French-language services report

Making steady progress

The College has completed its review of services in French and released its report, along with a three-year plan.

Lise Roy-Kolbusz, the Deputy Registrar of the College and Acting Co-ordinator of French-Language Services, commented, “Members of the College, the various French-language school boards, the College and our staff have demonstrated exemplary commitment. The positive contribution made by everyone is encouraging for the future and for the enhanced quality of French-language services within the College.”

The College has made many improvements over the past 12 months in areas such as services to members, information technology and French-language publications.

Pour parler profession, the French edition of Professionally Speaking, was analyzed in greater depth to ensure that it continues to reflect the challenges and realities of the Franco-Ontarian education community.

The College continues to participate in career fairs in Ontario and Québec to remedy the shortage of French-speaking teachers. As well, the annual Transition to Teaching study has raised awareness of the need for more teachers of French and French as a Second Language.

To consult the Annual Review of French-Language Services 2007, visit our web site at www.oct.ca.

The College has formed an external advisory group composed of members of the francophone education community to generate ideas for articles for Pour parler profession. Above are Brian Lavoie, Sturgeon Falls; Gabrielle Barkany, College Bilingual Communications Officer; Francis Chalifour, Toronto; Daniel Dionne, Ottawa; Michelle Bloomfield, Windsor; and Rolland Dionne, Ministry of Education.

PRINCIPALS

OPC publishes supervision standards

The Ontario Principals' Council (OPC) has released a set of 12 supervisory standards that it says will provide “reasonable, comprehensive and prudent” supervision in schools.

The standards are designed to be used for supervision “during recess, lunchtime, transition between classes, before and after school, in hallways and in cafeterias,” the OPC said in a news release.

The guidelines maintain that only trained staff should be assigned to supervise and that supervision should not interfere with instruction time. The standards also provide guidelines for student-to-supervisor ratios and for times when junior and intermediate students are being supervised together.

The standards are based on good practices followed in other jurisdictions, said OPC president Blair Hilts.

He called on the provincial government to endorse the standards and provide resources for their implementation.

The complete standards are available on the OPC web site at www.principals.on.ca.

Information sessions

Lynne Bettridge, the Membership Services Department researcher, addresses internationally educated applicants seeking certification in Ontario during an information session at the College.

College Chair Don Cattani and staff meet with Toronto DSB elementary teachers as part of their PA day activities to discuss the College's mandate.

College External Relations Officer Kathy Anstett briefs internationally trained teachers at a Toronto community employment centre.

web site launch

Building the francophone identity

Last fall's symposium, Pour nous inscrire dans l'avenir, in Ottawa unveiled an action plan for the implementation of the Aménagement linguistique policy and a new Internet site in support of the program.

Those who were unable to attend can now find a report on the event and video highlights online, including the presentations by Toronto Star columnist Chantal Hébert and Commissioner of Official Languages Graham Fraser.

All 12 Ontario French-language school boards have introduced initiatives this year – television productions, oral and song contests, cultural and social events – designed to recruit and retain students in francophone schools.

The initiatives are part of the implementation phase of the Aménagement linguistique policy introduced by the McGuinty government in 2004. The policy sets guidelines for all institutions in Ontario providing French-language education. The objective is to enrich students' communication skills, strengthening their cultural identity and supporting teachers' efforts to deliver high-quality programs.

To view the site visit www.curriculum.org.

Ethical Decisions INSTITUTE

College Standards of Practice and Education staff with Claire Lapointe, Lucie Héon and Lyse Langlois of the Université Laval ethical research team at the Ethical Decision-Making Institute held at the College.

NEW RESOURCE

New brochures

Brochures designed for educators on Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndromes are available at www.sads.ca.

SADS is a group of heart and heart-rhythm abnormalities that can cause sudden death. The brochure from the SADS Foundation explains warning signs and points out what educators can do to help. See Dead Faint in the March 2006 issue.

Educational Resources

TFO goes solo

TFO, the French-language twin of TVO, became independent on April 1.

TFO now has a board of directors that is separate from TV Ontario's, chaired by Gisèle Chrétien, a former member of the TVO board and former president of Collège Boréal in Sudbury.

The TFO mandate remains the same – to support French-language education and culture in Ontario. TFO produces educational materials that are used regularly in Ontario classrooms.

The province will provide a one-time grant of $15.4 million to cover the costs of the transition, including relocation, start-up expenses and converting from analog to digital.

The Ontario government will continue to provide the usual annual grant of $15 million per year to TFO, whose budget also includes $6 million from the federal government and revenue from cable subscribers.

International Visitors

Delegations visit the College to share and gather information on a range of education issues, including accreditation, qualifications and standards of practice.

College Executive Co-ordinator Richard Lewko and Accreditation Manager Kevin Lowe welcome senior officials from the Teachers' Council of Thailand.

Chair Don Cattani meets with Swedish Inquiry on Teachers' Qualifications and Authorization delegates Kerstin Hultgren and Leif Svensson.

College staff welcome a delegation from the Japanese Teacher Training Centre.

Jobs for new teachers

New teachers now eligible for US program

Starting in August, the Visiting International Faculty Program (VIF) is expanding to include new Canadian teachers and recent teacher grads who are qualified to teach elementary school or subjects such as French, Spanish and Mandarin, English as a Second Language, math or science.

