SCHS Newsletter October 2018

School of
Community and
Health Studies
NEWSLETTER
October 2018
@CentennialSCHS

October 2018 October 2018
INSIDE
Welcome from your New Dean
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Welcome from your New Dean
2018 Skills Ontario Competition – Esthetician Program
This past July, I commenced my position as Dean of the School of
Community and Health Studies (SCHS) at Centennial College. I was
truly humbled and honored to have the opportunity to join the very
highly regarded SCHS, and to provide leadership to a community
of dedicated and accomplished faculty, staff, administrators and
students. Over the past few months, I have met with many of you
one-on-one or in groups, and I have been consistently impressed
with the level of dedication, sustained commitment to excellence,
and leadership that has been demonstrated.
4-5
6-8
9-13
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14-15
Centennial Day Celebration
Welcome to New SCHS
Faculty and Staff
School of Community and
Health Studies Appreciation
Event – Celebration
2017 Non-Research Article of
the Year: International Nursing
Association for Clinical Simulation
and Learning (INACSL) Conference
International Nursing Association for Clinical
Simulation and Learning (INACSL) Research
Excellence Award 2018
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18-24
‣ ¾COUPN Award for Excellence
in Collaborative Education:
Professor Margaret Verkuyl
¾
‣ Vital Sign Measurement Across the
Lifespan – 1st Canadian edition –
Open Textbook
‣ ¾Ultimate Build a Bike Challenge
¾
‣ Vision Board Presentation Assignment: Police
Foundations Program
‣ ¾The Council for Change (CFC)
‣ ¾Globally Networked Learning (GNL) initiative
‣ ¾SCHS Mock Disaster
‣ ¾George Wicken Memorial Award
for Teaching Excellence
‣ ¾2018 Diane Fagel Award
‣ ¾Community Food Garden at Ashtonbee
‣ ¾Pre-Service Firefighting Training
and Education Program
Indeed, this edition of the SCHS Newsletter highlights just some
of the wonderful activities that members of SCHS have engaged
in. SCHS staff, students and faculty have won several prestigious
awards, engaged in multiple learning and professional development
activities, engaged in powerful community building and community
engagement activities, and taught and supported hundreds of
students. I hope that you will enjoy reading about those activities highlighted in this Newsletter, as well as the
upcoming Scholarship of Teaching and Research report for the period 2015-2017.
This fall, we will begin the process of co-creating a comprehensive Strategic Plan for the SCHS, which will be
connected with Centennial’s Book of Commitments, strategic and business plans. The higher education
sector in Canada is continuously undergoing transformation at an increasing speed. I am a firm believer
in “disciplined innovation”: Taking calculated risks and finding ways to embrace sustained innovations
within defined boundaries. Considering our position in an intentional and cohesive way – through an
integrated planning exercise -- will help us to consider ways to build upon or enhance our existing
achievements, together.
I would posit that the overall goals of the SCHS Strategic Plan will be to:
• Chart a pathway forward that is specific to the unique strengths of the SCHS;
• Develop clear and measurable goals linked to Centennial’s Book of Commitments and the
Academic Plan;
• Foster innovation, integration, collaboration and open communications across our activities;
• Monitor and report on progress towards shared goals; and,
• Consolidate and document the principles that we jointly value.
As part of the SCHS Strategic Planning process, an SCHS Advisory Group will be convened this fall.
I would encourage everyone to consider ways to become involved in this important, shared process.
We have a great foundation on which to build future successes while honoring our formidable history. I
am grateful to the strong leadership shown by my predecessor, Bonnie Jasper and previously, Dr. Rahim
Karim. I would also like to express my sincerest thanks to all faculty and staff for your hard work in support
of our shared mission. I look forward to continuing to listen, learn and dialogue with you as we forge a path
forward together.
With gratitude,
Dr. Wendy Kubasik, PhD
Dean, School of Community and Health Studies |
@DeanCCSCHS
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October 2018 October 2018
Centennial Day Celebration
August 30, 2018
In recognition of our collective efforts and
commitment to success, programs and colleagues
in the School of Community and Health Studies
were presented with several awards at the Annual
Centennial Day event on August 30, 2018.
Congratulations to our School of Community and
Health Studies team and individual contributors!
