PA Days

Professional Activity (PA) Days 2025–2026

Each school year, the Ministry of Education provides school boards with Professional Activity (PA) Days. On these days, students do not attend school while staff take part in professional learning and planning. These days are important opportunities for educators to strengthen their skills, reflect on student needs, and prepare for effective teaching and learning.

For the 2025–2026 school year, PA Days across the Renfrew County District School Board will focus on School Improvement Planning, student success, literacy and mathematics, equity and inclusion, artificial intelligence in education, student well-being, and safe and caring schools.

PA Day	Elementary	Secondary
Sep. 2, 2025	Good Start Inquiry (Expectations, Schedules, Visuals, and Transitions): Emotional Validation Training, Positive Attendance Promotion, School-based plans to support Good Start Inquiry Taking attendance in Edsby (Refresher) Review of Safe Schools Procedures: AP 140 Code of Conduct, RCDSB (includes PPM 128), Responding to Discrimination Protocol, AP 341 Child in Need of Protection (Ministry: Keeping Schools Safe) Health and Safety Training (Ministry: Keeping Schools Safe)
Oct. 10, 2025	School Improvement Planning and school-based priorities Artificial Intelligence (Ministry: Artificial Intelligence) Health & Safety (Ministry: Keeping Schools Safe)
Nov. 14, 2025	Parent/Guardians Teacher interviews for JK-Grade 8 (half day)	Artificial Intelligence (Ministry: Artificial Intelligence) School Improvement Planning and Student Achievement Plan
Jan. 30, 2026	Assessment, Evaluation & Reporting (full day)	Student Success Transitions
May 15, 2026	Central PA day - Theme is “inspirED: Empowering Student Engagement and Well-Being) Keynote: Anthony McLean Breakout sessions: including topics such as mental health and well-being, outdoor learning, dismantling racism, supporting School Improvement Planning and Student Achievement Plan (Ministry: Artificial Intelligence, Tackling Racism)
Jun. 5, 2026	Assessment, Evaluation & Reporting (full day)	School Improvement Planning and Student Achievement Plan Student Success School-based priorities
Jun. 26, 2026	Safe Schools Topics (Ministry: Keeping Schools Safe & SRO) Transitions School Improvement Planning and Student Achievement Plan

Agendas for Specific PA Days:

September 2, 2025

Elementary

Secondary

Audience: All Staff

Topic 1: Emotional Validation Training (60 min)

Facilitators: Admin and School Support Counsellors

Description: Using trauma informed resources provided by School Mental Health Ontario, staff will receive training on how to practice emotional validation using an identity affirming approach that supports student engagement and well-being.

Audience:All Staff

Topic 1: Emotional Validation Training (60 min)

Facilitators: Admin and School Support Counsellors

Audience: All Staff

Topic 2: Positive Attendance Promotion (30 min)

Facilitators: Admin

Description: Schools will lay the foundation for positive attendance promotion as part of the RCDSB Student Attendance initiative, “Make Every Day Count”, a key aspect of our well-being and engagement strategy.

Audience: All Staff

Topic 2: Positive Attendance Promotion (30 min)

Facilitators: Admin

Audience: All Staff

Topic 3: School-Based Plans to Support our Inquiry (60 min)

Facilitators: Admin

Description: Together, we will explore how consistent use of core foundational strategies; clear and consistent expectations and predictable schedules, visuals, and transitions - can foster a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment in every classroom.

Audience: All Staff

Topic 4: School-Based Plans to Support our Inquiry (60 min)

Facilitators: Admin

Description:Together, we will explore how consistent use of core foundational strategies; clear and consistent expectations and predictable schedules, visuals, and transitions - can foster a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment in every classroom.

Elementary	Secondary
PM	PM
Audience:All Staff Topic 4: Continuation of School-Based Plans to Support Inquiry/School Improvement Planning (60 min) and Review of Safe Schools Procedures Facilitators: Admin Description: Review of Safe Schools Procedures: AP 140 Code of Conduct, RCDSB (includes PMM 128), Responding to Discrimination Protocol, AP 341 Child in Need of Protection	Audience:All Staff Topic 4: Continuation of School-Based Plans to Support Inquiry/School Improvement Planning (60 min) and Review of Safe Schools Procedures Facilitators: Admin Description: Review of Safe Schools Procedures: AP 140 Code of Conduct, RCDSB (includes PMM 128), Responding to Discrimination Protocol, AP 341 Child in Need of Protection
Audience: All Staff Topic 5: Health and Safety Training (90 min) Facilitators: Vector Training/Admin Description: All school staff will complete required health and safety training modules covering a range of topics. A memo from Health and Safety will be sent to all staff on Tuesday morning outlining which modules need to be completed on Tuesday. Modules have been divided between the September PD day and the October PD day.	Audience: All Staff Topic 5: Health and Safety Training (90 min) Facilitators: Vector Training/Admin Description: Review of Safe Schools Procedures: AP 140 Code of Conduct, RCDSB (includes PMM 128), Responding to Discrimination Protocol, AP 341 Child in Need of All school staff will complete required health and safety training modules covering a range of topics. A memo from Health and Safety will be sent to all staff on Tuesday morning outlining which modules need to be completed on Tuesday. Modules have been divided between the September PD day and the October PD day.

