Getting Onboard with Teaching
To Hope and Back: The Journey of
the St. Louis
Event Countdown
Schedule
Breakfast with Kathy Kacer
9:00am - 9:45am
Kathy Kacer, Author & Jessica Sutherland, OCDSB Educator
Kathy will meet with teachers for an informal conversation about writing To Hope and Back, bringing it to young readers, and answering their many questions about the story.
Antisemitism: How to Teach this Challenging Subject in Grade 6
10:00am - 11:00am
Lisa Hascal, YRDSB Educator​
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This session will provide an opportunity to explore the Antisemitism Toolkit and gain a deeper understanding of this resource. Participants will engage with the content and discover strategies to integrate the toolkit into their classroom programs.
Holocaust 101: Essential Concepts for Grade 6 Students
11:15am - 12:15pm
Cindy Kozierok, TDSB Educator, Education Consultant, Liberation75 Education Chair
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This session will provide teachers with expertise and resources to teach the history of the Holocaust and Canada's response in an age-appropriate manner.
Lunch Break
12:15pm - 1:00pm
Teaching To Hope and Back: Integrating Social Studies with Novel Study
1:00pm - 2:00pm
Cindy Kozierok, TDSB Educator, Author of To Hope and Back Resources for Teachers
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In this session, teachers will learn how to fulfill both social studies and language expectations using the book, To Hope and Back: The Journery of the St. Louis. Focus will be on pre-reading, reading, and post-reading lessons and student resources.
Unpacking the Challenges of Teaching To Hope and Back: Questions and Controversies
2:15pm - 3:15pm
Cindy Kozierok, TDSB Educator & Lisa Hascal, YRDSB Educator
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In this final session, the panel will be available to answer questions and support teachers who may be dealing with challenges related to teaching about the Holocaust.
Speakers
Kathy Kacer is the award-winning author of more than 30 books focusing on stories of the Second World War and the Holocaust. They include The Secret of Gabi's Dresser, Hiding Edith, Under the Iron Bridge, and To Hope and Back: The Journey of the St. Louis. Kathy travels the world speaking to young people about the importance of keeping this history alive.
Cindy Kozierok is a Grade 6 classroom teacher in the Toronto District School Board, where she has been teaching for 30 years. She is also an educational consultant, specializing in Holocaust education in elementary public schools. Cindy is a doctoral candidate in the William Davidson School of Education at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, with a research focus on Holocaust education in elementary public schools.
A child of Holocaust survivors, Cindy is dedicated to providing high-quality educational support for organizations involved in Jewish, Holocaust, and antisemitism education. She is the Education Chair for Liberation75, a member of the executive of the TDSB Jewish Heritage Committee, and provides consulting services to a variety of organizations such as the Ontario College of Teachers, Ontario Teachers Federation, the Toronto Holocaust Museum, and Carrying Testimony.
Jessica Sutherland is a Grade 6 teacher in the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board. She is also the co-chair of the Holocaust Educator’s Working Group and has presented at the board level to teachers, in order to support the implementation of the Grade 6 Holocaust education curriculum strands.
Lisa Hascal, an elementary school principal and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, recently developed the Grade 5-8 Antisemitism Classroom Toolkit for the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre. She is passionate about advancing equity and inclusion in schools, leveraging her background in instructional design to enhance learning experiences. Lisa's work reflects her deep commitment to building inclusive environments that celebrate diversity and stand against hatred.