Privacy & Access

To provide educational programs and services, support student learning and well-being, operate schools, and meet legal requirements, DSBN collects, uses, and, in some circumstances, discloses information about students. Ontario laws, including the Education Act, Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA), and Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA), authorize school boards to collect, use, and disclose personal information for these purposes and require school boards to protect student privacy.

Personal information is recorded information that identifies a student or could reasonably be used to identify a student.

Examples include:

• Students name, address, date of birth, and contact information;
• Student identification numbers, including the Ontario Education Number (OEN);
• Attendance, assessment, achievement, and report card information;
• Photographs, videos, recordings, or other identifying information;
• Information about supports, accomodations, programs, or services provided to a student; and
• Other information needed to support a student at school.

Personal information may also include personal health information, such as medical conditions, allergies, health concerns, medication information, safety plans, or other information needed to support a student at school.

DSBN collects and uses student information to:

• Provide educational programs, services, and supports;
• Support student learning, achievement, safety, and well-being;
• Maintain student records required by law;
• Communicate with parents/guardians and eligible students;
• Operate schools and board services; and
• Meet Ministry of Education and other legal requirements.

The Education Act requires schools to maintain an Ontario Student Record (OSR) for every student.

The OSR contains information about a student’s educational progress and follows the student if they transfer to another school in Ontario. DSBN manages student records in accordance with Ministry of Education requirements.

DSBN may use or disclose student information:

• With school and board staff who require the information to perform their duties;
• For the purpose for which it was collected or for a consistent educational purpose;
• When required or authorized by law;
• To respond to a court order, subpoena, or lawful investigation;
• To meet Ministry of Education reporting requirements;
• When necessary to protect health or safety;
• To fulfill child protection reporting obligations; or
• With consent, where consent is required by law.

Ontario law requires school staff to contact child protection services when there are reasonable grounds to believe that a child may be in need of protection.

See how we collect, use and disclose personal information to keep schools operating smoothly:

1. Student personal information such as home address, photo, life-threatening medical emergency information, accessibility and safety needs may be shared with Niagara Student Transportation Services, contracted bus company operators and bus drivers for the purpose of administering the board’s contracted bus program and for the safety of students.
2. Student information that is collected at registration as well as other data such as attendance, timetables, and achievement is stored in an electronic database called a Student Information System where DSBN staff can access the information they need to perform their duties and report to the Ministry of Education. To learn more about what information the Ministry of Education uses to improve educational outcomes across the province, see: https://www.ontario.ca/page/collection-and-use-education-information
3. Personal information such as a child’s name, birth date, grade, name of parent(s)/guardian(s), home address and phone numbers will be shared with the Niagara Region Public Health Unit in accordance with the Immunization of School Pupils Act and the Education Act. Communicable diseases (e.g., Measles, Tuberculosis) are reported and student contact information is shared for the purpose of contact tracing, in accordance with the Health Promotion and Protection Act and the Education Act.
4. Student medical health information provided by parent(s)/guardian(s) or adult students is used by school staff to address student medical needs, plan for medical emergencies at school or during school activities. Medical emergency plans for students with life-threatening medical conditions are posted in identified areas of the school for emergency response purposes.
5. In the event of an injury or other health emergency, student medical information will be turned over to emergency first responders as required. In compliance with PHIPA, Ontario Health Numbers will not be collected except for school trips outside of Ontario.  However, parent(s)/guardian(s)/adult students may wish to volunteer such information if they want us to keep it on file in the event that it can be used to facilitate medical services should the need arise.  However, this is purely optional.
6. Student accidents that take place during school or on a school-sponsored activity are reported to DSBN’s insurer. Reports include the name and contact information of the injured student and details of the incident as well as the name and contact information of witnesses to the incident.  DSBN’s insurer may share this information with its representatives, including insurance adjusters and legal counsel.
7. Phone numbers may be used by staff on telephone lists. Examples may include: emergency contact lists to connect with parent(s)/guardian(s) during emergencies (e.g., inclement weather); or safe arrival programs, to contact parent(s)/guardian(s) where a student is absent, and the parent(s)/guardian(s) has not notified the school of the absence;
8. The DSBN releases student information that is requested by the Ontario Ministry of Education and by the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) for their development, planning, and resource allocation.
9. School boards use third party service providers for many purposes. Sometimes, personal information is required by the service providers in order to fulfil their duties. For example, student names, school, and classroom designations may be required by school picture companies so that they can organize their photos and get the proofs back to individuals as well as prepare files for uploading student pictures into their profiles in the school board’s Student Information System. Student work may be stored on DSBN approved web app providers’ servers for the purposes of online student collaboration, creation and presentation. The DSBN endeavours to ensure that its third-party service providers securely destroy identifying information that we provide once its function is complete.  More information about the use of Digital Learning Tools at the DSBN is available. 
10. DSBN staff have access to student and parent(s)/guardian(s) contact information to request the return of overdue books.
11. School pictures are used for administrative and archival purposes, for student cards, in school yearbooks, on school class composites and are also offered to parent(s)/guardian(s) for purchase*. Examples of “administrative purposes” include: on severe allergy alerts posted in staff areas throughout schools, in student profiles in our electronic Student Information System, for supply teachers when they enter a classroom for the first time, by principals and vice-principals when they are dealing with incidents in and around the school.
    *parent(s)/guardian(s) are not required to purchase student photos and may opt out of receiving information and sample portraits of their child(ren) from school picture photographers by talking to their school principal.
12. Payment information (e.g., debit card or credit card information) shared by parent(s)/guardian(s) will only be used to process the payment expressly authorized and payment information is not retained once the payment has been processed.
13. DSBN releases student information to Niagara Regional Police and Family and Children Services Niagara (or other appropriate police services and/or child protection services) where required under the Education Act, its Regulations, Ministry of Educations policies and directives and the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017.