President’s Spirit Award Winners
Individual winner:
• Ann Martens
Centennial Comes Out team:
• Darren Stevens
• Jennifer Woodill
Life, Safety and Security team:
• Richard Kinchlea
Graduates: Centennial’s Leadership
Passport Program
• Janet Montague
• Joyce Tsui
• Fabiola Takla
President’s Academic Gold Awards for
Overall Quality of the Learning Experience
• Child and Youth Care (1205)
• Community Services and Child Studies
Foundation (1232)
President’s Academic Program
Recognition Awards for Quality of the
Learning Experience
• Child and Youth Care (1205)
• Community Development Work (1230)
• Community and Child Studies
Foundations (1232)
• Developmental Services Worker (1207)
• Esthetician (9153)
• Fitness and Health Promotion (9320)
• Massage Therapy (5110)
• Massage Therapy – Compressed (5115)
• Practical Nursing for Internationally Educated
Nurses – Fast Track (9352)
• Pre-Service Fire Education and Training (1260)
• Personal Support Worker (9111)
• Recreation and Leisure Services (1202)
President’s Academic Program Recognition
Awards for Graduate Satisfaction
• Early Childhood Education (1201)
• Early Childhood Education (1221)
• Food Service Worker (1620)
• Food Service Worker (1621)
• Health Studies and Communications
Skills (9310)
• Recreation and Leisure Services (1202)
• Paramedic (9101)
• Personal Support Worker (9111)
• Pharmacy Technician (5850)
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Welcome to New SCHS
Faculty and Staff
SCHS was fortunate to welcome several new full and part-time
faculty and staff to our team this fall. In addition to the full-time
faculty members listed below, we would like to welcome:
LYNNE WINTERS
who joined SCHS in the role of Field Placement Coordinator at Ashtonbee Campus. In this role, Lynne will be
responsible for coordinating Field Placement for three of our Community Services programs – Social Service
Worker, Community Development Work and Development Service Worker diplomas. Lynne has been working
at Centennial College for the past 18 years in various support staff roles. Most recently, Lynne has been
working as an Employment Advisor for our Community Employment Services.
EMMA WATSON
has re-joined our SCHS Team and our Child and Family Studies Department as our Administrative Assistant
for the Progress and East York Child Care Centers. No stranger to Centennial College, Emma has been
employed in various positions and departments ranging across Warden Woods, Morningside and Progress
campuses since 2005. A proud Centennial alumnus, Emma enjoys active involvement in numerous College
committees and events. After working at both the East York and Progress Child Care Centers in 2014, Emma
returns to the centres after pursuing roles within the School of Community and Health Studies, which include
CYC Apprenticeship Officer and Program Information Officer. Emma’s most recent position within the college
involved working with the Student Life and Transitions team to enhance Experience Centennial Orientation,
develop the Volunteer Fair, create Engagement Week programming and maintain smooth office coordination.
Emma is keen on combining the theoretical knowledge she gained during her business undergrad with the
practical knowledge and passion that has developed from working in the Child Care Centres.
October 2018
DAVID BYRNE
has joined our Community Services Department as full-time Professor
in our Community and Justice Services Program. David has been
working in the criminal justice field for the past nine years as the
Executive Director of Peterborough Reintegration Services. David has
an academic interest in the intersection between ethics and criminal
justice in the chemical castration of recidivist sex offenders in Canada.
This research emerged out of David’s professional engagement with
sex offenders as coordinator for Circles of Support and Accountability
(CoSA) in Peterborough, Ontario. In CoSA, David coordinated groups
of volunteers to support sex offenders transitioning to the community,
offering counselling to clients while holding them accountable to the
community for their actions. David’s past research work also includes exploring restorative justice approaches
to the reintegration of dangerous adult offenders. David completed his Masters in Divinity at University of
St. Michael’s College in the University of Toronto. Currently, he is working on his doctorate with the University
of St. Michael’s College while concurrently completing a Collaborative Specialization in Bioethics at the Joint
Centre for Bioethics at the University of St. Michael’s College in the University of Toronto.
LINOR DAVID
has also joined our Community Services Department as full-time
Professor for our Community Development Work Program in fall
2018. Linor has been teaching part-time in the Community Services
Department for the past three years, including courses in the
Developmental Service Worker Program, Social Service Worker Program
and the Community Development Work program. Linor has been
working in the sector for the past 15 years, in the areas of food security,
women’s health, newcomer supports, healthy equity, homelessness
and housing. Most recently at Community Food Centres Canada
(CFCC), Linor was responsible for supporting the development of new
Community Food Centres across the country from Iqaluit to Calgary, and
right here in Toronto. Before that, Linor was a Community Health Worker
for the Queen West Community Health Centre, and led a community-based research project focusing on the
health of Chinese women nail salon workers. Linor holds a degree from in Psychology from Trent University
and a Masters’ degree in Adult Education and Community Development from the University of Toronto in Adult
Education and Community Development.
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October 2018
TIFFANY DITTMAN
is now a part of our Child and Family Studies Department as a fulltime
Professor for our Early Childhood Education program (Ashtonbee
Campus). Tiffany has taught in the program for the past five years.
