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An Insider’s Guide to Working with School Boards in Ontario

Learn how to successfully navigate the complex world of school boards in Ontario. This guide provides context about the education sector, the Ontario Mental Health and Addictions Strategy, and practical considerations and suggestions.

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An Insider’s Guide to Working with School Boards in Ontario

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  1. An Insider’s Guide to Working with School Boards in Ontario Sandy Palinski Manager, Special Education Policy and Programs Branch Ontario Ministry of Education Kathy Short Director, School Mental Health ASSIST Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board

  2. Objectives • To welcome you as a partner in the Ontario Mental Health and Addictions Strategy • To provide context about the education sector & our commitments to the Strategy • To help you to successfully navigate the complex world of school boards

  3. WELCOME!The Ontario Mental Health and Addictions Strategy is an exciting initiative and we all have an important role to play in ensuring success…for the children and youth in our province.

  4. Overview • Brief Tour of the Education Sector • EDU Commitments to the MHA Strategy • About School Mental Health ASSIST • Understanding School Board Culture • Practical Considerations and Suggestions

  5. A Brief Tour of The Education Sector in ontario

  6. Federal government responsibilities with regard to education: education of Aboriginal students (especially on Reserves) funding of instruction of and in the official language of the minority (English in Québec, French in other provinces and territories) funding of programs to welcome newcomers to schools education of inmates in federal prisons funding of adult training for the labour market funding of university research scholarship and loan programs for students in postsecondary education of members of the armed forces Federal Responsibilities

  7. Council of Ministers of Education • Because Canada has no federal Department of Education, a coordinating organization was needed • The Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC) was established in 1967 as a forum in which Ministers of Education deal with issues of mutual interest and concern • All 13 provinces and territories are members, but not the federal government • Through the Council, Ministers consult and act on matters of mutual interest, and they consult and cooperate with national education organizations and the federal government http://www.cmec.ca

  8. Government & Education in Ontario • Ontario follows the British parliamentary system: Government departments are headed by Ministers , elected MPPs who have been appointed by the Premier to Cabinet • The Minister of Education is responsible for child care, elementary and secondary education. The Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities is responsible for employment /training programs and postsecondary education. • Deputy Ministers are civil servants responsible for operation • Through the Education Act, the Ministry of Education provides leadership and develops education policy

  9. Ministry of Education Priorities The Ministry of Education seeks to promote a strong, vibrant, publicly funded education system that is focused on three goals: • High levels of student achievement • Reduced gaps in student achievement • Increasing levels of public confidence in publicly funded education

  10. District School Boards • TheEducation Actdelegates responsibility for governance of schools to four sets of district school boards, all of which are fully funded by the provincial government • Ontario’s 5,000 publicly funded schools are grouped in 72 district school boards: • 31 English Public (secular or non-religious: open to all students) • 29 English Catholic • 4 French Public • 8 French Catholic Our context, our challenge DID YOU KNOW??

  11. TrusteesElected every 4 yearsReceive honoraria (are not salaried)----------------------------------------------Staff Are employees of the school boardsKey Responsibilities of School BoardsOpening and closing of schoolsAdministration /enforcement of policyImplementation of programs Delivery of curriculum Structure of District School Boards Trustees ------------- Director of Education Superintendents Principals and Managers Teachers and Support Staff

  12. Elementary schools usually offer Junior Kindergarten, Kindergarten, Grade 1 to Grade 8 (ages 3 or 4 to 13 or 14) Secondary schools Grade 9 to Grade 12 (ages 13 or 14 to 17 or 18) Provincial schools The ministry directly administers eight Provincial and Demonstration Schools for deaf, blind, deaf/blind, and severely disabled students; About 800 students are enrolled in the Provincial and Demonstration Schools Publicly Funded Schools

  13. Education in Ontario: Quick Facts • Publicly funded schools in Ontario = 4,923 • 4026 elementary • 897 secondary • Number of students = almost 2 million • 1,355,440 elementary • 715,296 secondary • Number of teachers in publicly funded schools = 116,179 • 72,207 elementary • 43,972 secondary • Number of principals /vice-principals in publicly funded schools = 7,368 • 5,375 elementary • 1,993 secondary

