School Mental Health Ontario is a provincial implementation support team. We help school districts enhance student mental health through the use of evidence-based strategies and services. Includes resources for administrators, educators, and families.
School Mental Health Ontario
ETFO: Protection from the Coronavirus and Influenza
This regularly updated page provides guidance about how you can get the right information about public health concerns related to the Coronavirus pandemic and the issues that arise in your school. Use this as a launching point to know who to contact, and how to get support from your union.
Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers Inc. (OHCOW) provides free, independent services for assessment of workplace health and safety
The Mental Injury Toolkit guide and resource kit will provide workers a basic understanding and a place to start to learn about workplace stress and what to do about it. The guide gives definitions, common causes of mental distress, legal frameworks (focusing on Ontario), possible actions to take, and resources available. It is an introduction and action guide created by workers for workers.
Student Safety Plans
| A student safety plan is a plan developed for a student whose behaviour is known to pose an ongoing risk to themselves, other students, workers or other people in general. It can serve as a crisis-response plan that outlines the roles and responsibilities of the workers in dealing with specific problem behaviours. The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) requires school boards and supervisors to provide workers with information, including personal information, related to a risk of workplace violence from a person with a history of violent behaviour, if the worker can be expected to encounter that person in the course of their work |
Health and Safety – Ontario Ministry of Labour
Teachers are encouraged to consider the safety of students, but do you know your rights as a worker? The Ontario Ministry of Labour website provides links to resources on many topics that are already on teachers’ radar as well as other issues we should be concerned about.
Ontario Physical Education Safety Guidelines
This comprehensive guide to extracurricular sports in Ontario Elementary schools will be invaluable to teachers who volunteer to supervise extracurricular activities in public schools. The guide addresses aspects include appropriate equipment, facilities, and other safety considerations. Links to specific guidelines are included.
Student’s violent outbursts justified teacher’s work refusal: A decision of the Ontario Labour Relations Board
This column outlines a decision made by the Ontario Labour Relations Board regarding a teacher’s work refusal in relation to a violent student, offering important context for the issue of the responsibility of administrators in responding to incidents with safety plans for educators.
**Note**
Ontario Regulation 857 that teachers “must ensure the safety of students in your care first. At no time is a teacher permitted to leave any students unsupervised or unattended when exercising a work refusal. Students must not be left unsupervised at any time” (Ministry of Labour, 2014). Guidelines for work refusal are found on the Ontario Ministry of Labour website https://www.ett.ca/work-refusal/
LGBTQ Rights in Your Workplace – Ensuring LGBTQ Member Rights in All School Workplaces
This resource outlines the need to create safe, inclusive, and respectful workplaces for LGBTQ members. It also provides information for LGBTQ members about the supports available from ETFO Professional Relations Services.
LGBTQ Rights in Your Workplace – Ensuring LGBTQ Member Rights in All School Workplaces
Know Your Local Collective Agreement
ETFO’s listing of Occasional Teacher locals provides contact information as well as website links where available. This is where the answers to many employment-related questions can typically be found; answer will vary depending on your local agreement. The best thing a member can do to ensure that her or his negotiated rights are being upheld is to read the agreement and consider the implications. Members are encouraged to contact their local for clarification and/or assistance if they think that their rights are being violated by any party, including other members, administrators, or members of other unions.
Professional Advisory- Safety in Learning Environments: A Shared Responsibility
A professional advisory to inform professional judgement and practice. It is intended for all members of the Ontario College of Teachers.
Professional Advisory- Safety in Learning Environments: A Shared Responsibility