Date: April 6, 2023

Memorandum to: Chairs of District School Boards; Directors of Education; Secretary/Treasurers of School Authorities

From: Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education; Nancy Naylor, Deputy Minister

Subject: Professional Activity Days for the 2023-24 School Year

 

We are writing to provide direction on the topics for the three mandatory Professional Activity (PA) days for the 2023-2024 school year.  

The ministry recognizes the important role that professional learning has in helping educators gain greater knowledge and skills to ensure all students have an opportunity to experience success. 

For the 2023-24 school year, mandatory PA days must focus on the following education priorities:

Literacy and Mathematics

  • Literacy:
    • All Kindergarten to Grade 3 teachers must receive professional learning on early reading instruction, universal design for learning, and screening as early as possible in the school year to ensure educators are prepared to support their students in a manner consistent with the recommendations in the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Right to Read report for the full school year. School boards should consider including early childhood educators, and other educators (e.g., teacher librarians, English as a Second-Language teachers), as appropriate, in this professional learning opportunity.
    • Other professional learning in literacy should include:
      • Implementation of the new Language/Français, Grades 1-8 curriculum and the new de-streamed Grade 9 English/Français course
      • Effective practices for supporting students in the new Grade 9 de-streamed English course to consolidate foundational knowledge and skills
      • Literacy across the curriculum
  • Mathematics should include:
    • Supporting student improvement in K-12 Mathematics through high impact instructional approaches and alignment with curriculum
    • A focus on high-impact instructional practices to support students in the Grade 9 de-streamed math course

Curriculum Implementation

  • For example, new and recently revised curriculum should be covered such as: 
    • Language/Français, Grades 1-8 and the new de-streamed Grade 9 English/Français courses
    • Indigenous-focused revisions to Social Studies, Grades 1-3
    • New learning on Holocaust education in Social Studies, Grade 6
    • Grade 10 Computer Studies - Digital Technology and Innovations in the Changing World
    • Connections to skilled trades and apprenticeship
    • Continued professional learning in Mathematics, Science and Technology

 

Student Well-being, School Safety and Violence Prevention

  • Two or more of the following topics should be covered:
    • Student mental health and well-being 
    • Cybersecurity and online privacy awareness
    • Anti-Sex Trafficking
    • Student safety and violent incident prevention

As there is considerable important content to cover, we encourage boards where possible to maximize opportunities to integrate some of the content above over their remaining PA days in 2023-24. 

The Revised Regulations of Ontario, 1990, Regulation 304 allows each school board to determine the timing of its PA days. This should be done with adherence to any provisions in teacher and education worker Collective Agreements. Boards are required to submit an outline of their PA day activities through the OSYC application no later than August 15, 2023. 

The ministry will continue to work with school boards and education partners to provide ongoing support that responds to needs that arise as the school year progresses.

We appreciate your collaboration in supporting professional learning for educators and staff across the province. 

 

Sincerely,

Stephen Lecce, Minister

Nancy Naylor, Deputy Minister