​Bluewater District School Board receives national communication award

The Bluewater District School Board has received national recognition for a communication initiative that is helping to improve accessibility for secondary students and their families when exploring and selecting course options.

The recently-introduced, board-wide digital course calendar won in the Coup de Coeur category of the BRAVO! awards program at this year’s annual conference of the Canadian Association of Communicators in Education in Calgary, Alberta.

School boards that submit for a Coup de Coeur are asked to share a single communication piece that is deserving of recognition for its design, idea, and success.

An initiative of the board’s learning services and student success department, the board-wide digital course calendar provides an efficient and environmentally-friendly alternative to paper-based calendar distribution at each secondary school.

Digitizing calendars in a centralized location on the board website has enabled a more consistent format, improved multilingual accessibility, and streamlined the process for sharing Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum updates more promptly.

This change has also simplified the course selection process, while promoting sustainability and increased engagement. Print versions of the calendar will continue to be available at the schools for those who prefer a paper-based format.

Kim Harbinson, learning services administrator – student success, recognized the significant time commitment of guidance teachers and administrators in reviewing printed course calendars, and proposed an on-line platform with direct links to ministry courses, graduation requirements, and course code explanations.

“I am so very pleased to have been involved with the collaboration of this innovative idea for the Bluewater District School Board,” says Harbinson.

“Seeing this project recognized on a national stage is an incredible honour,” says intermediate senior technology coach Hillary Weppler. “Our digital course calendar represents a collaborative effort to provide students and families with increased access to information, to aid in engaging with their educational choices.

“This recognition is also a testament to the transformative potential of thoughtful communication tools. The calendar is more than a resource – it is a bridge connecting students, families, and educators with clear pathways to success.”

“Congratulations are extended to our staff, whose efforts have resulted in our board receiving this prestigious honour,” says education director Lori Wilder. “We appreciate the work our staff members are doing to foster and enhance communications and engagement for our students and families.”

The board-wide digital course calendar can be viewed at this link: www.bwdsb.on.ca/programs/secondary_programs/course_calendar.

The Bluewater District School Board is an active member of the Canadian Association of Communicators in Education, a national bilingual association of approximately 500 school board and other education sector members committed to encouraging and enhancing excellence in communications in education. The association’s annual BRAVO! awards program is the only national one dedicated to specifically recognizing excellence in school board communications.



Bluewater District School Board intermediate senior technology coach Hillary Weppler (left), communications officer Jamie Pettit and education director Lori Wilder present at the board meeting, Nov. 19