In January, the Ontario Government passed new legislation that strengthens student safeguards while modernizing the operations of the College.

The legislation amended the Ontario College of Teachers Act to include new reporting obligations for College members for offences as well as charges, bail conditions or other restrictions.

Paul Boniferro was appointed by the Ontario government as the College’s Transition Supervisory Officer.

Boniferro will help the College transition to its new governance model. The new Council, which will be established through a competency-based selection process, will have 18 Council members with equal representation from the public and members of the teaching profession.

• The Canadian Red Cross’s resource page includes helpful articles about coping with COVID-19.
• Find tools and resources to support the well-being of children and youth in the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies’ newsroom.
• Check out these fun and educational apps for students of all ages in Professionally Speaking’s Apps Analysis and Tools of the Trade.

The College has created a temporary certificate that enables faculty of education students to begin teaching earlier as a partial solution to Ontario’s teacher shortage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Students who are enrolled in an accredited Ontario teacher education program and are expected to complete their program by December 2021 can apply. Eligible applicants are required to have successfully completed sufficient practicum and other coursework, and will be issued a certificate on the condition that they successfully complete the Ontario Mathematics Proficiency Test by August 31, 2021.

The College has introduced a program to help defray the costs of therapy and counselling borne by students who have made an allegation of sexual abuse, an act of child pornography, or a prescribed sexual act, against a member.

Alleged acts must have occurred after January 1, 2020. Abuse refers to incidents that occurred while the member was responsible for, or supervised, the student.

The Funding for Therapy and Counselling Program at the Ontario College of Teachers provides up to $17,370 for eligible claimants, which is available as a combined amount to claimants or approved family members.

Claimants can apply online and will be guided through a series of questions.

When Olympic gold medallist and track star Bruny Surin first arrived in Canada from Haiti in 1975, he was a shy seven-year-old, unsure of himself and reluctant to take chances.

When his high school physical education teacher spotted his talent on the track several years later, he helped build Surin’s confidence, changing his life forever.

Bruny Surin remembers the teacher who propelled him to success, on and off the track.