As a Registered ECE, Tiffany has worked for over 16 years in the
Early Childhood sector, both as a front-line ECE as well as a Childcare
Manager. Tiffany has extensive post-secondary teaching experience,
both as a Professor of ECE at Durham College as well as a Professor in
the Honors B.A. in Early Childhood Studies at the University of Guelph-
Humber. Tiffany is passionate about the implementation of emergent
curriculum and a variety of educational philosophies that support an
inquiry and project approach to learning. Tiffany holds a Master of
Education in Curriculum and Design and Early Childhood Education
from Concordia University, a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) in Child and
Family Studies from Nipissing University and an ECE Diploma from
Canadore College.
LINDSEY JONES
joined our Child and Family Studies Department as full-time Professor in
the Recreation and Leisure Services program. Lindsey has worked in the
sports and recreation sector for over 15 years, working in various roles
as a ski instructor, community recreation supervisor and a personal
trainer. Lindsey has extensive post-secondary teaching experience,
teaching in Hospitality, Recreation and Tourism at Georgian College for
the past five years and before that, teaching in Health and Wellness at
Eastern College in Halifax for five years. Lindsey has had the opportunity
to take a lead role in curriculum development for several college
programs. Lindsey holds an Honors B.A Degree in Physical and Health
Education from Laurentian University as well as a Diploma in Recreation
and Leisure Services from Conestoga College. Lindsey is currently in
process of completing her Masters in Adult Education from St. Francis
Xavier University.
CINDY TENG
has teamed up with the Health and Wellness Department as full-time
Professor for our Pharmacy Technician program this month. Cindy
is no stranger to Centennial College and has been a member of our
community in different capacities. Cindy graduated with Honors from
the Pharmacy Technician certificate program at Centennial College in
2007, and achieved designation as a Certified Pharmacy Technician
with the Ontario College of Pharmacists in 2008. Upon graduation, Cindy
returned to the program as a Lab Technician for the program where
she actively supported student success. With the Pharmacy Technician
becoming a regulated health profession, Cindy pursued and achieved
the additional competency training and was successful in the rigorous
evaluation to achieve designation as a Registered Pharmacy Technician (RPhT) with OCP in 2012. Cindy also
holds a Bachelor of Science degree from The Civic Aviation University of China.
School of Community and Health
Studies Appreciation Event
Celebration
Showcasing our Academic Achievements Forum
June 21, 2018
On June 21, 2018, the School of Community and
Health Studies convened our annual appreciation,
celebration and showcase event. Designed to contribute
to institutional strategic commitments and academic
themes, this event celebrates achievements within our
School through the presentation of awards, providing a
showcase of our academic successes.
This year’s theme focused on Indigenous learning,
education and teachings. Over 100 participants in the
SCHS took part in the “Blanket Exercise,” an interactive
learning experience that teaches the Indigenous
rights history that are rarely taught in “traditional”
curriculum. Thank you to the faculty from the School
of Advancement for their facilitation in the Blanket
Exercise (Shannon Winterstein, Natalie Thornhill, Moyo
Rainos Mutumba, Dani Kwan-Lafond, Jared Purdy and
Michelle Pinto) as well as Joseph McQuabbie, Outreach
Coordinator, Land Recognition, for providing SCHS with
a Traditional Teaching.
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October 2018
Community and Health Studies
Appreciation Event Celebration
Showcasing our Academic Achievements Forum:
In the academic achievements forum, oral
presentations included the following topics:
Community Activism through Engagement
and Consensus-Building Design Processes
Community Engagement
Facilitated by Rachel Larabee
In January 2018, the process of co-creating
the Ashtonbee Community Food Garden began.
Visioning, designing and building a community food
garden was undertaken using a collaborative and
consensus-based approach to community place
making. Both students and staff on campus have been
engaged in all stages of the process. The shape of the
process continues to evolve organically through this
form of flexible engagement of individuals and
campus departments.
Our intention in sharing this work is to inspire other
community-building projects and initiatives at
Centennial College -- and the School of Community
and Health Studies -- that work to enhance and
develop greater connections amongst students and
staff on topics in social and environmental justice
that stimulate greater harmony and activism amongst
people sharing common space.
Technology-Integrated Teaching in Teaching
and Learning
Facilitated by Marah Echavez
This session explored and showcased a variety
of simple-to-use tools – tools that will help you
to put your ‘voice’ and your ‘personality’ into both
your online and face-to-face classes that will help your
learners to feel connected and engaged with you, with
the learning materials and with their classmates.
Group Work Strategies: Sharing Best
Practices in Teaching and Learning
Facilitated by Paola Ostinelli
This session shared current research around
group work in the college classroom. An interactive
workshop where participants had an opportunity
to discuss and share resources, best practices and
examples of effective group work projects in the
classroom. Relevant Essential Employability Skills and
Centennials’ New Essential Skills were explored as
they relate to group work.
