Hillcrest H.S. School Council - Parent led

For graduating students and their families…. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/LR7j7RcmDTB3ZA8X/?mibextid=WC7FNe

Registration for Fairy Godmother Ottawa 2024 is now open! Do you need a prom dress, but can’t afford one? Get a prom dress and accessories for free at our pop-up prom shop.

The shop will be open two days—Monday, April 8th from 12-8 PM, and Tuesday, April 9th from 12-7 PM. Book your appointment today!

Check out this link for the Class of 2024 fundraiser.

Pints for Hillcrest Prom 2024! Support Hillcrest's 2024 Prom! How does it work? Pick your ice cream pints from the dropdown list above. You can choose dairy and vegan (non-dairy) flavours! All ice cream pint orders from the Hillcrest Prom 2024 online store will include the official Hillcrest fundraising label! All ice cream pints...

Reminder: School Council. Tomorrow night. In the library. 7PM. Be there or be square.
(unfortunatly not online)

Reminder: Council Meeting tomorrow night. 7PM, the library.

Mark your calendars! Schedule for 2023-24 Council Meetings. All meetings are in the library at 7PM.
Sept 27 - Hybrid Meeting
Oct 25
Nov 33
Jan 24
Feb 28
Mar 27
April 24
May 22

Council meeting tomorrow night! Wednesday - 7PM in the library.

Our next council meeting is May 24th, 7PM in person in the library! On the agenda we will be discussing gardening, fundraising and plans for next year. All are welcome.

Our next council meeting will be April 26, IN PERSON! Join us in the library at 7PM

Our next council meeting will be Feb 22 ONLINE:

Video call link:

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DID YOU KNOW? The OCDSB is currently developing the strategic plan for 2023-2027. The opportunity to provide feedback is NOW!
https://www.ocdsb.ca/about_us/strategic_plan/2023-2027_strategic_plan_planning_process

If you have questions/concerns/thoughts about OCDSB priorities, you should make time to participate. Want to know more about what the purpose of the strategic plan is? Here you go! https://www.ocdsb.ca/about_us/strategic_plan

Strategic Plan Champion high learning expectations for all students in all programs. Promote collaborative environments which foster innovation and creativity. Modernize instruction and administrative processes.

Thanks to all who attended our meeting last night. Lots of great discussion about course selection, gardening, exams, and school climate - as well as some super updates from Student Council and Student Senate. Here are the approved minutes of our November meeting if you are looking for some inspiration to attend our next one:

hillcresths.ocdsb.ca

Hillcrest School Council Meeting tonight!
7:00 – 9:00pm
Google Meet joining info

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Read the approved minutes of our October meeting here:

hillcresths.ocdsb.ca

Reminder: IN PERSON Council Meeting tonight, 7PM, in the library.

Winter Clothing and Sports Equiment Swap - November 30th

Mark your calendars, our next council meeting is November 23 IN PERSON!

Meet your new Council Executive: Tori Moore, Kate Connolly, Janet Mark Wallace,
Andrew Wigston

Council Meeting Tonight!
Hillcrest School Council Meeting
Wednesday, October 26 · 7:00 – 9:00pm
Google Meet joining info
Video call link:

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Council meeting tomorrow !
meet.google.com/weg-nhvr-gsg

Council meeting next week!
Hillcrest School Council Meeting
Wednesday, October 26 · 7:00 – 9:00pm
Google Meet link below.

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Minutes from our September meeting are posted to the council website. https://hillcresths.ocdsb.ca/school_council/minutes.

Pleasant Park Public School will be hosting a hybrid Trustee Meet and Greet for our zone’s Trustee candidates on October 6.The in-person event will take place in the gym at Pleasant Park Public School from 19:00-20:00. See Zoom link below for those who wish to attend virtually. This will allow parents to get to know the candidates before the upcoming municipal election to be held on Monday, October 24.
Zoom Meeting

https://uottawa-ca.zoom.us/j/92968027895?pwd=azZJa0lCYUhiRy91WnJiK25WMzVHdz09

Meeting ID: 929 6802 7895

Passcode: yh2ZBp

Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across mobile, desktop, and room systems. Zoom Rooms is the original software-based conference room solution used around the world in board, confer...

