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.