As an SCCDSB community of learning, to identify, address and dismantle systemic barriers so that all students have equitable resources and educational opportunity for both student well-being and achievement. The Board will endeavor to identify and remove discriminatory biases and systemic barriers that may limit the opportunities of individuals from diverse communities for employment, mentoring, retention, promotion, and succession planning in all Board and school positions. This will assist in developing a workforce that is capable of understanding and responding to the experiences of the diverse communities within the Board’s jurisdiction.
Equity, Diversity & Inclusive Education
As a distinctly Catholic learning community, we are called to know every student, to inspire them to follow the example of Jesus, and to empower them with the knowledge and skills they need to live purposeful, meaningful lives.
We are committed to creating safe, inclusive and welcoming learning environments that support student achievement and well-being in our Catholic schools for all students, including Indigenous students, Black and other racialized groups of students, students with disabilities and/or special education needs, 2SLGBTQ+ students, students from low-income households, and students who are new to Canada.
Equity, diversity and inclusion are values rooted in our Faith. Human Rights and Equity are guiding values that are consistent both with Catholic social teaching, reaffirming the dignity of every individual, as well as the Ontario Human Rights Code, which safeguards students and staff from discrimination based on the protected grounds.
In order to create these safe and inclusive environments, we have provided and will continue to facilitate professional development opportunities for our system leaders that are focused on identifying and addressing systemic barriers, with the goal of eliminating disparities in order to support student success.
In the classroom, our board continues to work on embedding anti-racism and anti-discrimination education into each curriculum area to ensure that we are teaching through a Culturally Relevant and Responsive Pedagogy (CRRP) lens. We also recognize and celebrate the diversity of all our students throughout the year within our schools and school system.
Ultimately, it is our goal to create school environments where all who enter are comfortable being the most authentic version of themselves.
EQUITY ACTION PLAN
Our Equity Action Plan outlines what the St. Clair Catholic District School Board will do, with intentionality, at all levels of the organization to ensure that equity permeates in our classrooms, school communities, and central offices.
In a Catholic learning community, equity and inclusion are a moral imperative. Our three-year Equity Action Plan demonstrates our commitment to ensure equity at all levels of our system, and is modelled on Ontario’s Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy (2009) and Ontario’s Education Equity Action Plan (2017).
Ensuring equity stems from the fundamental principle that every student should have the opportunity to succeed personally and academically, regardless of background, identity or personal circumstances.
Overall Goal Promoting Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Anit-Racism
- To provide a learning environment where all students feel safe and encouraged to reach their individual potential by understanding who our students are and their lived school experiences.
- To enhance data collection and performance measurement to improve the achievement and well-being of all students.
- To identify barriers in order to address discriminatory biases in order to support equity, student achievement and well-being through evidence-informed decision-making.
- To provide professional development opportunities for employees in equity and inclusive education.
- To embed educational resources and encourage educational experiences where students can see themselves and the relevance of what they are learning.
“We are called to live not as one without others, above or against others, but with and for others” - Pope Francis 4
The SCCDSB Equity Action Plan serves as a roadmap for creating learning and working environments where all students and staff are safe, supported and accepted. The St. Clair Catholic District School Board (SCCDSB) recognizes that all people are created equal in the image of God, each with inimitable characteristics deserving of dignity (Genesis 1:27).
The Board is committed to the principles of equity through inclusive programs, curriculum, services and operations with a mission to empower students to learn and grow to their full potential in a diverse world. In a Catholic learning community, equity and inclusion are a moral imperative. Ensuring equity stems from the fundamental principle that every student is created in God’s image and should have the opportunity to succeed personally and academically, regardless of background, identity or circumstance.
Capitalizing on the Board’s strategic priorities – specifically, learning and innovation, faith and wellbeing, partnerships and Catholic citizenship, we are providing opportunities for people to become the people God created them to be. The action plan applies anti-oppression and human rights perspectives with a goal to address inequities in achievement and well-being outcomes among students from equity-seeking groups. At the individual and system levels, the action plan is intended to identify and address systems of oppression.
The SCCDSB Equity Action Plan serves as a roadmap for creating learning and working environments where all students and staff are safe, supported and accepted. Aligning with Ontario’s Education Equity Plan (2017), the plan focuses on four key priority areas: School and Classroom Practices Leadership, Governance and Human Resource Practices Positive Culture and Well-being Ê Data Collection, Integration and Reporting.
