Toll Free: 1-877-482-0722
We invite you to learn more about how the Durham Catholic District School Board continues to celebrate and support Black Excellence on an ongoing basis.
Staff
| Coach/Advocates for Black Students (CABS) |
|
Within a Catholic learning environment, Coach/Advocates for Black Students (CABS) will work within schools to support the implementation of programs, services and other supports to meet the needs of underserved Black students and their families, with a focus on student well-being and success. This role was established as part of DCDSB’s commitment to recognizing and dismantling anti-Black racism and systemic barriers. The CABS role is one way that the Durham Catholic district school board is working to change this reality for our students. Learn more about the Coach/Advocates for Black Students and the Coach/Advocate-Led Initiatives. |
| Staff Learning Session - Colour Blind with Aubrey Noronha |
| More than 70 staff members gathered for the Summer Institute for Educators at Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School on August 24, 2022. Academic and Student Services departments provided workshops covering a variety of topics, while keynote speaker and Durham Catholic Alumni, Aubrey Noronha spoke to staff on Colour Blind? Why being ‘not racist’ is not enough anymore. Aubrey Noronha shared steps to take on our actively anti-racist journey by building awareness, relationships and commitment. |
| Equity Lead and Principal/Vice-Principal Training |
| Equity Leads (one in every school) engaged in two full days of professional development and learning focused on anti-racism and anti-discrimination to support engagement, conversations and capacity-building at the school-level. Academic and Student Services teaching staff also joined these learning opportunities. |
| Human Rights and Equity Advisor (HREA) |
| Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) is committed to maintaining a culture of respect for human rights and the dignity of the human person. In furtherance of its commitment to identifying and eliminating any form of overt or covert racism, discriminatory practices, systemic barriers and biases from our board, DCDSB appointed Mr. Kayode Akomolafe as its Human Rights and Equity Advisor (HREA).
The HREA will provide system-level leadership in meeting obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code and continue to build capacity to foster a culture of human rights, maintain welcoming, respectful working and learning environments in the board. The HREA will also facilitate the resolution of human rights concerns/complaints through transparent and accountable processes which may include investigation, mediation or other forms of complaint resolution.
The HREA acts in a non-partisan capacity to protect and advance human rights as articulated in the Ontario Human Rights Code and school board policies.
The HREA will also maintain appropriate independence and impartiality and will not:
To deliver on this mandate, the HREA commits to working collaboratively with students, all board staff, Trustees, families and communities to advance human rights, equity, diversity, inclusion and the dismantling of systemic barriers in the board. |
Students
| STEM Camp |
|
In July 2022, the Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) partnered with Ontario Tech University and Queen’s University for a specialized STEM camp for Black youth. During the two-week-long camp, over 150 DCDSB elementary students in Grades 7 and 8 and secondary students in Grades 9 and 10 built and created structures, such as structurally sound bridges, learned to code and use robotics, and created bottle rockets. Prior to the two-week camp, Grade 11 & 12 students were hired through a Focus on Youth (FOY) initiative. The Coach/Advocates collaborated with the Women's Multicultural Centre where 10 FOY students were taught financial literacy, leadership training and much more. These 10 students were then selected to be student leaders for the STEM camp for the following two weeks.
|
| CAMH Visit |
| In the summer of 2022, Focus on Black Youth students visited the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) where they were provided with the opportunity to meet with various professionals. This visit allowed them to expand their knowledge of career opportunities, such as Nursing, Social Work, Data analysis, lab technicians and more. The students were enlightened, educated, and felt empowered as they engaged in impactful conversations that will shape the decisions made throughout their future careers. |
| All Saints Catholic Secondary School Hosts First BIPOC Panel of Filmmakers in Partnership with Reel Canada |
|
On December 13, 2023, All Saints Catholic Secondary School hosted the first ever Panel Discussion on BIPOC Representation in the Canadian Film Industry in partnership with Reel Canada.
All Saints Catholic Secondary School students hosted award winning director, writer and producer Jennifer Holness who spoke about her project Subjects of Desire, Black women and Beauty. Mohawk director and cinematographer Jonathan Elliot spoke about how his award-winning contemporary stories of Indigenous cultures are complex narratives, and up and coming Muslim Indo-Caribbean filmmaker Yazmeen Kanji spoke about her experience as a TIFF Next Wave filmmaker.
The panel explored Canadian representation on screen, as well as experiences behind the camera, both in key creative roles and crew positions. The interactive session was filmed by a professional tv production crew comprised of industry specialists from different parts of Ontario such as North Bay, Ottawa and Toronto. It was Reel Canada's first live event since the beginning of the pandemic. Reel Canada will be distributing the show across Canada in 2023. Five Titan students were also selected to be interviewed separately about their futures as racialized creative content makers.
|
Information Sharing
| Promoting Black Mental Health |
| The Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) helped promote the TAIBU Community Health Centre event, Forward: Charting a Bold Path to Improve Black Health and Well-Being. From September 12 to 16, 2022, TAIBU Community Health Centre hosted a weeklong series of in-person and virtual events that aimed to showcase their innovative responses, progress already in motion and forward-thinking solutions in regards to improving Black health and well-being. Each community and knowledge mobilization event was been designed to inspire action and accountability. DCDSB shared this event through internal and external newsletters to staff, students and families, school websites, and social media. |
| BFCN Scholarship Application Workshop for Black DCDSB Students |
| The Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) partnered with the Black Foundation of Community Networks (BFCN) for a virtual Scholarship Application Workshop on November 30, 2022. Families in Grades 8 - 12 were invited to the workshop where BFCN Scholarship Coordinators demonstrated how to search, prepare, and apply for scholarships and bursaries. |
| Culturally Relevant Community Supports, Services and Resources |
| The Equity staff and committee at Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) have compiled culturally relevant community supports, services and resources, along with a list of community partners. |
| BE-STEMM 2023 |
|
Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) helped promote the Canadian Black Scientists Network's (CBSM) four day virtual, multidisciplinary program featuring research in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Medicine & Health (STEMM) for students in Grades 7-12, from February 1-4, 2023. Highlights of BE-STEMM 2023 include keynote talks by established and rising star Black scholars in STEMM, contributed talks by Black scholars, practitioners, students, and educators across disciplines, panel discussions, and an opportunity to mentor emerging Black scientists in a Science Fair. In partnership with the Black Engineers of Canada, the virtual Career Fair features varied employment opportunities and programs. Visit the BE-STEAMM website for more information. |