Professional Activity Days

Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, boards of education in Ontario are required to post a detailed summary of Professional Activity (PA) days on our board or school websites. The requirements are outlined in Policy and Program Memorandum (PPM) 151.

We invite you to learn more about the Durham Catholic District School Board's PA day activities below. Summary information will be posted to this webpage 14 days in advance of each PA day. Please subscribe to this webpage to receive updates directly to your email.

If you have any questions about PA days, please contact your DCDSB home school.

Elementary PA Day Schedule

Thursday, August 29, 2024

Date: Thursday, August 29, 2024

Length: Full Day

Topic 1: AM - Literacy: Universal Reading Screeners

Location: In-person at home based schools

Presenters/Facilitators: Academic Services staff and Principals and Vice-Principals

Audience: All Educators

Description: Educators will receive a half day training in the administration of universal reading screeners and subtests to assess student foundational reading skills.

Topic 2: PM - Maintaining Healthy and Distraction-Free Learning Environments: (Cell Phone Policy and Vaping).

Location: In-person at home based schools

Presenters/Facilitators: Principals

Audience: All Educators

Description: Educators will review new procedures and policies surrounding cell phone use and vaping. Educators will explore resources from the Board, Ministry of Education, and Durham Public Health to consider for use in educating students about the harms of vaping and excessive screen time.

Topic 3: PM - Guidance and Transitions: Creating Conditions for Learning

Location: In-person at home based schools

Presenters/Facilitators: Self-facilitated by Educators

Audience: All Educators

Description: Educators will examine student information and data of incoming students. Discussion and learning in grade level groups will also focus on student well-being activities for the transition into school to build strong connections and community within the classrooms.

Friday, October 11, 2024

Date: Friday, October 11, 2024

Length: Full Day

Topic 1: AM - Prevalent Medical Conditions

Location: In-person at home based schools

Presenters/Facilitators: School Administrators

Audience: Teachers and DECEs

Description: Staff will be provided training in responding to anaphylactic, asthma and other prevalent medical conditions relevant to the school.

Topic 2: AM - Workforce Census

Location: In-person at home based schools

Presenters/Facilitators: School Administrators

Audience: Teachers and DECEs

Description: Staff will be provided with an opportunity to review the value of a workforce census and will be provided with time to complete the survey.

Topic 3: AM - Mathematics

Location: In-person at home based schools

Presenters/Facilitators: School Administrators

Audience: Teachers and DECEs

Description: Staff will receive training on the use of MathUp to support high impact instructional practices. This will also include training in the use of the digital math tool for students.

Topic 4: PM - School Improvement Planning in Math and Literacy

Location: In-person at home based schools

Presenters/Facilitators: School Administrators

Audience: Teachers and DECEs

Description: Educator teams will examine school data and develop school and classroom-based goals to improve student learning. Time will be provided for staff to examine and deepen their understanding of literacy and numeracy resources, tools and evidence-based strategies to support the school achievement plan.

Educational Assistants:

Educational Assistants will participate in the workforce census and have the option to complete training in a variety of topics including, Behaviour Management Systems recertification, Self-Regulation workshops, assistive technology training, and training in the use of math manipulatives to support student learning. Educational Assistants will also attend a training session for half day with Dr. Niigaan Sinclair and Father Diaz where they will examine four key moments from the Papal Visit to Canada in 2022 and reflect on our work in Catholic Education as we journey toward Truth and Reconciliation.

Friday, November 15, 2024

Date: Friday, November 15, 2024

Length: Full Day

Topic 1: AM - Faith Formation: Living in Hope

Location: In-person at home based schools

Presenters/Facilitators: School Administrators

Audience: All Educators

Description:

Building Community: Staff will be provided with faith formation experiences to deepen their connection to the Catholic faith. In addition, they will engage in learning to build relationships and strengthen the professional learning community within their school.
Staff will be provided with spiritual faith activities and learning around the board spiritual theme, Living in Hope, that will enable educators to embed the spiritual theme across all curricula.

