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A power point presented at the Canadian Safe Schools Conference which demonstrates the aligned strategy for accepting schools adopted at the Halton DSB

This document was developed as a guide for school staff and for all who work with students of Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB). It recognizes that individuals may walk along different pathways towards a common destination or goal, and that goal is to provide a future in which all students achieve their full potential. This Guide to Creating Equitable and Inclusive School Environments provides an approach that ties together the HWDSB Equity Policy, Equity Policy Guiding Principles and Equity Policy Supporting Guidelines with the Ministry’s Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy, School Improvement Plans, School Effectiveness Framework, Student Success Character Education, Safe Schools and Bullying Prevention and Intervention initiatives. All of these are circumscribed by the Ontario Human Rights Code and other Equity affirming Provincial Legislations, and links policy, guidelines and practice in a way that enhances the confidence of schools to meet the needs of all students equitably.

Trillium Lakelands District School Board, as a part of their communication strategy, has developed a series of Message Maps for administrators to use when dealing with sensitive issues in schools and discussions with the media, and other school stakeholders. This particular PDF deals with Positive Space. The format and use of the Message Maps helps to keep messaging consistent across the district that is being given out via schools.

This document is a compendium of equity and inclusive education resources and is designed as a reference for educators who wish to expand their knowledge and understanding with a view to creating an equitable and inclusive education system and the celebration of diversity and respect for everyone in our schools and society. The compendium is a living document intended to grow and change.

When we look closely at patterns of success for our students, there is ample evidence that achievement and positive school adjustment come from the support and guidance of parents and those who guide the learning and attitudes of our young people. In this Guidebook you will find examples of useful exercises and proven techniques for involvement and support. The success of our students is the core goal. The support of parents and the community is a very significant asset needed to achieve that success.

The Model Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan was developed by the Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network (PREVNet) in collaboration with the Accepting Schools Expert Panel. This document is intended to assist school boards in the preparation of their bullying prevention and intervention plans.

A Bullying Prevention Plan template has been submitted by the Durham District School Board.

The Ministry of Education is committed to ensuring that all students who are on long-term suspension have the opportunity to continue their education. The Education Act requires school boards to offer at least one board program for suspended students. In this document, long-term suspension means a suspension of more than five school days. The purpose of this memorandum is to provide direction to school boards regarding the development of board programs for students on long-term suspension.

The Ontario Early Years Policy Framework builds on our collective progress and provides a vision for the early years to ensure children, from birth to age six, have the best possible start in life. The framework is supported by a set of principles and is meant to provide strategic direction to our early years partners both within and outside of government. Moving forward, the Ontario Early Years Policy Framework will guide our collective approach to the development and delivery of early years programs and services for children and families.

The survey results and views from the field outlined in this executive summary are a component of the second phase of a multi-phase Leading Safe and Accepting Schools’ project being led by the Institute for Education Leadership (IEL).

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide direction to school boards on required revisions to their existing policies and guidelines on bullying prevention and intervention. The revised policies and guidelines must be in place by February 1, 2013. School boards are required to establish their policies and guidelines on bullying prevention and intervention in accordance with subsection 302(3.4) of Part XIII of the Education Act. Providing students with an opportunity to learn and develop in a safe, inclusive, and accepting school climate is a shared responsibility in which school boards and schools play an important role. Schools that have bullying prevention and intervention policies foster a positive learning and teaching environment that supports academic achievement for all students and that helps students reach their full potential.

On June 5, 2012, Bill 13, the Accepting Schools Act, was passed, amending the Education Act. The amendments came into force September 1, 2012. The provincial Code of Conduct has been revised to reflect Bill 13 amendments to the Education Act that pertain to the promotion of a safe, inclusive, and accepting school climate.

The First Nation, Metis and Inuit Education Policy Framework includes approaches for schools and school boards that will boost Aboriginal student achievement, help to close the gap in achievement between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students and increase public confidence in publicly funded education.

The Ministry of Education is committed to ensuring that all students who are expelled have the opportunity to continue their education. The Education Act requires school boards to: • provide at least one program for students who have been expelled from all schools of the board; • assign a student who has been expelled only from his or her school to another school of the board. The purpose of this memorandum is to provide direction to school boards regarding the development of board programs for expelled students.

This five step template was submitted as an example of a response to the necessity of developing a bullying response plan in all boards that is reflective of the intentions of the Ministry of Educations Model Bullying Prevention Plan.

Leading Safe and Accepting Schools Project - Executive Summary

This resource was created by school administrators, for school administrators, with the support of mental health professionals and Ministry of Education staff. It is part of the suite of resources prepared through School Mental Health ASSIST. This resource is currently being shared as a working draft and feedback is encouraged and can be provided at http://smh-assist.ca.

Laughter is the Best Medicine

Led by Dr. Bruce Ferguson and Dr. Kate Tilleczek, this research project engaged a team of expert researchers to examine the ways in which young people, parents, and educators experience and negotiate the transition. The first phase of the project is this Literature Review which has been organized to address the following questions: • What is the nature of the transition and how can we best conceptualize it? • What are the main risks and problems that occur in moving from elementary to secondary school? For whom is it most problematic? • What have schools and communities done to address the transition and what appear to be protective factors for young people? • What are the gaps in knowledge and directions for future research?

Schools that successfully engage parents are inclusive – they reach out to parents who may not feel included in the life of the school and to families whose children may be experiencing challenges with the curriculum. They work at building positive relationships and a welcoming school climate and at providing parents with practical strategies to build a stronger educational culture in their homes. Such authentic family-school partnerships are focused on improving attitudes to school and enhancing students’ future success; they are engaged in what Ken Leithwood calls “co-producing learning” (Webcasts for Educators, 2012). Engaging parents in the life of the school yields many positive benefits and rewards for families and schools alike; leveraging home-school partnerships so that parents are encouraged and supported to be involved in their children’s learning at home and school is the focus of this monograph.

This is a resource from The Canadian Mental Association for parents on building resiliency in children.

A report from the People for Education Annual Report on Ontario’s Publicly Funded Schools 2011.

Six years after the implementation of the Aboriginal Education Strategy, Aboriginal Education continues to be a key priority for the Ministry of Education. In advance of the Spring 2013 progress report the Ministry has released this preliminary report.

This report discusses the results of a national survey of Canadian high school students undertaken in order to investigate what life at school is like for students with sexual or gender minority status. Egale Canada conducted a study that sought to identify the forms and extend of students' experiences, and the efficacy of measures being taken by schools to combat these common forms of bullying.