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PA Day Activities & Agendas

PA Day Activities & Agendas

UCDSB schools have several professional activities (PA) days during the school year. During these days, students stay home but schools remain open as school staff focus on professional development.

The purpose of PA days is to improve student success. Educators have the opportunity to discuss challenges, review research and collaborate to create lessons, activities and assessments for their students.

The Ministry of Education’s regulation states that school boards must designate three Ministry Directed PA days and may designate up to four additional PA days per school year.

Here is a breakdown of what PA Day activities are happening for the 2023-2024 school year.

Date

Topic

Presenters & Description

September 1, 2023

(System Directed - Hosted by UCDSB)

Topic 1: Board Improvement and Equity Plan, Student Achievement, Data Collection




















Topic 2: PM- Reading Instruction

1) Presenters/Facilitators:
  • Eric Hardie, Executive Superintendent, Student Achievement and Innovation
  • Amanda Nieman, System Principal, Teaching and Learning
  • UCDSB System Teachers

Description: Presenters will provide professional learning on the goals of the Upper Canada District School Board’s Board Improvement and Equity Plan and how these goals impact the areas of focus for the School Improvement and Equity Plan.  School teams will meet in person to focus on the collection of baseline assessment data in literacy and numeracy.  Facilitators will provide training in the administration and scoring of assessment tools that can be used to collect current student achievement data, as well as an overview of the high impact practices that are part of the UCDSB’s Professional Learning Plan.


2) Presenters/Facilitators: 
UCDSB System Teachers

Description: Presenters will review practical and effective strategies in early reading and evidence-based systematic and explicit reading instruction, connected to the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Right to Read inquiry report and to the following documents:

  • The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8, Language
  • English, De-streamed, Grade 9
  • Effective Early Reading Instruction, A teacher’s guide

School teams will have an opportunity to learn about why and how the curriculum documents have changed, the new digital platform, planning considerations, and assessment and evaluation.  Facilitators will make connections to high impact practices, professional learning modules, and resources in structured literacy and the Science of Reading currently being implemented in the UCDSB.  This professional learning session will have options for English and French teachers.

October 27, 2023
(1/2 day)

Mandatory:
Elementary & Secondary





















October 27, 2023
(1/2 day)


Discretionary:
Elementary & Secondary
Literacy / Numeracy


























Student well-being, school safety and violence prevention

School teams will have an opportunity to learn about high impact practices, professional learning modules, and resources in structured literacy and the Science of Reading/Mathematics currently being implemented in the UCDSB.  This professional learning session will have options for English and French teachers.  Foundational documents on structured literacy and numeracy connected to the UCDSB Professional Learning Plan and UCDSB-created planning templates will be shared.

 
Mathematics:

Facilitators will meet with priority schools for math to update the Math Action Plan, Professional Learning Series in Mathematics, Assessment tool and data collection.  Curriculum connections to high impact practices will be a focus.

School Improvement and Equity Planning


Review Violence Prevention and Intervention Incident Reporting




November 24, 2023 
(1/2 day)

Mandatory:
Elementary & Secondary









November 24, 2023 
(1/2 day)

Discretionary:
Elementary & Secondary
Student well-being, school safety and violence prevention












Curriculum Roll Out

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
  • 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


 
February 1, 2024
Full Day

Discretionary: Elementary 



February 1, 2024
Full Day

Discretionary: Secondary
Report card preparation/reporting to parents/ongoing communication




Board/school improvement planning for student achievement and well-being


Assessing student achievement for reporting period and communicating with parent/guardian.




CAROUSEL SESSIONS: (Curriculum, Real World Learning planning templates, Assessment and Evaluation Toolbox, SST, De-streaming)

 

School Improvement and Equity Planning


April 8, 2024
Full Day

Discretionary: Elementary / Secondary
Literacy / Numeracy Presenters will review practical and effective strategies in early reading and evidence-based systematic and explicit reading instruction, connected to the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Right to Read inquiry report and to the following documents:
  • The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8, Language
  • English, De-streamed, Grade 9
  • Effective Early Reading Instruction, A teacher’s guide

School teams will have an opportunity to learn about why and how the curriculum documents have changed, the new digital platform, planning considerations, and assessment and evaluation.  Facilitators will make connections to high impact practices, professional learning modules, and resources in structured literacy and the Science of Reading currently being implemented in the UCDSB.  This professional learning session will have options for English and French teachers. 

 

Mathematics:

Facilitators will meet with priority schools for math to share the Math Action Plan, Professional Learning Series in Mathematics, Assessment tool and data collection.  Curriculum connections to high impact practices will be a focus.

 

School Improvement and Equity Planning


May 31, 2024
Full Day

Discretionary: Elementary


May 31, 2024
Full Day

Discretionary: Secondary
Report card preparation/reporting to parents/ongoing communication



Literacy / Numeracy

Assessing student achievement for reporting period and communicating with parent/guardian.




CAROUSEL SESSIONS: (Literacy/Numeracy Curriculum, Real World Learning planning templates, Assessment and Evaluation Toolbox, SST, De-streaming)

School Improvement and Equity Planning


June 27, 2024
Full Day

Discretionary:
ALL

Board/school improvement planning for student achievement and well-being

Board Improvement and Equity Planning/School Improvement and Equity Planning- Data submission


 

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