We Want to Hear from You!

September 20, 2024 – District School Board of Niagara is committed to providing the very best learning environments so that all students can achieve personal excellence. To help with this work, we are excited to announce the upcoming launch of our Student Census Survey.

The Census findings will assist our Board and schools to:

• better understand student populations and school communities
• identify and eliminate barriers to student success, inclusion and well-being
• establish effective programs and reallocate resources to where they are needed most
  

From September 23 to October 4, students in Grades 7 to 12 will be invited to complete the Student Census Survey during class. The survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete with administration supported by school staff. Parents/guardians of students in Kindergarten to Grade 6 will be invited to complete the Student Census Survey on behalf of their child(ren).

The Student Census Survey is confidential but not anonymous. All collected responses will be stored in a secure, confidential database and will only be accessed by authorized staff to identify and summarize trends among DSBN students. DSBN is working with Ontario Education Services Corporation (OESC), a research company, that will assist staff in the data analysis. They will report on group level data only, ensuring information about individual students will not be seen by anyone. 

The DSBN is committed to the highest levels of privacy and confidentiality in collecting information about students and follows all privacy requirements outlined in the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA).

Participation in the Student Census Survey is voluntary. Parents/guardians who do not want their child(ren) to participate in the Board-wide Survey can choose to skip questions or opt-out entirely.  

“Our goal is to have fulsome participation,” said Darren VanHooydonk, Superintendent of Student Achievement and Well-Being. “The more responses we receive, the richer and more reliable the information will be for school improvement and program planning. By gathering this data, DSBN can improve student experiences and continue to embrace and appreciate the values, identities and lived experiences of all students.”

For more information on the Student Census Survey, including Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), please visit https://www.dsbn.org/student-census.

For more information:

Milica Petkovic, Public Relations Manager
District School Board of Niagara
Cell: 289-219-4302 | Email: milica.petkovic@dsbn.org