Welcome to the new Minister of Education

In a cabinet shuffle on June 13, Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne appointed Mitzie Hunter as the new Minister of Education. Ms Hunter was born in Jamaica and came to Canada in 1975, where she grew up in Scarborough and graduated with a BA and an MBA from the University of Toronto. She was previously the Associate Minister responsible for the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan in the Ministry of Finance.

Learn more about Minister Hunter.

Where have all the music teachers gone?

Arts education plays a vital role in student engagement, achievement, and well-being. It also helps students develop a range of skills and competencies—not just in creativity, but also in citizenship, social-emotional learning, and health.

People for Education research shows that in 2016:

• Province-wide, 43% of elementary schools have a music teacher, either full- or part-time, compared to 45% last year and 58% in 1998.
• There is a wide gap between urban and rural schools: Only 32% of elementary schools in rural/small-towns have music teachers, compared to 52% of schools in urban/suburban areas.

Read more.

Career-planning and beyond:
The expanding role of school guidance counsellors

In recent years, the role of the school guidance counsellor has expanded beyond the traditional role of providing education and career advice. Both in policy and practice, guidance counsellors are expected to provide support for students in a wide range of areas, including academic achievement, transition planning, career and life planning, and mental and social-emotional health.

In secondary schools, the average ratio is 381 students per guidance counsellor.

Read more.