Topic 2: PM - Mental Health and Well-Being

Self and co-regulation
Bullying Prevention and Intervention
Prevention of Human Trafficking

Location: In-person at home based schools

Presenters/Facilitators: School Administrators

Audience: All Educators

Description:

Educator teams will hear a keynote address from Dr. Diane Cook to deepen the learning of DCDSB staff. Previously, staff have participated in learning around Dr. Bruce Perry’s framework, and the “Three Rs” of trauma informed care (i.e. Regulate, Relate and Reason). Dr. Cook will build on this foundational learning to examine brain science with a focus on the ‘Funnel of Optimal Functioning’, and how this relates to supporting students with the skills needed to address bullying prevention and intervention.
Educators will also examine resources from the Exploitation Education Institute to equip educators with the knowledge to extend student learning about anti-human trafficking, in order to safeguard students against human trafficking.

Friday, January 24, 2025

Date: Friday, January 24, 2025

Length: Full Day

Topic: Assessment and Evaluation

Description:

Educators will use the Ministry of Education document, Growing Success, to guide their activities and engage in school-based professional tasks in preparation for the evaluation for the First Term reporting period.
Educational Assistants will participate in a variety of learning activities to support students.

Secondary PA Day Schedule

Thursday, August 29, 2024

Date: Thursday, August 29, 2024

Length: Full Day

Topic 1: AM - Spiritual Theme for 2024

Location: In-person at home based schools

Presenters/Facilitators: Principals and Vice-Principals

Audience: All Educators

Description: Educators will examine the Board’s Spiritual Theme of Hope and explore how this can be integrated into faith formation of students and staff.

Topic 2: AM - Artificial Intelligence, Career Education and Digital Literacy

Location: In-person at home based schools

Presenters/Facilitators: Facilitated remotely by Superintendent Mike O'Neill and Dwayne Matthews O.C.T.

Audience: All Educators

Description: Chief Innovation Evangelist, and Future of Education Strategist, Dwayne Matthews, will review how educators can understand artificial intelligence, the future of work and how to help prepare children to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital information driven world. Educators will also explore ways in which they themselves might use AI as a resource to increase student engagement. Additionally, the DCDSB Academic Integrity Statement for Students will also be reviewed.

Topic 3: PM - Maintaining Healthy and Distraction-Free Learning Environments: (Cell Phone Policy and Vaping)

Location: In-person at home based schools

Presenters/Facilitators: Principals

Audience: All Educators

Topic 4: PM - Guidance and Transitions

Location: In-person at home based schools

Presenters/Facilitators: Self-facilitated by Educators

Audience: All Educators

Description: In departments, educators will examine All About Me Portfolios created by the incoming Gr. 9 students, as well as other information in students’ OSRs to prepare for student success in destreamed, academic and applied classrooms.

Friday, October 11, 2024

Topic 1: AM - Prevalent Medical Conditions

Location: In-person at home based schools

Presenters/Facilitators: School Administrators

Audience: All Teachers

Description: Staff will be provided training in responding to anaphylactic, asthma and other prevalent medical conditions relevant to the school.

Topic 2: AM - Workforce Census

Location: In-person at home based schools

Presenters/Facilitators: School Administrators

Audience: All Teachers

Description: Staff will be provided with an opportunity to review the value of a workforce census and will be provided with time to complete the survey.

Topic 3: AM - Assessment and Evaluation

Location: In-person at home based schools

Presenters/Facilitators: School Administrators

Audience: All Teachers

Description: Educators will receive training on the use of the Copyleaks platform to strengthen academic integrity in the submission of student assessments.

Topic 4: AM - Curriculum Implementation: Universal Design for Learning to Support Destreaming

Location: In-person at home based schools

Presenters/Facilitators: School Administrators

Audience: All Teachers

Description: Staff will continue to build capacity in the use of Universal Design for Learning and Culturally Responsive and Relevant Pedagogy. Principals will facilitate discussion on integrating UDL and CRRP when implementing curriculum and creating assessment activities, particularly in destreamed courses.

