On December 18, 2025, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU), the Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB) and the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board (SMCDSB) signed an updated partnership agreement to harmonize public‑health service delivery across Simcoe‑Muskoka schools, affecting Barrie schools such as Innisdale Secondary School.
The signing was announced in joint releases and on board news feeds on Dec. 19, 2025. The agreement aims to ensure equitable delivery of programs covered under Ontario’s Public Health Standards — including mental health supports, dental screenings, immunization clinics and vaping education. It was signed by Dr. Lisa Simon, Acting Medical Officer of Health and CEO of SMDHU; Dawn Stephens, Director of Education for the SCDSB; and Kimberly Dixon, Director of Education for the SMCDSB.
Under the renewed framework, public health nurses and board staff will integrate curriculum‑linked health resources and share space, resources and information across schools over the coming school years. The agreement signals a move from informal cooperation to a more structured, policy‑driven approach to delivering public health programs in the school setting.
Innisdale Secondary School is identified in the announcement as a key site for SMDHU program implementation and already has smoking‑ and vaping‑related resources. The agreement highlights smoking/vaping supports and parental consent processes as areas of focus, though the partners did not specify detailed program changes or exact timelines in the public release.
This is the second formal tripartite agreement between the health unit and the boards (the first framework was established circa 2017–2018). The partnership builds on longstanding initiatives such as “Eat Well to Excel” and responds to post‑pandemic pressures on youth mental health and rising vaping rates by formalizing how schools and the health unit work together to support student well‑being.