October 10, 2025

Elementary	Secondary
AM	AM
Audience: Topic 1: School Improvement Planning (2h15min) Facilitators: Admin Description: Staff will enhance and utilize data literacy to inform the RCDSB Student Achievement Plan and the School Improvement Planning (SIP) cycle. The focus will also be on prioritizing student engagement and well-being for every student through core foundational and instructional practices, while building the collective efficacy needed to support equitable outcomes and opportunities for all learners	Audience: Topic 1: School Improvement Planning (2h15min) Facilitators: Admin Description: Staff will enhance and utilize data literacy to inform the RCDSB Student Achievement Plan and the School Improvement Planning (SIP) cycle. The focus will also be on prioritizing student engagement and well-being for every student through core foundational and instructional practices, while building the collective efficacy needed to support equitable outcomes and opportunities for all learners
Audience: All Staff Topic 2: Review AP 313 Police Protocol (15 min) Facilitators: Admin Description: Staff will engage in learning focused on the Safe Schools Police/School Board Protocol. This training builds awareness of the shared responsibilities between schools and local police services in maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment.	Audience: All Staff Topic 2 Review AP 313 Police Protocol (15 min) Facilitators: Admin Description: Staff will engage in learning focused on the Safe Schools Police/School Board Protocol. This training builds awareness of the shared responsibilities between schools and local police services in maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment.

Elementary	Secondary
PM	PM
Audience: All RCDSB Staff Topic 3: Artificial Intelligence (60 min) Facilitators: AI Committee Description: All school staff will receive training on Artificial Intelligence within the three categories: Education & Skill Development Ethics & Responsible Usage Accessibility & Implementation	Audience: All RCDSB Staff Topic 3: Artificial Intelligence (60 min) Facilitators: AI Committee Description: All school staff will receive training on Artificial Intelligence within the three categories: Education & Skill Development Ethics & Responsible Usage Accessibility & Implementation
Audience: All Staff Topic 4: Health & Safety (90 min) Facilitators: Vector Training/Admin Description: All school staff will complete required health and safety training modules covering a range of topics. A memo from Health and Safety was previously sent out outlining which modules need to be completed on the September PD day and the October PD day.	Audience: All Staff Topic 4: Health & Safety (90 min) Facilitators: Vector Training/Admin Description: All school staff will complete required health and safety training modules covering a range of topics. A memo from Health and Safety was previously sent out outlining which modules need to be completed on the September PD day and the October PD day.

November 14, 2025

Elementary/Secondary
AM/PM
Audience: Educational Assistants and School Support Counsellors (as required) Topic 1: Behaviour Management System (BMS) Facilitators: Specialized Services Description: Behaviour Management Systems Training (BMS) is a program that teaches strategies to manage and influence behavior, focusing on prevention. It involves a system-wide approach to understanding behavior, often based on theories like social learning and ecological systems theory. BMS training aims to provide staff with the skills to create a safer environment by teaching early intervention.
Elementary/Secondary
PM
Audience: Administrators and Office Staff (one Administrator and one office staff member should confirm to participate in the training. ) Topic 1: Website Training (Link to be sent at a later date - 2:00-3:00 p.m.) Facilitators: ICT Description:Information and Communications Technology staff will provide training for school staff on how to update individual school website pages.

AM/PM
Audience: Elementary Teachers & Early Childhood Educators Topic 1:Parent/Caregivers Teacher interviews for JK-Grade 8. Facilitators: Elementary Teachers & Early Childhood Educators Description: Elementary Teachers and ECEs will participate in parent interviews for grades JK to Grade 8.
Secondary
AM
Audience: All Staff Topic 2: School Improvement Planning (AM and continued into PM) Facilitators: Administrators Description: Staff will enhance and utilize data literacy to inform the RCDSB Student Achievement Plan and the School Improvement Planning (SIP) cycle. The focus will also be on prioritizing student engagement and well-being for every student through core foundational and instructional practices, while building the collective efficacy needed to support equitable outcomes and opportunities for all learners.
Audience: Secondary Staff Topic 1: Artificial Intelligence (10:00 - 11:00 am) Facilitators: Krista Recoskie, Michael Brohart, Melanie Wagner Description: A one-hour morning session for secondary educational staff focusing on the environmental impact of AI, practical AI tool functions, and exploring how our AI classroom resource guide aligns with Ministry expectations within instructional practice and assessment and evaluation.

January 30, 2026

Elementary AM/PM
Audience: Elementary Topic 1:Report Card Writing JK-Grade 8, as per Collective Agreement Facilitators: Elementary Teachers Description: Elementary teachers will focus on the completion of student report cards.
Secondary AM/PM
Audience: Secondary Topic 1: Student Success and Transitions Facilitators: Admin Description: During this professional activity day, educators will use a student success approach to support the transition of all students from their semester one classes to their semester two classes. This will include finalizing assessment and evaluations from semester one as well as collaborating in reviewing student profiles to ensure that we are best prepared to welcome new students into new classes and to build on their strengths and support their areas of growth.
Elementary/Secondary AM/PM
Audience: All Educational Assistants and School Support Counsellors Topic1: Together for Students: Inclusive Practices and Professional Learning Facilitators: Special Services Description: All Educational Assistants, School Support Counsellors, and Library Technicians will participate in a full-day professional development session at Opeongo High School. The morning will consist of learning sessions aligned with participants’ roles and responsibilities. Participants will select the sessions they wish to attend. In the afternoon, all Education Support Personnel will take part in a virtual, interactive presentation by Canadian keynote speaker Dr. Shelley Moore.

May 15, 2026

June 5, 2026

June 26, 2026