New Support Offices for Students and Families Open in Ontario

Families and caregivers of students in Hamilton now have new support offices available to assist them with any issues they might face within the education system.

On Tuesday, the province announced that Student and Family Support Offices are officially open at all 72 school boards across Ontario, which includes the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board, and French-language school boards.

This initiative was first introduced by the province last fall after five school boards were put under provincial control due to claims of mismanagement, requiring them to establish support offices by January 2026.

Ontario Education Minister Paul Calandra visited Hamilton on Tuesday to reveal the expansion across the province, stating that these offices aim to provide parents and caregivers with a clear direction when their concerns cannot be addressed at the school level.

“We know there are going to be times when parents have questions and concerns,” Calandra said at the Tuesday news conference. “Most of these can and should be resolved with the teacher or principal.”

However, for more complicated matters, he emphasized that parents shouldn’t have to spend weeks figuring out who should handle their issues.

Calandra mentioned that these offices have already been functioning in eight school boards under provincial supervision, where 95 percent of family inquiries were acknowledged within two business days according to government reports.

Ontario Minister of Education Paul Calandra speaking at the Nicholas Mancini Centre in Hamilton, Ont,. on Sept 1. (Jeffery Tram/CBC)

Nearly 90 percent of those inquiries received a response within five business days or were given an estimated date for a response, as reported by the province.

The offices aren’t meant to replace existing processes at schools but rather organize and streamline them, Calandra explained.

“It gives us another tool to identify whether there may be a broader problem and determine what we can do next to address it,” Calandra said.

He noted that school board staff and superintendents often did similar work before; however, these new offices provide families with a specific point of contact while creating a system for tracking their concerns.

“We are making sure every parent has a clear way to raise concerns, get answers, and access the support that they need,” Calandra said.

‘Connecting the parent to the right answers’

Adele Filice is leading the new office at the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board as Superintendent of Education. She describes it as “an additional pathway for students and families to access guidance and support.”

“I look forward to working alongside our families, school communities and staff as we continue to foster caring and inclusive Catholic learning environments that promote the well-being, achievement and success of every learner,” Filice said.

The board’s office offers families a phone number, email address, and online form for raising concerns.

David Hansen, CEO and chief education officer of the Catholic board stated that this office will likely follow similar procedures already established by the board.

“Parents have questions. They come into sometimes the superintendent’s office and then it’s up to superintendent figure out where does that need go?” Hansen said in an interview with CBC Hamilton.

“Really it’s about connecting the parent to right answers.”

The board’s office was set up over summer break is currently operational now.

This announcement comes just as students prepare for their return next week.

Around 30 thousand students are expected back at Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic schools while teachers along with other staff members return this week readying for start of new academic year. Additionally approximately fifty-two thousand students will head back into classrooms under Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board.

“We’re looking forward it,” Hansen concluded.

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