Supporting Educator Excellence Across the Province
School boards across Ontario are leading the way in creating exemplary practices that impact positively on student learning.
OPSBA’s Education Program Work Group annually collects effective practices in a chosen curricular area. Explore these incredible initiatives below.
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Equity, Diversity, and Human Rights (2022)
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Skilled Trades and Apprenticeships (2019)
- Avon Maitland DSB – Pathways Programming, Technical Studies, Cooperative Education, Experiential Learning, SHSM, OYAP, Guidance and Careers Studies
- Greater Essex County DSB
- Limestone DSB – SWAC (School Within a College) and WITTS (Women in the Trades) (additional documentation)
- DSB Ontario North East – Young Women in Skilled Trades
- Ottawa-Carleton DSB – Brick and Stone Masonry
- Renfrew County DSB – Options Skilled Trades Career Fair
- Simcoe County DSB – Simcoe Muskoka Skilled Trades Expo
- Toronto DSB – STEP to Construction
- York Region DSB – Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program
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Alternative Education (2018)
- Algoma DSB – Algoma Education Connection
- Durham DSB – Durham Alternative Secondary School
- Grand Erie DSB – Nations NuVision Program
- Greater Essex County DSB – Alternative Education
- Hamilton-Wentworth DSB – Grace Haven
- Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB – Skateboard Design and Business Program at PACE @ PCVS
- Limestone DSB – Katarokwi Learning Centre
- Niagara Children’s Centre School Authority – Graphics for Learning
- DSB Ontario North East – Adult and Alternative Education, PACE/Section 23
- Ottawa-Carleton DSB – Alternate Programs 2018 Collaborative Inquiry Report
- Rainy River DSB – United Native Friendship Centre and RRDSB Partnership
- Simcoe County DSB – Right Turn Program
- Thames Valley DSB – Specialized Equipment Technology Demonstration Classroom
- Trillium Lakelands DSB – Day School; Open School Ontario; R.E.A.L. (Return, Earn and Learn); Virtual Learning Centre
- Upper Grand DSB – Cadence
- Waterloo Region DSB – Uturn Alternative Programs
- York Region DSB – Exploring Opportunities Program/Initiative
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Indigenous Education (2017)
- Bluewater DSB – The Bimaadzwin (Good Path) Project and Mural Painting Project
- Durham DSB – Land-Based Anishinaabemowin Language Class (supporting resources below)
- Hamilton-Wentworth DSB – Strengthening Hamilton Aboriginal Education
- Keewatin-Patricia DSB – Four Directions Graduation Coach
- Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB – Indigenous Pedagogy and Environmental Focus
- Lambton Kent DSB – NBE 3 Classes
- Limestone DSB – Reconciliation Project and the Tipi Project at the Katarokwi Learning Centre/Gould Lake Outdoor Centre
- Moosonee DSAB – Aboriginal Focus Group Activities (AFGs) and Enhancing Cree Language with Culture (ECLC) (supporting resources below)
- Ottawa-Carleton DSB – Indigenous Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (InSTEM) (supporting resources below)
- Peel DSB – Indigenous Education Strategic Action Plan
- Rainbow DSB – Deepening Indigenous Worldviews
- Renfrew County DSB – The Mathematics of Algonquin Beading and Looming
- Rainy River DSB – Outdoor Classroom
- Simcoe County DSB – First Nation/Métis/Inuit Collaborative Inquiry-Truth & ReconciliAction
- Toronto DSB – Indigenous Support and Engagement Initiative (supporting resources below)
- Trillium Lakelands DSB – Imagine Canada Camp (supporting resources below)
- Waterloo Region DSB – Indigenous Recognition Week
Additional Resources
- Durham DSB – Summer Learning Camp, Indigenous TLLP Outline, Land-Based Language Booklet
- Moosonee DSAB – AFG Newsletter, ECLC Planning Guide
- Ottawa-Carleton DSB – InSTEM Brochure
- Toronto DSB – Photo Gallery of Indigenous Support and Engagement Initiative
- Trillium Lakelands DSB – Imagine Canada Camp Program
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Mathematics (2016)
- Algoma DSB – Effective Instruction in Mathematics, K-12 (Backgrounder below)
- Avon Maitland DSB – Supporting Students with Learning Disabilities in Mathematics
- DSB of Niagara – Mathematics for Teaching Knowledge
