From May 5 to 9, 2025, TDSB observes Children’s Mental Health Week, a time to reflect deeply and act intentionally on what it means to create mentally healthy spaces in our school communities—every day. 

This year’s theme, “Unmasking Mental Health”, invites us to dismantle the stigma surrounding mental health by centering wellness & positive mental health, as daily practices and prioritizing the voices of students in shaping supportive environments. This includes learning  to Reach out for help and support within and outside of school including affirming immediate mental health supports.

At the Toronto District School Board, we recognize that student voice is not only powerful, it is necessary. It is embedded throughout our Multi-Year Strategic Plan (MYSP) and our Mental Health and Addictions Strategy.

Students continue to guide and shape the way we understand and respond to mental health:

• For example, since 2021, over 350 secondary students have participated in our Focus on Youth Mental Health Leadership Program, led by TDSB’s Mental Health Leads, expressing their experiences and insights through poetry, art, painting, and spoken word—works of heart that are now preserved in our Virtual Museum.

This week is a reminder that supporting mental health is not a one-time event. It is found in the small, everyday actions—making time for a moment of calm, connecting with someone we trust, or reaching out for support when it is needed. Across our system, approximately 2,000 mental health programs are running in schools to meet the emerging needs of school communities.

• Did you know? 60 schools and over 200 students with Professional Support Services staff and school teams, are currently participating in the Mental Health Student Ambassador Program (MHSA) to co-lead over 400 wellness initiatives.

We also know that affirming students’ identities is a critical part of mental wellness. Access to inclusive and culturally responsive resources allows students to feel seen, valued, and supported. Through the Mental Health Toolkits created by PSS staff, we continue to bridge wellness from the classroom to the home—making care accessible and meaningful.

Let us carry the spirit of this week forward, with compassion, humility, and strength. Let’s continue unmasking mental health by building circles of care around our students, knowing where to go for help, and making mental wellness a shared, daily priority. For more resources, please visit the TDSB Mental Health and Well Being site.

If you have any questions and/or would like more information please email mentalhealthandwellbeing@tdsb.on.ca