Welcome to the OCSB Virtual Academy
This school is for all OCSB students in grades 7-12 who have chosen the distance learning model. We have over 4200 students and teaching staff.
Ms. Egan & Ms. Galveias joined the live panel discussions on employment in Ottawa with their Virtual classes for OCSB Career Week!
Special Guests included: Todd Brown, Owner of Brown's Independent, Helena Gonzalez-Canales, Supervisor with the City of Ottawa, Micheline Gervais, Manager of McDonald's and Doug Salt, District Supervisor for the Ottawa Catholic School Board.
Here in Ms. Fontaine’s virtual 9/10 Drama class, we are leveraging digital to engage in community partnerships with local, national, and international artists!
First up, our ADA1O/2O class spoke to local actress Kelly Van der Burg who has found success as an actress in several television shows and films (Murdoch Mysteries, The Kennedys After Camelot starring Matthew Perry and Katie Holmes, and IT: Chapter 2, among others). During our talk with Kelly, students learned about what the world of acting is really like as a career, and what steps and training one could take to get there. In our Q&A style talk, students got to ask Kelly about past and upcoming projects, how she prepares for a role, and what the audition process is like.
Next up is a talk with comedian John Hastings. Over the last fourteen years John Hastings has appeared at every major comedy festival in the world including Edinburgh (2012-2019), Melbourne and Just for Laughs Montreal. He has told jokes on BBC Radio 4, BBC 1, BBC 3, Comedy Central, CTV Australian Comedy Channel, and CBC The Comedy Network. He is also the COCA Comedian of the Year, a Martin Sims Award Nominee, an Amused Moose Comedy Award winner, and was briefly a viral sensation after Dennis Rodman heckled him in Los Angeles. He was most recently spotted on America's Got Talent. John started performing as part of the Canadian Improv Games in Ottawa with Nepean High School.
Announcements
To register for the parent portal please follow this link for step by step instructions
Parent Portal Registration
To register for the parent portal please follow this link for step by step instructions
Home School Websites
For information regarding Photo Days, Yearbooks, College and University Presentations, and more, please contact your home school.
St. Francis Xavier High School
Frank Ryan Catholic Intermediate School
Holy Trinity Catholic High School
Grade 12 Graduation Photos
Please contact your home school to get the dates of your graduation photos. Please book your photo appointment at your home school to have your photos taken.
Important Information for Gr. 12's about the OSSLT
The literacy graduation requirement will be waived for all students graduating during the 2020-21 school year. The ministry is continuing to explore a field test of the online OSSLT in Spring 2021, which could allow the opportunity for non-graduating students to write the test and have successful attempts counted on their transcript.
Important Information regarding attendance in the Virtual Academy
We are experiencing technical problems with our attendance system in the Virtual Academy. In some instances, students are correctly marked as 'Absent' by their teachers, however, the email that conveys that message is not being sent to the parent/guardian. This unfortunately means that parents may be unaware that their child is absent for one or more classes in the Virtual Academy. We are working to solve this issue and we apologize for the inconvenience caused. Thank you for your understanding.
High School Parent/Teacher Interviews - November 26th
We will be holding Parent-Teacher Interviews for grades (9-12) on Thursday, November 26th from 2:40 – 7:20 pm. This year, you will be able to schedule your Parent-Teacher Interviews online and we will be sending out the necessary information to make appointments on Thursday Nov. 19th to your email. You will be able to make appointments from November 20th at 8:00 am to November 24th at 4:00 pm.
Hapara and Hapara Highlights
OCSB leverages many tools to help scaffold learning and effective internet use. One tool is Hapara Highlights. Read more about it HERE!
Screen Time and COVID
This video addresses what screen time looks like during a pandemic, the protective power of connection, types of screen time, and the comforting power of predictability.
Cooperation Using Google Meet and Online Learning
This parental webinar is designed to help families set the stage for student success while using the virtual platform Google Meet. One of the most important things parents can do is help their child set personal goals and break those goals into mini-steps. This way, neither the student nor the parent feels overwhelmed. The OCSB Behaviour Team hopes by following the tips in the webinar, parents will help their child become more cooperative and independent.
What you need to know about cyberbullying
This pamphlet outlines examples of cyberbullying and who students can turn to if being bullied.
Recording now available: Parent "Tech Support" - Thursday, September 24
A recording of the Parent Learning Session that took place on Thursday, September 24 is now available on our Online How To's page.
Tips for parents to support virtual learning
Virtual learning is a new experience for all of us. Here are some Tips for Parents to help navigate this new learning landscape.
Principal's Message
Welcome to the OCSB Virtual Academy!
Our Board’s spiritual theme this year is 'Walk Humbly with God', calling all of us to be aware of our own personal wellness and encouraging us to participate in God’s restorative justice. This theme is especially appropriate for, in the midst of this Covid pandemic, we are called to take care of ourselves and each other. At the OCSB Virtual Academy, our goal is to help students reach their full potential by instilling confidence through a synchronous and asynchronous learning model. Although our work is online, we are a caring community encouraging those who need assistance to reach out, for help is always available at our school or at a student’s home school.
Despite these challenging times, I hope everyone had a chance to rest and re-charge this summer. I wish our community a safe and successful 2020-21.
Be well,
David Nash
Principal, Virtual Academy 7-12
david.nash@ocsb.ca
