Close
Skip to Content
HDSB Logo
Main menu icon
I'd Like to...
  • Access eLearning courses
  • Apply for a Job
  • Find Adult and Continuing Education
  • Find My Local School
  • Find Student Busing
  • Get Homework Help
  • Pay Online
  • Register My Child for School
  • Rent School Space
  • Report A Student Absence
  • Request a Transcript
  • Resolve an Issue/Concern
  • Transfer within the Halton District
  • Volunteer
Alerts
  • Parents
    • Absence Reporting - SchoolMessenger
    • Calendar
    • Get Involved
    • Health and Well-Being
    • New to Halton
    • Register My Child for School
    • Special Education Programs and Placements
    • Welcome to a New School Year
    • Before and After School Care
    • COVID-19
    • Halton Community Resources
    • Human Rights & Equity
    • Pay Online
    • Report Cards
    • Technology & You
    • Why Choose HDSB?
    • Bus Cancellation and School Closure – Inclement Weather
    • Find My Local School
    • HDSB Mobile App
    • Kindergarten
    • Privacy and Freedom of Information (FOI)
    • Safe Schools
    • Transportation
  • Students
    • Adult, Alternative and Continuing Education
    • COVID-19
    • Graduation Requirements
    • High School Info Night
    • International Students
    • Safe Schools
    • Student Senate
    • Welcome Centre for Newcomer Students
    • Calendar
    • Environmental Leadership
    • Halton Cloud
    • Homework Help, Guidelines and Tools
    • Library Services
    • Secondary School
    • Transcript Requests
    • Community Involvement Hours
    • Expelled or Suspended Students (H.O.P.E.S.)
    • Health and Well-Being
    • Indigenous Rights & Education
    • Online Resources
    • Student Excellence Awards
    • Virtual Learning
  • Schools
    • Adult, Alternative and Continuing Education
    • Distribution of Materials to Schools
    • Information Technology in Schools
    • Program Accommodation Studies
    • Rent School Space
    • School Construction Projects
    • School Hours
    • Transfer Schools within the HDSB
    • Who to Contact
    • COVID-19
    • Find My Local School
    • Our Schools
    • Register My Child for School
    • School Boundary Reviews
    • School Enrolments
    • Secondary School
    • Transportation
    Image School Listing
    School Listing
  • Learning and Resources
    • Adult, Alternative and Continuing Education
    • Curriculum
    • English Language Learners-ELL
    • French
    • International and Indigenous Languages Elementary
    • Library Services
    • Secondary Education and Pathways
    • Virtual Learning
    • Arts Programs
    • De-Streaming
    • EQAO
    • Health and Physical Education
    • Kindergarten
    • Literacy & Math Resources
    • Special Education Programs and Placements
    • Before and After School Care
    • Elementary Education Programs
    • First Nation, Métis and Inuit Students
    • Innovation in Education at the HDSB
    • Learning & Tutoring Opportunities
    • Prior Learning Assessment
    • Summer School
  • Our Board
    • 2020-2024 Multi-Year Plan
    • Board of Trustees
    • Contact Us
    • Get Involved
    • HDSB Employee Groups
    • How to Resolve Issues and Concerns
    • Labour Updates
    • Policies and Administrative Procedures
    • Accessibility
    • Budget and Financial Information
    • Departments
    • Halton Learning Foundation
    • HDSB Student & Staff Census
    • Human Rights & Equity
    • Livestream
    • Publications
    • Administration and Superintendents
    • Careers at the HDSB
    • Director's Cut - Videos
    • Have Your Say Survey
    • HDSBcares
    • Indigenous Rights & Education
    • News
    • Reimagine Forward

Equity and Well-being

subnav icon More
Home/Our Board/Board of Trustees/Previous Director's Annual Report 2016-2017/Equity and Well-being/
Decrease Text Size Default Text Size Increase Text Size
Print Link
Share Link

More in this Section...

