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2021 OSCA/ACOSO Guidance and Career Education Awards

The Ontario School Counsellors' Association has a long-standing tradition (over 40 years) of recognizing and awarding those who stand out in the field of Guidance and Career Education. OSCA recognizes individuals and/or organizations that have made a significant contribution to Guidance and Career Education in Ontario. We can say with confidence that our past award winners have helped thousands find their pathways to successful futures! OSCA's awards are an excellent way of recognizing your most dedicated peers.

Awards Overview

Click here for the Nomination Form!

We are pleased to invite you to a free, virtual Guidance Dialogues event on Wednesday, April 7, 2021, from 9:25 a.m. to noon.

We will provide a general update on application statistics and recruitment activities.

Following these updates, representatives from each Ontario university will provide live admission updates and up-to-date information about their university. University updates will be given one at a time and each update will be approximately 3 minutes.

Following the university updates and throughout the morning, you will have the opportunity to engage directly with university representatives in their session rooms to ask any questions you may have.

Registration for this event is required and will be available soon. This event is for guidance counsellors only.
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Nous sommes heureux de vous inviter à une séance virtuelle gratuite des Dialogues pour conseillères et conseillers, le mercredi 7 avril 2021, de 9 h 25 à 12 h.

Nous y présenterons une mise à jour générale des statistiques relatives aux inscriptions et des activités de recrutement.

À la suite de ces mises à jour, des représentantes et représentants de chaque université de l’Ontario fourniront des mises à jour en temps réel sur les admissions, ainsi que les tout derniers renseignements au sujet de leur université. Ces mises à jour seront données à tour de rôle, chacune devant durer environ 3 minutes.

À la suite des mises à jour des universités et tout au long de la matinée, vous aurez l’occasion d’échanger directement avec les représentantes et représentants d’université dans leur salle de séance et de leur poser des questions.

L’inscription à cet événement est obligatoire et sera disponible bientôt. Cet événement s’adresse uniquement aux conseillères et conseillers en orientation.

 

OSCA-ACOSO Anthony Di Lena Student Pathway Awards' mandate is to assist at-risk students in their journey towards success. One of the most important ways this is accomplished is by providing the OSCA-ACOSO Anthony Di Lena Student Pathways Awards to at-risk students who have demonstrated the exemplary ability to succeed in the face of adversity. $500.00 awards are presented to students who, in their postsecondary pursuits, are taking a pathway to apprenticeship, college, university or workplace.

 

One of the most important mandates is to provide scholarships to exemplary at-risk students for post-secondary education or vocational training.

Nomination Deadline is May 28, 2021
Click Here for the Nomination Form

Award Criteria

Nominated students must be graduating/or have graduated from an accredited public secondary, Catholic secondary, or inspected private secondary school, including First Nations, in the province of Ontario in the previous school year. 

Students must be nominated by a classroom teacher, a Student Success Teacher or a Guidance Counsellor who are not their parent. The nominator does not have to be a member of OSCA.

In order to be nominated, a student must fulfill one or more of the following criteria:

• The student succeeded in school despite having to overcome personal obstacles.
• The student succeeded in school despite having to cope with bullying and/or violence.
• The student succeeded in school despite being socio-economically disadvantaged.
• The student succeeded in school despite having to manage a mental health issue.
• The student succeeded in school despite having to overcome academic challenges

A complete nomination requires three parts:

1. Completion of the on-line nomination form found below;
2. A detailed description, written by the nominator, of how the nominated student fulfills one or more of the criteria mentioned above;
3. A short description, written by the nominated student, of how they have overcome these obstacles and achieved their success.

Four Pathways Awards will be awarded for $500 each.  The nominator should indicate which pathway the nominated student will pursue after completion of their high school education – University, Apprenticeship, College, or Workplace. 

It is our hope that this award could be presented to the receiving student at their graduation ceremony.  The nominator should provide the date of this ceremony.

• Students may not be nominated for more than one award per year.
• Students may receive an OSCA-ACOSO Award only once.
• OSCA-ACOSO Awards are one-time awards only.  
• Decisions made by the OSCA-ACOSO Board regarding nominations are final.

Nomination Deadline is May 28, 2021

It’s that time of year again—when we release our LinkedIn Top Experts list! Each year, we compile a list of job searching experts who generously share their insight and advice on LinkedIn. We sift through countless profiles, searching for quality advice that is actionable, insightful, and engaging.

This toolkit features five days of STEAM content, and keynote presentation, and "How-To" guides!

The Women in Skilled Trades Experience equips you with media and interactive activities for 5 Days of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math programming, a Keynote Presentation, and "How to" Guides.