Topic 5: PM - School Improvement Planning

Location: In-person at home based schools

Presenters/Facilitators: School Administrators

Audience: All Teachers

Description: Educator teams will explore school data and develop school and subject-based goals to improve student learning.

Topic 6: PM - Curriculum Implementation

Location: In-person at home based schools

Presenters/Facilitators: Self-facilitated professional learning in departments

Audience: All Teachers

Description: Departments will review updated and revised curriculum documents in the following courses:

The new de-streamed Grade 9 Geography course;
Grades 9-10 Business Studies curriculum;
Grades 9-10 Technological Education curriculum; and
Mental health literacy updates to the Grade 10 Career Studies course

Educational Assistants:

Friday, November 15, 2024

Date: Friday, November 15, 2024

Length: Full Day

Topic 1: AM - Faith Formation: Living in Hope

Location: In-person at home based schools

Presenters/Facilitators: School Administrators

Audience: All Educators

Description:

Building Community: Staff will be provided with faith formation experiences to deepen their connection to the Catholic faith. In addition, they will engage in learning to build relationships and strengthen the professional learning community within their school.
Staff will be provided with spiritual faith activities and learning around the board spiritual theme, Living in Hope, that will enable educators to embed the spiritual theme across all curricula.

Topic 2: PM - Mental Health and Well-Being

Self and co-regulation
Bullying Prevention and Intervention
Prevention of Human Trafficking

Location: In-person at home based schools

Presenters/Facilitators: School Administrators

Audience: All Educators

Description:

Educator teams will hear a keynote address from Dr. Diane Cook to deepen the learning of DCDSB staff. Previously, staff have participated in learning around Dr. Bruce Perry’s framework, and the “Three Rs” of trauma informed care (i.e. Regulate, Relate and Reason). Dr. Cook will build on this foundational learning to examine brain science with a focus on the ‘Funnel of Optimal Functioning’, and how this relates to supporting students with the skills needed to address bullying prevention and intervention.
Educators will also examine resources from the Exploitation Education Institute to equip educators with the knowledge to extend student learning about anti-human trafficking, in order to safeguard students against human trafficking.

2023-2024 School Year

Elementary PA Day Schedule

Thursday, August 31, 2023 - PA Day 1

Date: Thursday, August 31, 2023

Length: Full Day

Topic 1: AM - Creating the Conditions for Learning

Location: In-person at schools

Presenter/Facilitators: School administration

Description: Topics will include information on mental health and well-being, including the Indigenous wellness and mental health framework, operational procedures, and the spiritual theme for the year of Speaking With the Heart. This learning will involve discussion on student activities for the transition into school to build strong connections and community within the classrooms.

Topic 2: PM – please see the table below for differentiation of learning information.

Afternoon PA Day Sessions
Staff	Location	Focus of Learning	Facilitators
Grade 1 to 8 Classroom, Curriculum Coverage and Program Support Teachers	Staff will remain at school for principal directed activities	Unpacking the new language curriculum	School Administration
Kindergarten Educators (DECE and Teachers)	All Saints Catholic School	6 Big Ideas in the Science of Reading	Literacy Consultants and Intervention Teachers
Grade 1-8 French Immersion Teachers	Pope Francis Centre	How to implement structured literacy in the classroom	French Consultants
Core French Teachers	St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic School	CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) in the Core French Classroom	French Consultants
Educational Assistants	School sites	Transition entry preparation for students with special needs as per the direction of School Administration	School Administration

Friday, October 6, 2023 - PA Day 2

Date: Friday, October 6, 2023

Length: Full Day

Topic 1: 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. - Creating the Conditions for Learning

Location: In-person at schools

Presenter/Facilitators: School Administration

Description: Educators will learn about brain theory, how the brain seeks out conditions for safety, and how culture influences how the brain responds. Educators will also be provided with School Mental Health Ontario (SMHO) resources and practical strategies from The Regulated Classroom (Daniels, 2022) to focus on creating the conditions for learning that students need. The focus will be on theoretical information and practical strategies to promote inclusion in the classroom, as a Tier 1 strategy for all learners.

