Professional Activity (PA) Days are days set aside each school year when students do not attend school. PA Days are designated for activities that include professional development for educators and staff, evaluation of student progress, consultation with parents/guardians, curriculum and program evaluation and development.
under the Education Act states that school boards must designate three (3) PA days each school year that focus on provincial education priorities. School boards may also designate up to four additional PA days per school year.
Here is a list of the PA Days scheduled during the 2025-2026 school year:
- Tuesday, September 2, 2025 (All schools)
- Friday, October 10, 2025 (All schools)
- Friday, November 28, 2025 (All schools)
- Monday, January 26, 2026 (Elementary schools only)
- Friday, January 30, 2026 (Secondary schools only)
- Friday, February, 13, 2026 (All schools)
- Friday, April 24, 2026 (All schools)
- Friday, June 5, 2025 (Elementary schools only)
- Friday, June 26, 2025 (Secondary schools only)
See below for a detailed summary of the P.A. Day activities.
2025-2026 P.A. Day Summary of Activities
Tuesday, September 2, 2025
AM Topic: Keeping Schools Safe
| Date | September 2, 2025 |
| Length | Full Day |
| Entity Hosting | Schools |
| Presenter(s)/ Facilitator(s) | School Administrators and Educator Staff |
| Format | In-person |
Description
- Review of policy requirements and supports for safe schools regarding the Provincial Code of Conduct, violence prevention, bullying prevention and intervention, duty to report children in need of protection to a children’s aid society, progressive discipline, violent incident reporting, gender-based violence, sex trafficking, and the Provincial Model for a Local Police/School 91pro视频 Protocol.
- Culturally responsive trauma-informed principles to create a comprehensive approach to engaging and interacting with students in line with the National Centre for Trauma-Informed Care鈥檚 Six Guiding Principles.
Resources
PM Topic: Tackling Racism
| Date | September 2, 2025 |
| Length | Full Day |
| Entity Hosting | Schools |
| Presenter(s)/ Facilitator(s) | School Administrators and Educator Staff |
| Format | In-person |
Description
- A focus on antisemitism, anti-Black racism, Islamophobia, and racism towards Indigenous communities.
- Discussion on the importance of creating supportive classrooms, free of discrimination in any form. Learning that will equip educators with the knowledge they must have to promote and uphold human rights as required under the Ontario Human Rights Code and address discriminatory policies and practices.
- Review of Ontario curriculum program planning information on the instruction of , applicable to all subjects and disciplines in Grades 1 to 12.
- Discussion of mandatory curriculum learning opportunities related to anti-racism, anti-discrimination, and the promotion of inclusion.
Resources
- Additional Qualifications (AQs) available for enhanced learning: and
- Ontario College of Teachers鈥� and/or and discuss their implications on recognizing and addressing systemic barriers to enhance pedagogical practice, addressing incidents of discrimination, and building awareness of the professional obligations that foster inclusive learning.
- 鈥溾��, Ontario Human Rights Commission (e-Learning).
- 鈥溾��, Ontario Human Rights Commission (webinar).
- .
- Ontario Human Rights Commission鈥檚 (OHRC) action plan: .
Friday, October 10, 2025
| Date | Friday, October 10, 2025 |
| Length | Full Day |
| Topic | Faith Day |
| Entity Hosting | Schools and Catholic Education Centre (91pro视频 Office) |
| Presenter(s)/ Facilitator(s) | School Administrators and Educator Staff |
| Format | In-person |
Description
We continue to explore our Theological Theme 鈥�What does the Lord Require of You? Do Justice, Love Kindness, and to Walk Humbly with Your God.鈥� (Micah 6:8) During Year Four of this theme, we are focusing on God鈥檚 call to us to 鈥�walk humbly with the Divine鈥�. Each school and staff group will organize their day independently around prayers, liturgies, team-building activities, spiritual exercises and reflections that relate to this theme in the way they consider to best suit their staff, with packages prepared by Chaplaincy Leaders.
Resources
PA Day 鈥� November 28, 2025
ELEMENTARY
| Date | November 28th, 2025 |
| Length | Full Day |
| Entity Hosting | Schools |
| Presenter(s)/ Facilitator(s) | Teachers/School Administrators |
| Format | In-person |
Description
Parents and Teachers will meet to discuss the progress of each student in their classroom. Each parent will have received their child鈥檚 up to date Progress Report for reference.
