Director’s Annual Report 2024-2025

Staff successfully implemented the Acadience reading screener to monitor and assess the reading progress of students in Kindergarten through Grade 2.  Professional development and training were delivered to support effective use of the K–2 Acadience tool, along with system-level professional learning for Junior and Intermediate educators.

Tiered reading interventions were implemented across all schools. A Tier 2 Reading Program was introduced to provide targeted support for students requiring additional instruction beyond universal Tier 1 classroom practice. Lexia was used in Grades 2–5, while Wilson Just Words was implemented in Grades 6–8, with materials and training supplied to 66 schools. Tier 3 interventions were also expanded through the Empower Reading program, which served 778 students in 78 schools. These interventions were delivered in small groups and focused on foundational reading skills, with Tier 3 supports offering intensive, individualized instruction often delivered one-on-one or in very small groups.

At the secondary level, staff implemented the Wilson Reading Program in seven schools through an Interdisciplinary Language Studies model. ILS is a field of study that looks at how language really works in everyday life. Instead of focusing only on grammar, it looks at language as something shaped by culture, thinking, and social relationships—and how it influences identity, power, and how people communicate in the real world.

Additional reading supports were also provided through after-school and summer programs, including Camp Power, Camp Climb, Phonics Academy, and Head Start to High School.

To learn more from the perspectives of HWDSB students and staff, we invite you to view this video.

Staff provided targeted professional learning for teachers in Grades 3, 6, 9, and 10, with a focus on strengthening instructional practices through small-group instruction, the effective use of tools and representations, and purposeful direct instruction. Educators also engaged in deep learning in key mathematical content areas, including operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division), fractions, and algebra. In elementary math priority schools (identified by the Ministry of Education), Math Facilitators worked directly with students to close learning gaps and build confidence in foundational skills.

To extend this learning, the Board supported educators in pursuing additional qualifications (AQ) in mathematics by subsidizing AQ courses, with more than 120 educators participating. Student learning was further supported through after-school programming, including the Math Academy for Grades 2–6 and High School Prep for Grades 7–8, which together served approximately 1,000 students through intensive small-group instruction.

Beyond the classroom, efforts to foster broader engagement in mathematics included school-wide math challenges, Family Numeracy Nights, and an active social media presence showcasing classroom learning and math activities.

To hear more about this from HWDSB students and staff, please view this video.

Staff implemented robotics programming in every HWDSB school, whether through classroom instruction, clubs, or competitive teams. To support this system-wide implementation, staff invested in robotics kits, an Exploration Trailer, which is a mobile learning initiative that visited elementary schools across the Board and provided students with hands-on, technological education experiences.

Additionally, there was comprehensive professional development focused on robotics, climate action, and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) learning.

Apprenticeship training opportunities were expanded through partnerships with Mohawk College, LiUNA, and the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD), particularly in skilled trades such as electrical and carpentry. Additional collaborations with post-secondary institutions, trade unions, and industry partners further broadened mentorship opportunities and strengthened pathways for students. Co-operative Education partnerships also grew, reinforcing job-skills programming across the system.

Staff supported pathway planning by providing Grade 7 and 9 students with structured exposure to career and education planning through the myBlueprint online platform. For Grade 10 students, all secondary schools offered opportunities to participate in career conversations with professionals, ensuring early and meaningful engagement with a variety of career pathways.

To support multilingual learners (MLLs) aged 18–21, staff expanded the ELLevate program, offering flexible scheduling, pathway planning, and enhanced access to post-secondary opportunities.

HWDSB’s Focus on Youth summer employment program hired 70 students in the summer of 2025, providing meaningful work experiences that strengthened job skills and contributed to community engagement and well-being. Of the students, 37 participated in co-op placements as part of their summer employment, earning a combined total of 74 co-op credits.

To hear firsthand reflections from HWDSB students and staff, we encourage you to view this video.

Over the past year, HWDSB advanced several key initiatives that strengthened student voice, enhanced well-being, and supported inclusive learning environments across the system.

We amplified student voice by intentionally engaging distinct and diverse perspectives—including those of Indigenous, Black, Racialized, Two Spirit, and LGBTQIA+ youth—to inform an inclusive school culture and support progress toward cultural safety. Through Student Leadership groups, students contributed directly to shaping school-level actions and system priorities.

Student feedback was collected and utilized across multiple platforms to meaningfully inform program development and school planning. This included input gathered at the Student Leadership Conference run by the 2024-2025 Student Trustees, and through Student Advisories, which supported the co-development of mental health literacy and mental health promotion toolkits for year two of the Mental Health and Addiction Strategy.