Expected Outcomes:
- Identify and eliminate biases, systemic barriers and discriminatory practices through critical thinking
- Living Catholic values to foster caring, inclusive, equitable and safe spaces
- Ensure inclusive community partnerships that engage families, parish and community
- Ensure accountability regarding the Board’s commitment to equity and communicating results to the public through our Board Improvement and Equity Plan
- “For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”. (Jer. 29:11)
Key Priority Area - School and Classroom Practices
Equitable school and classroom practices are essential to the creation of a learning environment in which all students and staff experience the richness of diversity.
Goals:
- The identification of and removal of existing systemic barriers and avoidance of such barriers as we develop new policies and programs.
- Implement teaching practices and curriculum that reflect and are responsive to the needs and realities of all students.
- Increase parent engagement opportunities in equity and inclusive education, by identifying strategies to reach parents who may be disengaged from the education system.
Actions:
- Raise awareness and understanding about the impacts of equity and diversity on student well-being and achievement and support educators in using culturally responsive practices.
- Provide training around teaching practices and culturally responsive curriculum that reflects the diverse needs and realities of our student population.
- Provide support to school administrators in developing School Improvement Plans.
- Seek out and honour the voices of students and families as active participants in their school communities (ie. parent engagement sessions, student voice opportunities).
Key Priority Area - Leadership, Governance and Human Resource Practices
Leadership is essential in the achievement of equity, as articulated in the Board’s Mission Statement, ‘Learning Together Today, Transforming Tomorrow.’
Goals:
- Establish ongoing equity, inclusion and human rights training for staff, school and system leaders.
- Enhance diversity in the recruitment, hiring and promotion of staff and school system leaders.
- Establish formal structures and processes to review, promote and ensure compliance with Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) and related legislation on equity and inclusion.
Actions:
- Provide equity and diversity training for managers, supervisors, and school administrators.
- Ensure equitable access to employment by removing barriers and biases in the hiring process.
- Develop equitable promotional practices and procedures to increase staff diversity in leadership roles.
- Support racialized students in our secondary schools through the hiring of Graduation Coaches for Black, African and Caribbean, and Indigenous students.
- Provide human rights training to system leaders.
Key Priority Area - Positive Culture and Well-being
Guided by our Catholic Teachings and our Faith, the Board will work with school, home and parish to nurture, enhance and sustain a culture of equity, inclusion, fairness and social justice.
Goal:
- Apply an equity, inclusive and human rights perspective to all internal structures, policies, programs and practices in collaboration with community partners.
Actions:
- Seek opportunities to address student well-being and achievement challenges faced by specific groups (students experiencing poverty, racialized students, newcomers, students with special education needs, Indigenous populations, those that identify as 2SLGBTQ+) due to their unique context and attributes.
- Develop professional development plans for providing human rights training to senior administrators, trustees and all staff.
- Prioritize the review of board policies and procedures with an equity lens to help eliminate systemic barriers and allow for more equitable opportunities for students.
Key Priority Areas - Data Collection, Integration and Reporting
In order to ensure equity, we must understand who our staff and students are.
Goal:
- Develop a consistent approach to the collection of voluntary identity-based student data and its use in supporting student achievement and well-being through evidence-based decision.
Actions:
- Conduct a student and workforce census.
- Communicate to stakeholders student and staff census results.
- Engage students and parents in the collection of voluntary self-identification data.
- Work with sub-committee leads (Indigenous Education; Mental Health; Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) to codevelop and integrate actions for the Board’s Improvement and Equity Action Plans.
- Ontario’s Education Equity Action Plan (2017)
- Ontario’s Aboriginal Education Strategy (2017)
- Achieving Excellence: A Renewed Vision of Education in Ontario (2014)
- Learning for All: A Guide to Effective Assessment and Instruction for all Students, Kindergarten to Grade 12 (2013)
- Ontario Equity and Education Inclusion Strategy (2009)
- Strategic Priorities (2022-2026)
- Mental Health and Well-being Action Plan (2020-2023)
- Equity and Inclusion Policy (2016)
- Indigenous Education Board Action Plan (2022-23)