Setting up your account
First time signing in? Here is the whole process, start to finish. The demonstration below runs by itself — you can pause it, step through it one screen at a time, or just read the written steps underneath.
The same thing, in words
Every step above, written out.
- Choose “Activate Account” on the sign-in screen.
- Enter your email and your OECTA number. Use the email address the office has on file for you. If you are not sure which one that is, try your personal address first.
- If you entered a school-board address (
@hwcdsb.ca), you will be asked for a personal one instead. This is deliberate — see below. - Enter the 6-digit code we email you. It expires after 10 minutes. If it does not arrive within a minute or two, check your junk folder, then choose “send a new code”.
- Choose a password — at least 8 characters, with a number, an uppercase letter and a lowercase letter.
- Done. From then on you sign in with that personal address.
Why we ask for a personal email
Your school-board account belongs to the board — it can be closed when you change schools or
take a leave, and board IT can read it. OECTA-HW needs an address that stays yours, so
we can always reach you, and what we send stays private.
You can still give the office your board address as a way to reach you at work. It just cannot be the address you sign in with.
If you see one of these messages
Find the wording you are seeing on screen.
| On screen | What to do |
|---|---|
| “Please enter both Email and OECTA Number.” | One of the two boxes is empty. |
| “We couldn't verify those details” | The email and OECTA number don't match a member file. Check both — especially the email, which must be the one the office has for you. If both are right, contact the office. |
| “Check these details” | We could not find you. Usually a typo in the email. Correct it and try again, or choose “These are correct — ask the office” to send a request. |
| “You already have an account” | You are already set up under a personal address. Sign in with that one, or use “Forgot password”. |
| “That is a school-board address. Please use a personal one.” | Enter a personal address — Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, or similar. |
| “That address is already attached to another OECTA-HW account.” | That email is in use. Try signing in with it, or contact the office. |
| “We cannot deliver mail to that address.” | The address was rejected as undeliverable. Check the spelling, or use another. |
| “That code is not right.” | Re-type it from the email. You have a limited number of attempts before you need a fresh code. |
| “That code has expired.” / “Too many incorrect attempts.” / “That code has already been used.” | Choose “send a new code” and use the newest email — codes are single use. |
| “Too many attempts.” / “Too many code requests.” | A safety limit. Wait an hour and try again. |
| “No longer use that address?” | Not an error — a link. Choose it if you can no longer receive mail at the address we hold, and the office will set you up by hand. |
Still stuck?
The unit office can set your account up for you.