Every student experiences belonging, connection, and well-being through equitable access to caring relationships, responsive and identity-affirming supports, and meaningful opportunities to thrive.

Mental health and well-being are foundational to student learning, achievement, engagement, and success. We are committed to creating learning environments where students feel connected, supported, and valued, and where staff, families, Indigenous partners, community organizations, and schools work together to promote positive mental health, respond early to concerns, and ensure equitable access to support.

Building on our established Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), we will continue to strengthen a comprehensive continuum of mental health promotion, prevention, early intervention, and pathways to care. Through evidence-informed practices and collaborative partnerships, we are committed to ensuring that all students have access to the right level of support at the right time, in ways that are responsive to their strengths, identities, and individual needs.

Mental health and well-being are foundational to student learning, achievement, belonging, and success. Schools play an important role in promoting positive mental health, strengthening resilience, supporting early identification, and connecting students and families to appropriate services and supports.

Students experience well-being when they feel connected, valued, respected, and supported. Through strong relationships, identity-affirming environments, collaborative partnerships, and equitable access to support, we can help all students thrive.

This strategy aligns with the UGDSB's Strategic Plan, and the Ministry of Education's requirements outlined in Policy/Program Memorandum 169 (PPM 169).

This strategy was informed by engagement with members of our school community, including students, caregivers, staff, administrators, system leaders, Indigenous Education, Human Rights Equity & Accessibility leadership, and community partners. Feedback was gathered through surveys, consultations, conversations, and collaborative planning processes conducted during the 2025–2026 school year. The themes identified through engagement directly informed the priorities and actions outlined in this strategy.

We are grateful to all who contributed their perspectives, experiences, and expertise throughout this process. The development of this strategy was strengthened through dedicated engagement with Indigenous Education and Human Rights, Equity & Accessibility leadership, whose perspectives significantly informed the approach to identity-affirming, culturally responsive, and Indigenous-informed mental health and well-being practices.

The strategy was also informed by multiple sources of qualitative and quantitative data, including the Well-being and Health Youth (WHY) Survey Spring 2026, School Mental Health Ontario's HereNow Ontario (2024) report, recommendations from the UGDSB Human Rights Report 2026, the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS), the Early Development Instrument (EDI), and UGDSB mental health service data.

Themes from students, families, staff, and partners:

Feedback highlighted the importance of consistent, caring relationships, easier pathways to support, and approaches that reflect the identities, strengths, and lived experiences of students and families.

• Relationships and belonging matter:

  Students thrive when they are known, welcomed, and connected to caring adults and peers.

• Understanding and navigating available supports can be complex:

  Families and staff want mental health supports to be easier to understand, navigate, and access.

• Mental health promotion and early intervention matter:

  Proactive learning, skill-building, and early support help needs be addressed sooner.

• Identity-affirming and culturally responsive supports are essential:

  Support must honour each student's identity, culture, strengths, and experiences.

• Students, families, and community partners want meaningful engagement:

  Ongoing voice and collaboration help shape responsive, trusted solutions.

• Student-Centred

• Relationship-Based

• Equity-Focused & Identity-Affirming

• Indigenous-Informed & Co-Developed

• Collaborative & Community-Connected

• Evidence-Informed & Responsive

Each priority links to a deeper page with goals, actions, and measures of progress for the three-year strategy.