GUELPH – The Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) has approved updates to its policies on workplace violence, concussions, and records and information management.
The policies were approved during a board meeting on May 27.
Workplace violence
The UGDSB’s policy on violence in the workplace is reviewed annually.
The policy outlines the board’s commitment to promoting “a learning and working environment in which all individuals treat each other with respect and dignity, and that is free from workplace violence, sexual violence, domestic violence and bullying occurring in the workplace.”
The most significant change made to the policy is specifying that it be administered by the superintendent of people, leadership and culture.
The older version of the policy stated it was administered by an “appropriate senior administer.”
Elsewhere in the document, the term senior administrators was replaced with executive committee, with regards to “Executive committee, managers and supervisors will create a respectful workplace, model behaviors that are expected of all workers and address issues that they become ware of, regardless of whether a complaint is made by a worker.”
The Ontario Human Rights Code and UGDSB collective agreements were added to the policy’s reference list.
Concussion
The UGDSB’s concussion policy was last updated in January, 2020.
In recent revisions, the policy name changed from just concussion to student concussion prevention, identification, and management.
The policy statement was rewritten and now reads, in part:
“Concussions can have a serious effect on a young, developing brain and proper recognition and response to concussion can prevent further injury and help with recovery.
“Children and adolescents are at risk for concussions during physical activity, including physical education classes, playground time and sports activities.
“To address this risk, the board is committed to promoting awareness of the signs and symptoms of a concussion and to the management of diagnosed concussions.”
The policy applies to all school employees, students, parents/guardians, coaches, team trainers, officials and volunteers and all school and board activities, both on and off board property.
“When a concussion is suspected, the board’s concussion protocol for removal of a student form activity shall be followed,” the policy states. “For students diagnosed with a concussion, schools shall ensure the boards return to learn and return to activity processes are followed.”
Everyone participating in board-sponsored inter school sports must confirm annually that they’ve reviewed the concussion code of conduct and concussion awareness resource, the policy states, and “the board shall ensure annual concussion training is provided to relevant board staff, and ensure that the training is accessible throughout the school year.”
The policy also notes that “the board shall collect, use and disclose only the relevant personal health and diagnostic information needed.”
Two other UGDSB policies and two provincial acts were added to the policy’s resource list.
Records, information management
The board’s policy on records and information management was last reviewed in June, 2020.
Recent revisions include updating the policy statement, new definitions and adding another UGDSB policy to the references.
According to a report about the revisions, “this policy establishes requirements for effective and efficient recorded information management across the UGDSB, and ensure compliance with applicable legislative, regulatory and accountability requirements.
“The board’s records and information management program ensures that all records and information received, created and maintained within all locations of the board are available as required for current and future access as evidence of the board’s functions and activities.”
The policy applies to “all formats of records and all persons and service providers working on behalf of the board,” the report continues.
The updates include stating the following guiding principals: accountability, transparency, integrity, protection, compliance, availability, retention and disposition.
