Dear HWDSB Community,

At the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, our most profound responsibility is to ensure that every student feels safe. This responsibility begins the moment a child leaves the care of their parents and guardians and enters our schools. During the time they are with us, you trust us to protect, to nurture, and to create the conditions where every student can thrive.

This responsibility is inseparable from our priorities around providing equitable, inclusive education that supports positive learning outcomes for every student. Safety and education are not separate pursuits; they are deeply connected.

Safety is the foundation upon which curiosity grows, confidence builds, and learning takes root. It is the quiet assurance that a student’s full self is welcome, protected, and honoured in our classrooms and hallways.

Families are a child’s first teachers—and their most enduring advocates. At HWDSB, we honour the wisdom and insight that parents and guardians bring to our shared work. Safety is strongest when it is consistent across home, school, and community. That’s why we remain committed to open communication, collaborative problem-solving, and building relationships rooted in respect.

Across HWDSB, our educators and leaders take intentional steps every day to foster environments where students feel a deep sense of belonging. Whether through classroom practices, school-wide initiatives, or system-level supports, the goal remains the same: to uplift student voice, well-being, and connection. The use of HWDSB resources such as Reimagining Wellness, Responding to Bias, Prejudice and Hate, Creating Conditions, and We Help – Emotion Coaching reflect our commitment to listening with empathy, responding with integrity, and acting with purpose.

Safety must be experienced by every student—not just in principle, but in practice. At HWDSB, we continue to examine our own data and systems and know that safety is not evenly experienced. Some groups of students—particularly Indigenous, Black, racialized, and 2SLGBTQIA+ youth—experience harm more frequently or feel less respected and protected. We must respond not only with care, but with accountability. Naming these patterns is part of our commitment to equity; addressing them is part of our ongoing commitment to safety.

This work is grounded in our belief in Human Rights, Equity, and Inclusion. We know that when barriers are removed, students can thrive. We must honour the lived experiences and histories of all communities, especially those whose voices have been historically marginalized. We seek to confront bias and discrimination not only to prevent harm, but to build a culture rooted in care and inclusion. And we guide HWDSB students to lead with empathy and courage—because these are the values that shape a more compassionate and equitable future.

As Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week begins on November 16, HWDSB renews our commitment to creating schools where every student feels safe, supported, and empowered. This is not only about preventing harm—it is about cultivating belonging. It is about ensuring that every student knows they matter, and that their presence strengthens our collective community.

When harm occurs, we must respond with compassion and accountability. Let us reimagine safety not as the absence of harm, but as the presence of dignity, trust, and joy. When these values live in our classrooms and hallways, every student can thrive—not just academically, but as a whole human being with limitless potential.

This is our shared work. This is our shared promise.

And together, we will continue to build schools where every student knows: you are safe here, you are seen here, you belong here.

In partnership and purpose,

Sheryl Robinson Petrazzini

Director of Education
Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board