Monday, October 16, 2023

We are very excited to announce that we are now open for delegate registrations for our 2023 Fall Conference, "Come Back to Get Ahead” at the Hilton – Mississauga/Meadowvale on Monday, October 16!

OSCA/ACOSO is thrilled to be returning to our first In-Person event since 2019. Join over 300 other guidance counsellors and career educators from across the province as we network, learn, and grow together. Our new and returning sponsors and exhibitors are eager to share updated resources and strategies to assist you in your everyday practice. In addition, we are proud to offer a wide range of workshops to assist new and seasoned professionals, including: updates from the Ministry of Education, OCAS, Francophone workshops, post-secondary pathways, mental health and well-being, financial literacy, labour market trends, skilled trades, emerging technologies, classroom management, LGBTQ2S , supporting racialized students, grants and scholarships, dual credits, co-operative education, apprenticeships, college and university programs, artificial intelligence, careers in demand, e-learning supports and more! 

EARLY BIRD RATE FOR RENEWED SUBSCRIBERS: $299

Visit our website to register without delay!

2023 OSCA Fall Conference - OSCA - Ontario School Counsellors Association

 

 

Susi Dupuis - President

Welcome back to a fresh start and a new school year! With summer holidays coming to an end, setting up for routines is top priority. Time to encourage and inspire; provide new and bright beginnings to school life; and motivate students to stay in tune for and excited about unforgettable moments throughout the year.  

As a new school year begins, there can be a mix of emotions for all. From excitement to nervousness, we as counsellors can understand the importance of creating a positive and supportive environment for both staff and students. Dedication and hard work is both admired and recognized in educating and guiding students who come before you each and every day. Your OSCA/ACOSO colleagues are readily available to share experiences, strategies and success stories to help build collaboration with staff within your schools.

Renewing your OSCA subscription will continue to provide access to weekly "OSCA News” briefs and seasonal "OSCA Today” magazines filled with opportunities, supports and events; will enable access to the Members’ Lounge for additional and useful resources for yourself and those you work with; will invite your participation in regular virtual webinars that have become extremely popular over the past couple of years; and will provide you with a direct link for registering for this year’s in-person conference! Encourage newcomers to the guidance world to become members, so they can take advantage of all that the Ontario School Counsellors’ Association offers.

Your OSCA Board of Directors is looking forward to an exciting Conference, "Come Back to Get Ahead," happening in just over a month! Preparations are being finalized for October 16. Continue to watch for publications and news on a regular basis and be sure to consider your colleagues in nominating those for recognition who are passionate and contribute that extra degree to the world of guidance and careers education! 

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Bonne rentrée scolaire, l’occasion de prendre un nouveau départ! Alors que les vacances d’été touchent à leur fin, l’élaboration de routines est une priorité absolue. Il est temps d’encourager et d’inspirer; d’offrir un nouveau début radieux à la vie scolaire; et de motiver les élèves de rester à l’écoute et d’avoir hâte aux moments inoubliables qui auront lieu tout au long de l’année.

Le début d’une nouvelle année scolaire peut susciter une gamme d’émotions pour tous. De l’enthousiasme à la nervosité, nous, en tant que conseillers, comprenons l’importance de créer un environnement positif et favorable pour le personnel et les élèves. En ce qui concerne l’éducation et l’encadrement des élèves qui se présentent devant vous à tous les jours, le dévouement et le travail acharné sont à la fois admirés et reconnus. Vos collègues de l’OSCA/ACOSO sont facilement accessibles pour partager leurs expériences, leurs stratégies et leurs réussites afin d’aider à établir une collaboration avec le personnel au sein de vos écoles.

Le renouvellement de votre abonnement à l’OSCA/ACOSO continuera de vous donner accès aux bulletins d’informations hebdomadaires OSCA News et aux magazines saisonniers OSCA Today qui sont tous les deux remplis d’opportunités, de soutiens et d’événements. L’abonnement vous permettra aussi d’accéder au salon des membres pour des ressources supplémentaires utiles pour vous et vos collègues; vous invitera à participer à des webinaires virtuels réguliers qui sont devenus extrêmement populaires au cours des dernières années; et vous fournira un lien direct pour vous inscrire à la conférence de cette année qui aura lieu en présentiel! Encouragez les débutants dans le domaine de l’orientation à devenir membres afin qu’ils puissent profiter de tout ce que l’Association des conseillers scolaires de l’Ontario puisse offrir.

Votre conseil d’administration de l’OSCA/ACOSO a hâte de vous présenter une conférence prometteuse – Revenir pour avancer – qui aura lieu dans un peu plus d’un mois! Nous finalisons les préparatifs pour le 16 octobre. Restez attentifs aux publications et aux actualités de façon régulière et assurez-vous de considérer vos collègues lors de la nomination de personnes passionnées qui apportent une touche spéciale au monde de l’orientation et de la formation au cheminement de carrière.

SAVE THE DATE - NEW OSCA WEBINAR!