  • Board of Trustees
    • Accessibility Plan
    • Audit Committee Agenda and Minutes
    • Board Agenda and Minutes
    • Board By-laws
    • Board Committee Agenda and Minutes
    • Board Improvement Plans
    • Confirmation
    • Correspondence from the Chair of the Board
    • Delegating the Board
    • Director's Annual Report 2017-2018
      • A Message From The Director 2017-2018
      • Awards For Students, Staff & Schools 2017-2018
      • Engagement and Achievements 2017-2018
      • EQAO 2017-2018
      • Equity And Well Being 2017-2018
      • Facts About HDSB 2017-2018
      • Financial Expenditures 2017-2018
      • Stewardship and Resources 2017-2018
      • Student Scholarships
    • Director's Annual Report 2018-2019
      • Annual Report Highlights
        • Engagement and Achievement
        • Equity And Well-being
        • Stewardship and Resources
      • Awards For Students, Staff & Schools
      • EQAO
      • Facts About HDSB
      • Financial Expenditures
      • Senior Administration Team
    • Director's Annual Report 2019-2020
      • A Message from the Director 2019-2020
      • Annual Report Highlights 2019-2020
        • Awards For Students, Staff & Schools 2019-2020
        • Development of Strategic Multi-Year Plan
        • Engagement and Achievement 2019-2020
        • Equity & Well-Being 2019-2020
        • Stewardship & Resources 2019-2020
        • Support for Learning and Teaching
      • Facts About HDSB 2019-2020
      • Financial Expenditures 2019-2020
      • Senior Administration Team
    • Director's Annual Report 2020-2021
    • Director's Annual Report 2021-2022
    • How to Become a Student Trustee
    • How to Resolve Issues and Concerns
    • Inspire Awards
      • Inspire Award Recipients
      • Inspire Awards Recipients 2016-2017
      • Inspire Awards Recipients 2017-2018
      • Inspire Awards Recipients 2018-2019
      • Inspire Awards Recipients 2019-2020
      • Past Inspire Awards Recipients
      • Past Inspire Awards Recipients
    • Municipal Election 2018
    • Previous Director’s Annual Report 2014-2015
      • Acton High School’s Foundations program gets students on solid footing through college partnership
      • Anne J. MacArthur PS opens today to students and staff
      • Bruce Trail Public School takes a unique approach to math instruction
      • Early reading intervention program proving very successful
      • Halton District School Board Grade 9 students perform well in math testing
      • HDSB at a Glance
      • HDSB students continue to perform well in Grade 10 Literacy
      • Helping Students
      • Hundreds attend Mental Health Symposium
      • Hundreds of students attend Making The Change conference
      • Métis flag-raising ceremony honours Louis Riel Day
      • Operating Expenditures 2014-2015
      • Our System
      • Pan Am/Parapan Am Games athletes, mascot inspire students this week
      • Parent involvement remains key to child’s math development
      • REACH program provides mental health and academic support
      • Senior Administrative Team
      • Smart Inclusion Project engages students with intellectual disabilities
      • Staff to acquire 21st century learning skills through upcoming symposium
      • Supporting Staff
      • Welcome to HDSB
      • Young females introduced to Girls in Technology Transition program
    • Previous Director's Annual Report 2015-2016
      • A message from the Director and Chair
      • Awards for Students, Staff and Schools
      • Brookville PS receives a Premier's Award for Accepting Schools
      • Brookville, Sam Sherratt PS collaborate to better understand differing perspectives
      • Bruce Trail PS exceeds goal and collects 80 backpacks for newcomer families
      • EQAO Results
      • Facts about HDSB
      • Financial Expenditures
      • Georgetown District High School students create a ‘charter’ to champion rights of First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples
      • Halton District School Board welcomes Syrian refugees
      • Halton schools incorporate unique teaching approach to address student behaviourial challenges
      • Helping Students Succeed
      • Lakeshore teacher Stacey Falconer plans hands-on, engaging learning for her Special Education students
      • Learning and Support for Staff
      • Lynn Wisniewski receives Ontario School Library Association Award
      • Math coaches help students gain confidence in mathematics
      • Math symposium for parents equals great success
      • Mental health wellness event in Georgetown draws hundreds of students
      • Michelle Newlands named among top 40 principals in Canada
      • New Advanced Manufacturing Program to fully launch in September 2016
      • New construction Specialist High Skills Major program helps students build employable skills
      • Optimizing System Initiatives
      • Park Public School invigorates classroom learning with a stationary bike
      • Ruth Teszeri receives 2015-2016 award for Excellence and Innovation in Mathematics Education
      • Sandra Dubreuil wins Ontario Teachers Insurance Plan award
      • Senior Administrative Team
      • Syrian refugee families enjoy first day of school
      • Two Charles R. Beaudoin PS students win awards at RBG art show
      • Two public schools celebrate official openings
      • Welcome Centre enjoys successful official opening celebration
      • White Oaks Secondary School wins a national debate title
    • Previous Director's Annual Report 2016-2017
      • A message from the Director
      • Awards for Students, Staff and Schools
      • Engagement and Achievement
      • EQAO
      • Equity and Well-being
      • Facts about HDSB
      • Financial Expenditures
      • Senior Administrative Team
      • Stewardship and Resources
    • SEAC Agenda and Minutes
    • Trustee Expenses
  • 2018-19 Budget Input
  • 2019-20 Budget Input
  • 2020-2024 Multi-Year Plan
  • A to Z Services
  • Accessibility
  • Administration and Superintendents
  • Budget and Financial Information
  • Careers at the HDSB
  • Contact Us
  • Departments
  • Director's Cut - Videos
  • Get Involved
  • Halton Learning Foundation
  • Have Your Say Survey
  • HDSB Employee Groups
  • HDSB Human Rights Symposium
  • HDSB Human Rights Symposium
  • HDSB SCERTS Workshop
  • HDSB Student & Staff Census
  • HDSB Student Census
  • HDSBcares
  • How to Resolve Issues and Concerns
  • Human Rights & Equity
  • Human Rights & Equity Advisor
  • Indigenous Rights & Education
  • Labour Updates
  • Livestream
  • Multi-Year Plan 2016-2020
  • News
  • News All
  • Policies and Administrative Procedures
  • Provide Input on Distance Learning
  • Publications
  • Reimagine Forward
  • Search
  • Sign In