Student and staff voice continued to be centered in all mental health and well-being efforts. Ongoing engagement with Student Leadership Advisories, Mental Health and Well-Being Representatives, and the Principal/Vice-Principal Advisory on Mental Health helped ensure that lived experiences informed decision-making, resource co-design, and strategy development that reflected the diverse needs of HWDSB’s learning and  school communities.

We supported schools in implementing Healthy Schools programming that emphasized respect, belonging, and resilience in daily school life. Through school-wide health awareness campaigns, student-led Healthy Action Teams (HATs), and student voice groups, students engaged in activities and lessons that help them manage relationships, reflect on fairness, and interact positively with peers and adults.

Staff successfully completed year two of the multi-year implementation of the Grade 11 NBE3 English course, Understanding First Nations, Métis and Inuit Voices. Educators participated in Professional Learning Communities, co-developed promotional lessons, and contributed to a course shell in preparation for full implementation in the 2025–2026 school year.

The SKENNEN Program, delivered in partnership with St. Joseph’s, offered a “two-eyed seeing” model of care that integrates traditional Indigenous teachings with western clinical psychology and social work. Over a 10-week period, Indigenous students accessed supports related to anxiety, low mood, stress, mental health, and cultural identity.

Supporting staff through comprehensive training and continuous learning helped strengthen student well-being and ensured more responsive supports for families across HWDSB. Through the New Teacher Induction Program (NTIP), Human Resources supported educators with targeted professional learning and resources that enhanced their capacity to meet the diverse needs of students while fostering welcoming, inclusive learning environments that promoted well-being and achievement.

NTIP was developed in collaboration with internal departments including Special Education, Human Rights & Equity, Indigenous Education, Library Commons, and IT Services, ensuring a coordinated and system-informed approach to professional learning. This collaborative design was reflected in the delivery of two full-day Central NTIP learning events—one in the fall and one in the spring—which brought together elementary and secondary mentors and mentees for shared learning and connection. Approximately 280 teachers attended the fall session, with nearly 300 participating in the spring, strengthening professional networks across the system.

Building on this focus on effective onboarding and skill development, the EA Essential Skills Pilot was launched to better support newly hired casual Educational Assistants. Developed in partnership with Specialized Services, the pilot enhanced onboarding through essential skills training delivered in collaboration with the Special Education Team. Over 100 new Educational Assistants participated in this training, while more than 50 also benefited from paid job-shadowing opportunities that supported readiness and confidence in their roles.

In parallel, HWDSB continued to strengthen future educator pathways by welcoming over 500 teacher candidates into placements across HWDSB schools during the 2024–2025 school year. These placements were supported through partnerships with 15 post-secondary institutions, reinforcing shared responsibility for preparing high-quality educators to support student learning and well-being.

To further inform and strengthen staff experience, departments across the Education Centre collaborated to redesign and implement the We All Count Staff Voice Survey. With a response rate exceeding 53 percent, the survey provided valuable system-level insights into employee experience and staff demographics, supporting informed decision-making and ongoing improvement across the organization. Also, significant advances were also made in student nutrition. HWDSB launched a comprehensive School Nutrition Toolkit that provided schools with practical guidance in menu planning, food purchasing, nutrition literacy, and health and safety. In addition, $30,000 in community-donor funding was distributed to 13 schools to enhance equipment and strengthen nutrition programs. As a result of these combined efforts, participation continues to grow, with 80% of HWDSB schools now operating active student nutrition programs, increasing consistent access to nourishing food for students across the system.

For additional insights directly from HWDSB students and staff, please watch the video provided.  

Across the 2024-2025 school year, HWDSB staff supported schools in implementing Healthy Schools programming that emphasizes respect, belonging, and resilience in daily school life. Through school-wide health awareness campaigns, student-led Healthy Action Teams (HATs), and student voice groups, students engaged in activities and lessons that help them manage relationships, reflect on fairness, and interact positively with peers and adults. 

We continued to strengthen educational pathways through Alternative Education programming, with particular focus on the Journey Program and the Supervised Alternative Learning (SAL) Program. Journey is a credit-granting program that supports Grade 10–12 students across all academic pathways who are experiencing mental health challenges related to internalizing behaviours such as low mood and anxiety. The SAL Program provides students facing barriers to regular attendance with individualized or small-group educational programming both in schools and in community settings, helping them re-engage with their learning. 

The Graduation Coach Program for Black Students continued to provide targeted, culturally responsive support in partnership with guidance departments, classroom teachers, and community organizations, including Mohawk College and McMaster University. This program supported 224 Black and racialized students across six secondary schools. In the 2024–25 school year, Graduation Coaches successfully supported students in transitioning to post-secondary studies at Wilfrid Laurier University, Toronto Metropolitan University, and the University of Waterloo. 

For a deeper understanding of this work through the voices of HWDSB students and staff, please see the video linked here.