Picture of staff meeting

School PA Day Activities and Agendas

Updated: Sept. 13, 2023

Professional Activity (PA) Days are days set aside each school year when students do not attend school. PA Days are designated for activities that include professional development for educators and staff, evaluation of student progress, consultation with parents/guardians, curriculum and program evaluation and development.

Regulation 304 under the Education Act states that school boards must designate three (3) PA days each school year that focus on provincial education priorities. School boards may also designate up to four additional PA days per school year.

Throughout the upcoming school year, we will be providing families with more information about the Professional Activity (PA) Days on our 2023-2024 School Year Calendar.

Here is a list of all PA Days for the 2023-2024 school year.

  • Aug. 31, 2023
  • Sept. 29, 2023 
  • Nov. 3, 2023
  • Nov. 24, 2023 (secondary only)
  • Feb. 2, 2024
  • April 26, 2024
  • June 7, 204 (elementary only)
  • June 28, 2024

Details about upcoming PA Days will be posted to this site 14 days prior to each day. Below you will find a detailed summary for the Sept. 29, 2023 PA Day. 

 

Date: Sept. 29, 2023 

Participating Schools: All PVNC Catholic Schools 

 

Topic 1: Catholic School Improvement Planning

Length: Half day

Participating: All schools and school staff who are not engaged in other professional learning activities.

Entity Hosting: Schools

Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s): Principals/Vice-Principals and Catholic School Improvement Teams

Description: School teams will review past goals and develop next steps for the school.  The goals will be in alignment with the Ministry of Education’s “Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act” and the PVNC Catholic Board Improvement Plan. Board improvement planning is a collaborative process leading to a living document that guides the work of the Board in classrooms, in schools and at the Catholic Education Centre. Our current plan can be found here: Catholic Board Improvement Plan for Student Achievement and Well-being

Topic 2: Secretary Professional Learning

Length: Full day

Participating: All secretaries will be in person at the Catholic Education Centre

Entity Hosting: Catholic Education Centre

Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s): Central Staff 

Description: In response to surveys secretaries have completed about the type of professional development they would like to access, secretaries will be engaged in a full day of training including the following topics: Truth and Reconciliation and registering multi-language learners. 

Topic 3: Mental Health and Wellbeing and Special Education Training 

Length: Two Hours 

Participating: Kindergarten to Grade 2 staff 

Entity hosting: School Board via the online VECTOR Training Platform

Description: Staff will undergo online training via the Board’s Training Platform on the following issues: 

  • Behaviour Management Strategies Module 
  • Admin Policy 912-Supporting Positive Student Behaviour 
  • Suicide Intervention Training 
  • Mental Health Literacy Module 

Topic 4: Building Thinking Classrooms

Length: 90 minutes 

Participating: Secondary Teachers

Entity Hosting: Central Math Team and Math Consultants 

Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s): Judy Larsen

Description: Building Thinking Classrooms supports 14 essential practices that promote and ensure student engagement through collaborative thinking tasks to promote small group problem-solving, visual strategies, fostering student autonomy, effective note-taking, formative assessment and evaluation. Teachers will learn how to effectively support Building Thinking Classrooms for all students regardless of subject matter and grade level. See further information at https://buildingthinkingclassrooms.com/

Topic 5: Math Learning Platforms: MathUp and Knowledgehook

Length: Two Hours 

Participating: Elementary Teachers (Grades 1-8)

Entity Hosting: Central Math Team and Doug Lobel from Knowledgehook

Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s): Central Math Team and Doug Lobel from Knowledgehook

Description: MathUp was created by Dr. Marian Small. MathUP offers a robust set of focused tools to help build capacity in teaching mathematics through professional learning for both teachers and administrators. It empowers teachers and principals with the knowledge and processes to build a successful math learning environment and school math culture. All elementary staff will receive further training on this valuable professional learning resource for teachers with student activities that effectively scaffold and support the entire K-9 Math Curriculum. For further information see https://www.mathup.ca/

Knowledgehook is a digital math learning platform that supports student engagement and further practice for students to ensure an excellent mastery of grade level math content. As this platform was recently purchased for staff and student use, Doug Lobel from Knowledgehook will review key features of this platform. For further information see https://www.knowledgehook.com/

Topic 6: Worksite Inspection Committee Training

Length: 2.5 hours

Participating: New members of the school Worksite Inspection Committee or members that have not had training in the last three  years.

Entity Hosting: Catholic Education Centre staff

Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s): Health and Safety Officer

Description: The Board’s Health and Safety Officer will provide training to educate and empower a group of school employees to serve as a worksite inspection committee member.  These committees are responsible for regularly inspecting their workplace for potential hazards and ensuring compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act. The primary goal of worksite inspection committee training is to enhance workplace safety, reduce accidents, and create a culture of vigilance and responsibility among employees.

Topic 7: Executive Functioning

Length: Full Day

Participating: Special Education Resource Teachers

Entity Hosting: Catholic Education Centre staff

Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s): Laurie Faith

Description: Dr. Laurie Faith,  the creator of the self-regulated learning intervention called Activated Learning (AL), will present on Executive Functioning. 

Topic 8: Centre for Autism Spectrum Assistance 

Length: Full Day

Participating: Centre for Autism Spectrum Assistance teams 

Entity Hosting: Catholic Education Centre staff

Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s): Vice Principal of Special Education, Consultants

Description: Safety Plan development, data collection and neurodiversity.

Topic 9: Planning to Support Students 

Length: Full Day 

Participating: Special Education Support Staff 

Entity Hosting: Catholic Education Centre staff

Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s): Special Education Support Staff Supervisor

Description: Safety Plans, Individual Education Plans, occasional staff planning, and visual/self regulation.

Topic 10: Purchasing Resources for PVNC Catholic Learning Commons

Length: One hour  

Participating: Elementary and Secondary Learning Commons Specialists and Secondary Teacher Librarians

Entity Hosting: Learning Support and Student Success Services 

Presenter(s)/Facilitator(s): Benjamin Tenesia, Equity Advisor, and Julie Selby, Superintendent of Learning

Description: Learning Commons Support Specialists and Teacher Librarians will engage in professional learning related to the purchase of resources. Best practices will be shared for purchasing resources for PVNC Catholic Learning Commons (libraries). Staff will review the processes and protocols for ensuring that resources purchased for schools are curriculum-focused, age-appropriate and support the views and values of our Catholic faith.