  14. Ontario Ministry of Education Commitments to the mental health & addictions strategy

  15. Identify and intervene in kids’ mental health needs early Professionals in community-based child and youth mental health agencies and teachers will learn how to identify and respond to the mental health needs of kids. Close critical service gaps for vulnerable kids, kids in key transitions, and those in remote communities Kids will receive the type of specialized service they need and it will be culturally appropriate Provide fast access to high quality service Kids and families will know where to go to get what they need and services will be available to respond in a timely way. THEMES • Fewer hospital (ER) admissions and readmissions for child and youth mental health • Reduced Wait Times • Reduced child and youth suicides/suicide attempts • Educational progress (EQAO) • Fewer school suspensions and/or expulsions • Higher graduation rates • More professionals trained to identify kids’ mental health needs • Higher parent satisfaction in services received • Decrease in severity of mental health issues through treatment • Decrease in inpatient admission rates for child and youth mental health INDICATORS Outcomes, indicators and development of scorecard OVERVIEW OF THE MENTAL HEALTH & ADDICTIONS STRATEGY - FIRST 3YEARS Implement Working Together for Kids’ Mental Health Implement standardized tools for outcomes and needs assessment Enhance and expand Telepsychiatry model and services Provide support at key transition points Pilot Family Support Navigator model Y1 pilot Improve public access to service information Develop K-12 resource guide for educators Improve service coordination for high needs kids, youth and families Amend education curriculum to cover mental health promotion and address stigma Funding to increase supply of child and youth mental health professionals Increase Youth Mental Health Court Workers Hire new Aboriginal workers Implement Aboriginal Mental Health Worker Training Program INITIATIVES Expand inpatient/outpatient services for child and youth eating disorders Hire Nurse Practitioners for eating disorders program Implement school mental health ASSIST program &mental health literacy provincially Provide designated mental health workers in schools Reduce wait times for service, revise service contracting, standards, and reporting 15 Strategy Evaluation Implement Mental Health Leaders in selected School Boards Create 18 service collaboratives Provide nurses in schools to support mental health services

  16. MCYS MH Workers with Schools Working Together Student Support Leadership Initiative (SSLI) MOHLTC Nurse Leaders MHA Nurses in DSB program Service Collaboratives SSLI EDU SMH ASSIST SSLI Interconnected Initiatives

  17. The MHA Strategy Recognizes that Schools Have a Unique Opportunity Schools are an optimal setting in which to: Reduce stigma Promote positive mental health Build social-emotional learning skills Prevent mental health problems in high risk groups Identify students in need Create bridges to needed services

  18. EDU Strategy Commitments Amend the education curriculum Develop a K-12 Resource Guide/Website Provide support for professional learning in mental health and addictions for all Ontario educators Fund and support Mental Health Leaders Implement School Mental Health ASSIST

  19. Related EDU Initiatives LNS SS_Lto18 Healthy Schools Positive School Climate K-12 School Effectiveness Framework Learning for All Leadership Strategy BIP for Student Achievement Growing Success Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy Aboriginal Education Strategy Student Voice Accepting and Safe Schools Strategy Parent Engagement Provide support for professional learning in mental health and addictions for educators Fund and support Mental Health Leaders in school boards Implement School Mental Health ASSIST Mental Health & Addictions Strategy Connections Amend the education curriculum Develop a K-12 Resource Guide /Website

  20. School Mental Health is Not New Schools and communities in Ontario and elsewhere have been dealing with these issues for decades Inconsistent, fragmented approaches, with pockets of excellence… What’s new is the galvanizing of research, policy and practice to reach an integrated solution to a complex problem

  21. Making the school a site for the effective delivery of mental health services involves several key steps.  First, its potential must be recognized. OUT OF THE SHADOWS AT LAST The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology The Honourable Michael J. L. Kirby, Chair May 2006

  22. National School Mental Health School-Based Mental Health & Substance Abuse Consortium Canada’s Mental Health Strategy (MHCC) Evergreen National Infant Child & Youth Mental Health Consortium Opening Minds Joint Consortium for School Health Public Health Agency of Canada Canadian Association for School Health Canadian Centre for Substance Abuse