Currently, more than 100 Canadian teachers are participating in VIF. They work in US schools as full-time teachers and serve as cultural ambassadors to educate American students about Canada.

For information on VIF, visit www.vifprogram.com.

self-regulation

British doctors lose some powers

The self-governing body for British doctors will have its powers severely rolled back and doctors will face recertification requirements as the British government responds to a series of medical scandals.

The General Medical Council (GMC), which registers doctors to practise in the UK, will lose its right to rule on fitness to practise complaints against its members. The Council will continue to investigate complaints about doctors, but the penalty in cases where guilt is established is likely to be set by an independent body.

The proposed changes will also relax the standard of proof necessary to prove allegations against GMC members.

The GMC's 35-member governing body, which currently has 14 lay members, will have to increase the number to equal that of medical professionals. Senior doctors will have to undertake a recertification process every five years, and a stricter system of issuing death certificates will also be introduced.

Eight other health-professional regulatory bodies will face similar changes.

In 2004, the government set up an inquiry into self-regulation by medical professionals in response to cases such as Dr. Harold Shipman, who is believed to have murdered more than 200 people over 23 years. The inquiry concluded that the GMC was more interested in looking after doctors' interests than the public interest.

Employer conferences

The College hosts employer conferences. Some speakers take part via videoconference.

Thunder Bay

Sudbury

Ottawa

Toronto

Translators meet

College Deputy Registrar Lise Roy-Kolbusz welcomes members of the Network of Translators in Education, who held their annual general meeting at the College.

Notable Dates

June

Deaf-Blind Awareness Month
Commemorates the birthday of Helen Keller, unquestionably the most famous deaf-blind person.
www.junefest.ca

2 – Canadian Forces Day
Recognizes the contribution of Canadian Forces members to peace and security at home and abroad.
www.forces.gc.ca

3–9 – Canadian Environment Week
Brings attention to the many facets of the environment and the benefits of environmental protection.
www.ec.gc.ca/e-week

3–10 – National Water Safety Week
Promotes safety in, on and around the water.
www.redcross.ca

4 – International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression
www.unac.org

5 – World Environment Day
This United Nations day promotes worldwide awareness of the environment. The 2007 focus is on the effects and consequences that climate change is having on polar ecosystems and communities around the world.
www.unep.org

6 – Clean Air Day
Part of Canadian Environment Week, this day focuses on two key environmental priorities: clean air and climate change.
www.ec.gc.ca/cleanair-airpur

8 – World Ocean Day
Encourages individuals to think about what the sea means to them while learning about the creatures and habitats found there, and how our actions affect them.
www.worldoceanday.org

20 – World Refugee Day
Salutes the indomitable spirit and courage of the world’s refugees.
www.unhcr.org

21 – National Aboriginal Day
Established in 1996 to provide an opportunity to learn about the aboriginal cultural heritages of Canada.
www.ainc-inac.gc.ca

21 - July 1 – Celebrate Canada!
Eleven-day celebration of Canadian diversity.
www.pch.gc.ca

24 – Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day
In honour of the patron saint of French Canadians, officially proclaimed by Pope Pius X in 1908.
www.pch.gc.ca

27 – Canadian Multiculturalism Day
Celebrates diversity in Canada and a commitment to democracy.
www.pch.gc.ca

July

1 – Canada Day
Marks the anniversary of the formation of the Dominion of Canada in 1868 – established by statute in 1879 under the name Dominion Day.
www.pch.gc.ca

11 – World Population Day
www.unfpa.org/wpd

15 – 22 – National Drowning Prevention Week
Marks the anniversary of the formation of the Dominion of Canada in 1868 – established by statute in 1879 under the name Dominion Day.
www.lifesaving.ca

August

6 – Simcoe Day
Ontario civic holiday named for John Graves Simcoe, first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada.
www.uelgovsimcoe.org

9 – International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
www.un.org/depts/dhl/indigenous/

12 – International Youth Day
www.un.org

23 – International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
www.citizenship.gov.on.ca

September

Breakfast for Learning Month
Encourages communities, educators, corporations and governments to work together to ensure that every child in Canada attends school well nourished and ready to learn.
www.breakfastforlearning.ca

SADS Awareness Month
Teaching families, educators and medical professionals about Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndromes.
www.sads.ca

8 – International Literacy Day
Renews efforts to combat illiteracy and demonstrate commitment to providing education worldwide.
www.hrsdc.gc.ca/

28 – Terry Fox National School Run Day
Commemorates the 27th anniversary of Fox’s Marathon of Hope, in which he ran a marathon a day for 143 consecutive days in 1980 to raise funds for cancer research.
www.terryfoxrun.org

16–23 – AIDS Walk for Life Week
Canada’s largest HIV/AIDS fundraising and awareness campaign for direct community services.
www.walkforlife.ca

21 – International Day of Peace
Invites us to engage in practical acts of peace as part of the Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World, 2001–10.
www.un.org/depts/dhl/peace
www.internationaldayofpeace.org

For other international observances visit www.un.org and click on Conferences & Events to the left of the UN logo, or try www.unac.org.