See how we collect, use and disclose personal information to meet the individual needs of all learners:

1. Information in the OSR and in the Student Information System is used by DSBN staff to support classroom teachers and early childhood educators to develop educational programs that best meet each student’s needs. Staff working with the classroom teacher or directly with the student may be from Special Education, Guidance, or Student Success to name a few.
2. In alignment with 21st century learning priorities, the DSBN provides students with access to approved platforms to facilitate learning. More information about the use of Digital Learning Tools at the DSBN is available.  Students may learn and collaborate synchronously in an online learning environment, when required, meaning all participants are online at the same time. To ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all that protects everyone’s privacy, it is important that all participants and their parent(s)/guardian(s) follow these guidelines:
   • Please avoid participating in spaces like bedrooms or sharing personal items/details that would not normally be shared with teachers and other students. We encourage our students and parent(s)/guardian(s) to book a private conversation with the teacher if concerns arise.
   • Please respect the privacy entitlements of our students and staff and refrain from recording audio or video or taking photos of the video conferencing without the prior written consent of all participants. Unauthorized recording or copying of video conferencing (including of learning materials) violates the privacy rights of others and potentially copyright laws.
   • Please be careful and not unintentionally walk into the range of your child’s webcam during video conferencing. Please note, from time to time, we do encounter exceptional circumstances where parent(s)/guardian(s) need to assist students with technology issues. Also, there may be unique learning needs and your individual circumstances can be navigated with the Principal.
3. Students, supported by teachers, may share or upload written and creative work as well as evidence of their learning when using digital platforms for learning, e.g., Google Workspace for Education, Microsoft 365, Brightspace etc.
4. Student learning profiles, assessment results and achievement levels are shared among DSBN staff within a school to best address student needs as they progress through grade levels. Similarly, student information is shared from elementary schools to secondary schools as students and teachers prepare for the transition from grade 8 to grade 9.  In turn, secondary schools share information and feedback about student progress back to elementary schools to support continuous improvement of the elementary school program.
5. Secondary schools will send information of potential graduates (contact information, marks and transcripts) to the application centres for Ontario colleges and universities to support the student’s postsecondary applications.
6. Teachers may record or photograph students as part of their educational program for the purpose of assessment and evaluation. These are sometimes shared with students and parent(s)/guardian(s) as appropriate. Sometimes teams of teachers share this evidence of student learning amongst themselves in order to improve instructional strategies.
7. School boards continually conduct research to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies and programs in an effort to continuously improve educational outcomes for all learners. What this means at the DSBN is that educators and administrators and superintendents will analyze different types of student data (e.g., test scores, marks, student census survey data, etc.) to understand and use the best available evidence to make decisions.
8. From time to time, the DSBN collaborates with university researchers and community partners to enhance the research potential within the school board. When student personal information is shared with university researchers and community partners so that they can assist with school board research, all identifiers are removed from the data (i.e., names, OENs) so that the data is anonymous. University researchers and community partners make use of the findings (e.g., patterns, trends, correlations) from the research by sharing it with the larger education community, and by contributing to education knowledge in journal publications, conference presentations and public reports.
