Safety is an integral part of instructional planning and implementation. The Ontario Health and Physical Education elementary curriculum and secondary curriculum highlights the importance of:
- reviewing relevant provincial subject association safety guidelines and standards (e.g. addressing questions related to equipment, clothing and footwear, facilities, special rules and instructions, and supervision); and
- ensuring students have the knowledge and skills to participate safely in the activity.
OPASSE is designed to meet the requirements outlined above. To support school board/school staff working with OPASSE, Ophea provides two opportunities on the OPASSE website to ask questions and request updates, these include:
- Purpose: to provide an opportunity to seek answers and clarity about current safety standards.
- Process: if you have a question, it is important to seek input from the school principal/school board staff for answers. As each school board is responsible for setting out their own safety policy.
- If you still have questions, fill out the Ask Ophea form and a representative from Ophea will respond.
- Timelines: can be filled out at any time during the year.
Modify the Standards requests:
- Purpose: to provide an opportunity to seek a change to an existing activity and/or add a new activity.
- Process: complete the ‘Modify the Standards’ form and submit for consideration. All requests will be considered by Ophea’s Safety and Injury Prevention Advisory Committee during the following school year.
- Timelines: to be considered for the upcoming school year, ‘Modify the Standards’ forms are due no later than July 15th.