From the Ontario Ministry of Education Website
Ministry of Education - Ontario.
Safe Schools Action Team Reference Groups
As you are aware, on December 14, [2004-5] Education Minister Gerard Kennedy
announced that a special Safe Schools Action Team had been appointed to
implement the government's comprehensive plan to actively lead and study the
improvement of preventative practices, policies, programs and physical
environments to ensure that every student is safe and feels safe at school and
on school grounds.
The Safe Schools Action Team is led by Liz Sandals, Parliamentary Assistant
to the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services. Other members
include: Stu Auty, the founding director of the Canadian Safe School Network,
Ray Hughes, the National Education Coordinator at the Centre for Prevention
Science (CAMH) and Dr. Debra Pepler, a Professor of Psychology at York
University and a Psychologist at the Hospital for Sick Children.
The Action Team has been drawing on the knowledge of Ontario's school boards
and experts in the areas of safe schools and bullying at every stage of its
work. One of the first projects undertaken by the team was to create a robust
safe schools audit to help schools and communities assess both the physical
safety and the social climate of their schools.
Safe Schools Audit
The audit has three key goals. Firstly, it will assist principals, school
councils, educators, students and parents to assess the safety of their schools.
It will also increase awareness of safety issues within the school and the
community. Secondly, the audit will provide schools, school boards, the ministry
of education and the Action Team with up-to-date information on the safety
programs and conditions in our schools. Finally, the results of the audit will
be useful for school boards as they plan their school renewal efforts, which are
supported by the government's recent $4 billion Good Places to Learn initiative.
The Action Team is finalizing the audit in advance of it going out to
schools and it is now available for your review. The Ministry will provide the
audit to school principals, on behalf of their school councils in March. The
Action Team will work with school boards to determine a process for analyzing
and delivering the results.
Anti-Bullying Initiatives
The Action Team will create a provincewide anti-bullying hotline based on
examples of successful hotlines from across the province and the country.
Members of the team will be working with students, parents and educators to
ensure that the hotline meets the needs of Ontario's students and families.
The Action Team will also be forming a reference group to support their work
on anti-bullying. Members will identify effective anti-bullying initiatives
across Ontario, creating a set of key provincewide criteria that boards and
schools will use to establish effective anti-bullying programs in every school.
This spring, the Action Team will also host consultations on the issues
arising from both the Robins Report's recommendations and the implementation of
the Safe Schools Act.
Working Together
Your continued commitment and contribution are vital to ensuring that
Ontario's schools are safe places for students, teachers and education workers.
If you are interested in submitting your name for consideration for one of the
reference groups, please fill out an Ontario Provincial Education Network (OPEN)
form and identify your interest in the space under the Safe Schools check box.
OPEN, our email network, will also keep you up to date on important education
developments, policies, and events in the coming months. It also serves as a
vehicle to exchange ideas and provide the Minister with your insight.
To access OPEN online visit
www.edu.gov.on.ca
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