April 8, 2026

Elementary Summer School 2026

Sankofa Collective - Literacy, Culture, and Community

Gary Allan Learning Centres is seeking qualified applicants to supervise, teach and evaluate students enrolled in Elementary Summer School.

Program Description:

The Sankofa Collective: Literacy, Culture, and Community is a 2-week summer program designed for students transitioning from Grade 8 to Grade 9 in the HDSB. It provides an engaging head start on high school by focusing on English literacy skills in reading and writing. As preparation for the Ontario Grade 9 English program, and to build literacy skills for success across the secondary curriculum, the program is designed to help students strengthen essential reading comprehension and writing strategies as well as affirm identity and build community.

Dates & Times - In Person:

• Session 1:

June 29 - July 9 - 8:45 am - 12:15 pm (class time 9 am - 12 noon)

Location: Elsie McGill Secondary School

• Session 2:

July 13 - 23 - 8:45 am - 12:15 pm (class time 9 am - 12 noon)

Location: Garth Webb Secondary School

An Afrocentric and culturally responsive approach is woven throughout, meaning lessons connect with students’ cultural backgrounds (especially African and Afro-Caribbean perspectives) and real-life experiences. Students will learn in a supportive environment that celebrates diversity, builds confidence, and sets them up for success in high school.

Program Highlights:

• Culturally Responsive & Afrocentric Learning: The curriculum draws on African-centered knowledge and perspectives to create a rich, diverse educational experience
• Students explore literature and media that reflect Black history and cultures, allowing them to see themselves and their heritage in the learning. This approach increases engagement and instills pride in cultural identity while welcoming learners of all backgrounds.
• Focused Literacy Development: Daily lessons emphasize reading and writing skill development. Students practice reading a variety of texts (informational articles, graphic texts, narratives) and work on writing clear responses and creative pieces. They hone skills like finding main ideas, building vocabulary, and understanding text structures in fun and interactive ways
• Tiered Support for All Levels: The program uses tiered literacy instruction, aligned with the ENL1W curriculum. Tiered instruction embeds small-group activities, one-on-one coaching, and a tailored approach to learning. This personalized approach helps every learner grow in skills and confidence.
• Experiential Learning & Community Engagement: Learning goes beyond the classroom.
• Hands-on activities, projects, and field trips make literacy come alive. Students might keep journals about a nature walk, create a small community newsletter, or interview local community leaders as a writing project. These real-world experiences make learning meaningful and memorable, keeping students engaged and active.
• In addition, the program integrates community service opportunities so students can earn volunteer hours towards the 40 hours needed for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).
• Student Empowerment: Above all, the program aims to empower students as they make the big leap into high school. Through culturally responsive teaching, students are encouraged to share their stories, express their ideas, and celebrate their identities. The supportive atmosphere helps build self-esteem and leadership skills. By the end of the four weeks, students not only develop improved literacy skills, but also gain a sense of ownership over their learning and pride in their accomplishments.
• The program will be facilitated by an OCT secondary school teacher in partnership with a graduation coach for Black students. Applicants with strong experience in literacy intervention, African-centred knowledge base, and intersecting identities with the focus of the course are encouraged to apply.

Rate of Pay

• $61.50 per hour (includes vacation and statutory holiday pay)

Offers of employment are ongoing through to mid-June, based on course enrolment.

• All positions are subject to Board budget approval and enrolment

Please apply only to vacancies you are qualified to teach as listed on your OCT certificate.

If you have problems logging into your Apply to Education Account, please contact Apply to Education directly at 1-877-900-5627. For all other inquiries, please contact oliveirae@hdsb.ca.

We thank all applicants for their interest in opportunities with the Halton District School Board. Contact will be made with applicants whose experience and qualifications most closely match the requirements of the position. Communication with short-listed applicants will ordinarily be made through email addresses provided on applicants' Apply To Education profile page or through applicants' HDSB email addresses. Please ensure that contact information provided at the time of application is current.

First consideration for posted vacancies will be given to qualified applicants from the employee group in which the vacancy occurs.

Applicant Self Identification Questions:

As part of the recruitment and selection function, the HDSB will collect voluntary self identification data from applicants in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code, HDSB's Teacher Hiring Practices Administrative Procedure, and Ontario's Anti Racism Data Standards:

Personal information on this form is collected under the authority of the Anti-Racism Act, 2017, S.O. 2017, c. 15, in compliance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.56. In accordance with HDSB's Employment Equity Policy, personal information collected on this form will aim to achieve an inclusive, diverse and representative workforce. It works to intentionally identify and remove barriers for equity-deserving communities at each stage of the hiring process. Encouraging diversity of the workforce in the school board is vital because the workforce should be reflective and representative of the community.

*Although hiring policies must adhere to the qualification requirements set out in applicable Regulations (eg. Regulation 298, “Operation of Schools – General”)*and any applicable collective agreement provisions, the Board recognizes the importance of the following when developing its selection and evaluation criteria:

• valuing applicants' additional experience, lived experience, skills, backgrounds and perspectives;

• granting first consideration, where the skills, ability, and qualifications of the applicants are relatively equal, to applicants who self-identify as members of historically under-represented communities.

We encourage you to complete our voluntary applicant self-identification questions. This data will inform our understanding of the diversity of our applicant pool as well as the progress of applicants throughout the hiring process. This data will inform our goals, strategies and actions and our progress towards creating and sustaining an equitable workforce. Be advised that any information that you provide in response to these questions may be referred to during the hiring process for this position, and may be shared with the hiring manager and/or committee members responsible for the hiring process.

The section includes questions from Ontario's Anti-Racism Data Standards (Standards, 2017). The Standards were established to help identify and monitor systemic racism and racial disparities within the public sector. The Standards establish consistent, effective practices for producing reliable information to support evidence-based decision-making and public accountability to help eliminate systemic racism and promote racial equity (adapted from Ontario's Anti-Racism Data Standards, 2017).

Questions about this collection may be directed to Dixon Mohammed, mohammedd@hdsb.ca.

Accommodation:

Upon request, we will provide reasonable accommodations for candidates who have temporary or permanent disability, or who otherwise require accommodations based on the protected grounds highlighted in the Ontario Human Rights Code in respect to the recruitment and selection process.

Wellness:

The HDSB is committed to providing a respectful and healthy work environment.