2024  Catholic Trustees Seminar

Practical suggestions and tips for Trustees to consider so that we may advocate and communicate the gift of publicly funded Catholic Education thoughtfully and effectively.

A review of demographic trends and patterns with an emphasis on findings from the 2021 census and impacts on Catholic School Board enrolment and share.

Indigenous Peoples come from diverse, beautiful and brilliant nations. During our time together we will share ideas on how students can bring the beauty, joy and brilliance of Indigenous Peoples into their schools. 

Description of Presentation

The Ministry of Education has kindly offered to develop and deliver a workshop specifically to address the needs of Catholic School Board Chairs and Vice-Chairs. Entitled “Managing Conflict, Promoting Safety and Supporting Public Participation at School Board Meetings,” this session for Chairs and Vice-Chairs will build on participants’ skills in managing conflict that may arise at board meetings while respecting human rights, ensuring respectful public discourse and participation, and responding to any safety needs.

Meetings are most effective when all members understand their roles and the accepted processes for decision-making. At the end of this workshop, participants will know how to be the most effective in their role as members of the Board. You will understand the rules of procedure based on Robert's Rule of Order and how, when properly applied, they can assist Boards to make decisions efficiently and fairly. Through sharing of best practices, we will also review more advanced methods for Boards to focus their attention on the most contentious issues while still meeting their required duties. We will also have time for specific questions based on your experiences and how to resolve specific situations or problems.

In these sessions, our advisors will provide the Catholic Trustees with a mental road map for navigating the social and political dimensions of the ever-evolving social media environment. Our firm deeply understands how the Canadian public thinks and approaches issues due to our vast experience working in media relations and crisis management at the highest levels of government. We will harness this knowledge to equip OCSTA’s members with the tools they need to enhance their understanding of how to be effective advocates on social media.

    Summary of Presentation

How do you take your presentations to the next level. In this session you will learn the secrets of success through storytelling:

- Planning for success

- Finding your story

- Using a proven structure to get it right every time

Help your audience understand your perspective and connect who you and your cause. Priya will leave you with a formula and reusable template to help you tell your story successfully.

Description of Presentation

The best board meetings are ones in which trustees engage in meaningful discussion and make decisions that advance the objectives of the school system. The worst meetings are those in which trustees spend their time arguing among themselves, focusing on issues that belong to staff and run on for hours into the night. This workshop will highlight best practices that reflect how to lead and participate in great meetings and avoid getting trapped into practices that reflect the worst. It will include:

 ·         How the agenda and structure of reports serve as the framework and content for successful meetings

·         Questions that keep trustees ‘out of the weeds’

·         The Chair as the director who keeps things on track

How to assess if your board is spending meeting time on issues that are important to student achievement 

Meetings are most effective when all members understand their roles and the accepted processes for decision-making. At the end of this workshop, participants will know how to be the most effective in their role as members of the Board. You will understand the rules of procedure based on Robert's Rule of Order and how, when properly applied, they can assist Boards to make decisions efficiently and fairly. Through sharing of best practices, we will also review more advanced methods for Boards to focus their attention on the most contentious issues while still meeting their required duties. We will also have time for specific questions based on your experiences and how to resolve specific situations or problems.

In these sessions, our advisors will provide the Catholic Trustees with a mental road map for navigating the social and political dimensions of the ever-evolving social media environment. Our firm deeply understands how the Canadian public thinks and approaches issues due to our vast experience working in media relations and crisis management at the highest levels of government. We will harness this knowledge to equip OCSTA’s members with the tools they need to enhance their understanding of how to be effective advocates on social media.

Summary of Presentation

How do you take your presentations to the next level. In this session you will learn the secrets of success through storytelling:

- Planning for success

- Finding your story

- Using a proven structure to get it right every time

 Help your audience understand your perspective and connect who you and your cause. Priya will leave you with a formula and reusable template to help you tell your story successfully.

Description of Presentation

 This presentation will highlight how Artificial Intelligence (AI) may transform education. Will this technology improve humanity or destroy it? 

 What is the role of the Catholic school system to focus on the humane use of technology? What about Ethics and Catholic Social Teachings? Where does Governance fit in? 

 These questions and more will be addressed during this fast paced journey into the world beyond ChatGPT

Through storytelling and his personal journey, Cadmus shares the importance of two world views.