Protective Services Safety Reminder 

Concerns around safety resulting from inappropriate behaviours in schools are a reminder that while principals and vice-principals are responsible for ensuring safe school environments, boards are also responsible for the safety of school leaders. 

Ontario school boards have codes of conduct that clarify expectations of appropriate behaviour on school property. The code of conduct is there to help people regulate themselves in schools and ensure their behaviour meets the expectations of a safe and welcoming environment for staff, parents, caregivers and students. Every board has an anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policy that principals and vice-principals should review to clarify expectations and responsibilities. Members can call or contact PST for support in navigating board policies.  

Leading with Alignment, Clarity and Intention 

Curious about the OPC Leadership Coaching Program? Join us on May 5 at 8:00 a.m. or 4:00 p.m. EDT to learn more about how leadership coaches can enhance your skills at any stage of your career. 

Celebrating Retirements  

We are recognizing Members retiring in the 2025–26 school year and celebrating their dedication to students and commitment to public education. With the retiree’s consent, their names will be featured in a President’s Message and in the fall issue of The Register magazine. If you would like to be recognized publicly, opt in here by June 30, 2026. 

You may also email membership@principals.ca or opcbenefits@principals.ca to share your own retirement, provide the names of colleagues who have retired this school year or ask them to contact us to provide consent. 

If your retirement date falls outside of the current school year, please do not opt-in at this time. 

Free EdCan Online Events 

EdCan has many upcoming free events, two of which are open to all.  

• May 5: Flourishing in Times of Uncertainty: a New Model of Leadership with Otto Scharmer  

• May 21: Canada’s First AI Literacy Framework with Digital Moment  

You can stay up to date with the EdCan Network's events and resources by joining the EdCan e-Newsletter. 

Quote to Ponder 

“Every day is a chance to get better.” – Clara Hughes 

Media 

• Education Minister appoints supervisor for Near North school board  
• Ontario education minister considering social media ban for under 16s  
• Rise of the ‘edu-crats’: Local school board chairs concerned by education system changes  
• When most teens are regularly missing school, we have a very serious problem. We should treat it like one  
• Ontario school curriculum changes are connected to a deeper problem, expert says  
• Trustees worry school board changes will weaken parent input  
• Ontario plans to tie high school attendance to grades and mandate final exams. It's getting mixed reactions  
• Only 40 per cent of Ontario high school students meeting attendance standard, new data reveals  
• Ontario student absenteeism is ‘shocking.’ What’s behind the low attendance numbers in high school  
• Teacher unions welcome changes to Ontario classrooms, but say they don't address major concerns  

Queen’s Park 

Last week, the Minister of Education introduced Bill 101, the Putting Student Achievement First Act, 2026.  

During Question Period, there were multiple exchanges related to education funding, school boards and governance, education issues and student supports and school safety and data collection. 

Opposition members raised concerns about teacher layoffs, class sizes, student supports, school safety and the centralization of decision-making under Bill 101.