The Legalities of Professional Notetaking 
Tuesday, September 26 - 10:00 AM

OSCA is back to provide you with a dynamic series of informative and relevant monthly webinars, free for our subscribers! Kick off the school year by joining OSCA and Renata Antoniuk from the Ontario School Board Insurance Exchange on Tuesday, September 26, 2023, for a webinar on the legalities of professional note-taking, tailored to guidance teacher-counsellors in school settings. This session will be especially important for those who are new to the role of school counselling, and a vital refresher for those who already have some experience in the role.

We will be discussing issues surrounding the basics of notetaking, information to avoid including in counsellor notes, who may have access to the records, who they belong to, as well as when and for what purposes they can be used. The webinar will also cover recent cases applicable to the disclosure and use of counsellor notes. Register Here!

Ontario Universities’ Fair (OUF)
The OUF is coming up. Make sure your students attend!

The OUF gathers Ontario’s universities in 1 place. It's a once-a-year, free event where attendees can talk directly with university representatives.

The OUF takes place October 21-22, 2023, from 10 am to 5 pm, daily, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in the South Building. Admission is free.
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Foire des universités de l’Ontario (FUO)
La Foire des universités de l’Ontario (FUO) arrive à grands pas. Assurez-vous que vos élèves y seront!

La FUO réunit les universités de l’Ontario en 1 seul endroit. Il s’agit d’un événement annuel gratuit qui permet aux participantes et participants de s’entretenir directement avec des représentantes et représentants des universités.

La FUO aura lieu les 21 et 22 octobre 2023, à l’Édifice Sud du Palais des congrès du Toronto métropolitain, de 10 h à 17 h. L’entrée est libre.

Registration is now available for the fall 2023 Guidance Dialogues event on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, from 9-11 am.

The event will include updates from the OUAC, a demonstration of the new undergraduate application and recruitment activities updates.

Note: Universities will not deliver individual presentations at the fall 2023 event. University-specific updates and contact information will be available on the event website within each university’s individual showcase.

Registration is required. This event is for guidance counsellors only. Please do not share the registration link with your students.

Visit the Guidance website for more information.

Please send all event inquiries to: onunirecruitment@gmail.com.
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L’inscription à la séance des Dialogues d’automne 2023 – laquelle est prévue le mardi 19 septembre 2023, de 9 h à 11 – est maintenant accessible.

L’événement comprendra des mises à jour de l’OUAC, une démonstration de la nouvelle Demande de premier cycle, ainsi que des mises à jour sur les activités de recrutement. 

Notes :

• L'événement se tiendra principalement en anglais seulement.
• Les universités ne donneront aucune présentation lors de la séance d’automne 2023. Des mises à jour spécifiques aux universités, ainsi que les coordonnées de ces dernières, seront accessibles dans le site Web de l’événement, et ce, dans la vitrine de chacune des universités.

L’inscription est obligatoire. Cet événement s’adresse uniquement aux conseillères et conseillers en orientation. Prière de ne pas partager le lien vers le site d’inscription avec vos élèves.

Pour plus d’information, visitez le site Web Orientation.

Prière d’envoyer vos questions relativement à l’événement, à l’adresse : onunirecruitment@gmail.com.

 

Ontario Universities'' Info (OUInfo) 2024 is live!
 
OUInfo is the only resource that is updated directly by the Ontario universities, making it a reliable one-stop shop for information.
 
Find and compare Ontario university programs, and research residences, scholarships, admission requirements and more.

Be sure to check out these new pages:
- Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
- Extenuating Circumstances
- Indigenous Student Resources
- University Student Transition Resources

Universities update OUInfo throughout the year, so remember to check back regularly.

We are offering 36 Loran Awards to graduating high school students entering university next fall who demonstrate strength of character, a commitment to service, and leadership potential. Last year, nine Ontario students were named 2023 Loran Scholars. 

The only award of its kind in Canada, the Loran Award (www.loranscholar.ca) is valued at more than $100,000 over four years of university undergraduate studies, including:

• an annual stipend;
• matching tuition waiver;
• mentorship;
• funding for summer work experiences;
• participation in an extensive network of past and present Loran Scholars.

There are many opportunities for young people to succeed in our selection process, including the granting of up to $400,000 in additional awards to 124 candidates. 

The students this program seeks may not see anything special about what they are doing, they just do what needs to be done. You play a critical role by encouraging them to apply and connecting these students with a community that will continue to encourage them to realize their full potential, for their benefit and the benefit of our collective future. A vote of confidence from a school counsellor can propel a student to do great things. 

Applications open after Labour Day and are due October 11, 2023, before 8pm ET. For the most up to date information and how to apply, visit www.loranscholar.ca.

Registration for Cannexus24 recently opened (launch announcement)! The conference, Jan. 29-31, 2024, will be a hybrid with both an in-person version in Ottawa, Canada and a virtual portion (cannexus.ceric.ca). 