  23. Release of SBMHSA Findings Meta-Synthesis of Reviews

  24. Release of SBMHSA Findings Scan of Nominated Best Practices • Report of 150 nominated programs and strategies, from every province • Across the Evergreen continuum • Development and adaptation driven by need, resulting in islands of innovation • Inconsistent alignment with evidence, inconsistent use of local evaluation • Actionable messages • Build tools to support coherence and decision-making • NATIONAL SCAN DATABASE • Support evaluation and scale up of research-consistent programs

  25. Release of SBMHSA Findings National Survey of Schools and Boards

  26. International School Mental Health • International Alliance for Child and Adolescent Mental Health in Schools http://www.intercamhs.net/ • US – Canada Alliance for School Mental Health • Advances in School Mental Health Promotion • Key conferences featuring School Mental Health • 7th Annual World Conference on Mental Health Promotion and Treatment of Behavioral Disorders, October 17-19, Perth, Australia • 17th Annual Conference on Advancing School Mental Health, October 25-27, Salt Lake City, Utah • 26th Annual Children’s Mental Health Research and Policy Conference, March 3-6, Tampa, Florida

  27. Taking Mental Health to School Ontario Need for leadership, coordination, access to evidence-based approaches, implementation support, evaluation • Different models of mental health service delivery across boards (Taking Mental Health to School, 2009) • Variable leadership structures, variable levels and types of professional support, variable relationship with community, variable range of services • Educators are very concerned about student mental health, but feel ill-prepared to provide support • Acknowledgement of promising supports (e.g., Student Support Leadership Initiative)

  28. School Mental Health ASSIST is a provincial implementation support team designed to help Ontario school boards to promote student mental health and well-being, through leadership, practical resources and systematic research-based approaches to school mental health.

  29. Leadership Structure • Ontario Ministry of Education Lead • Special Education Policy & Programs Branch • School Board Lead • Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board • SMH ASSIST Core Team • Director, and 4+ P/T Implementation Coaches (3 Senior School Mental Health Professionals, 1 Superintendent),.5 Research Associate (new!) • Cross-Sector Partners • Interministerial Staff Team • Hospital for Sick Children, Ontario Centre of Excellence for Child & Youth MH • Provincial Stakeholder Organizations • Evaluation and Implementation Consultation Team • Drs. Michael Boyle, Bruce Ferguson, Tom Kratochwill, Robert Lucio, Ian Manion, Doris McWhorter, Karen Milligan, Caroline Parkin, Joyce Sebian, Mark Weist

  30. Priorities Organizational Conditions for Effective School Mental Health Mental Health Capacity-Building for Educators Implementation of Evidence-Based Mental Health Promotion and Prevention Programming

  31. Organizational Conditions Top 10 List • Commitment • School Mental Health Leadership Team • Clear & Focused Vision • Shared Language • Assessment of Initial Capacity • Standard Processes • PD Protocols • School Mental Health Strategy / Action Plan • Broad Collaboration • Ongoing Quality Improvement

  32. Capacity-Building • Capacity Building is not an event! It is an iterative deepening of knowledge embedded in school board life. It takes time. • Resources should be tailored for different education audiences

  33. Mental Health Promotion & Prevention Not all programming in school mental health is helpful for all students. Some programming, though well-intentioned, is benign or harmful for certain populations. Program implementation standards are critical (training, coaching, fidelity to protocols, evaluation) SMH ASSIST can help boards to select and sustain appropriate mental health promotion and prevention programs and strategies

  34. Support to ALL Ontario boards Resources Webinar series, other staff development materials Decision support tools Templates School Administrators’ Toolkit Consultation Workshops Representation on provincial reference groups & committees

  35. Focus Boards • 15 boards were Focus Boards in 2011-2012, another 15 announced for 2012-2013 • Boards receive 1 FTE Mental Health Leader and SMH ASSIST support • Reciprocal relationship with SMH ASSIST • ASSIST provides leadership & implementation support • Focus Boards help with piloting resources that will be rolled out to all boards in time