Topic 2: Please see the tables below for differentiation of learning information.

Morning PA Day Sessions

Staff	Location	Focus of Learning	Facilitators
Kindergarten to Grade 3 Educators	Staff will remain at school for Principal directed activities	Using Universal Reading Screeners to Support Foundational Reading Skills	David Fainstein via Video Conference
Grade 4 to 8 Educators	Staff will remain at school for principal directed activities	Using High Impact Instructional Practices to Support Numeracy	School Administration
Grade 1-3 French Immersion Educators	Pope Francis Centre	Universal Screening Diagnostics to Support Fundamental Reading Concepts	DCDSB French Consultant
Grade 4-8 Core French Educators and Grade 4-8 French Immersion	Pope Francis Centre	Collaborative Review of French as a Second Language Resources	DCDSB Educators

Afternoon PA Day Sessions

Staff	Location	Focus of Learning	Facilitators
Kindergarten to Grade 3 Educators	Staff will remain at school for Principal directed activities	Linking the Science of Reading to the new Language Curriculum	Self-facilitated
Grade 4 to 8 Educators	Staff will remain at school for Principal directed activities	Using Math Digital Tools in the Classroom	School Administration
Grade 1-3 French Immersion Educators	Pope Francis Centre	Universal Screening Diagnostics to Support Fundamental Reading Concepts.	DCDSB French Consultant
Grade 4-8 Core French Educators and Grade 4-8 French Immersion	Pope Francis Centre	CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) Activities in French as a Second Language Classes	DCDSB Educators

Friday, November 17, 2023 - PA Day 3

Date: Friday, November 17, 2023

Length: Full Day

Morning: Safe Schools

Location: In-person at schools

Presenter/Facilitators: Kevin Cameron and School Administration

Description: Professional Development topics will include:

Supporting safe spaces for students using trauma informed approaches;
Using connecting and settling activities to support the mental health of students;
Safe Schools Reporting Tools for Students and Staff; and
Grade 7 and Grade 8 Mental Health Literacy Modules

Afternoon: Please see the tables below for differentiation of learning information.

Afternoon PA Day Sessions
Staff	Location	Focus of Learning	Facilitators
Kindergarten to Grade 3 Educators	Staff will remain at school for Principal directed activities	Literacy: Universal Screeners David Fainstein will facilitate a training session on Universal Reading Screeners with a focus on the Phonemic Segmentation and Word Reading Fluency subtests. Learning will focus on linking screener results with teaching practices.	David Fainstein via Video Conference
Grade 4 to 8 Educators	Staff will remain at school for principal directed activities	Literacy: Universal Screeners David Fainstein will facilitate a 1-hour asynchronous session focusing on Universal Reading Screeners. The session will cover Oral Reading Fluency as well Comprehension subtests which will help educators identify struggling readers. Practice videos and practice worksheets will be embedded within the training.	David Fainstein via Video Conference
Grade 4 to 8 Educators	Staff will remain at school for principal directed activities	Numeracy/Mathematics Professional learning session will focus on mathematics content knowledge for teaching and the use of high-impact instructional and assessment practices to improve student achievement in mathematics. School administrators and educators will focus on using the concrete-diagrammatic-symbolic continuum to teach fractions.	School Administration
Grade 4-8 Core French Educators and Grade 4-8 French Immersion Educators	Pope Francis Centre	Creating Action-Oriented tasks based on the CEFR Teachers will have a chance to work with their colleagues to create and share action-oriented tasks based on the CEFR.	Danielle Hunter

Friday, January 26, 2024 - PA Day 4

Date: Friday, January 26, 2024

Length: Full Day

Topic: Assessment and Evaluation

Location: In-person at schools

Presenter/Facilitators: School Administration

Description: The professional development day will be focused on the topic of assessment and evaluation. Using the Ministry of Education document Growing Success to guide their activities, educators will be engaged in school-based professional tasks in preparation for the first term reporting period. Educational Assistants will participate in a variety of learning modules, including student safety training, assistive technology, first aid training and structured systems training.

