OCENET staff bursary

OCENET staff bursary promotes international experiences


 Principal Heather Graham (right) of W.O. Mitchell E.S. and Principal Shelly Fitness (left), St. Michael’s Catholic School, Rotorua, New Zealand

"It was with great pride that I shared many Ontario and OCDSB educational resources throughout the LEAP Progam. Thank you OCENET for this learning opportunity of a lifetme!"
- Heather Graham, Principal, W.O. Mitchell ES


OCENET’s Staff Bursary Program is now in its second year, and 16 OCDSB staff received bursaries in the amount of $500 to $1,000 to assist international learning and PD initiatives between January and the fall of 2016.

Here are some of the bursary recipients’ experiences:

  • Kent Van Dyk Culinary Arts Teacher Longfields-Davidson Heights S.S.

The OCENET Bursary allowed me to travel to Copenhagen and present a “Break-Out Session” at the MAD5 Conference (MAD is the Danish word for Food). MAD is an International Symposium hosted by Rene Redzepi of internationally acclaimed Restaurant Noma in Copenhagen. The symposium brings together chefs, food activists, writers, academics and those involved in our food system to discuss the issues surrounding food. This year’s theme was Tomorrow’s Kitchen and I led a discussion on Food Literacy framed within the context of our Culinary Arts Program at Longfields-Davidson Heights S.S. OCENET helped me get to Copenhagen, present the session and network with people from around the world who are working to help secure our food system and educate the next generation of chefs and consumers.

  • Anne-Marie Robinson-Sisk LST/Immersion Teacher Cairine Wilson S.S.

The OCENET/Educational Foundation Staff Bursary enabled me to travel to Philadelphia from October 13-15th to attend the Global Education Forum. This forum was an opportunity to see what others are doing in the realm of global education. With representatives from 28 states and 9 other countries, we were given the opportunity to attend workshops, learn from keynote speakers and panels, network and collect valuable resources to bring back to our colleagues and classrooms. It was such a stimulating and invigorating experience, one I would recommend to anyone and everyone looking to work in global education and with 21st century learners.

  • Heather Graham Principal WO Mitchell E.S.

This spring I was awarded the 2016 OCENET International Education Bursary to travel with the Ontario Principal's Council Leading Educators Around the Planet (LEAP) Program. This is a program where Ontario Principals are paired with overseas partners for a two-week period in the summer and then the partner comes to Ontario in the fall. I went to Rotorua, New Zealand, in July/August 2016 and had the great pleasure of doing my action research project on student voice.

Principal Shelly Fitness from New Zealand came to Ontario to examine teacher collaborative learning networks, more specifically, the OCDSB School Learning Plan process. I learned a great deal from the innovative learning environments in New Zealand and their work on student voice. I would also say that my school learning plan was much stronger due to this collaboration with my principal partner this October. It was with great pride that I shared many Ontario and OCDSB educational resources throughout the LEAP Program. Thank you OCENET for this learning opportunity of a lifetime!

 OCENET STAFF Bursaries for international PD
Application Forms, FAQ's, Application Deadlines, Contact Information, etc. Click "Scholarships & Bursaries"


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