9. Sometimes the Ministry of Education works with university partners and independent researchers to conduct research in Ontario schools to inform provincial education strategies. When this happens, parent(s)/guardian(s) are notified before any data is collected from students.
10. When research is conducted by external researchers (e.g., universities, graduate students working on university degrees, community agencies, and provincial agencies) for their own research purposes, parent(s)/guardian(s) will always be given the choice of whether to allow their child to participate.
11. First Nation, Inuit and Métis students are given an opportunity to voluntarily identify themselves. This data is used by the Ministry, by the Education Quality Accountability Office (EQAO) and in the school board for allocating program resources and supports. This is a Ministry of Education initiative designed to assess progress toward supporting Indigenous students to reach their full potential. Learn more.
12. In keeping with the requirements of the Education Act and the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA), parental/guardian consent will be sought prior to conducting intelligence or behavioural tests, or prior to the involvement of psychological or speech and language staff.
13. The DSBN acknowledges that the Health Care Consent Act (HCCA) affirms that consent to health-related treatment depends on mental capacity not age.  Prior to students accessing social work and/or child and youth work services, the DSBN will generally require parental/guardian consent for students under 16 years of age.  Health-related treatment of a social worker may be delivered to a student (who has the mental capacity to consent as set out in the HCCA) in the absence of parental/guardian consent in exigent circumstances.
14. As directed in the Anti-Racism Act (2017) and Ontario’s Education Equity Action Plan, all school boards collect identity-based data of students. From time to time, when the Ministry of Education requires, DSBN conducts a Student Census. This data is collected with parental/guardian consent and student assent.

See how we use personal information to create safe schools where students are valued, and their accomplishments celebrated:

1. Student work on paper, including student names, may be displayed in the classroom or in school hallways, and at the school board office. It may also be shared publicly at community events such as science fairs, writing/poster contests or similar events outside the school setting.
2. Photos or recordings of student accomplishments and activities may be shared with students and parent(s)/guardian(s) for the purpose of celebrating and memorializing the student’s accomplishments at school.
3. Class lists with student first names and last initial may be distributed to other parent(s)/guardian(s) for the purpose of addressing greeting cards or invitations in connection with holidays, birthday parties, etc.
4. Birthday congratulations may be announced over the PA system and/or in the classrooms.
5. School events and activities may be reported in school and school board newsletters and on school and school board websites and social media sites for our parent(s)/guardian(s) and communities. This may include non-identifying photos and news or, with parent/guardian permission, identifying information including photos, videos, and names.
6. Student names and/or photographs will be included in school yearbooks, class composites, school programs (e.g., commencement or graduation programs, school plays and musical productions), on student awards lists, honour rolls, on class assignment lists that are posted throughout the school at the beginning of the year/semester.
7. Surveillance equipment is sometimes used in schools to enhance the safety of students and staff, to protect property from theft or vandalism, and to aid in the identification of intruders or persons who endanger the health, well-being, or safety of school community members. Signs informing students and guests that surveillance cameras are in use are posted in the areas under surveillance.

