News & Upcoming Events
HALTON REGION PUBLIC HEALTH
IMMUNIZATION OF SCHOOL PUPILS ACT (ISPA)
We are reaching out to the parents/guardians and students who received a mailed notice in October from Halton Region Public Health regarding missing immunizations. If you did not receive a letter from Public Health, please disregard this email.
Thank you to all families who responded and provided the requested information.
Families who have not provided the required information will receive a Suspension Order by postal mail. Due to current delays in mail service the suspension date has been moved to Thursday, February 13, 2025.
To avoid school suspension on February 13, 2025, parents/guardians and students who receive a Suspension Order from Public Health must complete the following actions:
Visit halton.ca/immunize to review the student’s record for any missing vaccines and submit the required information. For students who are 16 years old or older, please see the specific instructions on halton.ca/immunize to access the online record.
If the student requires immunization, arrange for them to receive the vaccine doses through their regular health care provider*, or at a Public Health Community Immunization Clinic. Appointments will be available leading up to the Feb. 13 suspension date. Visit halton.ca/immunize to check clinic availability and book an appointment.
*Parents/guardians must promptly report all vaccines administered by health care providers to Public Health by visiting halton.ca/immunize.
Visit halton.ca/immunize for more information. Thank you for your continued support to keep our community safe and healthy.
2025-2026 School Year Budget Development
Public Information Session
The HDSB is starting the process of developing the 2025-2026 school year budget and will soon be seeking public feedback to help guide decision-making. To keep our community informed about the budget development process, parents/guardians, students, staff and community members are invited to a virtual Public Information Session on Monday, January 20, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.
This session will provide key details about how the HDSB is funded, how resources are allocated and how you can provide input. Following the session, the HDSB will launch a public consultation process. Visit our Budget Consultation webpage to learn more and submit your questions for the Public Information Session: https://bit.ly/4iPGAdY
Mental Health & Well-Being Information Sessions
The Halton District School Board is hosting Mental Health & Well-Being Information Sessions for parents/guardians. Covering specific topics based on feedback from parents/guardians, each session will be led by a mental health expert in that area who will share their knowledge and provide helpful information and resources.
The first session will be:
Navigating the Digital World with Your Child
Wednesday, January 22 from 6:45 - 7:30 p.m.
Registration is required as limited spots are available.
Navigating the Digital World with Your Child will explore misconceptions about the online environment and offer practical strategies to help parents/guardians guide their children to engage with technology responsibly and understand what it means to grow up in a digital world.
Additional sessions will be announced at a later date. Families can learn more about the sessions available by visiting our Mental Health & Well-Being Information Sessions webpage and register online by completing the registration form.
Sessions will be held on Google Meet, where closed captioning is available in various languages. Registrants will be emailed a link to access the session. Questions can be submitted when completing the registration form or during the session. Sessions will not be recorded.
Mental Health & Well-Being Resources
The mental health and well-being of our students and families is important. We encourage all families to view the HDSB’s Mental Health & Well-Being webpage which has information for parents/guardians and students on mental health, ways to support positive mental health and well-being and how to get additional support at school and in the community.
January 20, 2025
Gathering Student Voices on Antisemitism
Dear HDSB secondary students,
The HDSB values student voice and is committed to creating safe, inclusive and welcoming learning environments for every student. To gather student insight into the HDSB’s response to incidents of antisemitism, we are conducting virtual focus groups with secondary students (Grade 9-12) in February. Information gathered through this research will help us to evaluate the effectiveness of current policies and tools in addressing incidents of antisemitism within HDSB schools.
Participation in the focus groups is voluntary. The focus area of these sessions was chosen based on community voice/feedback and identified needs of the HDSB.
Students who are interested in participating can complete the Registration Form by Friday, Jan. 31 by 4 p.m. Students will need to log in to their HDSB account to complete the Google Form. Students can choose one of two available sessions based on their preferred date:
Tuesday, February 4 from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, February 12 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
These sessions will be facilitated by HDSB staff in the Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion Department, staff from the Research Department and community partners. Students requiring support will be connected with their school social worker and community organizations.
When registering, students will be asked to provide an HDSB email account. Students will be emailed a link to a Google Meet for their selected focus group 24 hours before the session.
The information gathered through these focus groups will help us fulfill our commitments to Human Rights, Equity, and Inclusion, Mental Health and Well-Being and Kindness, Connection and Community, as outlined in the 2024-2028 Multi-Year Strategic Plan. The insights provided will be instrumental as we evaluate the effectiveness of current tools and strategies and identify areas for improvement to create safe and caring learning spaces for all. The information gathered will be compiled into a series of reports that will be shared beginning in the Spring through June 2025.
If you have any questions about these sessions, please contact the Research & Accessibility Department at research@hdsb.ca.
Thank you for your continued partnership in helping us create safe and welcoming schools where every student feels a genuine sense of belonging.
2025 Parent Involvement Committee Conference: Getting Connected
Date: Saturday, February 8, 2025
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Place: Elsie MacGill Secondary School, Milton
Registration is now open. View this video to learn more about the 2025 PIC Conference and complete the HDSB 2025 PIC Conference Registration form to register by Friday, January 24, 2025.