Indigenous Best Practices
Facilitated by Cheryl McPherson
This session focused on the decolonization of adult
education and peer-engaged reflection.
The second half of the June 21, 2018 event celebrated our award
recipients (Heart of SCHS Recognition Certificate, the Dean’s ‘Rising
Star’ Awards, Dean’s Recognition ‘Apple’ Awards).
Heart of SCHS Recognition Certificate:
The ‘Heart of SCHS’ Recognition Certificate recognizes and acknowledges individual or team achievements and
contributions. Specifically, recipient(s) are recognized to have enriched the lives of people around them helped to
create and maintain a fostering, appreciative, caring, and/or inspirational classroom or workplace environment;
participated in personal and/or professional development and created a work environment that has inspired others
to strive and achieve even greater professional and/or personal growth.
Congratulations to the 2018 recipients:
• Jenny Zhang, Department Assistant, Child and Family Studies (nominated by Jennifer Woodill)
• Edward Cruz, Professor, Nursing (nominated by Natashia Deer)
• Nagina Murtuza, Professor, Police Foundations (nominated by Philip Semple)
• Team Recipients: ECE Coordinators -- Pauline Camuti-Cull, Maria Roberts, and Lynn Haines (nominated by
Jennifer Woodill)
School of
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October 2018 October 2018
Dean’s ‘Rising Star’ Awards
These awards recognize those who have created a
school environment that inspires our students to strive
towards achieve, increasingly greater personal and
professional growth. It celebrates the notion of fostering
a collaborative, creative, solution-oriented school
environment where the contributions of all students are
recognized, valued and respected.
This year’s event recognized six outstanding students
from the School of Community and
Health Studies.
In the “Leadership” category, the awards recognize
overall leadership qualities, but also the ability to
demonstrate initiative, creativity and dedication.
Congratulations to the following students:
• Sharda Gwendasammi, Police Foundations
(nominated by Phillip Semple)
• Danielle Raaber, Social Service Worker Program
(nominated by Sama Bassidj)
• Keerthan Sritharan, OTA and PTA
(nominated by Karen Koseck)
Dean’s Recognition ‘Apple’ Awards:
In the “Community Service and or Community
Engagement/Service” category, recipients are
chosen based on their work in community/volunteer
engagement. The criteria looks at details of the
program, event or project, including objectives,
resources and measurable results.
Congratulations to the following students:
• Teineisha Richards, Police Foundations (nominated
by Phillip Semple)
• Mathisan Maheswaran, Police Foundations
(nominated by Phillip Semple)
In the “Courage” category, recipients are expected to
demonstrate the ability to demonstrate persistence,
a positive approach and behaviors or actions which
have made a difference in the lives of the people
around them.
Congratulations to the following student:
• Arvind Rabit, OTA and PTA
(nominated by Karen Koseck)
Awarded for creating a school environment that inspires our students to strive and achieve ever-greater personal
and professional growth. Fostering a collaborative, creative, solution-oriented school environment where the
contributions of all students are recognized, valued and respected.
Category: Looking Beyond the Traditional Model ‘Outside the Box’
This award recognizes those outstanding individuals who demonstrate an ability to “break away from traditional
or conventional thoughts and practices of teaching strategies to develop unique, superior solutions and best
practices.” The recipient will have demonstrated strength, determination and courage to initiate change in a
thoughtful and strategic manner in the pursuit of establishing innovative strategies to improve practices and create
student-centered solutions or products which challenge existing norms and exceed student expectations.
In 2018, the award went to Tim
Montgomery, Professor, Police
Foundation
Category: A Community Leader or Fostering
Student Leadership
This award focuses on an employee’s competencies
as a community leader or as a mentor to provide
educational opportunities that challenge our students
to discover the leaders inside themselves and the
ability to motivate and inspire others to accomplish a
specific goal or objective.
In 2018, the award went to Frank
O’Doherty, Professor, Police Foundations
Category: Exceptional Support
This award is given to an individual who demonstrates
exceptional support with the college community (e.g.,
students, colleagues, other schools/departments) to
strengthen the learning or work experience.
In 2018, the award went to Sajee Shan,
Simulation Technologist
Category: Excellence in Teaching
An excellent teacher is viewed as one who contributes
positively to an inclusive, safe
and inspiring learning environment by providing
exceptional energy, keen interest in students or staff,
and extraordinary strengths.
In 2018, the award went to Balakumaran
Mahathevan, Professor, Nursing Programs
2017 Non-Research Article of the Year: International
Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and
Learning (INACSL) Conference
We are very pleased to announce that the article titled “An Exploration of Debriefing in Virtual Simulation” was
chosen for this prestigious award offered by the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and
Learning, and was presented at the annual conference in Toronto, June 14-16, 2018. Annually, the periodical,
Clinical Simulation in Nursing, selects a research and non-research article
that represents quality work that advances the science of simulation.