See how personal information is used to equip students with digital knowledge and skills and to provide students with the best educational experience to maximize student achievement and well-being:

1. DSBN educators promote a safe, online workspace for students and offer students access to a variety of digital learning tools that are designed to support and enhance their learning. Student names, school, and classroom designations may be shared with DSBN approved third-party web application or online tool providers for the purpose of registration and authentication so that students have their own accounts to use the applications. Student work may be stored on DSBN approved third party servers for the purpose of on-line student collaboration, creation, and presentations. Students are taught safe online practices and how to be good digital citizens. Annually, the Digital Citizenship Agreement and Information Technology Consent will be sought from parent(s)/guardian(s). More information about the use of Digital Learning Tools at the DSBN is available.
2. Like the use and disclosure of student personal information on paper, digital personal information that students create (e.g., their work, their group projects, submissions to student discussion forums) sometimes goes beyond the classroom walls when using approved digital learning tools and is visible online within the school or throughout other schools across the school board. Annually, the Digital Citizenship Agreement and Information Technology Consent will be sought from parent(s)/guardian(s) will be sought for student personal information (e.g., their name attached to their written work, photos they take, videos and presentations they create) to appear on sites that are public, i.e., visible outside of the school board.
3. Students may participate in video conferencing via MS Teams to support the classroom program. Students may see and be seen, as well as speak with students from other DSBN schools, students in other countries, and subject area experts from around the globe.  We ask that parent(s)/guardian(s) exercise discretion and be respectful when monitoring/assisting with children’s participation in video conference learning.  Any video conferencing needs to be a safe and welcoming environment for all that protects everyone’s privacy.  So it is important that all participants and their parent(s)/guardian(s) follow these guidelines:
   • Please avoid participating in spaces like bedrooms or sharing personal items/details that would not normally be shared with teachers and other students. We encourage our students and parent(s)/guardian(s) to book a private conversation with the teacher if concerns arise.
   • Please respect the privacy entitlements of our students and staff and refrain from recording audio or video or taking photos of the video conferencing without the prior written consent of all participants. Unauthorized recording or copying of video conferencing (including of learning materials) violates the privacy rights of others and potentially copyright laws.
   • Please be careful and not unintentionally walk into the range of your child’s webcam during video conferencing. Please note, from time to time, we do encounter exceptional circumstances where parent(s)/guardian(s) need to assist students with technology issues. Also, there may be unique learning needs and your individual circumstances can be navigated with the Principal. 
     

See what media exposure to expect and how we protect student personal information:

1. DSBN is cautious about contributing to student digital “footprints” or information that students leave online. To that end, only anonymous student work and non-identifying photos of groups of students (without names) at events will appear on school board-related websites, in electronic newsletters and on social media. Identifying information such as photos of individuals, small groups in which faces are recognizable, and names will be posted only if there is parental/guardian consent on the registration form (paper-copy or online) or the annual verification form.
2. The media, such as newspapers, web-based news services, television and radio, may be invited to the school to take photos of students and write articles about newsworthy events or activities such as student achievements/awards, and current events. Their reports may include group photos of students. Individual students would only be photographed or identified with appropriate consent. This consent may be given on the registration form (paper-copy or online) or the annual verification form, or in the case of more in-depth media coverage, a separate consent form will be sent home to parent(s)/guardian(s) before the event.
3. Students participating in extra-curricular activities or school events that are open to the public or that take place in public places such as on field trips and fairs, may be photographed by the school community, news media or general public. This may result in photos or videos being posted on social media sites and in electronic or print news media sites. The school has no control over how and where these images will be posted. However, parent(s)/guardian(s) and students are asked to practice good digital citizenship by being respectful when they post photos of others, which means making sure they ask those they photograph/record for consent before posting. As set out in Policy G-08: DSBN Code of Code of Conduct, personal mobile devices may only be used during instruction time and only under the following circumstances:
   • for educational purposes, as directed by an educator
   • for health and medical purposes as outlined in a student’s Prevalent Medical Plan of Care
   • to support special education needs, as documented in the student’s IEP
4. Events inside the school, such as performances, awards assemblies, and commencement that are typically attended by family members are often photographed and video recorded by family members. We ask those in attendance to respect the privacy rights of all students and their families by getting consent before images and videos are shared or posted online.