A message from Curtis Ennis, Director of Education | Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year

Curtis Ennis, Director of Education, welcomes more than 66,000 students and 10,000 staff members to the 2022-2023 school year in the Halton District School Board.

Hello,
I am so excited to welcome our students, staff members and families to a new school year.

Our schools are ready to welcome more than 66,000 students and nearly 10,000 staff as our Facility Services staff have worked to ensure our buildings are clean, safe and ready for students. For students learning virtually, we look forward to providing an effective and enriched learning experience that will challenge, support and engage you on many levels.

We enter this school year with a lot of optimism and hope. Optimism and hope for a better school year than the past three. While challenges remain, the beginning of a new school year is a time of renewal and fresh starts, excited students enrolling in Kindergarten for the first time, the anticipation of older students starting high school - unsure of what awaits them, and the delight of students entering their final and graduating year - excited about the future. We are glad to have you here in the Halton District School Board.

All students have a strong desire to belong to a community and it is my hope that every school within the HDSB can provide a learning environment where each student, in all their glorious identities, will experience a sense of belonging, care and community.

To support student belonging and connectedness, mental health services were provided during the summer through identity-based therapeutic groups by Social Workers, Child and Youth Counsellors and community service providers. We shared more mental health and well-being videos to help parents and guardians address and support the mental health of their children. This area of focus continues to be a high priority for the Halton District School Board.

As a Board, we are committed to helping students continue their journey and joy of learning through focused interventions and strong instructional practices.

This summer, we made a concerted effort to provide resources and support to students and families to help them prepare for the upcoming school year. We provided literacy and mathematics resources for families to support student achievement and enhance learning. These resources included talk and play-based activities, as well as tips to provide engaging and authentic learning opportunities for students at home and in the community.

In the Halton District School Board, we will continue to lean on and utilize our commitments of the Multi-Year Strategic Plan to set direction and prioritize the collective actions of all stakeholders to ensure our efforts as an organization are aligned and coordinated. The Human Rights Equity Action & Accountability Plan: The Way Forward reflects our commitment to create and maintain safe, inclusive learning and working environments free from discrimination and hate for students, families, staff and members of the public. We must continue to be vigilant in our efforts to create a more inclusive and equitable school system.

The health and safety of our students and staff has always been, and will continue to be, our top priority. We continue to take our lead from the province and our medical officers of health as we navigate the best course of action for our students and families.

We are ready and we are excited to provide students with an exceptional educational experience, one that is uplifting and fulfilling, and one that honours their unique and collective identities. Together we will continue to learn, grow and inspire.

Let’s have a great year.