Quick Links

  • Board Meeting Schedule
  • Careers at HDSB
  • Departments
  • myHDSB
  • News
  • Trustees
  • Who to Contact

Page Image

Page Content

​​​​​​​​​​​​​Students​ ​- Every student will learn in an inclusive and caring environment that promotes their well-being.

To support the needs of students, the Halton District School Board partners with close to 30 community organizations ranging from municipalities to health and social services that provide opportunities and training for students.  

Through the Have Your Say engagement tool, the Halton District School Board has established baseline data for student well-being.  

  • 73% of elementary students report a high level of personal well-being
  • 58% of secondary students report a high level of personal well-being

Source: Have Your Say survey results

​​​​​​​​​​​Students​ ​- Every student will learn in a respectful culture of high expectations that values diversity, and will see themselves reflected in their learning.
During the 2016-2017 school year, many strategies were implemented in both elementary and secondary schools to bring equity to the forefront. Experiential learning activities enable students to see themselves reflected in their own learning. 

These learning experiences included: 


Black History Month provided a culmination for students and staff in select elementary and secondary schools who worked with Natasha Henry, President of the Ontario Black History Society, to embed Canadian Black history and experiences into curriculum learning. 

In April 2017, Shakil Choudhury, an award-winning educator with more than 20 years experience in the field of diversity, equity and inclusion, facilitated learning for elementary and secondary staff as they embedded Asian Canadian experiences centred on Islamophobia into student curriculum.