Monday, April 8, 2024 - PA Day 5

Date: Monday, April 8, 2024

Length: Full Day

Morning: Faith

Location: In-person at home based schools

Facilitators: Facilitated by staff at each school

Description: Through professional learning, liturgical services, and/or Mass, educators will engage in faith formation activities for their students and themselves. Areas of focus may include Catholic Social Teachings, the Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations, Living in Faith and Speaking through the Heart.

Afternoon PA Day Sessions
Location	Focus of Learning	Facilitators
Home Based Schools	Faith: Through professional learning, liturgical services, and/or Mass, educators will engage in faith formation activities for their students and themselves. Areas of focus may include Catholic Social Teachings, the Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations, Living in Faith and Speaking through the Heart.	Facilitated by staff at each school
Home Based Schools	New Curriculum and Curriculum Revision (Social Studies and Indigenous Education): Grade 6 teachers will engage in professional learning of the curriculum revisions in Social Studies surrounding the Holocaust. Grade 1-3 teachers will engage in professional learning of the curriculum revisions in Social Studies surrounding Indigenous Education. All other grades will participate in learning how to use resources to support the new curriculum expectations in literacy and numeracy.	Central Staff
Pope Francis Centre	Classroom Management and Student Engagement: Select teachers will engage in professional learning surrounding topics in classroom management and optimizing safe and caring conditions for learning.	Facilitated in collaboration with OECTA Professional Development

Friday, June 7, 2024 - PA Day 6

Date: Friday, June 7, 2024

Length: Full Day

Topic: Assessment and Evaluation

Location: In-person at schools

Presenter/Facilitators: School Administration

Description: The professional development day on Friday, June 7, will be focused on the topic of assessment and evaluation. Using the Ministry of Education document Growing Success to guide their activities, educators will be engaged in school-based professional tasks in preparation for the Second Term reporting period.

Friday, June 28, 2024 - PA Day 7

Date: Friday, June 28, 2024
Length: Full Day

Topic: Health and Safety and Year-End Transition Support
Location: In-person at schools
Presenter/Facilitators: School Administration
Description: Elementary educators will be involved in end of year transition activities and self-directed professional activities on the topic of health and safety.

Secondary PA Day Schedule

Thursday, August 31, 2023 - PA Day 1

Date: Thursday, August 31, 2023

Length: Full Day

Topic 1: AM - Creating the Conditions for Learning

Location: In-person at schools

Presenter/Facilitators: School administration

Description: Topics may include information on mental health and well-being, including the Indigenous wellness and mental health framework, operational procedures, and the spiritual theme for the year of Speaking with the Heart. This learning will involve discussion on student activities for the transition into school to build strong connections and community within the classrooms.

Topic 2: PM - staff will be engaged in learning using the agenda below.

Location: In-person at schools

Presenter/Facilitators: School administration, Guidance staff and Department Chairs

Agenda:

1. Unpacking New curriculum Documents

Staff will review and unpack revised curriculums for 2023:

English De-streaming Grade 9 (ENL1W)
Computer Studies Grade 10 Course Digital Technology and Innovations

2. Digital Student Portfolios

All departments will learn about the purpose of digital student portfolios in EDSBY. They will review student portfolios for incoming Grade 9 students and engage in discussions as to how these can be used to create the conditions for learning for students in our de-streamed classrooms.

Educational Assistants will prepare for student entry of students with special needs in the afternoon following the direction of school administration.

Friday, October 6, 2023 - PA Day 2

Date: Friday, October 6, 2023

Length: Full Day

Topic 1: AM - Creating the Conditions for Learning

Location: In-person at schools

Presenter/Facilitators: School administration

Topic 2: PM - staff will be engaged in learning using the agenda below.