Many high-quality articles were published in 2017, but this article was
selected as work that stands out from the others.
There is an extensive body of literature that documents empirical work
and established standards of best practices for debriefing in the in-person
simulation context. Yet, few resources exist to effectively guide debriefing
in virtual simulation. Virtual simulation
is being used exponentially in nursing, and yet there is a major
gap in understanding ways to debrief virtual experiences that take
in the nuances specific to these experiences and to optimize learning. In
this paper, we discuss the concept of debriefing in the context of virtual
simulation followed by identification of future research initiatives.
Team members/authors:
From Centennial College Margaret Verkuyl and Michelle Hughes
From Ryerson University: Jennifer Lapum and Oona St-Amant
From George Brown College: Lorraine Betts
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October 2018 October 2018
International Nursing
Association for Clinical
Simulation and Learning
(INACSL) Research
Excellence Award 2018
The International Nursing Association for Clinical
Simulation and Learning (INACSL) research excellence
award was also presented at the INACSL conference in
Toronto, June 14-16, 2018.
We are thrilled to report that the multi-institutional
and collaborative team of nurse educators at Centennial,
George Brown and Ryerson won the Research Excellence
Award in recognition of their rigorous and innovative
program of research, focused on virtual gaming
simulation.
Together, this collaborative team of nursing professors
sustain a highly effective, engaging and productive
program of research. They have conducted usability
studies, scoping reviews and mixed methods research
using focus groups and quasi-experimental designs
to examine learning outcomes and explore learners’
experiences with virtual gaming simulation.
Recently, the team has worked to advance the state of
the science exploring innovative methods of debriefing
virtual experiences. Simulation debriefing specific to
virtual simulations represents a gap in practice and in
the literature as reiterated in focus group studies. From this data, the team completed a discussion paper
and a large interventional study to compare methods of debriefing virtual experiences.
In 2016, the team was involved in establishing a Virtual Simulation Community of a Learning Group –
a network to share simulations, resources and research. In the past three years, they have published
four research studies with four additional research papers under review as well as a book chapter in
press. They have engaged in over 30 presentations about their work at predominantly peer-reviewed
local, national and international conferences. As is clearly evident, they are both passionate about and
committed to knowledge translation as a means of advancing work in the simulation community globally,
to build upon their experiences and research and bring benefit to a large and receptive audience.
Team members:
From Centennial College: Margaret Verkuyl, Tara McCulloch, Michelle Hughes
From Ryerson University: Jennifer Lapum, Daria Romaniuk, Oona St-Amant
From George Brown College: Paula Mastrilli, Lorraine Betts
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2018 Skills Ontario Competition
– Esthetician Program
COUPN Award for Excellence
in Collaborative Education:
Professor Margaret Verkuyl
The skills competition was held at the Toronto Congress Centre on May 7, 2018. For the first time, Centennial
College entered two students from the Esthetician program: Jessica Salami and Francesca DiPietro. The students
competed in four service areas: Manicure with nail art, facial, pedicure and fantasy makeup (with a Russian
theme). The competition also included interviewing skills and a portfolio. We are happy to announce that Jessica
Salami placed third overall, receiving the Bronze medal. Please join us in congratulating Jessica, and thanking
those faculty members who supported the students in this competition!
Please join us in congratulating Professor Margaret Verkuyl, who received the Council of University Programs in
Nursing (COUPN) award for Excellence in Collaborative Education on April 25, 2018.
Margaret Verkuyl is considered by her colleagues as an outstanding educator. She has pioneered innovative
student learning experiences known as virtual gaming simulations, and has motivated students to think
creatively and critically in preparation for real-life clinical environments.
Her body of research on the impact of virtual gaming simulation in nursing education has helped advance this
exciting field. Her colleagues in the Centennial, George Brown and Ryerson Collaborative Nursing Program say
Margaret demonstrates a commitment to excellence in teaching through her continuous investment in highperforming
partnerships across all three sites of the collaborative program, adding that her innovations in
teaching and leveraging of technology have inspired and changed the thinking and pedagogical practices of
several course teams.
This is a wonderful recognition of Professor Verkuyl’s sustained contributions in this emerging field. Please join
us in congratulating her on this honour!
Vital Sign Measurement Across the Lifespan –
1st Canadian edition – Open Textbook
This textbook was designed to help learners develop best practices in vital sign measurement. Using a multimedia
approach, the text provides opportunities to read about, observe, practice and test vital sign measurement
(see https://pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca/vitalsign/).
The book was created with a collaborative group of nursing faculty from Ryerson University and Centennial
College. Centennial College was also strongly represented by faculty on the content advisory board. The project
was supported and funded by eCampusOntario.
