Parents’ Guide to Ontario’s Education System

In June 2024, the Ministry of Education directed all school boards in Ontario to provide greater communication opportunities with the families we serve.

Niagara Catholic’s Multi-Year Strategic Plan identifies open and transparent communications with the communities we serve as one of our primary goals. This new requirement builds upon Niagara Catholic’s existing commitment to transparency and for engaging with our parents and guardians.

Niagara Catholic encourages all parents to view Your Child's Education: a parent guide to our school system to find out more.

The Ministry of Education also provided new guidance about the use of cell phones in schools, and about vaping in schools.

Use of cell phones/mobile devices in school

Students who bring their cell phones to school must have the phone stored out of view and turned off or on silent mode during the instructional day. They may only use it if their teacher permits it for learning, for health or medical purposes, or to support special education needs.

If a teacher sees a cell phone that is not stored out of view, students will be required to hand in their device in for the instructional day. The cell phone will be placed, by the student, in a secure storage area designated by the principal.

Students who refuse to turn in their phone may be sent to the principal’s office. Principals will determine appropriate consequences.

School boards are now required to disable access to social media platforms on school networks and board devices. All social media sites have been blocked from the Board network by Niagara Catholic IT Services.

Cigarettes, vaping, or nicotine, cannabis, or alcohol use at school

Another measure now in effect to protect the health and well-being of students is the installation of sensors to detect vaping in schools.

The Smoke-Free Ontario Act bans the use of any tobacco, nicotine, or e-cigarette (vape) on school property. The changes to PPM 128 strengthen the enforcement of consequences for students who use or share cigarettes or other tobacco products, nicotine products, e-cigarettes (vapes) at school.

Anyone under the age of 19 is prohibited from buying or possessing alcohol or cannabis. These substances, and any illegal drug, are prohibited on school property.

To comply with the provincial regulations Niagara Catholic’s Facilities Services team will install equipment to detect the use of cigarettes or e-cigarettes in schools this year.

These expectations are outlined in the Board’s Electronic Communications Systems Administrative Operating Procedures for students, and the Board’s Code of Conduct AOP.

We ask parents to please speak to your children about these new provincial rules and support your child’s teacher(s) and principal in enforcing them.