HWDSB will be training staff and teachers on bullying prevention

On November 29th, students across Ontario will have the day off while teachers and staff with the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) will receive training on bullying prevention.

While HWDSB staff had originally planned to have a curriculum-focused PA Day like the rest of the province, the recent tragic death of Devan Selvey motivated local administrators to contact the Ministry of Education and ask for approval to switch the emphasis to relationships, caring adults, and bullying.

The HWDSB still plans on reviewing math and test scores with teachers later in the year, but Selvey’s horrific death at the hands of another student has created a greater sense of urgency to address the increasingly unsafe climate in Hamilton’s schools.

Without taking care of the climate and conditions in which students go to school, administrators will never truly be able to provide the best possible educational experience. If teachers are not equipped with the tools to adequately provide for students’ emotional needs, their ability to teach things like math or study habits will be limited.

Selvey’s death has prompted everyone involved in education, childcare, and community wellness more broadly to reflect on how similar tragedies can be prevented in the future. It has opened a lot of difficult but necessary conversations around bullying on local and even provincial levels. In response to the tragedy, HWDSB trustees voted unanimously to form an independent panel to review the board’s approach to bullying.

We are so pleased to introduce @HWDSB_WeHelp! We promote helping and help-seeking behaviours. To start helping, you can report bullying or get help with our anonymous HWDSB Helps app #HWDSBwehelp pic.twitter.com/eHZsLMeCv0

— HWDSB_WeHelp (@HWDSB_WeHelp) November 18, 2019

The panel is expected to work with students, caregivers, and community partners before concluding its report by the end of May 2020. In the meantime, the board is rolling out several new initiatives and supports this upcoming week with the goal of ensuring all students feel safe and accepted.

These initiatives include take home resources for families, classroom activities to teach bullying prevention to students, and mandatory training for staff to help them better guide students through difficult emotions.

Lead photo courtesy of OPSBA

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• bullying
• bullying awareness week
• bullying prevention
• devan selvey
• Hamilton
• HamOnt
• high school
• HWDSB
• school