Watching my students navigate their way through high school is a privilege. I love being a part of the process during which students explore what it is to be a student, a friend, a club member, a volunteer, and eventually, an adult.
I love my job as a Guidance Counsellor! 

I made a career change from professional musician to secondary school teacher about 16 years ago. 
Students always find it interesting to learn that their counsellor used to be an opera singer!

I have been on the OSCA board of directors on the Governance Committee for six years and have just begun a new position with the Communications Committee. I look forward to planning and contributing to the upcoming OSCA Today editions. 

I hope you can find the sunshine in your soul to make it through the last months of winter. I look forward to seeing you all at our live conference in fall!

 

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C’est un privilège de voir mes élèves se frayer un chemin à l’école secondaire. J’aime faire partie du processus au cours duquel les élèves explorent ce que c’est d’être élève, ami(e), membre d’un club, bénévole et, éventuellement, adulte.

J’adore ma carrière comme conseillère en orientation!

Il y a environ 16 ans, j’ai fait un changement de carrière. Je suis passée de musicienne professionnelle à enseignante du secondaire.

Les élèves trouvent toujours intéressant d’apprendre que leur conseillère était une chanteuse d’opéra!

Je siège au conseil d’administration de l’OSCA/ACOSO, comme membre du Comité de la gouvernance, depuis 6 ans. Je viens de commencer un nouveau poste au sein du Comité de communications. J’ai hâte de planifier et de contribuer aux prochaines éditions d’OSCA Today.

J’espère que vous trouverez un peu de soleil dans votre âme pour vous aider à survivre les derniers mois de l’hiver. J’ai hâte de vous voir en personne à notre conférence cet automne !

Thursday, May 4, 2023
Mohawk College, Fennell Campus, 135 Fennell Ave W.
McIntyre Performing Arts Centre

Session 1: 9:00 - 11:00am
Session 2: 1:00 - 3:00pm
Parent Session: 6:00 - 8:00pm (details to follow)

Mohawk College would like to invite teachers, guidance counsellors, and administrators from the school boards to join us for this important keynote and to be part of the discussion on supporting student mental health.

We are pleased to welcome student mental health experts, Dr. B. Janet Hibbs and Dr. Anthony Rostain, co-authors of The Stressed Years of Their Lives, to discuss the rise of mental health concerns in students pursuing and enrolled in higher education. Learn what educators, parents and families can do to support students in preparing for, surviving and thriving in the post-secondary environment.
Learn more!

MARCH 2-5, 2023

Come to Canada’s largest international university and student travel expo and meet with universities and colleges from around the world – including Canada! – offering undergraduate, post-graduate and vocational programs. And visit our special Travel Zone for gap year and other exciting travel options: volunteering; language travel; internships and work abroad programs.

Keep checking back as we will be adding info on who’s coming, seminars, etc closer to the time. Be sure to pre-register online to be eligible for our incredible Grand Prize Draws.

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Mohawk College Student Recruitment would like to offer your high school an opportunity to tour the Stoney Creek Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship campus. We will show the students around campus, tour our shops and labs so they can discover and learn more about the many trades programs we offer. Mohawk annually serves 2,400 apprenticeship students and is one of the largest trainers of apprentices in Ontario.

Winter Stoney Creek tour dates will be booked on a first come, first serve basis and these times cannot be adjusted. We will be offering morning and afternoon tours, each one will be 1.5 hours long and busing costs will be the responsibility of the school.

We have the following dates available:

Tuesday, March 7, 2023
9:30am – 11:00am
10:00am – 11:30am
12:00pm – 1:30pm
12:30pm – 2:00pm

Thursday, March 9, 2023
9:30am – 11:00am
10:00am – 11:30am
12:00pm – 1:30pm
12:30pm – 2:00pm

Wednesday, March 22, 2023
9:30am – 11:00am
10:00am – 11:30am
12:00pm – 1:30pm
12:30pm – 2:00pm

**Please request preferred time slot.

Tour details:

• We request a ratio of one chaperone for every15 students attending the campus tour.
• Appropriate safety attire includes: Closed toe comfortable footwear, hair tied back, safety glasses (to be worn at all times and will be provided on day of tour)
• Students need to eat lunch off campus as we do not have the space to accommodate
• Up to 40 students max from each school, to accommodate all requests
• Visit will include a presentation and general campus tour

Please send an email with your requests in order to secure a date!

Grade 10 students thinking about university are invited (along with their supporters) to an information session on admission requirements, financing their education, and advice on how to start preparing for university. Join us online or on campus.

Thursday, February 23, 2023
6:30 to 8 p.m.
University of Waterloo Humanities Theatre & Virtual livestream
An information fair (in-person only): 5:30 to 6:30 & 8 to 8:30 p.m.

Now is the time to nominate a deserving colleague for an OSCA award. Perhaps it is that person who has created a great resource that has allowed students to create their own pathway? Maybe you know a guidance counsellor who is the ''go to'' person at your school? Perhaps a deserving community partner that provides excellent support for your school?