  36. Focus Boards Algoma DSB Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic DSB CSD Catholiques Centre-Sud CSD des écoles catholiques du Sud-Ouest CSD du Nord-Est de l'Ontario District School Board of Niagara Hamilton-Wentworth DSB Hastings and Prince Edward DSB Huron-Superior Catholic DSB Keewatin-Patricia DSB Kenora Catholic District School Board Peel DSB Simcoe-Muskoka Catholic DSB Toronto Catholic DSB Trillium Lakelands DSB CSD catholique des Grandes Rivières CSD du Grand Nord de l'Ontario Grand Erie DSB Halton DSB Lakehead DSB Lambton Kent DSB London District Catholic DSB Northeastern Catholic DSB Ontario North East DSB Ottawa Catholic DSB Simcoe County DSB Thunder Bay Catholic DSB Toronto DSB Upper Grand DSB York Catholic DSB Selected for geographic, language, Catholic/Public representation, along a continuum of School Mental Health capacity

  37. Mental Health Leaders • Work within a community of practice, participate in SMH ASSIST leadership modules, receive ongoing coaching • Mental Health Leaders are senior mental health professionals hired by District School Boards to: • Provide leadership & coordination in school mental health, • conduct/update a mental health needs assessment, • co-create a Board Mental Health Strategy, • oversee the implementation of the Board MH Strategy, • support community collaboration • Mental Health Leaders work closely with Superintendents with responsibility for mental health, and existing school mental health professionals to tailor the role for the board

  38. Visit SMH ASSIST http://smh-assist.ca/

  39. Understanding School Board Culture

  40. What Life in School Boards is Really Like…

  41. A day in the life of a school • We teach students, age 3 through 18+, literacy, numeracy, content, character, coping, career… • We get them to school safely on buses, feed them, clean up cut knees and wipe away tears, watch them play, learn, make mistakes, and help one another • We provide extra support to vulnerable students • We assess progress, maintain records, aggregate data • We reach out to parents • We collaborate with our community partners We support one another, and our students , every day…

  42. Education Priorities • Academic learning is our primary responsibility • Important to make the connections between mental health and academic achievement • Boards create an annual achievement plan (BIPSA) • Schools create an annual achievement plan (SIP) • Boards and schools follow a planning / monitoring process called the School Effectiveness Framework

  43. Getting Started… • Learn about the board(s) – they are each unique • Make contact with the Superintendent responsible for student mental health • Connect with the Mental Health Leader, if present & the Chief Social Worker / Psychologist • Confirm expectations for the role (scope, focus)

  44. Some Good Questions… • Who has lead responsibility for student mental health in the board? • Is there a board mental health leadership team? May I join? • Who provides mental health services in the board currently? Who does what? • Does the board have a mental health strategy? What are the key priorities?

  45. Resource Mapping • If your board has a Mental Health Leader, then a resource mapping will have been completed • This mapping is meant to illuminate system strengths and gaps, for use in the development of the board mental health strategy • In many boards, the mapping extends to school level resource/program information, to assist with school programming decisions

  46. Professional Learning • Movement towards working together in a climate of collective inquiry towards a clear focused educational goal • Cross-classroom, cross-division, cross-school, cross-department, cross-board • Aligns with research on adult learning and teacher preferences

  47. Tiers of Intervention • Key initiatives that are foundational to mental health ascribe to a tiered model of intervention (e.g., Student Success, Learning for All) • This aligns with the national Evergreen framework, and the public health model • Mental health promotion, prevention, intervention and ongoing care • Boards deliver promotion & prevention routinely, and many have mental health professionals who provide intervention services But there is much to do and we rely on our partners for help!

  48. Tiered Support in Systems of Care Organizational Conditions Community Universal E-B Mental Health Promotion E-B Clinical Intervention Mental Health Capacity Engagement Implementation Focus Targeted Evidence-Based Prevention Targeted Evidence-Based Prevention Universal Evidence-Based Mental Health Promotion, Social-Emotional Learning School Boards Continuous Quality Improvement Evidence-Based Clinical Intervention

  49. Questions for Reflection…

  50. Contact Information Sandy Palinski Manager, Special Education Policy & Programs Branch Ontario Ministry of Education Sandy.Palinski@ontario.ca Kathy Short Director, School Mental Health ASSIST Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board Kathy.Short@hwdsb.on.ca

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