SIMCOE MUSKOKA CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
Communications Team Wins National Award

The Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board's (SMCDSB) Communications team has been recognized nationally for excellence in school communications, earning an Award of Distinction from the Canadian Association of Communicators in Education (CACE). The honour was announced on October 18th at the 2025 BRAVO! Awards, where education communication professionals from across Canada gathered to celebrate exemplary work in public relations, marketing, and engagement across school districts. 

About the award-winning project: 

SMCDSB was recognized for its strategic, low-cost communications initiative that nearly doubled use of the Employee Family Assistance Program (EFAP) and reduced mental health-related absences.

The project addressed key barriers of the EFAP program, including lack of awareness, confusion, and stigma, by creating a custom, consistent EFAP brand and sharing information through regular digital communications.

Key Results and Impact:

• Utilization nearly doubled: EFAP usage rose from 4.95% to 8.42% and is tracking toward 9.69%, nearly double the engagement in just two years.

• Absences reduced: the campaign contributed to a 10% decrease in mental health-related staff absences, a significant achievement in the education sector.

• Family engagement soared: personal account registrations increased by 111%, while spouse utilization rose by an impressive 128%

• Cultural shift: the campaign successfully fostered a culture where staff openly refer one another to EFAP, normalizing mental health support.

"We are incredibly honoured to receive the CACE BRAVO! Award for a project that truly reflects our commitment to staff well-being," said Amanda Harrison, the board's Manager of Health and Wellness. "This campaign was a work of heart, proving that strategic, empathetic communications can break down barriers and create measurable, lasting impact for our staff and their families."

The strategic approach focused on promoting EFAP throughout the employee experience, from onboarding to crisis response, and on equipping school leaders with toolkits and resources to confidently advocate for the program to their staff.