Mid-March is the first year anniversary of going into lockdown and quarantine due to COVID-19. Inasmuch as the effects of quarantine, and the virus itself, have been traumatic for some, we remind you that trauma is stored in the body and that the body remembers anniversaries even if the conscious mind does not. As a result, there is a natural building of anxiety up to that time that, if understood, does not need to overwhelm us. To assist with the weight of the pandemic, we have included brain-based strategies for supporting mental health at this time.

Teenage years are often thought of as a time for exploration, rebellion, and asserting individuality. This program explores that pivotal period of life through the lens of Disability.

Making Space: Stories of Disabled Youth in the GTA is a two-part online storytelling event series exploring the past and present experiences of disabled and chronically ill youth growing up in Toronto. Featuring personal narratives and artwork, this program is a space for recognition, solidarity, and celebration, exploring how the landscape for disabled youth has shifted over time.

This exhibit and event series is in partnership with ReelAbilities Film Festival of Toronto and the Miles Nadal JCC , and is curated by Ophira Calof.

Life isn’t fair.

The fact that life isn’t fair won’t be news to anyone involved in career development work. Everyone has seen a client or a student who has enormous potential, but whose life is so complex that it is impossible for them to build the career that they dream of. Or been frustrated that the educational system is so rigid or the employment or benefit regulations so limiting. And everyone has felt empathy for clients who are struggling, bullied and undervalued. But what can you do about it?

Many schools and school districts around the world have turned towards SEL as a means of addressing the trauma that students have been experiencing as a result of the shocking events of 2020. In her article, "Expanding social emotional learning so all students can benefit", Linda Darling-Hammond describes how teachers are using SEL to bridge between trauma and readiness to learn.

Linda led President Joe Biden's transition team for education during the transfer to the current administration. This is your opportunity to hear directly from Linda as she positions SEL as a mainstream practice in classrooms and schools, not only in California, but also across the United States.

During this one-hour Roundtable, Linda Darling-Hammond (President, California State Board of Education; President, Learning Policy Institute; Stanford, California) will lead with a 20-minute presentation. Host Joanne McEachen (CEO, The Learner First; Karanga Executive Committee; Christchurch, New Zealand) will then facilitate a discussion with Linda based on questions and comments from participants in this live session.

My name is Roderick Conte, I’m the Head of Guidance at Westmount Collegiate Institute in the York Region District School Board. I started teaching at Westmount as a student teacher 20 years ago. Teaching is a second career for me. There I am in the picture with my Guidance team, from left to right, Natasha Popiel and Cynthia Jackson. The picture was obviously take pre-COVID when we would take the Guidance office out into the hallways of the school. Now, everything we do is by email or zoom meeting. We really miss our kids.
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Je m'appelle Roderick Conte, je suis directeur de l'orientation au Westmount Collegiate Institute du York Region District School Board. J'ai commencé à enseigner à Westmount en tant que stagiaire il y a 20 ans. L'enseignement est une deuxième carrière pour moi. Là, je suis sur la photo avec mon équipe d'orientation, de gauche à droite, Natasha Popiel et Cynthia Jackson. La photo était évidemment prise avant le COVID lorsque nous emmenions le bureau d'orientation dans les couloirs de l'école. Désormais, tout ce que nous faisons se fait par e-mail ou par rencontre zoom. Nos élèves nous manquent vraiment.

 

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

This next issue of OSCA Today will drop into your mailbox one year into this global pandemic,
which only appears to be getting worse before it gets better. We have all made sacrifices.
Many of us may be managing but many more are not. Educators across our province are
witnessing first-hand how many of our students are struggling. This pandemic continues to put
a strain on all of us especially our students and their families. We need help with advice and
resources. We need you!

Here is what we need:

First. Resources. We would like your suggestion for support agencies that our students can
reach out to. We especially need resources for our BIPOC: Black, Indigenous, People of Colour,
2SLGBTQQ students.

Second. Articles. If you have stories, ideas or advice to help us and our students endure this
pandemic, we would love to hear from you. We would love it if you would write an article for
OSCA Today.

Please reach out and submit your resources and articles ideas to Roderick Conte, OSCA VP of
Communications at rbconte@yahoo.com

 

Next session: July 9th to July 31st

All three parts will be offered. Candidates may enrol in one part.

Cost: $650 (includes a copy of ethical guidelines and a one year OSCA Subscription)

Taught by a current school Guidance Counsellor, through an interactive, online classroom environment.

Candidates must hold a valid OCT and be in good standing to register.