As you prepare for the end of the school year it is important for educators, intramural supervisors, coaches, and school administrators to dedicate time reflecting on experiences from the past year to strengthen student safety, inclusion, and participation for the next school year. Applying key learnings helps inform planning, update safety practices, and integrate the Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education (OPASSE) standards to create a safer and more inclusive physical activity opportunities for students.
Practical Tips
Safe Participation and Inclusion
Reflect: Consider how students engaged in physical activity throughout different units and lessons. Were students able to participate safely and meaningfully? Were there any barriers that might have impacted participation, or engagement, or inclusion?
Going Forward: Document effective approaches, plan accommodations, and different instructional strategies to further support inclusion next year.
Safety Practices and Incidents
Reflect: Were OPASSE standards consistently applied to the physical activities you were involved in? Did any incidents occur, and what lessons were learned?
Going Forward: Identify the physical and emotional safety strategies that worked well, address gaps, and plan adjustments to strengthen safe, inclusive, and supportive student participation next year.
Equipment and Facilities
Reflect: Inspect the condition and useability of equipment and facilities used this year. Were there any safety or accessibility issues?
Going Forward: Make a plan to repair/replace equipment and dispose of all unsafe equipment and ensure all facilities that will be used support safe and inclusive participation next year.
Gather Feedback from Students and Staff
Reflect: Collect insights from students, school staff, and supervisors about safety, engagement, and participation. What worked well? Where could safety, inclusion, or accessibility be improved?
Going Forward: Use feedback to inform planning activities and implementing safety strategies next year.
How to Stay Informed of OPASSE Updates
Visit the OPASSE website to check for updates and revisions to the safety standards:
Yearly changes (Summary of Revisions to OPASSE) are communicated to school boards and posted on the OPASSE website in mid-August.
In-year changes (as they occur) are communicated to school board safety leads and posted at the top of the OPASSE website using a banner notification website feature.