This section explains how the District School Board of Niagara (ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½) and your school use the personal information you provide to us.
(MFIPPA), the
(PHIPA) and the set guidelines that schools and school boards must follow when collecting, using and disclosing students’ personal information.
These Acts give school boards and schools the legal authority to collect personal information and personal health information (collectively referred to as personal information throughout this letter) for the purpose of planning and delivering educational programs and services which best meet students’ needs, for operating schools and for reporting to the as required. Accordingly, ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ collects the personal information and personal health information it needs to fully meet its obligations as a public school board.
What is personal information?
Personal Information - Any recorded information about an individual is considered personal when the individual can be identified. In other words, when information used alone or in combination with other information makes it possible for us to know who the individual is then the information is considered personal. For example, the information: grade 6, Level 3 in Language is not considered personal information because we have no idea who is being described. But the information: grade 6, Level 3 in Language, and (OEN) 123 456 789 is considered personal information because we can figure out the student’s identity using their OEN.
Personal information will also include a student’s medical health information, which is also known as personal health information. It includes any recorded information about an individual, if the information relates to the physical or mental health of an individual and includes such things as information about providing health care, eligibility for health care, an Ontario Health Number, and the name of an individual’s substitute decision-maker.
How do school boards and schools decide what information to collect or disclose?
The requires schools to maintain an Ontario Student Record (OSR) for each student. The OSR is a record of a student’s educational progress through school and follows students when they move between schools within Ontario. The sets out what information must go into the OSR and how it is to be managed. The ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ follows this guideline.
specifies how school boards and schools handle information. It states that personal information may be used or disclosed by ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½:
- In order for ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ employees to each have access to the specific information they need in order to perform their duties;
- only for the purpose for which it was collected or for a reason that is consistent with that purpose;
- to comply with a court order or subpoena or to aid in an investigation conducted by a law enforcement agency;
- to meet legislated requirements such as reporting to the Ministry of Education.
- with the consent of parent(s)/guardian(s), and students (if 18+ yrs. old or 16-17 yrs. old and have withdrawn from parental control) if the proposed use or disclosure of personal information does not fall under any of the above uses.
specifies how health care practitioners and health information custodians handle personal health information. It confirms rules for the collection, use and disclosure of personal health information that protects the confidentiality of the information while facilitating the effective provision of health care.
The (CYFSA) requires school boards to report to child protection services when there are reasonable grounds to suspect that a child is at risk.
What do boards and schools use personal information for?
School boards collect, generate, use, and disclose student personal information in many different ways for many different reasons. To help you understand how we routinely use student personal information, see below for some examples. We hope that these examples provide a better understanding of the ways in which the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ collects, uses, and discloses personal information to function as a school board.
Administrative Uses and Disclosures
See how we collect, use and disclose personal information to keep schools operating smoothly:
- Student personal information such as home address, photo, life-threatening medical emergency information, accessibility and safety needs may be shared with Niagara Student Transportation Services, contracted bus company operators and bus drivers for the purpose of administering the board’s contracted bus program and for the safety of students.
- Student information that is collected at registration as well as other data such as attendance, timetables, and achievement is stored in an electronic database called a Student Information System where ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ staff can access the information they need to perform their duties and report to the Ministry of Education. To learn more about what information the Ministry of Education uses to improve educational outcomes across the province, see:
- Personal information such as a child’s name, birth date, grade, name of parent(s)/guardian(s), home address and phone numbers will be shared with the Niagara Region Public Health Unit in accordance with and the . Communicable diseases (e.g., Measles, Tuberculosis) are reported and student contact information is shared for the purpose of contact tracing, in accordance with the and the .
- Student medical health information provided by parent(s)/guardian(s) or adult students is used by school staff to address student medical needs, plan for medical emergencies at school or during school activities. Medical emergency plans for students with life-threatening medical conditions are posted in identified areas of the school for emergency response purposes.
- In the event of an injury or other health emergency, student medical information will be turned over to emergency first responders as required. In compliance with , Ontario Health Numbers will not be collected except for school trips outside of Ontario. However, parent(s)/guardian(s)/adult students may wish to volunteer such information if they want us to keep it on file in the event that it can be used to facilitate medical services should the need arise. However, this is purely optional.
- Student accidents that take place during school or on a school-sponsored activity are reported to ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½’s insurer. Reports include the name and contact information of the injured student and details of the incident as well as the name and contact information of witnesses to the incident. ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½’s insurer may share this information with its representatives, including insurance adjusters and legal counsel.
- Phone numbers may be used by staff on telephone lists. Examples may include: emergency contact lists to connect with parent(s)/guardian(s) during emergencies (e.g., inclement weather); or safe arrival programs, to contact parent(s)/guardian(s) where a student is absent, and the parent(s)/guardian(s) has not notified the school of the absence;
- The ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ releases student information that is requested by the Ontario Ministry of Education and by the (EQAO) for their development, planning, and resource allocation.
