October 3, 2022
Dear Parents and/or Guardians,
Supporting the health and well-being of both our students and staff is a priority for the York Catholic District School Board. As a Catholic community, we are mindful of our social teachings which includes the dignity of work and rights of workers.
As part of a strategy to support and encourage all Ontarians to achieve a great work-life balance, the Government of Ontario passed the Working for Workers Act in December 2021. To comply with that legislation, the YCDSB passed the Right to Disconnect Policy which sets parameters for employees’ availability and supports a shift to greater focus on the mental health of our employees.
We, as a school board, comply and uphold the spirit and intent of the Right to Disconnect legislation, so we want to ensure that our staff has healthy boundaries between their professional obligations and personal commitments. This is an important part of our focus and priority on positive mental health for our employees so that they are at their best to serve the students entrusted to their care.
Maintaining open, responsive lines of communication with you, as your child’s parent/legal guardian, is important to the Board. This includes connecting with staff during their regular work hours on school days, Monday to Friday. Families can continue to communicate with staff via e-mail or Board platforms (Google Classroom, D2L) and staff will normally respond during their normal work hours, but they are not required to respond after their work hours. Being mindful of servicing and supporting our parents/legal guardians, we have provided some flexibility and latitude for communication periods of up to one (1) hour prior to or after the normal work day of our employees.
There are certain times in the year that staff may reach out after-hours for previously agreed-to meetings (such as parent-teacher meetings). However, staff are not expected to respond to emails or messages after their workday, in the evening, or on weekends.
It is also critical to note, student safety remains a top priority and should there be an emergency after hours, staff will be available, as needed.
We appreciate your patience and support on this initiative; we know it will make a positive difference in your Catholic school community. Should you have any questions, please connect directly with your school Principal.
Yours truly,
Domenic Scuglia
Director of Education