UPPER CANADA DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
UCDSB Director Presents the 2023-24 Director's Annual Report

Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) Director of Education Ron Ferguson presented the 2023-24 Annual Report to the Board of Trustees during the November 13 organizational board meeting.

This report, submitted annually to the Ministry of Education, details the strategic initiatives undertaken in the 2023-24 school year, showcases the progress made in reaching goals set by the UCDSB, and celebrates the accomplishments of students and staff.

The report is organized around five key areas of focus, with Ferguson providing specific examples to illustrate each one:

Graduation Rate and Student Success Rate: The UCDSB has the goal of attaining and maintaining a 90 per cent graduation rate. For the third consecutive year, students are graduating from UCDSB schools at a higher rate than ever before, with the current 5-year grad rate at 89.2 per cent. Ferguson also highlighted that the UCDSB was the only school board in the province to increase EQAO scores in all areas.

Student Culture: Enhancing student mental and physical health and sense of belonging, as means to further student success is another priority area for the UCDSB. Ferguson showcased the significant growth in the International Education program, which saw a 300 per cent increase in international students since the 2020-21 school year. International students enhance student engagement in cultural learning and provide opportunities for Canadian students to act as ambassadors.

Real-World Learning: This is UCDSB-specific teaching method designed to engage students, staff, and community partners through real-world experiences and practical learning opportunities. Examples include the We Were Here' project, which commemorates Canadian soldiers from the First World War, in collaboration with the Hill 70 Memorial Project. Multiple schools are involved in different aspects, continuing through the current school year. Ferguson also highlighted Chesterville Public School students and their community garden project, one of many schools that took part in the UCDSB Grows initiatives.

Staff Culture: Ensuring that staff feel supported by the district in their work and have the resources they need to be successful is another strategic priority. The 2023 Staff Climate Survey showed that 89 per cent of respondents enjoy working for the UCDSB, while 97 per cent felt the workplace is supportive of employees. Ninety per cent feel they are given the opportunity to be innovative in their job, while 96 per cent of respondents believe what they do in their job matters. Ferguson added that while there are areas to improve, the UCDSB is headed in the right direction with its initiatives.

Reading: Ensuring students know how to read is at the core of the UCDSB's work. Ferguson showed examples of the use of science-backed practices in classrooms, highlighting that all schools have at least one teacher trained in Corrective Reading and most elementary schools were using UFLI as their foundational program. He also noted the continued success of the Summer Learning Program, which focuses on enhancing literacy and numeracy.

"This report not only highlights our achievements over the past year," said Ferguson. "It serves as a roadmap for our ongoing journey to enhance student success and well-being." Board Chair Jamie Schoular said the report "paints a very positive picture of what's going on in our board, and at the same time, acknowledges that our work is not finished."

The full report can be viewed here through an interactive flipbook.