HDSB PA Day Agendas

Topic: Provincial Education Priorities - Keeping Schools Safe and School Resource Officer Program

Format: 

• Full-day, in-person

• Elementary and secondary schools

Description: School teams will review policy requirements and supports for safe schools regarding the Provincial Code of Conduct, violence prevention, violent incident reporting and debriefing, gender-based violence and the Provincial Model for a Local Police/School Board Protocol. The content will include the role of police in providing high-quality, age-appropriate educational public safety presentations to students on subjects such as cybercrime, human trafficking, road safety and more. Information will be provided about the role of police in the school community, to support trust building between educators, policing services, students and parents/guardians. For schools currently in the School Resource Officer (SRO) program, a summary of the program's structure and objectives will be reviewed. Suicide prevention and intervention will also be reviewed. 

Facilitators: Learning will be led by principals and vice-principals and school-based staff, supported with materials and guidance from central departments including Student Mental Health and Well-Being, Safe Schools and Special Education.

• Learning/Delivery Method: Whole group presentations and small group work 

Tackling Racism - 2 hours

• Discussion on the importance of creating supportive classrooms, free of discrimination in any form. Learning that will equip educators with the knowledge they must have to promote and uphold human rights as required under the Ontario Human Rights Code and address discriminatory policies and practices.

• Discussion of mandatory curriculum learning opportunities related to anti-racism, anti-discrimination, and the promotion of inclusion. 

• A focus on antisemitism, anti-Black racism, Islamophobia, and racism towards Indigenous communities.

• Review of Ontario curriculum program planning information on the instruction of Human Rights, Equity, and Inclusive Education, applicable to all subjects and disciplines in Grades 1 to 12.

Keeping Schools Safe - 1.5 hours

• bullying prevention and intervention, duty to report children in need of protection to a children's aid society, progressive discipline,

• Culturally responsive trauma-informed principles to create a comprehensive approach to engaging and interacting with students in line with the National Centre for Trauma-Informed Care’s Six Guiding Principles. 

• Information about child sexual abuse prevention and reporting, including available counselling and resources for children who are sexually abused, for all teachers and other staff in schools as outlined in section 170.0.1 of the Education Act.

•  Understanding educator and staff obligations and requirements under Erin’s Law, in addition to existing requirements related to child sexual abuse prevention and reporting, including information on available counselling and resources for children who are sexually abused. 

School Based Activities - 60 - 80 minutes

• Critical considerations in literacy and numeracy - School Programs

Board/School Based

Student Led Parent/Guardian Teacher Conferences

½ Day Regional EA PD / ½ School-Based PD

Board/School Based

ETFO Assessment and Evaluation

Report Card Writing

Board/School Based

SIPSA related work

Artificial Intelligence - full day

• Discussing AI’s potential as a teaching and learning tool; how using and understanding AI is important in preparing students for success post-graduation; and how using AI should be done within the board’s and ministry’s policies related to cyber safety, cyber security, responsible use of technology, and protecting student privacy. 

• Learning activities to become familiar with the board’s approved AI tools and how to effectively and safely use those tools with students (e.g., how to use AI to draft and edit work as part of the writing process, to strengthen skills such as critical thinking, or as a research tool, with academic integrity).

• Exploring mandatory learning in the Ontario curriculum on AI and digital literacy, including learning on cyber security. 

• Providing educators with targeted training on cyber safety, cyber security, and online privacy to address technology-related risks and ensure student safety.

Regional EA PD - Full Day

Board/School Based

ETFO Assessment and Evaluation

Report Card Writing