In accordance with the Ministry of Educationβs new Regulation 304, βSchool Year Calendar, Professional Activity Days,β the ΒιΆΉΤ΄΄ (ΒιΆΉΤ΄΄) is providing the following summary of P.A. Day activities at the elementary and secondary levels on Friday, February 2, 2024.
Elementary – K-8 Math (High impact instructional approaches)
Teachers will be engaging in a half day of professional learning with a focus on the coding expectations in the Mathematics and Science and Technology curricula. This session was created for the ΒιΆΉΤ΄΄ by Lisa Anne Floyd,Β an Ontario educator and coding specialist who is currently completing her PhD in computational thinking, coding and mathematics education. The first part of the morning will focus on coding in mathematics, where the Scratch platform is being used to highlight coding activities and opportunities that can be used in K-8 classrooms. Scratch is a based-block coding platform, created by MIT, aimed primarily at children as an educational tool. The second part will focus on makecode.microbit.org (another block-based coding platform) to make real-world connections in science using micro:bits. A micro-bit is a programmable device that allows students to see the connections between software (coding) and hardware.
Elementary – Anti-Sex Trafficking Training
Board employees must complete comprehensive anti-sex trafficking training to ensure all staff are equipped to identify the signs of sex trafficking, safely respond to disclosures and support the immediate physical and emotional safety needs of all students. (Secondary staff will complete this training on a later PA Day).
Secondary – Semester Two Prep
To promote student success, staff will close off the final details of semester one, as well as plan and prepare for the start of semester two.