The Innovation Project for English as a Second Language (ESL) students was an initiative of the Halton District School Board’s Welcome Centre, an organization that provides initial support to newcomer families. As Halton continues to experience growth in the number of ESL students entering schools, the goal of the project was to smooth their transition into school and create a community of students of similar language and cultural backgrounds.  Through the use of Google Groups and technology, newly arrived international students are linked with current students from their country of origin and virtually connected through Google Hangouts to chat in their first language. The goal of the Innovation Project is to smooth the transition for new ESL students so they can be more successful academically, more engaged in their new school and community and can more easily develop relationships with peers. 

To see the Innovation Project in action, watch the following video:
  • Innovation Project for ESL students ​

LGBTQI2S Identities through Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) at school and GSA Conferences
  • GSA Conferences 2016-17​

All secondary schools, and approximately 30 elementary schools, have student GSAs (or equivalents) to provide a supportive and affirming space for students who identify under the LGBTQI2S spectrum and their allies. The GSA groups were invited to attend one of three school-based GSA conferences. Conferences were planned by the secondary school GSAs to build leadership skills for senior students. Conferences included support from superintendents, teachers, keynote speakers and community partners such as Egale Canada, Positive Space Network, SAVIS and Halton Regional Police Service. These conferences provided students with an opportunity to connect with others in the Board, to be affirmed and celebrated in their identities, and to engage in chosen workshops on a variety of topics linked to diverse genders and sexualities. More than 500 students attended the three conferences.

During the month of June, the Halton District School Board, as well as many schools,  flew the rainbow flag to acknowledge and celebrate Pride month. 
  • Raising of the Pride Flag 2016-17​

Selected elementary and secondary schools were involved in a Spoken Word poetry initiative. As part of this initiative, training about anti-black racism and Islamophobia was provided to staff. Through the creation of safe spaces, students were empowered to share their narratives and bring voice to their experiences and identities. Finalists were invited to participate in the Halton District School Board’s elementary and secondary school Spoken Word Slams. 
  • BCHS Spoken Word 2016-17
  • Halton District School Board Poetry Slam 16
​
Well-being teams have been established in 100% of schools in the Halton District School Board and are tasked with examining safety data to create plans that improve the sense of safety within individual schools. The data source used is the Tell Them From Me survey and the Have Your Say engagement tool. 

In the 2016-2017 school year, the Equity and School Programs departments collaborated to add the following equity statement to all secondary course outlines and led related learning with school staff at the April 28, 2017 Professional Development (PD) Day: 

All courses within Halton District School Board are taught in learning environments that promote inclusive education, and identify and eliminate discriminatory biases, systemic barriers, and power dynamics that limit the ability of students to participate, learn, grow, and succeed. All students see themselves reflected in the curriculum, their physical surroundings, and the broader environment, so that they are engaged in and empowered by their learning experiences.

Student leaders at Irma Coulson PS were recognized by the Harmony Movement and awarded The Social Changemakers Award. This award recognized the work of students and staff who are leading work in equity and social justice at the school including a student led “Invisible Issues” club, school-wide responses to challenging issues and a student initiated Breakfast Club.
  • Irma Coulson Public School honoured with inclusion award​
​
St​aff​ ​- All staff will engage in learning, and model a culture of equity and inclusion in support of student well-being.

Staff within the Halton District School Board were provided with learning opportunities and resources to build awareness to sustain a culture of equity and inclusion within schools and Board workplaces. These capacity building sessions engaged targeted groups of staff in a variety of learning exercises. For example, all teaching and corporate staff, as well as other employee groups, had the opportunity to participate in a Kairos Blanket Exercise.
  • Ethel Gardiner Public School takes part in educational activity, The Blanket Exercise​​

On April 28, 2017, a “subject-specific” PD day was held for all secondary teaching staff. The day focused on equity and all child youth counsellors (CYC), social workers and student success staff participated in LGBTQI2S and gender identities training. 
  • Raising of the Pride Flag 2016-17​​