This year we are offering a Super Saver rate to make Cannexus as inclusive and accessible as possible. Members of supporting organizations receive an additional 25% off.  Your members only pay $221 for the virtual conference or $393 for the in-person if they register by September 8. Both in-person and virtual attendees get access to all recordings in the virtual platform for three months after the conference ends.  
To support your communications, we encourage you to share this messaging with your members via newsletters, eblasts, websites and social media:

Enjoy Super Saver rates for Cannexus24: Empowering change, Building our future
#Cannexus — to be held as a hybrid conference this year — is now open for registration! We are proud to be a supporting organization for Canada's largest bilingual Career Development Conference and encourage you to take advantage of the Super Saver rate by September 8, 2023. Members of supporting organizations receive an additional 25% off and pay only $221 for the virtual conference or $393 for the in-person during the Super Saver period.

What to expect at hybrid Cannexus24
This year, Cannexus24 takes place from January 29-31, 2024, both virtually and in Ottawa, Canada. The virtual and in-person portions are essentially separate programs with shared keynotes & various touchpoints throughout the conference for virtual and in-person delegates to interact. Whether you are part of the in-person or virtual conference, you will:

• Gain knowledge from 100 live and on-demand sessions in both English and French;
• Meet like-minded delegates and build connections through networking activities;
• Be informed and inspired by diverse, world-class keynotes and presenters;
• Engage with organizations that offer programs, products and services to help your work;
• Have access to session recordings for three months to keep learning.

Regardless of which format you choose, Cannexus24 will leave you feeling empowered to enact change and to build our future together through career development.

With the right supports, career exploration can begin at any age. From videos to workbooks to journalling exercises, these resources can help school counsellors, educators, parents and other caring adults engage elementary school students in career exploration.

CPA Ontario is excited to invite you to participate in their exclusive Teacher Colleague Program (TCP). This program is free of charge and offers you access to classroom resources, assignments, workshops, conferences, and more to enrich the Ontario High School curriculum. Join the TCP at cpaontario.ca/tcp.

Do you have students who are interested in a career in business or accounting? CPA Ontario, offers a wide variety of events and programs designed to inspire students to see the limitless potential of the CPA designation and how they can become designated for greatness. They have put together an exclusive resource for you (see attached) that highlights everything you and your students might want to know about CPA Ontario including how to become a CPA, the career opportunities, and the various events, workshops, and conferences that they are hosting for the upcoming school year.

If you have any questions for the High School Student Recruitment Team at CPA Ontario, please direct them to getinvolved@cpaontario.ca

Lazy Tommy Pumpkinhead was one of my favourite books as a kid. The story outlined how lazy Tommy had, quite brilliantly, devised an automatic system in his home to get him out of bed and ready for the day...all without him having to move much at all! I was fascinated with the process and the amazing equipment he had in his home to facilitate his morning routine. Of course, the moral of the story is to not be like Lazy Tommy. After an electrical storm, poor Tommy’s equipment failed to function properly and he ended up moving upside down and backwards through his usual morning routine with disastrous results.

With the often hectic and frantic pace of our lives, I continue to be amazed at the inventive strategies people use to save time and money – easing the stresses of their daily lives and becoming more efficient in the process.

From October 2023 - November 2023, Waterloo Engineering Recruitment and Admissions will host webinars covering everything you need to know about applying to Engineering at the University of Waterloo! Presenters will include the Director/Associate Director of Admissions, as well as current students who have been through the admissions process themselves.

The session on Tuesday, October 3, at 10am ET is for Guidance Counsellors/Advisors who will be supporting students through the Engineering and/or Mathematics undergraduate application process. We will discuss admission processes and changes this year as well as highlight some important deadlines for your students.

If you are unable to attend the live session, a recording will be sent to all registrants as well as posted to our Engineering YouTube channel following the webinar.

Partnered with leading associations, CERIC is committed to offering enriching series covering pertinent subjects. Explore our expanding selection and elevate your professional journey with the latest insights!

OSCA subscriptions will expire on Sept 30. Please take the time to renew now. As a reminder, subscriptions need to be renewed in order to take advantage of the member rate for the conference. Renewals need to be completed before registering for the conference.

Please login to your OSCA account to renew. Encourage your new colleagues to start a subscription. Simply go to www.osca.ca to login and renew.

As part of the OSCA subscription, you have the opportunity to attend the fall conference at a member rate, gain access to webinars throughout the year on topics related to guidance and career education, receive the weekly OSCA News to keep up to date with guidance/career topics, and receive the tri annual OSCA Today, the professional magazine of the association.

Fall session: October 3 to December 8

OSCA-ACOSO is pleased to announce that they will continue to offer Part 1, Part 2 and the Specialist in Guidance and Career Education Additional Qualifications courses this fall. Additional sessions will take place in the winter, spring and summer. Advantages of taking the course with OSCA are the instructor is a current guidance counsellor, a one year OSCA subscription is included ($55 value) and a downloaded copy of Ethical Guidelines ($25) is included. As part of the OSCA subscription, you have the opportunity to attend the fall conference at a member rate, gain access to webinars throughout the year on topics related to guidance and career education, receive the weekly OSCA News to keep up to date with guidance/career topics, and receive the tri annual OSCA Today, the professional magazine of the association.

Cost: $675 plus HST.

To register: www.osca.ca --> Next AQ course

Registration closes: September 2 at 12 noon. Please register early to reserve your seat!