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Dear ABC Ottawa Members and Take-off Families,

A fall municipal election is upon us; on October 25^th you will have the opportunity to vote for your Mayor and City Councilors - and equally important, for your School Board Trustees.

As a chapter of a registered charity, ABC Ottawa is not in a position to endorse any of the candidates running for election.  However, we do wish to suggest to our families the types of issues they may wish to discuss with the candidates for their zones, and strongly encourage you to get involved and vote.

To determine your school zone/trustee you can visit the website of your child’s school board:

Ottawa Carleton District School Board - the zone and the incumbent Trustee is listed in the general info for your child’s home school - http://ocdsb.ca/cc_mo_Our_Schools.asp

Ottawa Catholic School Board - has provided a link to 2010 Election information on their web site, including zones and how to determine if you are a Catholic school supporter - http://www.ottawacatholicschools.ca/content.php?doc=6680&xwm=true

Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est - your zone is determined through the information for your child’s home school - http://www.ceclf.edu.on.ca/fr/Dans_quelle_école_sinscrire_80/items/1.html

Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario - has provided 2010 Election information on their web site - http://www.cepeo.on.ca/conseil/gouvernance/elections/

The names and contact information of all the nominated candidates for the 2010 Elections, including the four school boards, is available through the City of Ottawa - http://www.ottawa.ca/city_hall/elections/nominations/index_en.html

When talking to the nominated school board trustee candidates, potential topics concerning educational issues for bright and gifted children are:

Identification - What criteria are in place for identifying bright and gifted students?  How rigidly are the criteria applied?  What is the candidate’s definition of a gifted child?  Who is in need of differentiated programming?

Board-wide screening - Is Board-wide screening in place?  If not - Why not?  Will the candidate support implementation of Board-wide screening?

Specialized classes - Are there specialized classes and/or programs for gifted students?  If not - Why not?  If so - How are students admitted to these classes or programs?  Does the candidate support specialized classes for gifted students?

Acceleration - Does the Board have a policy on acceleration?  If not - Does the candidate intend to create a clear policy on the acceleration of bright and gifted students?  Does the candidate support acceleration for those students who require it?

Differentiation - Does the Board have clear direction on how differentiation is delivered for bright and gifted students?  What supports will the candidate ensure are in place to help teachers deliver effective differentiated programs?

Links to all this information is available on ABC Ottawa’s web site -http://www.abcontario.ca/ottawa

Thank you for your continued support of ABC Ottawa.  We look forward to seeing you this fall at our Take-off program and other organized activities.  Continue to visit our web site for updates on the 2010 Election, and happenings at your local school board.

Sincerely,

Marc Comeau

ABC Ottawa Chapter President