WCBS Preliminary Report

Limestone Learning Foundation
Image of WCBS graphic

The Limestone District School Board is committed to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion for all staff and students. We recognize that the lived experiences of our staff and students contribute to the diversity of ideas and perspectives which in turn enriches our teaching, learning, and working environments.  

 

To better understand the current workforce and workplaces in Limestone, the board conducted its first-ever workforce census in April 2022.
 

The voluntary, anonymous, and confidential See Yourself in Limestone Workforce Census and Belonging Survey (WCBS) asked questions about identity that included languages, gender, sexual orientation, religion/creed/faith, ethnicity, race, nationality, disability and socioeconomics, education, job status, role, and questions relating to opportunities, sense of belonging, safety and well-being were also included.  

 

Survey questions were developed in consultation with stakeholders, including senior staff, federations, unions, association partners, staff affinity networks and LDSB Research, LDSB Equity, and LDSB Indigenous Teams. Additionally, this work was supported by KEYS through the Workplace Inclusion Charter partnership. 

 

The response rate for LDSB staff was 58%, which is a good outcome for a first survey of this nature. More work and consultation are needed to understand the relationships between this data.  

 

The information gathered will inform and foster the development and implementation of strategies aimed at identifying and eliminating gaps and barriers, increasing employee sense of belonging, and creating a more inclusive workplace where everyone sees themselves in Limestone.

The responses collected from the WCBS will complement the data collected from the See Yourself in Limestone Student Census and allow the board to offer meaningful, contextually appropriate support to students, families, and staff, that meet local needs. Student and staff voice also matters and are critical on the path forward to increasing a sense of belonging and creating a more inclusive and equitable school board.

Schools need to be places where students, educators, and other staff members value diversity, respect each other, and see themselves reflected. We acknowledge that there are gaps in equity, inclusion, accessibility, and opportunity within Limestone. There are new initiatives underway at LDSB aimed at strengthening and promoting human rights, equity, and inclusion, such as the creation of the Community Equity Advisory Committee, staff affinity networks, and the creation of the new human rights complaints procedures.

EPOC Agenda March 8 2023.pdf pages 2 - 13 

The Limestone District School Board is situated on traditional territories of the Anishinaabe & Haudenosaunee.