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Notes on Translation
The electronic translation service on the York Region District School Board's website is hosted by Google Translate. The quality of the translation will vary in some of the languages offered by Google. Google Translate is a free service and currently offers translation in over 50 languages, although an impressive number, this does not capture all languages or dialects. The basic translation’s goal is to capture the general intention of the original English material.
The York Region District School Board does not guarantee the quality, accuracy or completeness of any translated information. Before you act on translated information, the Board encourages you to confirm any facts that are important to you and affect any decisions you may make.
The York Region District School Board is committed to parent, family and community engagement, and it is our hope that by providing this tool on our website that we are making our information more accessible to families whose first language is not English and thereby enabling better engagement in public education.
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Positive Climates for Learning (PC4L)
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Positive Climates for Learning (PC4L)
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Page Content
A Positive Climate for Learning and Working is equitable and inclusive; safe and supportive; respectful and caring. Building it is everyone's work! School climate is defined by the Ontario Ministry of Education as the
"the sum total of all of the personal relationships within a school. When these relationships are founded in mutual acceptance and inclusion, and modelled by all, a culture of respect becomes the norm."
Safe Schools Action Team, Safe Schools Policy and Practice: An Agenda for Action, 2006, p. 6
They go on to recommend that "to help achieve a positive school climate, boards and schools should actively promote and support positive behaviours, in keeping with their character development initiatives. They should also involve parents and members of th broader, diverse community in the school."
What are the characteristics of a positive school climate?
When a positive school climate exists,
- students, parents and staff members feel safe, comfortable and accepted
- healthy and respectful relationships are promoted among all members of the school community
- students are encouraged to be leaders and positive role models -- for example, by speaking up on issues such as bullying
- parents and community members are actively engaged
- positive behaviour is reinforced and students are given opportunities to develop relationships that are free of racism, discrimination and harrassing behaviour
- there is a culture of high expectations in which improvement of learning outcomes for all students is emphasized
- all cultures are respected, valued, and included
Why is a positve climate for learning and working important?
A positive learning and teaching environment is essential if students are to succeed in school. Research shows that there is a direct link between students' success and the school environment in which learning takes place. Students are more motivated to do well and to realize their potential in schools that have a positive school climate where they feel safe and supported. (Safe Schools Action Team, Shaping a Culture of Respect in Our Schools: Promoting Safe and Healthy Relationships, 2008, p. 1).
Subsequently, it may be argued that if a positive school climate can serve to motivate and inspire students to realize their potential then it can also serve to motivate and inspire staff to realize their potential as well.
Ontario Ministry of Education: Reach Every Student; Promoting a Positive School Climate: A Resource for Schools, 2010
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