A week-long program to promote safe schools in its second year
Now in its second year, Violence and Bullying Prevention in Schools Week, an initiative created by the Quebec ministry of Education, underscored the shared responsibility to foster safe, caring school environments. From March 23 to 27, the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) marked the week with dynamic activities aimed at empowering students, equipping staff and strengthening school communities across its network.
The week began with a focus on professional learning. The EMSB Student Services department welcomed Dr. Dewey Cornell, who led a specialized training session for staff from 10 schools on the Comprehensive Behavior Threat Assessment. This evidence-based tool can be used by school teams in assessing and responding to student threats in a balanced and thoughtful way. The goal of the tool is to help those working in schools to neither overreact nor underreact but instead respond proportionately and proactively.
Midweek, the spotlight turned to student well-being. On Wednesday, James Lyng
High School, in collaboration with Student Services, hosted a Well-being Day. In the morning, students participated in workshops designed to increase awareness of mental health challenges and introduce practical coping strategies. In the afternoon, those same workshops were extended to students in several EMSB west-end high schools.
On Thursday, Westmount Park Elementary School hosted a livestream with Svens Telemaque, who spoke about the importance of fostering a positive school climate and how each individual can make a difference. His message underscored a central theme of the week: every voice and every action counts.
The week concluded on Friday with a photography showcase organized in collaboration with LOVE (Québec), a program which supports vulnerable youth through photography and other arts-based activities. Selected students who had participated in LOVE workshops over the past few years presented artwork centered on kindness, inclusivity and anti-bullying.
As a bonus, on March 30, Rosemount High School, alongside Student Services and the East Island Network for English Language Services (REISA), hosted the East End Well-being Fair, further extending the week’s impact and commitment to nurturing safe, compassionate learning environments for all. The fair’s mandate was to increase the coping strategies of student participants.
Together, these initiatives reflected the EMSB’s strong commitment to fostering safe and supportive school communities. Violence and Bullying Prevention in Schools Week was not only a series of events, but also a continued promise to ensure every student feels valued, heard and protected, throughout the week and beyond.
Victoria Della Cioppa is project development officer, School Climate and Violence Prevention, with the Student Services department of the English Montreal School Board.
