Why is every PVNC employee being asked to complete the PVNC 2022 Staff Census?
Your voluntary participation in the Staff Census is important to us in order to better learn about and serve our PVNC community. The higher the completion rate, the more reliable the information will be to help us identify and remove systemic barriers.
Do I have to complete the census? Do I have to answer all the questions?
No. Completion of the staff census is voluntary. All staff members are encouraged to participate and will be given dedicated time to complete it. Staff are welcome to leave any question blank for any reason. If a staff member chooses to skip a question, the data will still be included for all other questions for which they have provided responses.
Why does the Board want to know about my race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability and age?
The collection of this data will give the board a much stronger understanding of the makeup of our workforce and will allow us to identify systematic barriers and make evidence-based decisions to address them.
We are already using the data collected during the Fall 2021 PVNC Student Census to develop and create better services, supports and learning opportunities for our diverse range of students. Collecting identity-based data from staff will help us make equity and accessibility informed decisions to better serve our workforce.
What will the Board do with this information?
Data will be analyzed by research staff. Information will be used to produce reports to help inform Board and school decision-making as part of the Board’s Equity Action Plan and the annual Catholic Board Improvement Plan For Student Achievement & Well Being.
What are our goals?
- Understand and support the diversity of employees
- Identify and eliminate barriers to inclusion and belonging
- Inform system policies, procedures, and programs
- Support recruitment, promotional practices, and retention
- Guide professional development, training, and succession planning
- Strive for a workforce that reflects our student population
Will this census be confidential?
We know that collecting data and sensitive information can raise concerns about privacy and stigmatization, particularly among people who experience discrimination.
PVNC respects the privacy of our staff. Data will be collected in a secure manner as directed by applicable privacy legislation and best practices.
PVNC is firmly committed to maintaining the confidentiality of individual respondents’ data obtained through the staff census survey. Reports will never single out or identify an individual. Data will only be reported in a summarized way to highlight our community’s needs.
All survey administrators shall keep completely confidential the respondents identity, all information or opinions collected, and any information about respondents learned incidentally. Individual responses or data potentially traceable to an individual will not be shared for any purpose.
The Board will be using Qualtrics, a secure third-party survey platform, to collect the Staff Census data.
If I use a board device to complete the survey at my work location, can IT Services track my responses and identify me?
No. The Board’s Information Technology department will play no role in the assessment of the raw census data and therefore is not capable of identifying a respondent.
Board employees can confidentially complete the Staff Census using a board device.
Will my individual responses be shared with my supervisor or any other Board staff?
No. Access to the raw census data will be restricted to the few Board employees assigned to analyze the data. All survey administrators shall keep completely confidential the respondents identity, all information or opinions collected, and any information about respondents learned incidentally. Individual responses or data potentially traceable to an individual will not be shared for any purpose. Only summarized reports will be provided. Reports will never single out or identify an individual.
I work and live in a community without a lot of diversity. Why is this census relevant to me?
Diversity is growing in communities all across Ontario at a fast pace. If your community isn’t particularly diverse now, that will be changing, and soon. We want to make sure our schools and workplaces are ready to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse demographic now and into the future and ensure all students and employees feel safe, included and welcome in PVNC and have the opportunity to thrive.
How is the staff census survey connected to the student census survey?
The connection between learners and staff is critical to our mission. It is this relationship that cultivates the culture of equity and belongingness we are striving to achieve. To this end, PVNC wants to get a better understanding of who our staff are and what we can do to support them.
How will staff benefit from taking this census?
By completing this survey, staff will be informing and contributing to important Board decision making and helping to improve the work environment and staff work experience.
Does the staff census comply with the law?
The information you provide is collected under the legal authority of the Education Act (sections 170, 190, 264, 265) in compliance with Sections 14 and 32 of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act [MFIPPA] and is consistent with the Ontario Human Rights Code. The Ontario Human Rights Code permits proactive initiatives to enhance inclusion in the workplace. The Staff Survey is one such initiative, as the results will indicate where, and what inclusion initiatives are appropriate. The information will be collected for educational, research, and program and policy development purposes only. The information will be used, disclosed, and retained in accordance with MFIPPA.
Who developed the staff census?
The survey was developed by the Equity and Inclusion Steering Committee. The Core Team and Steering Committee are comprised of the Superintendent of Learning: Special Education Services, Mental Health & Wellbeing, Faith & Equity, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advisor, and the Student Achievement Consultant. Several resources were accessed and referenced in the development of the questions, including, the Data Standards for the Identification and Monitoring of Systemic Racism, the Ontario Human Rights Code, Ontario’s Education Equity Action Plan, Ontario’s 3-Year Anti-Racism Strategic Plan, the 2016 Canadian Census, and staff surveys conducted by other school boards in Ontario.
In addition, members of certain stakeholder groups and individuals, such as the Human Resources Department, Religious Education & Equity Consultant, Indigenous Education working group, and Psychologist/Manager of Student Services were consulted on specific questions related to their work. All PVNC staff are also being provided with the opportunity to provide feedback on the survey questions by contacting [email protected].