This organization grew out of Pleasant Park school in 2015. The co-founders spearheaded the mural you see on the outside of the school. Past Hillcrest Principal Geordie Walker is Vice-President of the Board of Màmawi Together. Màmawi Together has grown into a not for profit partnering this year for the first time with APTN and NCTR to host a Survivor's Gathering over 2 days ending on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Sept. 30 - Orange Shirt day). The general public is encouraged to attend on either day. Please check it out! It's free!

Màmawi Together Survivors’ Gathering https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/mamawi-together-national-day-for-truth-reconciliation-week-events-tickets-406167557097

Council meeting next week. These are the questions that have been provided to the administration and the superintendent ahead of time so that they can speak to them thoroughly.

1. Which parties, within and outside the school, were consulted last June about the change in administration at Hillcrest?

2. What is the Board and School's policy on tolerating school violence? To whom do students report incidents of violence? Are there consequences to violence and are the consequences made clear to students?

3. What is the policy for permitting va**ng in the school washrooms?

4. Does the Board have a plan to try to increase the population of the school, and if not, what are the plans for Hillcrest as population declines?

5. How do we keep a variety of courses on offer in the context of declining enrollment?

6. Has a survey of students been done for Hillcrest? Will there be a survey for parents? How can we access the results?

7. Who are the advocacy organizations who are helping to define Board policy with regard to gender ideology, race relations and involvement of police in schools? Is this information available to parents?

8. Are students in the graduating class permitted to fundraise for grad activities on school grounds?

9. A neighbour of Hillcrest has inquired about dismantling the chain-link fence on the east side of the south parking lot. We've had other questions about superfluous fencing impeding pedestrian access to the school. Who has the authority to make decisions about school fencing, and how do we as council address this authority?

Hello parents! I have an update for you. I had a call with the Office of the Human Rights and Equity Advisor today to discuss what is happening in relation to the allegations of racism last year, and the action plan going forward. Her investigation is confidential, but she was able to share with me that she was in the school office for two days in June last year, and invited all students down to speak with her if they had questions or concerns about discrimination - and many students did participate. So students did have an opportunity to voice concern as part of her ongoing investigation. I expressed my dissatisfaction with parents being excluded from this and she was receptive and acknowledged that the communication could have been better. It was a positive conversation and I am confident that steps are being taken to address the specific issues raised as well as looking at systemic issues to reduce the risk of similar occurrences in the future.

If you have any concerns regarding discrimination, please reach out to her office directly. https://www.ocdsb.ca/about_us/human_rights_and_equity_advisor
[email protected]

This is a resource that is always available to parents and students.

OCDSB Office of the Human Rights and Equity Advisor We are on the side of human rights! The Office of the Human Rights and Equity Advisor (O-HREA) is the OCDSB’s arm’s-length office committed to promoting and protecting the human rights of students, families, staff and the broader school community.  The Office of the Human Rights and Equity Advi...

Exciting news! The Superintendent will be joining our Council meeting. I think it is very important that we show the board that parents are engaged. If you can make time to attend this meeting it would be much appreciated.

Hillcrest School Council Meeting
Wednesday, Sep. 28 • 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/weg-nhvr-gsg

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Follow up email to the board.

Hi Reg. I'm just following up as I'm a little surprised that neither Janet nor I have had a reply to our emails.

I would like to extend to you an invitation to join our school council meeting. It is September 28th at 7:00 p.m.. let me know if you can attend.

Thanks. Kate.

I highly recommend you all send your own emails. [email protected]

Happy first day of school! I have decided to not pay school fees until the board and office administration address concerns brought forward by parents.

Great letter to the editor in the Vistas this month. I will bring this up at the council meeting.

Any other parents concerned about that email from the board this week. Here is my response sent to the board:.
Hi Reg,

This was a fascinating email to read.

As Chair of the School Council, I can say with absolute certainty that there was no consultation with Council regarding the allegations of racism at the end of the school year. In fact, I had sent an email on June 27 to all of the school administration requesting that parents be informed about what the issue was, what was being done about it, and how parents could participate - and heard nothing back.

As a parent, I can say with absolute certainty that I was not asked to participate in the discussion spaces you mentioned in your email below. As a parent, I can also say that I would have been very interested in participating in this process.

As chair of Council, it is frustrating that the School Board seems to have made deliberate decisions to exclude Council and parents from this process. I have serious concerns about lack of transparency. The optics of this entire situation are terrible, and the Board has done nothing to ease the discomfort many parents were feeling in June, and continue to feel today.

Your email below reads to me as empty words and not action. Looking forward to seeing the action.

Kate Connolly
Hillcrest High School Council Chair