Book
A Teacher’s Personal Path to Reconciliation In 2019, students in Ed Piva’s Grade 8 class at Linwood Public School studied The Secret Path, learning about the journey Chanie Wenjack took 50 years ago. Chanie Wenjack died at 12 years old while walking the 400 miles home
Howard Robertson Plants the Roots of Community in Kinzie Park The morning sun shone brightly over Kinzie Park in Kitchener in September, as students from Howard Robertson Public School worked to transform the space and plant ten trees in partnership with Love My Hood and the
Educating the Educators: Indigenizing Music Education The eyes of educators and community members alike were glued to Niki Kazemzadeh, an elementary music teacher at Millen Woods Public School, as she presented her learnings on Indigenizing Music Education at the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) Education
KCI Students Working to Address Period Poverty One in ten girls in Sub-Saharan Africa will miss school because she does not have a way to manage her period. In Brazil, this number is three in ten. A small group of girls at Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate Institute (KCI) is
Every School. Every Day. Period. Waterloo Region District School Board is taking on period poverty in every school. Period poverty exists in 88 percent of secondary schools in the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB). Over 80 percent of schools reported providing menstrual products to students weekly.
Students climb the ladder of success at the WRDSB We believe that for our students, the ladder of success is best climbed by stepping on the rungs of opportunity. At the Waterloo Region District School Board, our goal is to extend that ladder to each and
A New Home for the Mavericks at Janet Metcalfe PS The official opening of Janet Metcalfe PS brought together students, staff, families and special guests to celebrate the 121st school in the Waterloo Region District School Board. Janet Metcalfe PS opened its doors to students and staff
Students Speak Up at VOICES Conference The VOICES Conference brought students from all sixteen of our secondary schools, and our U-Turn program together to brainstorm ideas to overcome barriers to student engagement they experience at school. These 65 students come from different backgrounds and lived experiences.
Half Century of Outdoor Education in the WRDSB In 2019, we celebrated 50 years of Outdoor education in the WRDSB. It began in a single portable at Laurel Creek Conservation Area in 1969 and has grown over five decades to four permanent sites across the
Students Live Proud at 9th annual GSA Conference Decked out in pink shirts for #PinkShirtDay, students, educators and community partners from across Waterloo Region packed into Bingemans Conference Centre for the 9th annual Gender and Sexuality Awareness (GSA) Conference. Hosted in partnership with KW Counselling Services
Kicking Off Pride Week at WCI The raising of the Pride Flag signalled the beginning of Pride Week at Waterloo Collegiate Institute (WCI) on Monday, June 3, 2019. The 10°C weather didn’t cool the spirits of the Vikings who turned out en masse to witness the raising
Classic Car Show Inspires Tech Students at Glenview Park Revving engines and shining chrome overwhelmed the senses at Glenview Park Secondary School in Cambridge in May, as their almost annual car show got underway. This year’s automotive gathering marks the seventh time this event has taken place
$100,000 Loran Scholarship for Cameron Heights Student We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Meena Waseem, a Grade 12 student from Cameron Heights Collegiate Institute (CHCI), who is one of 35 winners, from more than 5,000 applicants, to receive a prestigious Loran Award in 2019.
Students Showcase Their Skills At Provincial Competition Students from the Waterloo Region District School Board brought home one silver and two gold medals from the Skills Ontario Competition held on May 6-8, 2019 at the Toronto Congress Centre. A total of 17 students from the WRDSB competed
Continuous Improvement; A Continuous Journey Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) assessment results for reading, writing and mathematics show continuous improvement since the implementation of the board’s strategic plan in 2016, according to results released by the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO). “Our students are getting a quality, world-class education,” said
Students Build Interest in Engineering at Centennial Students were teaching students at Centennial Public School in Waterloo on Friday, November 22, as University of Waterloo (UW) engineering students led a series of workshops designed to introduce grade 7 and 8 students to concepts in engineering, math and
Collaboration is Key for Math Class at Waterloo Collegiate Institute At 8:15 am the bell rings, and students begin to file into class, signalling the beginning of another typical day at Waterloo Collegiate Institute (WCI), but this certainly isn’t a typical math class. One look around the