- School boards use third party service providers for many purposes. Sometimes, personal information is required by the service providers in order to fulfil their duties. For example, student names, school, and classroom designations may be required by school picture companies so that they can organize their photos and get the proofs back to individuals as well as prepare files for uploading student pictures into their profiles in the school board’s Student Information System. Student work may be stored on ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ approved web app providers’ servers for the purposes of online student collaboration, creation and presentation. Anonymous student written work may also be submitted to “” to check originality and get feedback. The ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ endeavours to ensure that its third-party service providers securely destroy identifying information that we provide once its function is complete. More information about the use of Digital Learning Tools at the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ is available.
- ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ staff have access to student and parent(s)/guardian(s) contact information to request the return of overdue books.
- School pictures are used for administrative and archival purposes, for student cards, in school yearbooks, on school class composites and are also offered to parent(s)/guardian(s) for purchase*. Examples of “administrative purposes” include: on severe allergy alerts posted in staff areas throughout schools, in student profiles in our electronic Student Information System, for supply teachers when they enter a classroom for the first time, by principals and vice-principals when they are dealing with incidents in and around the school.
*parent(s)/guardian(s) are not required to purchase student photos and may opt out of receiving information and sample portraits of their child(ren) from school picture photographers by talking to their school principal.
- Payment information (e.g., debit card or credit card information) shared by parent(s)/guardian(s) will only be used to process the payment expressly authorized and payment information is not retained once the payment has been processed.
- ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ releases student information to Niagara Regional Police and Family and Children Services Niagara (or other appropriate police services and/or child protection services) where required under the , and the
Instructional Uses and Disclosures
See how we collect, use and disclose personal information to meet the individual needs of all learners:
- Information in the OSR and in the Student Information System is used by ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ staff to support classroom teachers and early childhood educators to develop educational programs that best meet each student’s needs. Staff working with the classroom teacher or directly with the student may be from Special Education, Guidance, or Student Success to name a few.
-
In alignment with 21st century learning priorities, the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ provides students with access to approved platforms to facilitate learning. More information about the use of Digital Learning Tools at the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ is available. Students may learn and collaborate synchronously in an online learning environment, when required, meaning all participants are online at the same time. To ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all that protects everyone’s privacy, it is important that all participants and their parent(s)/guardian(s) follow these guidelines:
- Please avoid participating in spaces like bedrooms or sharing personal items/details that would not normally be shared with teachers and other students. We encourage our students and parent(s)/guardian(s) to book a private conversation with the teacher if concerns arise.
- Please respect the privacy entitlements of our students and staff and refrain from recording audio or video or taking photos of the video conferencing without the prior written consent of all participants. Unauthorized recording or copying of video conferencing (including of learning materials) violates the privacy rights of others and potentially copyright laws.
- Please be careful and not unintentionally walk into the range of your child’s webcam during video conferencing. Please note, from time to time, we do encounter exceptional circumstances where parent(s)/guardian(s) need to assist students with technology issues. Also, there may be unique learning needs and your individual circumstances can be navigated with the Principal.
- Students, supported by teachers, may share or upload written and creative work as well as evidence of their learning when using digital platforms for learning, e.g., G Suite for Education, Microsoft 365, Brightspace etc.
- Student learning profiles, assessment results and achievement levels are shared among ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ staff within a school to best address student needs as they progress through grade levels. Similarly, student information is shared from elementary schools to secondary schools as students and teachers prepare for the transition from grade 8 to grade 9. In turn, secondary schools share information and feedback about student progress back to elementary schools to support continuous improvement of the elementary school program.
- Secondary schools will send information of potential graduates (contact information, marks and transcripts) to the application centres for Ontario colleges and universities to support the student’s postsecondary applications.
- Teachers may record or photograph students as part of their educational program for the purpose of assessment and evaluation. These are sometimes shared with students and parent(s)/guardian(s) as appropriate. Sometimes teams of teachers share this evidence of student learning amongst themselves in order to improve instructional strategies.
- School boards continually conduct research to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies and programs in an effort to continuously improve educational outcomes for all learners. What this means at the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ is that educators and administrators and superintendents will analyze different types of student data (e.g., test scores, marks, student census survey data, etc.) to understand and use the best available evidence to make decisions.
- From time to time, the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ collaborates with university researchers and community partners to enhance the research potential within the school board. When student personal information is shared with university researchers and community partners so that they can assist with school board research, all identifiers are removed from the data (i.e., names, OENs) so that the data is anonymous. University researchers and community partners make use of the findings (e.g., patterns, trends, correlations) from the research by sharing it with the larger education community, and by contributing to education knowledge in journal publications, conference presentations and public reports.
- Sometimes the Ministry of Education works with university partners and independent researchers to conduct research in Ontario schools to inform provincial education strategies. When this happens, parent(s)/guardian(s) are notified before any data is collected from students.
- When research is conducted by external researchers (e.g., universities, graduate students working on university degrees, community agencies, and provincial agencies) for their own research purposes, parent(s)/guardian(s) will always be given the choice of whether to allow their child to participate.
