Waterloo Region District School Board

The Waterloo Region District School Board was presented with a plaque at a Board meeting June 21, 2010, by the Kitchener-Waterloo Chapter of the Canadian Red Cross in recognition of the Board's fundraising efforts for earthquake relief in Haiti. In January the WRDSB raised over $300,000 for relief efforts in a Board-wide fundraising initiative.

Students at Keatway Public School jumped rope and showed off their skipping skills on their way to raising $10 000 for the Ontario Heart and Stroke Foundation on a cool and breezy morning on May 11^th. Teacher, Carrie Bentz, who organized the yearly event wishes to thank the many parent volunteers that assisted her with the running of this fundraiser. Well-done, Cardinals!

Steve Sanderson, a custodian at Pioneer Park PS, is this year's RBC Local Hockey Leader. Steve is one of 13 volunteers (one for each region in Canada) that will be honoured at a ceremony at the Hockey Hall of Fame on June 16,2010.

Waterloo Regional Police Service has announced that the Junior WAYVE (Working Against Violence Everywhere) team at Stewart Avenue Public School in Cambridge are the winners of the overall best submission in a contest for kindergarten to grade 8 students. The children were asked to share their creative ideas about how to “help make our community safer by encouraging smart choices.”

Ninety-three group and individual submissions were received from a total of 158 youth.

Country star Aaron Lines will be performing at Waterloo-Oxford DSS on Thursday May 6 in a special concert to help benefit the school's Relay for Life campaign.

Students on the Relay for Life Committee were brainstorming ideas on how to make this year's event bigger than ever. One student, who has friends in the music industry, sent out emails explaining the event and the agent for Aaron Lines, and former WODSS student, responded.

Staff at Forest Heights CI supports diversity in their school and of DayofPink - the international day against bullying, discrimination and homophobia in schools and communities on April 14, 2010.

Please note that the start time for LGBTQ Out Loud is 6:00pm and not 7:00pm as a previous news release indicated.

The Waterloo Region District School Board, together with OK2BME, have produced a training DVD, “Out Loud”, around Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) issues.

The launch of LGBTQ Out Loud will take place Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at 6:00pm at Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate & VS, located at 787 King Street West in Kitchener. Media Welcome.

Woodland Park PS has collected 930 pairs of shoes and 211 pairs of eyeglasses as part of their Seeing Your Soles campaign.

The campaign took place during the month of March to collect shoes and glasses for those less fortunate in Guatemala. At a wrap up assembly held last week, students were rewarded for their fundraising efforts by seeing two teachers get their heads shaved, the principal and vice-principal get a pie in the face and a teacher taped to the wall. It was an excellent way to end the March character development theme of Equality and Empathy.

Forest Glen PS chose “Kindness” as their character development focus for February. Random Acts of Kindness has been a February tradition for many years in this school, “it is nice to start the year off on a positive foot.” Each child was given a RAOK bracelet to help them to remember to do at least one act of kindness every day. There were many acts of kindness observed, both big and small. The kids were encouraged to continue their efforts throughout the New Year.

   The students, staff and parents of the Waterloo Region DSB have demonstrated their concern for the devastating situation in Haiti by raising $301,000.