- Durham DSB – iCLIPSS: Intensive Critical Learning Instructional Pathway for Student Success (supporting resources below)
- Hamilton-Wentworth DSB – Mathematics Strategy Initiative
- Hastings and Prince Edward DSB – Early Numeracy Screening Tool
- Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB – Math for Young Children (supporting resources below)
- Limestone DSB – Collaborative Inquiry, Spiralling Fractions
- Ottawa-Carleton DSB – Online Math Support
- Peel DSB – EngageMath – A Comprehensive Numeracy Strategy (supporting resources below)
- Rainbow DSB – Mental Math in Rainbow Schools, K-8 (supporting resources below)
- Rainy River DSB – Math for Young Children (research report below)
- Renfrew County DSB – The role of assessment as learning, data literacy and reflection in enhancing teacher and learning in mathematics (supporting resources below)
- Simcoe County DSB – Balanced Mathematics
- Thames Valley DSB – Focus Mathematics Project
- Toronto DSB – NSpire; Math for Young Children; Math-e-Motion
- Upper Canada DSB – North Grenville DHS: Building Communities of Learners (supporting resources below)
- York Region DSB – Math AQ
Additional Resources
- Algoma DSB – Effective Math Backgrounder
- Durham DSB iCLIPSS Research Poster
- Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB Equality Teacher Audit
- Peel DSB EngageMath Supporting Resources
- Rainbow DSB – Developing Mental Math in Early Learning Backgrounder & Structuring Mental Math Minilessons
- Rainy River DSB – 2015 Research Results
- Renfrew County DSB – Student Look Fors (Observational Tools)
- Upper Canada DSB – Building Communities: Background
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Environmental Education (2015)
Outdoor and Environmental Education Centres
- Bluewater DSB – Bluewater Outdoor Education Centre
- Hastings and Prince Edward DSB – H.R. Frink Outdoor Education Centre
- Upper Grand DSB – UGDSB Environmental Learning Centres
- Waterloo Region DSB – Outdoor and Environmental Learning Centres
Events
- Durham DSB – The Great Outdoors Eco-Challenge & Point Pelee National Park Multi-High School Field Trip
- Grand Erie DSB – Environmental Youth Symposium
- Ottawa-Carleton DSB – Environmental Education Networking and Stewardship Days
- Peel DSB – Peel Environmental Education Camp for Educators (PEECE)
Board-wide Initiatives
- Greater Essex County DSB – Board-wide EcoSchools program
- Lambton Kent DSB – Wallaceburg District SS – Reducing Ecological Footprint
- Moosonee DSB – 7 Teachings Character Education Program
- Near North DSB – Educating for Environment (E4E) – Partnership with Nipissing University
- Near North DSB – Outdoor Environmental Inquiry Mentor/Mentee Project
- Halton DSB – Naturalization of outdoor FDK learning spaces
- Rainy River DSB – Environmental Film Festivals and Additional Board-wide Projects
- Simcoe County DSB – FDK outdoor education training for educators
- Thames Valley – Environmental education teaching toolkit
- Toronto DSB – Partnerships to plan, support and deliver professional learning opportunities
- Trillium Lakelands DSB – Eco-Summits, Program Enhancement and PuzzlePeace.ca
- York Region DSB – System-level EcoTeam
The Arts
Hamilton-Wentworth DSB – Imagining My Sustainable City
School-based Programming
Renfrew County DSB – Forest and Nature School Program at Killaloe PS
Awareness Campaigns
- Lakehead DSB – Park the Car Week
- Limestone DSB – Kingston Transit Promotion and Orientation project
- Peel DSB – The Great Gulp drinking water awareness week
Additional Resources and Board Policies
- Ministry of Education resources on Environmental Education
- Durham DSB Environmental Policy
- Durham DSB’s Dunbarton High School wins Greenest School on Earth award from the Global Coalition for Green Schools
- Greater Essex County DSB Environmental Education and Stewardship Policy
- Greater Essex County DSB Environmental Education and Stewardship Regulation
- Halton DSB Environmental Sustainability Policy
- Lakehead DSB Environmental Policy
- Limestone DSB Environmental Education Administrative Procedure
- Near North DSB Environmental Education Administrative Guideline
- Peel DSB Environmental Policy
- Rainy River DSB Environmental Education Policy
- Simcoe County DSB Environmental Policy
- Waterloo Region DSB Environmental Values Policy