News and Blog

What Ontario’s School Boards Need to Know As Ontario’s school boards prepare for 2026, cybersecurity has emerged as a strategic priority. The threat landscape is evolving rapidly, with attackers leveraging AI, automation, and supply chain vulnerabilities to target schools. Below are the top 10 trends shaping the year ahead—and what…

The Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB) has emerged as a provincial leader in advancing digital literacy and cyber awareness, setting a model for school boards across Ontario. Anchored by its innovative Samaritans on the Digital Road program, the initiative provides educators with a comprehensive suite of lesson plans and communication…

After more than a year of consultation across Ontario’s education sector, ECNO is proud to launch its 2026–2028 Strategic Plan.   This plan reflects the voices of our members, partners, and leaders, and sets a bold direction for the future of educational technology in Ontario.  The development process included facilitated planning discussions with the Board of Directors, ECNO Advisory Committee (EAC)…

Some of Ontario’s most prominent women leaders in K-12 IT are joining forces to inspire the next generation of female technology professionals. Through the Women in IT Networking and STEM Education initiative, this accomplished group of school board IT leaders is hosting community sessions and mentorship opportunities designed to provide…

Cyber threats are not just IT issues—they pose significant risks to all levels and stakeholders of school boards. Recent incidents, including network disruptions and staff unknowingly surrendering passwords in phishing scams, underscore a critical message: building a pervasive cyber aware culture is now essential to protect students, staff, and school…

Cyberattacks on K–12 schools are rising fast, making cybersecurity a shared responsibility—not just an IT issue. Ontario’s school boards are urged to build a cyber aware culture where everyone, from directors to students, plays a role in protecting data and systems.  A cyber aware culture means staff and students are…

ECNO Executive Director Wayne Toms has announced his retirement effective December 31, 2025. Wayne shared his decision with the Board of Directors and ECNO members at the June Conference. This marks the close of a remarkable chapter in Wayne’s career—one that spans over four decades of dedicated service to education,…

The Unmistakable Need for TPRM in K-12 Education The digital transformation of Ontario’s K-12 education system is undeniable. School boards increasingly depend on a wide array of third-party vendors for everything from Student Information Systems (SIS) and Learning Management Systems (LMS) to specialized educational applications and cloud services. While this…

This year’s cybersecurity trends reflect the need for more focused cybersecurity programs that emphasize business continuity and collaborative risk management.  School Board leadership need to ensure that their Board IT and Cybersecurity strategies and practices enable value and double down on embedding organizational and human resilience. Boards need to build cybersecurity…

In an era where IT departments struggle to keep up with the rapid pace of technological change, participation is growing quickly in a new ECNO service that helps school boards navigate these changes.  In 2024, ECNO negotiated an enterprise subscription with Info-Tech Research Group, one of the world’s leading IT…