This year’s conference features keynote speaker Dr. Alex Russell, Ph.D., C.Psych., Clinical Psychologist and author of Drop the Worry Ball: How to Parent in the Age of Entitlement. Dr. Russell will speak about the role that experiencing failure plays in childhood development, emphasizing how these challenges are a normal part of growing up and are essential for children to develop into resilient, resourceful and emotionally balanced individuals. Through his insights, attendees will gain valuable perspectives on how families can nurture children to overcome difficulties and thrive as they grow.
We look forward to welcoming you to an engaging conference, filled with an outstanding keynote speaker, practical workshops and curated content for parents/guardians and community members. Workshops will cover topics including mental health, artificial intelligence, preparing and planning for post-secondary programs, early literacy skills, innovative school program options and much more.
Child minding is provided at no cost for Kindergarten-age children up to 12 years of age.
Morning refreshments and lunch are also provided.
Transportation may be available for attendees who require it to travel from various areas within Halton to the conference.
For more information and to register for the conference, visit the PIC Conference webpage on the HDSB website (hdsb.ca).
January 20, 2025
Gathering Student Voices on Anti-Palestinian Racism, Anti-Arab Racism and Islamophobia
Dear HDSB secondary students,
The HDSB values student voice and is committed to creating safe, inclusive and welcoming learning environments for every student. To gather student insight into the HDSB’s response to incidents of anti-Palestinian racism, anti-Arab racism and Islamophobia, we are conducting virtual focus groups with secondary students (Grade 9-12) in February. Information gathered through this research will help us to evaluate the effectiveness of current policies and tools in addressing these incidents within HDSB schools.
Participation is voluntary and students are invited to register for the session(s) that best aligns with the specific focus they would like to discuss. Sessions will be held on two separate dates for each area of focus to allow students to choose the option that works best for them. These focus areas were chosen based on community voice/feedback and identified needs of the HDSB.
Students who are interested in participating can complete the Registration Form by Friday, January 31 by 4:00 p.m. Students will need to log in to their HDSB account to complete the Google Form. If you would like to participate in multiple focus groups, please resubmit the form for each group you would like to attend.
Anti-Palestinian Racism: February 5 (4:00 - 6:00 p.m.) or February 10 (5:00 - 7:00 p.m.)
Anti-Arab Racism: February 18 (4:00 - 6:00 p.m.) or February 27 (5:00 - 7:00 p.m.)
Islamophobia: Febraury 20 (4:00 - 6:00 p.m.) or February 25 (5:00 - 7:00 p.m.)
These sessions will be facilitated by HDSB staff in the Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion Department, staff from the Research Department and community partners. Students requiring support will be connected with their school social worker and community organizations.
When registering, students will be asked to provide an HDSB email account. Students will be emailed a link to a Google Meet for their selected focus group 24 hours before the session.
The information gathered through these focus groups will help us fulfill our commitments to Human Rights, Equity, and Inclusion, Mental Health and Well-Being and Kindness, Connection and Community, as outlined in the 2024-2028 Multi-Year Strategic Plan. The insights provided will be instrumental as we evaluate the effectiveness of current tools and strategies and identify areas for improvement to create safe and caring learning spaces for all. The information gathered will be compiled into a series of reports that will be shared beginning in the Spring through June 2025.
If you have any questions about these sessions, please contact the Research & Accessibility Department at research@hdsb.ca.
Thank you for your continued partnership in helping us create safe and welcoming schools where every student feels a genuine sense of belonging.
Janurary 20, 2025
Gathering Student Voices on Homophobia and Transphobia
Dear HDSB secondary students,
The HDSB values student voice and is committed to creating safe, inclusive and welcoming learning environments for every student. To gather student insight into the HDSB’s response to incidents of homophobia and transphobia, we are conducting virtual focus groups with secondary students (Grade 9-12) in March. Information gathered through this research will help us to evaluate the effectiveness of current policies and tools in addressing incidents of homophobia and transphobia within HDSB schools.
Participation in the focus groups is voluntary. The focus areas of these sessions were chosen based on community voice/feedback and identified needs of the HDSB.
Students who are interested in participating can complete the Registration Form by Friday, January 31 by 4:00 p.m. Students will need to log in to their HDSB account to complete the Google Form. Students can choose one of two available sessions based on their preferred date:
Tuesday, March 4 from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, March 6 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
These sessions will be facilitated by HDSB staff in the Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion Department, staff from the Research Department and community partners. Students requiring support will be connected with their school social worker and community organizations.
When registering, students will be asked to provide an HDSB email account. Students will be emailed a link to a Google Meet for their selected focus group 24 hours before the session.
The information gathered through these focus groups will help us fulfill our commitments to Human Rights, Equity, and Inclusion, Mental Health and Well-Being and Kindness, Connection and Community, as outlined in the 2024-2028 Multi-Year Strategic Plan. The insights provided will be instrumental as we evaluate the effectiveness of current tools and strategies and identify areas for improvement to create safe and caring learning spaces for all. The information gathered will be compiled into a series of reports that will be shared beginning in the Spring through June 2025.
If you have any questions about these sessions, please contact the Research & Accessibility Department at research@hdsb.ca.
Thank you for your continued partnership in helping us create safe and welcoming schools where every student feels a genuine sense of belonging.
STUDENT & FAMILY RESOURCES
