There has been a disturbing trend toward increased gunplay in my part of town. These are almost exclusively gang-related incidents where dealers are taking potshots at other dealers if they see the competition infringing on their territory. Gang-related or not, there needs to be a stronger response from all community
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Trashy's World: Muzzling elected officials…
… is a worrisome development and one that has been codified by the Ottawa Carleton District School Board (OCDSB). Trustee Blackburn is outspoken, no doubt. And sometimes, like all of us, she likely says things that she wishes she could take back…
Continue readingTrashy's World: Helping out Clifford Bowey PS…
… in the Aviva Fund competition. Hi all – PSA time: Clifford Bowey PS has moved into the Aviva Fund Semi-Finals! I like to think that our school community last year helped Vincent Massey win this competition – and a new playground! Please visit the site and register and VOTE
Continue readingTrashy's World: Ottawa City Council candidates worth voting for!
I have already endorsed some of these candidates in past posts, but being that it is only a few days till E Day, I thought I’d go over some of them again. Jean Cloutier will be a fine representative for Alta Vista on Council. Jean and I have worked together at
Continue readingTrashy's World: Citizen article on OCDSB playstructures
Great piece on the state of playstructures in Ottawa Carleton District School Board schools. I’m hoping the Board steps up in the fall and ups its funding commitment to playstructure renewal projects. I, as a parent and member of school council, would like our school’s volunteer efforts to focus on
Continue readingTrashy's World: A plea to the OCDSB…
… even if the teacher’s action tomorrow is declared illegal, do NOT reverse yesterday’s decision to close all elementary schools. And here is why: Student safety – if told to go to work as usual or face consequences, many teachers will NOT and there is no way to anticipate how many, where
Continue readingTrashy's World: OCDSB elementary school closure
The Director of Education has just announced that all OCDSB elementary schools will be closed on Friday. All Ottawa peeps in the English public system should plan accordingly. (0) Trashy, Ottawa, Ontario
Continue readingTrashy's World: OCDSB Trustee to seek the…
… Ottawa-Centre Dipper nomination. Trustee Jennifer McKenzie has announced her intention to seek the nomination for the Ottawa-Centre NDP candidacy. Trustee McKenzie will continue in her role as trustee and in her capacity as Chair of the Board. I commend her for stepping up, takes guts. Although I have to
Continue readingTrashy's World: To all those decrying…
… the ONE day walkout by elementary teachers today. Suck it up. This is democracy in action, regardless of whether or not you believe that teachers (or anyone else for that matter) should have the right to strike. Under the current law, they DO have that right. This. Is. A.
Continue readingTrashy's World: Job action by the elementary school teacher’s union…
From the OCDSB site. ================================================================================== ETFO Work To Rule Strategy Effective Monday, December 3, 2012, OCETF Members Will: NOT participate in any school-based or system-level meetings incl…
Continue readingTrashy's World: Hey! Students who wailed away…
…on my bus this morning and on Twitter about schools needing to be closed today! Listen up. Legit reasons to close schools: Power outage Water outage Major snowstorm / freezing rain event that puts staff and / or students at risk of physical harm Earthquakes – big ones Invasion by
Continue readingTrashy's World: Awesome motion passed by the OCDSB last night!
… especially point “C”. It won’t make a hill of beans of a difference, but the Board said what needed saying. Thanks to @nancy_akehurst for the pic. (7) Trashy, Ottawa, Ontario
Continue readingTrashy's World: OCDSB survey
You might remember that I wrote about this last year. Now the Ottawa public school board has some results to talk about. And they are for sure talking about it. The big takeaway for them is the diversity of the student population. Now, anyone can see this for themselves by
Continue readingTrashy's World: Teachers and extracurricular activities
Teachers in many of Ontario’s School Boards have heeded their union’s advice to take a “pause” from coaching or otherwise being involved in extracurricular activities, such as sports team, in protest of the Ontario government’s recent legislation imposing salary freezes, etc. And, as is always the case in any type
Continue readingTrashy's World: Friday miscellany…
Wanna know what climate change “looks like”? Well, here you go: Extreme weather events are textbook examples of an effect that an overall warming of the planet will have. But since at least 1988, climate scientists have warned that climate change would bring, in general, increased heat waves, more droughts,
Continue readingTrashy's World: Wow.
The job of a School Board Trustee must be frustrating indeed… what kind of fool would consider taking on such a task! Oh. Yeah. Thanks, Cathy. I reckon your experience will be missed – at least by some. OTTAWA — Kanata public school trustee Cathy Curry says she’s so sick
Continue readingTrashy's World: OCDSB Trustee
Pam FitzGerald is stepping aside Given the current composition of the Board, I worry a bit about who will be selected to replace her and the process that will be used to do so. Should be interesting, to say the least. Thanks to the soon-to-be ex-Trustee for her service to
Continue readingTrashy's World: New provincial school fundraising Guideline
The Province of Ontario has recently published the new rules, regs and best practices around how School Boards should police the ways a school raises money for school purposes. For the most part, it is a pretty innocuous doc. But the two bullets in bold concern me. III. Best Practices
Continue readingTrashy's World: New school rankings!
The Fraser Institute school ranking have been released and Pleasant Park PS has moved up the scale considerably! Congrats! I am not a huge fan of these rankings (nor of the Fraser Institute.. in fact, everything else they publish outside of these rankings is little more than drivel), but I
Continue readingTrashy's World: Another “can someone explain to me?”
This time, why did 8 OCDSB Trustees vote against instructing staff to clarify what is meant by religious accommodation? Religious Practice in Schools “MOTION A” FAILED ON A VOTE OF 8-4 A. THAT staff be directed to prepare a report for the May 2012 Strategic Planning and Priorities Committee meeting
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