SECONDARY
| Date: | November 28th, 2025 |
| Length: | Half-Day (Morning) |
| Topic AM: | Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom |
| Entity Hosting: | All staff report to their home school for the day |
| Presenter(s)/ Facilitator(s): | School Administrators and school-based teams |
| Format: | In person |
Description
Staff will continue their learning on Artificial Intelligence and the impact on the classroom. School Administrators and a team of educators will provide professional development on what AI is, updated HCDSB AI Guidelines, safe and effective use of AI tools, and how assessments should be designed to ensure students are best demonstrating their own knowledge and skills.
Sessions will be led by Principal (or designate) and a team of educators for the first part of the morning, then work in their department groups.
Staff will participate in sessions to learn more about AI tools and how they impact the classroom, including:
- 91pro视频-approved Tools (e.g., Microsoft CoPilot, Google Gemini)
- How to create effective AI prompts
- Catholic perspective on AI
- How AI impacts classroom assessments
| Date: | November 28th, 2025 |
| Length: | Half-Day (Afternoon) |
| Topic PM: | Student Achievement Planning |
| Entity Hosting: | All staff report to their home school for the day |
| Presenter(s)/ Facilitator(s): | School Administrators and school-based teams |
| Format: | In person |
Description
School teams will continue to work on their Student Achievement Plan (SAP), exploring student data and school climate data to improve student achievement and well-being. Equity and Inclusion will continue to be a foundation for the SAP, along with connections to other 91pro视频 Plans (e.g., MYSP, Anti-Bullying Plan, Anti-Black Racism Strategy). All staff have a collective responsibility to identify disparities in outcomes and eliminate systemic barriers ensuring that all students are successful. There is an expectation that all schools will review and include pertinent, disaggregated data (e.g., School Climate Survey, Student Census) when creating their Student Achievement Plan.
PA Day – January 26, 2026 (Elementary Only)
| Date | Monday, January 26, 2026 |
| Length | Full Day |
| Entity Hosting | Elementary Schools |
| Presenter(s)/ Facilitator(s) | Teachers/School Administrators |
| Format | Hybrid |
Description
Teachers will be completing Term 1 Report Cards as per OECTA Collective Agreement.
Resources
PA Day – January 30, 2026 (Secondary Only)
| Date | Friday, January 30, 2026 |
| Length | Full Day |
| Entity Hosting | Secondary Schools |
| Presenter(s)/ Facilitator(s) | Teachers/School Administrators |
| Format | In person |
Description
Teachers will be completing assessment and evaluation plans for the semester.
Teachers will be meeting with school administrators and as departments will focus on school and board priorities (e.g., Equity and Inclusion Policy, Safe Schools, STEAM, Assessment and Evaluation, Student Achievement Plan Goals and Monitoring, De-streaming, etc.)
Resources
PA Day 鈥� February 13, 2026
| Date | Friday, February 13, 2026 |
| Length | Full Day |
| Entity Hosting | All Schools |
| Presenter(s)/ Facilitator(s) | School Administrators and 91pro视频-based teams |
| Format | In person |
Description
AM: Elementary –聽Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom
Staff will continue their learning on Artificial Intelligence and the impact on the classroom. School Administrators and a team of educators will provide professional development on what AI is, updated HCDSB AI Guidelines, safe and effective use of AI tools, and how assessments should be designed to ensure students are best demonstrating their own knowledge and skills.
Sessions will be led by Principal (or designate) and a team of educators for the first part of the morning, then work in their department groups.
Staff will participate in sessions to learn more about AI tools and how they impact the classroom, including:
- 91pro视频-approved Tools (e.g., Microsoft CoPilot, Google Gemini)
- How to create effective AI prompts聽
- Catholic perspective on AI聽
- How AI impacts classroom assessments聽
AM Secondary: Integration of Artificial Intelligence
Staff will continue their learning on Artificial Intelligence and the impact on the classroom. School Administrators and a team of educators will provide professional development on how board-approved AI tools can be used to improve educator efficacy and student learning.
Sessions will be led by Principal (or designate) and a team of educators for the first part of the morning, then work in their department groups.
Staff will participate in sessions to learn AI integration in education including:
- Further exploration of 91pro视频-approved Tools (e.g., Microsoft CoPilot, Google Gemini)
- Catholic perspective on AI聽
- Safe and effective use of AI tools
PM: From Bias to Inclusion 鈥� Strategies for Countering Racism and Discrimination
All Staff will participate in a training session offered by Curriculum Services and the Office of Human Rights and Equity 鈥撀�From Bias to Inclusion: Strategies for Countering Racism and Discrimination.聽This session will equip participants to better understand different types of biases and the impact of biases on students and staff. Staff will also participate in practicing strategies for mitigating biases to foster inclusive learning and working environments.聽