New teachers participated in an Indigenous perspectives workshop as part of the New Teacher Induction Program (NTIP)
  • HDSB honoured Treaties Recognition Week​​

The annual Our Voices conference deepened educator knowledge and awareness, and provided a forum to share student learning experiences across schools in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action.
  • Our Voices Conference (2017)​​

The Arrive & Thrive Newcomer Symposium on March 3, 2017 was designed to welcome and support the well-being of newcomer students to Halton. This event built upon the collective capacity of all staff to support students who have different experiences coming to Canada.
  • Board holds successful event to support newcomers to Halton​
​
The Board’s Instructional Program Leaders participated in a collaborative inquiry project about Culturally Relevant and Responsive Pedagogy. This learning informed work carried out at the school level with staff across all curriculum areas. 

Training was provided for several schools on the topic of Islamophobia and Anti-Black Racism. Administrators led a school-based book story to various schools based on Shakil Choudhury’s book Deep Diversity. Senior administrative staff participated in a year-long program of equity training, centred around Culturally Relevant and Responsive Pedagogy through Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). 

The Positive Learning Climate Steering Committee met throughout the 2016-2017 school year to formulate a strategy to best address students’ sense of positive learning climates at the classroom level. The Committee designed a Professional Development Framework that was presented to superintendents in November 2017. 


System​ ​- We will advance a culture of respect for all students, staff, families and community.

The Respectful Workplace Steering Committee has been formed and will select a vendor to assist the Board in developing a Respectful Workplace Survey.  Data resulting from this survey will assist in designing an effective training plan and provide baseline data on employees’ perception of the Halton District School Board as an inclusive, caring and respectful organization. 

More than 85 schools within the Halton District School Board organized and participated in a variety of activities throughout the 2016-2017 school year to acknowledge and celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary. Through these events, students and staff engaged the community, celebrated diversity and encouraged creativity. They honoured Canadian music, art and literature, promoted physical activity and environmental stewardship and reflected on what it means to be Canadian. 

With the support of a federal grant, all staff throughout the system were able to engage in learning about Residential Schools through the Truth & Reconciliation blanket exercise simulation. School administrators and key staff were trained and provided with the requisite resources to lead this activity at their schools. This learning was further augmented through various school-based learning initiatives to help to decolonize perspectives. Together, students and staff planted the seeds of reconciliation and made a promise for a re-imagined Canada 
  • HDSB's Commitment to TRC
  • ​​Our Voices conference provides educators knowledge and wisdom from Indigenous voices​
  • HDSB's commitment to Truth and Reconciliation​​

System​ ​-We will use innovative approaches to student accommodation that reflect the changing needs within our communities.

A process was initiated for the design of the new Milton High School. Bi-weekly meetings and consultations took place between the architectural team and staff from Facilities, School Operations and School Programs departments along with the superintendent responsible for innovation. The Board is also consulting with the municipality and public library on potential partnership opportunities. 

A pilot project was launched to design innovative learning environments that focus on flexible and adaptable seating. As a result, many schools have shifted from the traditional classroom set-up with desks arranged in rows. 

Gary Allan High School’s Oakville location is working closely with the Kerr Street Mission and is hosting Alternative Education classes at their facility this school year.

As a result of the Burlington Program Accommodation Review (PAR), an exploration is underway to create a themed program for Aldershot High School. 

Board Office

Halton District School Board
J.W. Singleton Education Centre
2050 Guelph Line
Burlington, Ontario, L7P 5A8

Numbers

Phone: 905-335-3663
Fax: 905-335-9802

Links
Email Us
A to Z ServicesAccessibilityContact UsTransportationFeedbackStaffCareers
​​​​​​​​© 2023 Halton District School Board, 2050 Guelph Line, Burlington, ON, Canada L7P 5A8, Phone Switchboard: 905-335-3663

Auto Attendant: 905-335-3665, ​Toll Free: 1-877-618-3456, Fax: 905-335-9802