GLOW Week at St. John Catholic Elementary School
The Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario is proud to highlight the second annual GLOW Week at St. John Catholic Elementary School! This exciting initiative brings together science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) learning in a fun and engaging way for students. Through hands-on activities and creative exploration, students and staff engage in dynamic learning experiences that make education both exciting and meaningful.
The Vision Behind GLOW Week
GLOW Week began as an innovative idea from St. John Catholic Elementary School teacher Kyla Corkery. Last year, she submitted a proposal for and was granted a Ministry of Education TLIA Grant (Teacher Learning and Innovation Allocation). The TLIA supports school boards in supporting teacher collaboration, responsive learning, and the sharing of effective practices within schools, throughout school boards, and across the province.
With this funding, she introduced accessible learning materials, tech resources, robotics, and dedicated storage solutions, making interactive, unplugged learning opportunities more readily available for both students and teachers.
Building a Culture of Learning
A key component of the GLOW initiative is to:
- Build teacher capacity and confidence in using hands-on exploratory materials
- Empower students to take ownership of their learning
- Encourage safe risk-taking for both students and staff
- Foster a spirit of collaborative learning within the school community
GLOW Week was born out of this vision, growing from a monthly day into a full celebratory week of exploration.
A Fundraiser for Learning and Community Support
This year, the school combined the GLOW Dance with its annual Dance-a-Thon fundraiser in support of the school Nutrition Program and Lenten project. Last year, the Lenten fundraiser helped the Guatemala Stove Project, and this year, the school community has already raised over $2,000 in support of the initiative!
Additionally, thanks to the St. John Catholic School Council, a new initiative was introduced to support GLOW Week: selling water bottle stickers as a fundraiser. The funds raised from sticker sales will go towards replenishing consumable materials used in STEAM learning, such as neon paint, stickers, paper, beads, and glow sticks.
A Week Full of Fun and Learning
Each day of GLOW Week brought something new and exciting for students to enjoy:
Tuesday, Feb 18 – PJ/Cozy Day
Wednesday, Feb 19 – Mismatched/Backwards Day
Thursday, Feb 20 – Fun Hair/Hat Day
Friday, Feb 21 – Wear Neon Colours & GLOW Dance
The CDSBEO is incredibly proud of the students, teachers, staff, and families at St. John Catholic Elementary School for making this event a success once again. The dedication and collaboration from the entire school community truly make this initiative shine.
Congratulations to St. John Catholic Elementary School on another fantastic GLOW Week!