This important resource fosters intraprofessional and interprofessional education across programs in the School
of Community and Health Studies. We are pleased to report that it is now being used in the Practical Nursing
Program and will be used in the collaborative nursing degree program, Massage Therapy, Occupational Therapist
Assistant and Physiotherapist Assistant program, International Educated-Nursing and Bridging to University-
Nursing and potentially other programs in the fall of 2018.
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Ultimate Build a Bike
Challenge
Vision Board Presentation Assignment:
Police Foundations Program
On two separate occasions, staff from the School of Community and Health Studies engaged in the Ultimate Build a
Bike Challenge. On December 14, 2017, SCHS support staff and administrators participated, and on April 2, 2018,
staff from our Childcare Centres (East York, Diefenbaker and Progress sites). On both occasions, the teams worked
with Dan Purdue, President of LEVEL 12, a leading expert in developing high performing people. The event focused
on team building, improving communication and strategies for building strength physically, mentally and emotionally.
During each half-day session, team members worked in small groups to reassemble dismantled bikes and create
a poster presentation and ‘mock’ commercial focused specifically on the customer. What the staff in the SCHS
did not know was that these bikes were to be gifted to deserving students from Malvern Junior Public School. The
students, who were accompanied by their Principal and two teachers, thought they were coming to the Residence
and Conference Centre for a tour and lunch, hosted by School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Arts.
After the SCHS team assembled the bikes, the students were brought into the room where the activity was winding
down. To everyone’s surprise, students were presented with the bikes. SCHS staff expressed an overwhelming sense
of accomplishment and gratitude to be fortunate enough to take part in this activity with the external community.
They commented that the event was perhaps one of the most engaging, impactful and transformative activities they
had ever taken part in. Malvern’s Principal and teachers developed a digital video expressing their gratitude to the
SCHS, which we have posted to our @CentennialSCHS twitter page. Malvern Junior Public School also posted the
video on its twitter page, which the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) retweeted.
The Vision Board Presentation assignment challenged
semester two Police Foundations students to assume
the role of a Community Resource Officer or a Security
Personnel. The task involved coming up with unique
ideas/opportunities to increase community/police
engagement, dialogue and collaboration through a
workshop, charity event, information session, or
other interactive events that could help build
community engagement.
The main purpose of this assignment was to enable
students to comprehend the critical role of community
engagement in a policing context. It highlighted
potential benefits such as reduced crime, reduced
disorder, increased feeling of safety, improved policecommunity
relations, and recovered community
perception. This assignment allowed students to
explore realistic and attainable concepts, strategies
and programs of community oriented policing as well
as present sustainable partnerships between the
local community and law enforcement as a model for
community service and reducing crime.
Based on their chosen topic/idea, students explained
best practices to prevent crime and improve community
trust and confidence in the police while highlighting
the following: to police service; and, most importantly,
benefits to the local community.
The students’ vision boards were assessed by various
internal and external stakeholders on the following
criteria: Evidence-based content, creativity and display
of vision, explanation effort and directions, and
presentation and professionalism.
The event held on April 3, 2018 was very well attended
by students, faculty, staff and external stakeholders. It
was structured to provide students with an opportunity
to meet internal and external practitioners to learn and
share new ideas, create connections and build rapport
with industry professionals.
Internal participants included:
• Nagina Murtuza, Professor and Organizer
• Judy Hermann Coordinator, Community, and
Justice Program
• Dr. Frank Trovato, Professor
• Marc Levine, Professor
• Audrey Le, Success Advisor
• Christine Dell’Elce, Assistant to the Dean
• Ann Vasilopoulos, Program Information Officer
• Richard Kinchlea, Chair, Emergency Management
and Public Safety
• Phil Semple, Coordinator Police
Foundations Program
• Brian Moorcroft, Professor
• Howie Page, Professor
• Ken Yates, Professor
External stakeholders who actively participated in this
event included:
• Inspector Chris Bullen York Region Police
• Police Constable (PC) Randall Arsenault from
Toronto Police Service (TPS)
• PC Papadopoulos from TPS
• PC Dale Swift from TPS
• Dale Fraud Investigator from
Co-operators Insurance
• Lindsay Sutherland from Emond Publishing
Thank you to everyone who participated in
this assignment!
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The Council for Change (CFC)
The Council for Change (CFC) is a Child and Youth Care student-led club. The Council is comprised of student
representatives from all three years of the program. In the past, the CFC has hosted coat drives as well as different
“Random Acts of Kindness” (RAOK) events throughout the College.
On March 15, the CFC held a RAOK breakfast event at Progress campus. This particular event was quite special to
the council members, as they were able to host this event based strictly on their own hard work. The CFC members
went into the community and received food donations, as well submitted a request to the CCSAI for funding to shop
for additional food items. College students received snack bags consisting of fresh fruit, a granola bar and a juice
box, and then were invited to have a hot breakfast of pancakes/waffles and syrup.
