Focus Area 1: Leadership and Human Resource Initiatives
Effective and responsive leadership embraces equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) as foundational principles that cultivate cultures where everyone feels valued and respected, and identities are affirmed. At PVNC Catholic, equity in leadership is essential to ensure trust and confidence in our systems is not eroded. It calls for proactive removal of systemic barriers, addressing biases and prejudices related to representation, and reviewing existing structures, policies, programs and practices, at all levels, that may unintentionally disadvantage identifiable groups.
| Priority 1: Building Awareness 2024-2025 | |
| Goals | Specific Actions |
| Embed equity and inclusive education principles in all policies, programs, procedures and practices. | Review critical areas for incorporating equity and inclusive education principles and practices such as: PVNC Catholic’s Multi-year Strategic Plan; school and board improvement plans; all existing policies, programs, procedures and practices e.g. safe schools policy including bullying, violence prevention and intervention; curriculum implementation and classroom practice; supports for students with special needs; mental health promotion and supports; teacher leadership development and capacity building; student engagement; parent and community involvement; and community use of school and board facilities. |
| Develop and strengthen the skills, knowledge, resources, and abilities of individuals, Board and schools to effectively implement the Equity and Inclusive Education Policy 700 and Equity Action Plan. | Board and schools establish annual professional learning about inclusive leadership strategies, bullying prevention and strategies for promoting positive school climates outlined in The Education Act and other relevant legislation. This may include building awareness and understanding of discrimination issues including: racism, sexism, classism, homophobia, ableism, faith discrimination and gender-based violence. Support an increased role for existing board-led equity networks in implementing equity initiatives linked to Catholic School Improvement Plans for Student Achievement and Well-Being (CSIPSAWs) and the Catholic Board Improvement Plans for Student Achievement and Well-Being (CBIPSAW) through renewed mandates and enhanced funding. Offer an eLearning module to staff to explore the meaning and value of equity, human rights and Human Rights Duty in their daily work. |
| Increase percent of staff who report that they feel heard, respected, have equitable access to available support for their professional development needs, and are valued by their supervisors. | Use existing data sources (e.g., staff perception of work culture, staff census, staff attendance rates) and focus group information to identify workplace factors known to have a strong impact on organizational health and the health of individual employees (e.g., work culture, workload management, engagement, growth and development, recognition, and reward, etc.) Use data to inform policies and procedures that strengthen and advance priorities, processes, and outcomes for how to address various forms of racism, such as: interpersonal, internalized, systemic and structural racism, and to promote and instill racial equity principles and foundations in learning and working environments. |
Focus Area 2: School and Classroom Practices
The Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations (OCSGE) provide a distinctive framework to education. At its core, the OCSGEs establish a relationship between learning and believing. As a Catholic school board we ensure learning environments focus not only on knowledge and skills, but also on values and actions to develop students to be reflective and who demonstrate cooperative and democratic behaviour – responsible citizens.
As stewards of Catholic education, we believe in the sacredness of human life. Recognizing that systemic racism is unjust and impacts the daily lives of students and families of Indigenous, Black and other historically marginalized groups, we continue to redress these system biases and inequities. PVNC Catholic continues to strengthen its culture of collaboration, trust and respect to demonstrate our commitment to celebrating diversity, dignity, success, and worth of all individuals, and our recognition of all voices.
| Priority 1: Building Awareness 2024-2025 | |
| Goals | Specific Actions |
| Apply the principles of equity when developing Catholic Schools Improvement Plans for Student Achievement and Well Being (CSIPSAW) to improve access and address biases in structures, programs and practices. | Conduct pedagogical reform to analyze how to introduce flexibility to the curriculum and adopt measures that support all students through differentiation by adapting the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework to interrupt implicit bias in teaching, learning, and assessment and to fit individual student abilities, needs, backgrounds, skill levels, talents and learning profiles. Adopt a relationship-based approach to students’ well-beingand achievement through the implementation of the Third Path Framework and School/Parish Accompaniment . |
| Develop critical consciousness among staff about diversity, equity, social justice, accessible and inclusive curriculum and instructional practices. | Deepen educators and relevant staff’s understanding of Culturally Relevant and Responsive Pedagogy (CRRP) by providing resources to implement responsive and relevant practices into the teaching and learning process. Improve the diversification of learning material that is free from negative bias and discrimination and employ an intersectional, anti-racist approach that centres voices of historically marginalized groups. Enhance age-appropriate curricula by integrating content on residential schools, treaties, land-based education, Indigenous languages, and Indigenous Peoples’ historical and contemporary contributions, as well as Black Canadian History. |
Focus Area 3: Organization and Accountability Structure
At PVNC Catholic, inclusive and responsive systems of accountability have a vital part to play in ensuring that long-term strategies engage leaders and staff. This ensures learning and working climates, culture and curriculum that honours diversity, inclusion and protects the life and dignity of the human person, regardless of age, ancestry, colour, race, citizenship, ethnic origin, place of origin, creed, disability, family status, marital status, gender identity, gender expression, receipt of public assistance, record of offences, sex and sexual orientation.
| Priority 1: Building Awareness 2024-2025 | |
| Goals | Specific Actions |
| Report on the progress of the Board’s Equity and Inclusive Education Policy 700 and Equity Action Plan. | Conduct an equity scan to assess progress, identify and address barriers that may impact success. Implement strategies to identify and eliminate discriminatory barriers that limit engagement by staff, students, families, and the broader community in PVNC Catholic policies, guidelines, day-to-day operation, protocol, and practices. The Board receives annual updates on the implementation and impact of Equity and Inclusive Education Policy 700 and the Equity Action Plan progress in relation to the multi-year strategic priorities, student achievement, well-being, and achievement gaps, and provides direction and support for equity and inclusive education across PVNC Catholic. (Monitoring tools include Strategic Priorities, CBIPSAW and CSIPSAW progress reports, Faith and Equity Continuum, Student and Staff Census, School Climate Surveys and PVNC Engage.) |
| Gather all relevant and available sources of data to assist in the development of school and Board improvement plans and the Board’s Multi-year Strategic Plan (e.g., achievement, graduation rates and credit accumulation, school climate survey data). | School and Board improvement plans specify success indicators to measure the effectiveness of the plans, and to make adjustments, where needed, to advance equity goals. Schools and departments use student achievement data, observation and feedback from parents/guardians and all relevant partners to develop school and board improvement plans. |