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PA Day Agendas

On Professional Activity (PA) days, staff engage in professional development. Our school, along with all schools in the Halton District School Board (HDSB) have several Professional Activity (PA) Days throughout the school year. The purpose of these days is to enhance student success. Staff focus on professional development activities, participate in training or planning sessions. There are no classes for students on these days. ​ ​

To learn about what schools across the HDSB are focusing on during each PA Day, visit HDSB PA Days.

Timing/Format

  • Full-day, in-person

Facilitators

Learning will be led by principals and vice principals and school based subject specific leaders.

Description

School staff will focus their learning on Cyber Security and Generative AI. Staff will attend sessions dedicated to exploring AI as a teaching and learning tool and will understand how the use of AI must be in line with the Board's and Ministry's policies related to cyber security, privacy issues and the responsible use of technology. Staff will also explore how to effectively and safely use the Board's approved AI tools in their classes. 

Learning/Delivery Method

This learning will be presented using a combination of full staff learning and small group sessions. Some small group sessions will be arranged in department groupings while others will be arranged according to teacher learning goals.

Format: Full day, in person
Facilitators: The learning will be led by the principal, vice principals, and school based specific area leaders.
Description: School staff will continue to collaborate with their course teams and develop additional asset based assessment opportunities for their students. Additionally, departments will review current AI pedagogy and will explore how AI can be used to enhance the curriculum. A focus on student mental health and well-being will be highlighted throughout the day; resources will be co-developed with staff for use in the classroom.
Learning/Delivery Method: This learning will be presented using a combination of full staff learning and small group sessions. Some small group sessions will be arranged in department groupings while others will be arranged according to teacher learning goals.

Timing/Format

  • Full-day, in-person

Facilitators

Learning will be led by principals and vice principals and school based subject specific leaders.

Description

School staff will focus their learning on reviewing our SIPSA plan and exploring methods of asset-based assessment. Staff will collaborate with their course/subject groups to reflect on current practices and devise plans to implement new asset-based assessment practices for semester 2. Alternate forms of assessment and evaluation will also be explored.

Learning/Delivery Method

This learning will be presented using a combination of full staff learning and small group sessions. Some small group sessions will be arranged in department groupings while others will be arranged according to teacher learning goals.

Timing/Format

  • Full-day, in-person

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.

Description

Our full day of Subject Specific PD will allow school teams to focus on improving student learning and achievement through building belonging, cultivating curiosity and strengthening skills. Areas of focus will include:

- high impact instructional strategies

- on-going implementation of recently revised curriculum

- experiential learning

- mental health literacy

- assessment and evaluation

- career readiness and regional and post-secondary exploration

- Generative Artificial Intelligence

All learning centers anti-colonial, anti-oppressive and anti-racist practices, a student-centered approach and an ongoing commitment to addressing disproportionate student outcomes.

Learning/Delivery Method

  • Whole group presentations and small group work.

Timing/Format

  • Full-day, in-person

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.

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.

Learning/Delivery Method

  • Whole group presentations and small group work.

Timing/Format

  • Full Instructional Day of learning 8 a.m. - 2:35 p.m.
  • Small and large group discussion
  • Department-based discussion 

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.

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. 

Learning Materials

  • Board-provided information on the HDSB Code of Conduct, violent incident reporting, Police/School Board Protocol, School Resource Offier program and the HDSB Suicide Prevention Protocol