Location: In-person at schools

Presenter/Facilitators: School Administration and Curriculum Chairs

Afternoon Agenda

Using Assessment and Evaluation to Support Student Improvement - Part 1

Using the Growing Success document, the focus of the learning will be on the triangulation of data and how educators can be intentional in gathering evidence of student learning, in de-streamed courses and beyond, through observation and conversations with students, rather than relying on products only. They will work collaboratively to create tasks which can capture this student learning. Additionally, educators will begin to think about the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how this might impact their evaluation practices.

Using Assessment and Evaluation to Support Student Improvement - Part 2

Educators will be working in their departments to create new assessments based on the "Thinking" category in their course. This will involve agreeing on key indicators that can be used to measure where students are in their thinking and what feedback they need to improve. They will determine tools and processes on how observations and conversations can be used in assessment to counter the use of artificial intelligence in products.

Friday, November 17, 2023 - PA Day 3

Date: Friday, November 17, 2023

Length: Full Day

Topic 1: AM - Safe Schools

Location: In-person at schools

Presenter/Facilitators: Kevin Cameron and School Administration

Description: Professional Development topics will include:

Supporting safe spaces for students using trauma informed approaches;
Using connecting and settling activities to support the mental health of students; and
Safe Schools Reporting Tools for Students and Staff.

Topic 2: PM - Assessment and Evaluation

Location: In-person at schools

Presenter/Facilitators: School Administration

Description: Educators will continue to explore assessment and evaluation practices. Professional Development topics will include:

Sharing strategies for gathering evidence;
Developing common success criteria that students could use to self-assess their own work; and
Role of Artificial Intelligence and how it intersects assessment and teaching practices.

Friday, February 16, 2024 - PA Day 4

Date: Friday, February 16, 2024

Length: Full Day

Topic 1: AM - Artificial Intelligence and Academic Honesty

Location: Home Based Schools

Presenter/Facilitators: Principals and Vice Principals

Description: Educators will examine the Board’s revised Academic Honesty Guidelines for Students and then, in departments, will discuss ways to explicitly teach students to cite research appropriately and use AI ethically and responsibly. Educators will also explore ways in which they themselves might be able to use AI as a teacher resource to increase student engagement.

Topic 2: PM - Assessment and Evaluation through an Equity Lens

Location: Home Based Schools

Presenter/Facilitators: Department Chairs

Description: In departments, educators will examine assessment practices to ensure alignment with Growing Success, culturally responsive practices and updated curriculum documents, specifically within de-streamed courses.

Topic 3: PM - Classroom Management and Student Engagement

Location: TBD

Presenter/Facilitators: Facilitated in collaboration with OECTA Professional Development

Description: Select teachers will engage in professional learning surrounding topics in classroom management and optimizing safe and caring conditions for learning.

Monday, April 8, 2024 - PA Day 5

Date: Monday, April 8, 2024

Length: Full Day

Morning: Faith

Location: In-person at home based schools

Facilitators: Facilitated by staff at each school

Afternoon: Curriculum Support

Location: In-person at home based schools

Facilitators: Principals, Chairs and Educators

Description: In departments, educators will examine curriculum and assessment practices to ensure alignment with Growing Success, culturally responsive practices and updated curriculum documents.

Thursday, June 27, 2024 - PA Day 6

Date: Thursday, June 27, 2024
Length: Full Day

Topic: Supporting the Year-End Transition
Location: In-person at schools
Presenter/Facilitators: School Administration
Description: Secondary Educators will be involved in end of year transition activities, including supporting graduating students.

Friday, June 28, 2024 - PA Day 7

Date: Friday, June 28, 2024
Length: Full Day

Topic: Health and Safety and Year-End Transition Support
Location: In-person at schools
Presenter/Facilitators: School Administration
Description: Secondary educators will be involved in end of year transition activities and self-directed professional activities on the topic of health and safety.