Parent/Community Engagement Roles

One of our Superintendents has Community and Parent Engagement in his portfolio. Parental engagement looks different across the school board but a number of strategies are in place to encourage them to be involved.

The Parent Involvement Committee meets several times a year and sponsors a number of Parent information evenings with special guests as well an annual conference.

Each school council is encouraged to have a representative on the PIC, although this does not always happen. Information regarding the PIC events is shared to all schools through our Synervoice computer automated messaging system.

Recently, the HDSB announced the adoption of Edsby. Edsby is a Staff/Student/Parent portal that would streamline communication from schools and the school board to parents, allow teachers to post announcements and homework items on a 'facebook-type' platform. Schools are piloting the program with potential board wide adoption over the next year or so.

Some of our highschools have Parent Engagement Coordinators who also work with the school community to promote common understanding, support and work with community agencies to support students in the school.

As our Superintendent, Mr. Eatough writes, "The Halton District School Board Parent Involvement Committee recognizes parents play a vital role in the development and education of their children and in the success of schools."