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. 

[Insert school-specific learning/resources as required] 

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

Topic: Provincial Education Priorities - Tackling Racism & Keeping Schools Safe

Format: 

• Full-day, in-person

• Elementary and secondary schools

Description: School teams will engage in learning focused on how to create supportive classrooms and schools free from discrimination in any form. There will be a particular focus on antisemitism, anti-Black racism, Islamophobia and racism towards Indigenous communities. Learning will equip educators to uphold human rights, as required by the Ontario Human Rights Code. The Ontario curriculum program planning information on the instruction of Human Rights, Equity and Inclusive Education, which is applicable to all grades and disciplines, will be reviewed.

School teams will review practices, policies/procedures and resources to support Student and School Safety using resources prepared by central departments. The content includes:

Provincial Code of Conduct, violence prevention, bullying prevention and intervention, duty to report children in need of protection to the Children’s Aid Society, progressive discipline, violent incident reporting, gender-based violence, sex trafficking, the Provincial Model for a local Police/School Board Protocol, information about child sexual abuse prevention and reporting and the School Resource Officer program.

Facilitators: Learning will be led by principals and vice-principals and school-based staff, supported with materials and guidance from central departments including Indigenous Rights and Education and Human Rights, Equity and Inclusive Education departments.

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

Topic: - Student Led Conferences

Format: 

• Full-day, in-person

• Elementary and secondary schools

Description: Teachers and Parents will come together for Student Led Conferences after the Elementary Progrees report or Kindergarten Communication of Learning.

Facilitators: Teachers

Teachers may take 1/2 day off in lieu of time provided Thursday November 28 in the evening for Student Led Conferences.

Format: Full day, In-person or remotely

Description: Elementary educators will be engaged in assessment and evaluation activities including report card writing. This is time designated by the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) collective agreement.

Facilitator(s): Self-Directed Day for teachers

Learning/Delivery Method: Individual work time

• Format: Full Day, in-person (No classes for students)

• Description: This Professional Development day is dedicated to analyzing our school’s progress and planning for future student success. Staff will spend the day reviewing a variety of data sources, including EQAO achievement results and feedback from the "Have Your Say" Student and Parent surveys. Our primary focus will be on identifying key areas for growth in Math, Literacy, and Student Well-being. By looking at these results together, we are able to refine our instructional strategies and ensure our school improvement goals directly reflect the current needs and voices of our school community.

• Facilitators: School Administration and Instructional Leadership Teams

• Learning/Delivery Method: Collaborative data analysis, strategic planning sessions, and departmental workshops focused on student success initiatives.

• 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

Format: Full day, In-person or remotely

Description: Elementary educators will be engaged in assessment and evaluation activities including report card writing. This is time designated by the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) collective agreement.

Facilitator(s): Self-Directed Day for teachers

Learning/Delivery Method: Individual work time