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Click Here! - OFIS Professional Development Calendar - 2011/2012 School Year
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"Ontario Schools - Kindergarten To Grade 12: Policy & Program Requirements (OS)" - This just released document sets out MOE requirements governing the overall policies and programs of elementary and secondary schools - it replaces the previous OSS and incorporates many policies issued in previous memoranda. For the FIRST time it directly affects elementary schools as well.
Thursday February 9 - 12:00pm-4:30pm - Burlington Convention Centre
$150 - Members & ISAO Affiliates
$250 - Non-Members
CLICK HERE! - To Learn More & Register
*Registration Now Open!


OFIS Winter Webinars - Professional Development Without Leaving Your School!
January 24 - Trouble-shooting OnSIS - Dave Ferguson
February 16 - MOE's School Effectiveness Framework - Dave Bird
April 5 - Government Relations & Independent Schools - Barb Bierman
May 3 - Numeracy & MOE's Newest Expectations - Dave Bird
*Located conveniently in your own office - 1:30-2:15pm followed by Q & A
$FREE - Members & ISAO Affiliates
$50 - Non-Members (non-members will be invoiced)
CLICK HERE! - To Learn More & Register
*Registration Now Open!


Bullying Stops Now Conference
*sponsored by York University (OFIS PSP Partner)
January 30 (8:30-3:30pm) And May 28 2012 (8:30-12:30pm) - Markham Convergence Centre -
*deals with bullying, cyber-bullying, legal issues, and newly proposed government legislation & participants will have the opportunity to add to their current school plan
$175 +HST - Members & Non-Members
CLICK HERE! To Learn More & Register
*Registration Now Open!


OFIS/YORK PSP II (Principals' Course Part 2)
April 13-15 And April 27-29 +35 Hours Online - York University - Keele Campus
*Independent School Leadership Course For Experienced School Administrators
$2400 - Members
(members will receive a $500 rebate upon course completion)
$2400 - Non-Members & ISAO Affiliates
CLICK HERE! - To Learn More & Register
*Registration Now Open!




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Click Here! To Take Advantage of Special Offers For OFIS Schools From Our Sponsors!

*Simon Phoenix Group - Your Database Management Specialists!
*My School Insurance - Your School & Personal Insurance Specialists!
*Reality Media - Your Canadian Indigenous Educational Materials Specialists!

*Click On Any Of These Stories To Read More!

10/12/11 - "Is Competition The Best Way To Ensure The Future Of Public Schools?" - Yahoo News - Steve Mertl
*"This sytematic discrepancy (funding inequity resulting in lack of true competition) doesn't seem fair. So the question is: do we remove the choices available to these fortunate subgroups? Or do we look for some way to extend these benefits to the entire population?"

10/20/11 - "Politicians Can't Take Credit For High Marks" - York Region News - Debora Kelly
*"Our kids are achieving — though still not enough of them — not because of politicians, but because of skilled and caring teachers and tutors, supportive parents and their own commitment.
Let's give credit where it is due"


9/28/11 - "Private Schools Have The Toughest Accountability Partners - Parents" - Our Kids Media - Barb Bierman, OFIS Executive Director
*Media Response to Toronto Star - As the executive director of OFIS that prides itself in growing a membership of schools dedicated to operational excellence and public credibility, the recent series of articles published by the Toronto Star was disconcerting since it fell short of presenting a complete analysis of the issue of accountability in the private school industry.

9/25/11 - "Cracking Down On Credit Mills - What Are The Solutions?" - Toronto Star - Michelle Yang
*As the provincial election loom, Toronto Star looks to education experts for their views on how incoming government can eliminate for-profit schools that sell credits and grades to undeserving students.

9/16/11 - "Accusations About Independent School Credits Nothing More Than Fear‐Mongering To Boost Enrolment At Public Schools" - *Media Response to Toronto Star - Barb Bierman - OFIS - Executive Director

9/16/11 - "Cash For Marks Gets Kids Into University" - Star Investigation - Toronto Star - Robert Cribbs
*A former Toronto public high school principal says kids who attend some for-profit private schools are getting scholarships based on false documents

3/28/11 - "There's A Reason It's Not Easy To Argue Against School Choice..." - Media Response to Toronto Star & Toronto Sun articles - Barb Bierman - OFIS - Executive Director

3/25/11 - "Saving Public Education - Too Many Choice" - Toronto Star
*Premier McGuinty says we need to "bind" the rich to the public education system via reforms like school choice or they'll desert it for private schools and "full-scale privatization" could follow!

3/19/11 - "Breaking Up Our School System" - Toronto Sun
*More choice of programs in public schools in Toronto will only "fly" if parents choose it - it's telling that politicians don't seem to have enough faith in their voters to choose what's right for their own kids? Move over Premier Dad - you've got company!
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*Archived Stories - 2010 in Review!

12/15/10 - "Government To Scrap Key Piece Of Full Day Kindergarten Plan" - Toronto Star
*scrapping before and after school care with full day kindergarten is good news for independent schools!

5/07/10 - OCSAA AGM KEYNOTE ADDRESS - "The Challenges Facing Independent Schools" - Barb Bierman, ED - OFIS

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*Archived Stories - 2009 in Review!

11/5/09 - Full Day Kindergarten - Impact on Independent Schools? Ontario - *click here to see the whole interview

10/21/09 - TDSB First To Hire Marketing Director To Lure Students Away From Independent Schools - read the article

10/21/09 - An All Boys Public School In Toronto - What Will They Think Of Next? - read the article

8/11/09 - CBC News - Private School Grades To Be "Flagged" In Ontario - read the article

8/20/09 - ISAO/OFIS News Release - Education Minister's "Scarlet Letter" For Independent Schools Indicts Her Own Government - read the release

6/16/09 - OFIS NEWS RELEASE - Ontario's New Education Plan Takes Parents Out Of The Equation

5/10/09 - Wondering About H1N1 And Your School?

4/8/09 - OFIS NEWS RELEASE - OFIS Responds To Ministry of Education Charge That Private Schools Give "Easy A's"

3/26/09 - OFIS AGM KEYNOTE ADDRESS - "The Perfect Storm Of Education" - Barb Bierman, ED