The CFC members debriefed after the event, and realized that with their hard work they were able to feed
breakfast to 400 students that morning. This event has sparked enthusiasm to continue to look for opportunities
to host other events.
SCHS Mock Disaster
On March 2, Morningside Campus was once again transformed into a community undergoing a simulated crisis
for its annual Mock Disaster emergency exercise. This year the event was focused on SCHS emergency services
programs (Police Foundations, Pre-Service Firefighter and Paramedic) who responded to a large-scale vehicular
accident that involved a chlorine gas leak, broken water main and structural damage with a floor collapse at the
campus. “Patients” were taken to the Morningside campuses’ simulated Hospital emergency department staffed by
students and faculty from our Internationally Educated Practical Nursing program. Instructors, mentors and guests
included our faculty and staff as well as professionals from Toronto and GTA emergency services.
Globally Networked Learning
(GNL) initiative
On March 14, our second semester Social Service Worker students were among the first to participate in the
Globally Networked Learning (GNL) initiative. The discussion in this innovative learning space focused on the
elimination of racial discrimination. Centennial students collaborated with students from Durham College, two
education institutions from Israel and one from Zambia. The initiative was organized by our Global Citizenship
Education and Inclusion department at Centennial College.
The Centennial College students actively participated in the discussion at Global Class. Our students shared
their perspectives and experiences on racial discrimination, and learned from global class that how this issue
marginalizing people in Canada, Israel and Zambia. Centennial students discussed how they address racial
discrimination and how the SSW program students to address this human rights issue through their
professional practice.
One of our SSW students Stephen said, “I have learned different perspectives on racial discrimination form this
global class. Although the socio-economic and cultural life of Canada, Israel and Zambia are quite different, but
people experience quite similar racial discrimination due to their color and identities”. From this Global Class our
students learned about the role of Global Citizens and how to advocate for social justice across the globe.
George Wicken Memorial Award for
Teaching Excellence
Congratulations to Professor Donna Hinds, who
received the George Wicken Memorial Award for
Teaching Excellence. Professor Hinds and nominees
were recognized at a formal Awards Reception on
February 21.
Donna Hinds graduated from Centennial College’s Social
Service Worker program in 2003. She holds a Bachelor
of Social Work and a Master of Social work from York
University and is presently completing her Doctorate
of Education in Organizational Leadership. Donna is a
member of the Society of Composers, Authors and Music
Publishers of Canada. She reviews social work-related
textbooks for some of Canada’s leading publishers and
is a motivational speaker. Donna has been teaching
at Centennial College since 2010 and takes pride in
motivating and encouraging students.
She incorporates a constructivist, experiential and
anti-oppressive learning paradigm where students can
ask questions, scrutinize and assess what they know
about themselves and the world to create personal
interpretation and meaning as they develop their
learning skills. Donna believes learning is a life-long
process and that each new day presents new learning
opportunities for personal and professional growth.
Nominees from the School of Community
and Health Studies included:
• Professor Carol Gottwald
• Professor Lorne Hilts
• Professor Elizabeth Logaridis
• Professor Amy Warren
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2018 Diane Fagel Award
and cherries. It was important to the committee to feature
elements of traditional Indigenous knowledge and presence in
The Diane Fagel Award is awarded to support staff who support teaching and learning. Recipients and nominees
were recognized at a formal Award Reception on February 21. Nominees from the School of Community and Health
Studies included Ann Vasilopoulos and Margie Schulz. We are grateful to Ann and Margie for all of their hard work,
dedication and support.
Community Food
Garden at Ashtonbee
Submitted by: Rachel Larabee, Coordinator and Faculty, Community Developmental Worker Program
In partnership with CCSAI and community partner, Evergreen Brickworks,
the Community Development Worker (CDW) program hosted their first
meeting on January 29, to begin planning the Community Food Garden at
Ashtonbee campus. This was an opportunity to become involved in creating
a sustainable food resource in our community. The program was funded by
the ‘Transforming the Future Fund’ provided by CCSAI.
The Ashtonbee Community Garden Committee is a volunteer group of staff,
students and alumni that promote sustainable practices and community
engagement on campus. The garden committee is composed of student
and staff volunteers who have been invested in the creation phases of the
garden. The entire planning, design, construct and maintenance has been
facilitated in a consensus-based process of decision making, guided by
principles of Community Development that has consistently engaged and included the voices of all students and
staff that compose the committee, including design of public space and an intentional plans for which foods and
plants to include.