- First Nation, Inuit and Métis students are given an opportunity to voluntarily identify themselves. This data is used by the Ministry, by the Education Quality Accountability Office (EQAO) and in the school board for allocating program resources and supports. This is a Ministry of Education initiative designed to assess progress toward supporting Indigenous students to reach their full potential..
-
In keeping with the requirements of the and the (PHIPA), parental/guardian consent will be sought prior to conducting intelligence or behavioural tests, or prior to the involvement of psychological or speech and language staff.
- The ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ acknowledges that the Health Care Consent Act (HCCA) affirms that consent to health-related treatment depends on mental capacity not age. Prior to students accessing social work and/or child and youth work services, the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ will generally require parental/guardian consent for students under 16 years of age. Health-related treatment of a social worker may be delivered to a student (who has the mental capacity to consent as set out in the HCCA) in the absence of parental/guardian consent in exigent circumstances.
-
As directed in the and , all school boards collect identity-based data of students. In the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½, the Student Census was launched in 2021 and will continue in future dates. This data is collected with parental/guardian consent and student assent.
The Learning Environment Uses and Disclosures
See how we use personal information to create safe schools where students are valued, and their accomplishments celebrated:
- Student work on paper, including student names, may be displayed in the classroom or in school hallways, and at the school board office. It may also be shared publicly at community events such as science fairs, writing/poster contests or similar events outside the school setting.
- Photos or recordings of student accomplishments and activities may be shared with students and parent(s)/guardian(s) for the purpose of celebrating and memorializing the student’s accomplishments at school.
- Class lists with student first names and last initial may be distributed to other parent(s)/guardian(s) for the purpose of addressing greeting cards or invitations in connection with holidays, birthday parties, etc.
- Birthday congratulations may be announced over the PA system and/or in the classrooms.
- School events and activities may be reported in school and school board newsletters and on school and school board websites and social media sites for our parent(s)/guardian(s) and communities. This may include non-identifying photos and news or, with parent/guardian permission, identifying information including photos, videos, and names.
- Student names and/or photographs will be included in school yearbooks, class composites, school programs (e.g., commencement or graduation programs, school plays and musical productions), on student awards lists, honour rolls, on class assignment lists that are posted throughout the school at the beginning of the year/semester.
-
Surveillance equipment is sometimes used in schools to enhance the safety of students and staff, to protect property from theft or vandalism, and to aid in the identification of intruders or persons who endanger the health, well-being, or safety of school community members. Signs informing students and guests that surveillance cameras are in use are posted in the areas under surveillance.
Preparing for the Future with 21st Century Learning
See how personal information is used to equip students with digital knowledge and skills and to provide students with the best educational experience to maximize student achievement and well-being:
- ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ educators promote a safe, online workspace for students and offer students access to a variety of digital learning tools that are designed to support and enhance their learning. Student names, school, and classroom designations may be shared with ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ approved third-party web application or online tool providers for the purpose of registration and authentication so that students have their own accounts to use the applications. Student work may be stored on ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ approved third party servers for the purpose of on-line student collaboration, creation, and presentations. Students are taught safe online practices and how to be good digital citizens. Annually, the Digital Citizenship Agreement and Information Technology Consent will be sought from parent(s)/guardian(s). More information about the use of Digital Learning Tools at the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ is available.
- Like the use and disclosure of student personal information on paper, digital personal information that students create (e.g., their work, their group projects, submissions to student discussion forums) sometimes goes beyond the classroom walls when using approved digital learning tools and is visible online within the school or throughout other schools across the school board. Annually, the Digital Citizenship Agreement and Information Technology Consent will be sought from parent(s)/guardian(s) will be sought for student personal information (e.g., their name attached to their written work, photos they take, videos and presentations they create) to appear on sites that are public, i.e., visible outside of the school board.
- Students may participate in video conferencing via MS Teams to support the classroom program. Students may see and be seen, as well as speak with students from other ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ schools, students in other countries, and subject area experts from around the globe. We ask that parent(s)/guardian(s) exercise discretion and be respectful when monitoring/assisting with children’s participation in video conference learning. Any video conferencing needs to be a safe and welcoming environment for all that protects everyone’s privacy. So it is important that all participants and their parent(s)/guardian(s) follow these guidelines:
- Please avoid participating in spaces like bedrooms or sharing personal items/details that would not normally be shared with teachers and other students. We encourage our students and parent(s)/guardian(s) to book a private conversation with the teacher if concerns arise.
- Please respect the privacy entitlements of our students and staff and refrain from recording audio or video or taking photos of the video conferencing without the prior written consent of all participants. Unauthorized recording or copying of video conferencing (including of learning materials) violates the privacy rights of others and potentially copyright laws.
- Please be careful and not unintentionally walk into the range of your child’s webcam during video conferencing. Please note, from time to time, we do encounter exceptional circumstances where parent(s)/guardian(s) need to assist students with technology issues. Also, there may be unique learning needs and your individual circumstances can be navigated with the Principal.
Media Uses and Disclosures
If there are special circumstances that cause you concern over how the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ collects, uses and discloses personal information please ask your school principal about it. We will do our best to answer your questions, address your concerns and work out a reasonable alternative to satisfy your specific needs.