Safe and Welcoming Schools

Our Commitment

Avon Maitland District School Board is committed to learning and working environments where every student, staff member, and visitor feels safe, respected, included, and valued.

Safe and welcoming schools are built on caring relationships, mutual respect, and shared responsibility.

Everyone Has a Role

Creating and maintaining safe and welcoming schools is a shared responsibility involving students, families, staff, community partners, and the Board.

Students have the right to feel safe and supported at school
Families and caregivers are partners in promoting well‑being and belonging
Staff model respect, care, transparency, and accountability
Community partners support positive school climates
The Board provides clear policies, procedures, and supports

Get Help or Report a Concern

Getting help or reporting a concern ensures that issues affecting safety, well‑being, or belonging are identified early and addressed appropriately. Speaking up allows schools and the board to respond in a timely, fair, and supportive way to prevent harm and strengthen safe, welcoming learning environments.

If you are worried about student safety or well-being, speak with school administration, staff, or volunteers, or use the Anonymous Reporting Tool. Concerns may include bullying, harassment, discrimination, physical violence, threats, or other behaviour that causes harm or fear.

Physical violence or threats of violence should be reported immediately to school staff or the administration. If there is an immediate risk of harm, families and/or community members should contact emergency services by calling 911.

Policies and Protocols

Schools respond to incidents of physical violence with urgency, care, and attention to safety by adhering to the following:

Ministry of Education

Avon Maitland District School Board Policy and Procedures

Ontario College of Teachers Professional Advisories

Resources for Students and Parents

School boards can help parents and guardians find information and resources to learn about creating safe, inclusive and accepting school environments where everyone — students, parents, staff and the community — feels welcome, safe and respected.

School boards can share these resources with parents and guardians using ontario.ca/SafeSchools.

There’s information on topics like:

how to recognize and stop bullying
Ontario’s code of conduct
rules for disciplinary action, including suspensions and expulsions

Our Commitment to Equity, Safety, and Belonging

Avon Maitland District School Board’s approach to Safe and Welcoming Schools is grounded in our Equity Action Plan.

We recognize that safety is not experienced equally by all students. Identity, lived experience, and systemic barriers can shape students' experiences in school environments. Our commitment to safe and welcoming schools requires us to address bias, discrimination, and inequitable outcomes, not only individual behaviours.

Through the Equity Action Plan, AMDSB works to:

Identify and remove systemic barriers
Reduce harm and disproportionate impact
Affirm identity and belonging
Strengthen relationships and trust
Ensure accountability for equity and human rights

Safe and welcoming schools are essential to equity. Equity is essential to safety.

Safe and Welcoming School Environments

A safe and welcoming school is one where every student feels a sense of belonging, not just the absence of conflict. AMDSB recognizes that anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism, ableism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia, antisemitism, xenophobia, and other forms of discrimination can impact students’ sense of safety and well-being. Addressing these realities is central to our Equity Action Plan and to our Safe and Welcoming Schools work.

Bullying Prevention and Intervention

Reporting and Responding

AMDSB is committed to responding to concerns in ways that are fair, transparent, and equity-informed.

When concerns are raised, schools consider impact, bias, power dynamics, and individual needs for support and safety.

Safe Schools incidents not involving the principals/vice-principals

Some Safe Schools incidents may be addressed by school staff or volunteers without the direct involvement of the principal or vice-principal, depending on the nature, severity, and immediacy of the concern. These situations are managed in accordance with Administrative Procedure 352: Promoting Positive Student Behaviour Including Progressive Discipline and Bullying Prevention and Intervention.
Administrative Procedure 405: Allegations Against Employees and Volunteers, with escalation to school administration when required to ensure safety, accountability, and appropriate follow-up.

Safe Schools incident involving the principals/vice-principals

Some Safe Schools incidents involve allegations of wrongdoing by a school principal. In these situations, the concern is handled through a board-level process separate from the school, in accordance with Administrative Procedure 405: Allegations Against Employees and Volunteers to ensure fairness, impartiality, and appropriate oversight. In these situations, the school superintendent handles the concern.

Illustration of a young child pointing and describing situations where other kids are being unkind, including teasing, exclusion, and bullying of a child using a wheelchair. The teacher listens with concern. A clipboard in the foreground reads “Ways I Can Help When Someone is Unkind: Say ‘Stop’, Be Kind, Tell an Adult.” The image emphasizes encouraging children to speak up and seek help when they witness unkind behavior.

What Students and Community Members Can Do

Flowchart titled “Reporting & Responding to Safe Schools Incidents” by Avon Maitland District School Board. It outlines steps for students when handling incidents.

Flowchart titled “Reporting & Responding to Safe Schools Incidents” by Avon Maitland District School Board. It outlines steps for Parent/Guardian/Caregiver/Community Partner when handling incidents.

Equity in Action: How We Measure Progress

AMDSB is committed to moving beyond statements toward action through staff learning, equity-focused policy review, data-informed decision making, and engagement with students, families, and communities.

Our Partners