The collective vision, developed by the Ashtonbee Community
Food Garden Committee is “to grow a learning community that
encompasses food, health and environmental sustainability through
a nourishing, inclusive and accessible campus garden.” The garden
serves as an area of learning and is accessible to all members of the
Centennial College community.
Currently, the garden features accessible raised beds for the majority
of food crops planted as well as porous flooring that maintains the
optics of green space while facilitating the ability to be wheelchair
friendly. There is a log-side amphitheatre to encourage student and
staff seating within the life of this greenspace. In-ground beds include
a berry patch, herb garden and tomato beds. There are a variety of
grafted fruit trees that include apples, pears, apricots, plums, peaches
the garden. Thus, a Four Sisters Garden bed was also planted
in honor of the traditional Haudenosaunee First Nations ‘Three
Sisters’ polyculture garden (corn, beans and squash) with a fourth
sister (black-eyed peas) to honor Indigenous people of Africa who
found refuge in First Nations communities during their escape
from slavery through the underground railroad. Black-eyed peas
are a seed they shared into this alliance and nations of mixed
Turtle Island and African ancestry were thus formed. Finally, the
garden also features a Traditional First Nations medicine garden
honoring the four sacred medicines: Tobacco, cedar, sweet grass
and white sage. These medicines are intended for availability to
all First Nations communities, members, Elders, mentors and
indigenous educational programming within and amongst our
surrounding community.
Plans and processes to develop greater community (staff and students) and engagement on campus are underway.
This includes a Student Garden Club and campus community events, alongside a more robust organizational model
for the sustainability of the garden as a whole and its growing presence on campus.
First and foremost, the garden is intended to address food security for students on campus. A fresh food pantry
program is a very viable option so far. An on-site CCSAI food
facility is under exploration. Harvest is plant-specific and
ranges between July and October. There is also talk of a
greenhouse to increase planting and harvesting capacity,
which would also affect harvesting times. We are looking for
innovative models of greenhouse fold down walls and roof
so it can be open concept in the spring/summer and closed/
insulate in fall/winter.
Our garden build and first planting celebration took place
before the end of the winter 2018 semester to encourage
student engagement while they are still on campus. In respect
of this land’s First Peoples, the opening ceremony featured
a formal Land Acknowledgement. The sacred use of tobacco
and sage and was blessed by community partner and CDW
PAC Chair and Mohawk Traditional Teacher, Barbara Brant
(Turtle Clan).
October 2018
Over the summer, we had a skillful and committed volunteer
team of staff and CDW student alumni take care of all garden
maintenance, including harvest management and distribution.
A special shout out to Kirsten Kinchlea, Amanda King and Nephi Wong. Kirsten just recently graduated from the
CDW program and played a pivotal role in leading the garden start-up in her last semester. Over the summer, she
volunteered consistently to help maintain the garden. Amanda King (Ashtonbee Bookstore) and Nephi Wong (IT
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October 2018
Services) also played integral roles in committing, almost daily,
to the life and care of the garden throughout the summer and in
the absence of student engagement. The Garden Committee is
grateful to have such passionate and skillful gardeners on our
team.
The garden is located directly outside of the Ashtonbee
gymnasium on the flat grass patch between the E and D block
pathways from the parking lot. This Community Food Garden is
located closer to the E block pathway where the water source is
located. A full capacity drip irrigation system was installed under
and above ground to support the watering of the garden in a
water and people efficient way.
The Centennial team of staff leading the initiation of this
Community Food Garden consists of:
• Ashlee Cooper (Evergreen Brick Works Green Space Consultant)
• Project Lead, Miguel Litonjua (CCSAI and Community
Development Work program Alumni and now staff member
within the department of International Education),
• Faculty Lead, Rachel Larabee (Program Coordinator and
Faculty of the Community Development Work program)
• Bruce Shugg (Chair and Operations Manager for the School of Transportation)
• Penny Kirlik (CEO for CCSAI).
• Alan McClelland (Dean of Transportation and Campus Vice
Principal)
Would you like to submit an article?
Send your articles or announcements to cdellelce@centennialcollege.ca.
We welcome articles or announcements on a wide range of topics!
Pre-Service Firefighting Training
and Education Program
The January cold snap provided great learning opportunities! On January 5, with temperatures hovering around
-20C, students and instructors of the Pre-Service Firefighting Training and Education Program moved indoors and
made use of dormitory rooms in Centennial’s old residence to practice advanced skills. Some of the skills practiced
in this experiential learning atmosphere included simulating an attack on an apartment fire, conducting search and
rescue in darkened rooms and making hosepipe connections. Our instructors, all working firefighters, were excited
to have the opportunity to use this converted hotel to provide simulations of real-life firefighting scenarios in an
unfamiliar environment.
NEWSLETTER
October 2018
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@CentennialSCHS
centennialcollege.ca/community-health
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