Character Happens In Our Schools

There continues to be so many amazing Character opportunities and activities happening in our schools! Look for the new "Celebrating Character" newsletter coming to your school soon, with lots of great tips for embedding character in your classroom and school every day, suggestions for dealing with bullying and how to get your students involved in leadership and service learning...through character in action!

Character in Action
Students across ADSB continue to take on leadership roles in their schools and are involved in active citizenship through a variety of service learning opportunities. With encouragement from their teachers and peers, students are finding creative ways to give to their community and make a difference. All schools are participating in Pink Shirt day this coming Feb.23rd in acknowledgement of their commitment to a "bully-free" life! Together we make a difference.

Speak Up Grants
Congratulations to the successful recipients of the 2010/2011 student Speak Up grants. Intermediate students across Ontario are given the opportunity to write proposals to get involved in making their school a better place to learn. We look forward to hearing more about the progress of their projects and their successes.

Contact Kerry Grbich to have your school’s stories included on the blog.

Character Development Opportunities for Schools

Through the year I will share various Character initiatives and projects available to you to consider for your classroom and school. Here are a couple of great character development opportunities for your schools that you may want to investigate further. These two programs are student focused and provide practical authentic opportunities for student engagement and leadership.

Imagineaction

I discovered the first program called Imagineaction in the September Edition of Professionally Speaking. It is a social action project resource for teachers to support student-driven social-action projects in their classroom or school. Beginning on September 1st, teachers may access funds and community expertise to support student driven social action projects. The initiative established by the Canadian Teachers' Federation will "link teachers to community experts to encourage student-driven social-action projects following the six themes: connect (relationships), engage (active and participatory citizenship), thrive (health and wellness), lead (leadership), live (environmental sustainability) and care (poverty)."

The projects can deal with such issues as globalization,bullying, racism, human rights, environmental stewardship and equity. As stated in the article, the CTF believes that "quality education is about providing students with opportunities to infuse curriculum into real-world situations. Education is about being a part of a student's journey as a lifelong learner and problem solver- it is about teaching students to be critical thinkers and to look for opportunities to apply their knowledge in a transformative way". For more information,click on the website below.

http://www.imagine-action.ca/

Green Apple School Program

The second opportunity I would like to share is an Environmental Stewardship initiative called Green Apple Grants by METRO. This initiative from Metro was created to encourage students to participate in the development of a healthier environment. Since its induction in the fall of 2009, the program has rallied thousands of students from Ontario and Quebec and encouraged them to become involved in their school and make a difference in their community.
Metro has awarded hundreds of $1,000 grants to elementary and high schools with ideas for green projects in their communities and the company will distribute up to $1 million dollars for this program. The program offers ideas from previous projects and applying for the grant is as easy as filling in a quick form with your idea for your classroom or school.

So, what’s your green idea?
http://www.greenapplegrants.ca/

Good luck with your projects.

If you have any other special project grants or initiatives to share or if you require further information, please feel free to contact me.

Kerry Grbich

Program Team

ADSB Character Education Special Assignment Teacher, K-12

705-945-7433

A Brand New Year

January heralds a brand new year and often along with that, a brand new start.

We often consider our accomplishments throughout the year and reflect on the things that we wish to improve on. January is a time to set new goals and really prioritize those things that are important to us. This time of reflection gives us the opportunity to count our blessings and think about the many things that are truly important in our lives . We show gratitude for the precious time spent with friends and family, wishing that in our busy lives we could spend more time together, our good health where we are afforded the luxury of medicine and medical care, a high standard of living including a safe place to live in country that is at peace, and a strong education system that gives our children hope and the promise to live with the same high standards that are our right.

In remembering that all people living in this World that we share, no matter their race, colour, religion, or beliefs share a common right-the human right to life, the "basic rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled." The Universal Declaration of Human Rights http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/ lists all of our basic rights. Lets take this opportunity to think about our lives in relation to others that share this wonderful planet with us and how we can make a difference in this world. I've heard the statement "it starts at home" and "one small deed is all you need". Let's challenge each other to think outside of ourselves this New Year and make a small difference in the lives of others.

It is our duty to ensure that these rights are a living reality -- that they are known, understood and enjoyed by everyone, everywhere. It is often those who most need their human rights protected, who also need to be informed that the Declaration exists -- and that it exists for them.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Perhaps with our help, we may one day see this living reality come to be.

Best wishes for a year filled with all that you hope for.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world".

Ghandi

We love comments!

Please share your wish to make a difference this new year.

Mustang Sally Rides Again

Youth these days you say…check this out!

Mustang Sally is back…bigger and better with an important message to share. They performed their very first gig of the year to a “rockin” crowd at River View Elementary. Mustang Sally is a popular musical group of “rock star status” to many of the students who look up to these incredible teens. First formed in 2004 after Music Director and Teacher Greg Ryckman discovered untapped talent in the Korah Collegiate Secondary School’s Christmas Variety Talent Show that year, after a staggering 56 vocal and instrumental auditions were held Mustang Sally was born.





These teens are not chosen solely on musical talent. Their responsibilities reach far beyond any normal school band. Mustang Sally is a band with a mission to share Character Education and the members are expected to embody the true spirit of good character. Using music as a vehicle, these student musicians engage in helping people of all ages find common ground. Through music they inspire, teach and model the importance of good character.


Mustang Sally are ambassadors of character education for the Algoma District School Board, educating students on positive attributes of good character, and impressing our community with their mature ,positive attitudes. All of the hours spent are volunteer hours and add up to a staggering 1500 hours yearly. Mustang Sally members are expected to maintain academic success and consistently live a life of good Character. The band consists of 18 students ranging from Grade 9 to 12. This year is a year of “breaking the boundaries” when a new band member from Queen Elizabeth, grade 8 joined the mix. Mustang Sally has had the privilege of performing across the Country to share their Character message. Amazingly, Korah teachers Jennifer Barbeau and Mary Attard-Frost along with Greg Ryckman volunteer their time to guide these teens in developing leadership skills and teamwork while working collaboratively to share their important message.




It only takes a moment to see the kind of impact these students have on others when Mustang Sally is performing. Mustang Sally is spreading the news one gig at a time that we are a community of character and the Youth of our city are making a difference one gig at a time!




Ride Sally ride….





I'm only one, but I am one.
I cannot do everything, but I can do something;
and what I can do, I will do.
-Edward Everett Hale