You have until September 18, 2023 11:59 p.m. to nominate someone, but why not do it now? 
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Chacun et chacune de nous connaît un collègue innovateur, qui accomplit avec enthousiasme son travail auprès des élèves de son école. Pourquoi ne pas reconnaître leur contribution à notre profession en posant leur candidature à l''un des prix de l''ACOSO? Pour poser la candidature de quelqu''un, appuyez sur le lien de la mise en candidature. Toutes les mises en candidature doivent être soumises en ligne d''ici le 18 septembre 2023 à 23h59.

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The Russ Seltzer Award for Contribution to Counsellor Education in Ontario

This award is presented to honour contributions to Counsellor Education in Ontario, including teaching Guidance and Career Education Additional Qualification courses.

The Student Awards Nominations are here! Please nominate a deserving student today within five Post Graduate Pathways;

• Apprenticeship,
• College,
• Community Living,
• University,
• Workplace. 

Details can be found on the nomination form/link. 

The link is live on the OSCA website. You can access the nomination form through it. The nominations will close on May 5, 2023. Nominate a student today!

Are your students interested in launching a career in a green and growing industry?

Landscape horticulture employers are hiring NOW for full-time, part-time and summer jobs!

Landscape.Jobs is a FREE online job board for the horticulture and landscape industry with 600 employers and 900 posted positions. It utilizes built-in predictive analytics that allow job seekers to find the right-fit job and employer.

For those who are interested in post-secondary education and training, look for the orange tree!

This symbol easily identifies employers who are involved in the Horticultural Technician Apprenticeship Program. A training program where, when completed, apprentices achieve nationally recognized Red Seal certification.

We invite your students/job seekers to create an account and build an online profile to easily navigate and apply to the many open positions.

What a great opportunity to explore the industry’s career prospects and be seen by their local employers!

Thursday, March 23, 2023 | 5:15-9 PM
Burlington Convention Centre | 1120 Burloak Dr, Burlington

For the first time in three years, we are very excited to announce that HIEC will be hosting an in-person Women As Career Coaches event that will bring together our community of young people and adult mentors for an impactful, inspiring and uplifting evening.

Women as Career Coaches is an evening event that brings together young women from the community with adult mentors from all pathways. Over dinner, youth and mentors have the opportunity to engage in informal mentorship conversations, listen to a line-up of inspiring spotlight speakers, and participate in a panel discussion on career pathways.

New program focusing on life skills and post-secondary education, training and employment

February 15, 2023
Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services

OTTAWA — The Ontario government is investing $68 million in a new program that connects youth in the child welfare system with additional services and supports they need to prepare for and succeed after leaving care. The Ready, Set, Go program, launching on April 1, 2023, will provide youth transitioning out of care with life skills and supports they need to pursue post secondary education, skilled trades training and employment opportunities.

Indigenous youth across Canada face serious challenges when it comes to employment. It’s a complex problem, and will require integrated, collaborative solutions. At a time when unprecedented numbers of Indigenous youth are entering the workforce, it’s critical that employers look at everything that a young Indigenous person brings to the workplace and to their community.

According to Statistics Canada, in 2016, the unemployment rate for Indigenous youth was 23%, compared with 15.1% for non-Indigenous youth. Recent data on the COVID-19 downturn show that although youth encountered a challenging summer job landscape in 2020, the labour market was much more favourable in 2021. Employment was slower to recover for Indigenous peoples overall, so it’s great to see Indigenous youth employment trending upward.

"Welcome to 2023! I am so proud of the incredible work of our students, researchers, mentors, and the Canadian Journal of Career Development team that has moved us through a worldwide pandemic. Especially, as you all were navigating the pandemic in a very personal way in your own work and personal lives."

Celebration and recognition of Black excellence and history should happen all year, but during February Black History Month, we intentionally focus on deepening our knowledge as we work to centre Black perspectives and experiences in our society.

Doing that work also requires decentring whiteness — the white perspectives that are rooted in colonialism and Eurocentrism. This includes investigating how whiteness is normalized and centralized in our schools, learning environments, and practices and expanding our thinking to engage with diverse ways of knowing and being to the benefit of every student.

I encourage you to take advantage of the abundant, rich learning opportunities, events and celebrations throughout the month. And I also encourage you to look within. To help, I’m sharing some recently released resources intended to support your personal reflection.

Cultural Humility Self-Reflection Tool for School Staff

Centring Black, Indigenous and Marginalized Perspectives in Mental Health Promotion at School: Examining and Decentring whiteness

Next session: April 3 to June 2, 2023

Registration: Now open!

• Taught virtually by a current Ontario Guidance Counsellor.
• Participants sign up for Part 1 or Part 2 or the Specialist.

For further information, please visit www.osca.ca and go to the AQ section at the top of the main webpage.

Cost: $650
No textbook

Includes a one year OSCA-ACOSO: AQ subscription, if one does not have an active subscription and one link for a copy of Ethical Guidelines.

Registration closes March 27th or sooner when session capacity is reached.

Apply early to avoid disappointment!

> Summer Session will be July 3 to July 31 with registration opening up later in the spring <