Trustee Update

James Li • Ward 13: Don Valley North
Toronto District School Board
416-395-8787 • James.Li@tdsb.on.ca
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Happy Holidays! 


What a year it has been!
When I sent holiday greetings to everyone last year and wished everyone well for the New Year, I never expected that we would experience the roller coaster ride we have been on. But we made it! From school shutdowns in March, to social distancing, to a challenging September school reopening, and to the fact that we have all had to get used to a new way to live our lives, I am humbled by how strong we are as a community. Although this pandemic is far from over, I have no doubt that we will overcome any and all future challenges, and come out the other side of this feeling strong and upbeat.  
Looking to the New Year, we are planning to hold a virtual ward meeting on January 14, 2021. The focus of the meeting will be on Student Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Our in-house guest speaker and expert on mental health, Shameen Sandhu, will discuss topics that are of interest to you and will address any questions you may have. School council chairs will be collecting your questions prior to the meeting. We ask that you please forward your questions and concerns to the school council chair at your school by December 16, 2020. To register for the meeting, please click on the link in the poster below. 
On behalf of the TDSB Board of Trustees, thank you for your continued support and partnership. Whether you are a parent, student, community member, or staff member, we are fortunate to have you as part of our community. I wish you all the very best for a wonderful holiday season full of memorable moments with those you love. 
Sincerely,
James
TDSB Approves 10-Year Planning Strategy
Trustees with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) have approved the Board’s Long-Term Program and Accommodation Strategy (LTPAS) for 2020-2029.
The strategy, which is aligned with the Board’s Multi-Year Strategic Plan, outlines program and student accommodation studies to be conducted over the next ten years, allows the TDSB to develop plans to balance enrolment and increase access to programs and opportunities for all students.
Click here for more information
Winter is Coming
The TDSB continues to do everything we can to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Daily self-assessments, regular hand washing, mask wearing and physical distancing are some of the most important things we can do. In addition, according to Toronto Public Health, increasing fresh air is an important strategy in our schools and classrooms.
Over the past few months, the TDSB has checked all mechanical HVAC systems to ensure they are operating as designed, increased the frequency of filter changes, adjusted systems to increase the amount of fresh air and reduce recirculation, added portable HEPA air filter units in classrooms where mechanical ventilation is not an option, and opened windows where possible.
As we head into the colder months of the year, open windows will continue to be an important step to increase fresh air in classrooms and schools. Toronto Public Health is recommending that windows in classrooms should be opened for a period of time, at different points of the day to introduce fresh air into the space and increase air flow. While heating systems will be turned up, we still expect that schools will be cooler than normal.
We recognize it is very much a balance between introducing more ventilation at various times during the day and maintaining a comfortable indoor air temperature in classrooms. Please keep this in mind as your child gets ready for school each day by considering an extra layer of clothing to ensure comfort throughout the day.
From time to time, it may be necessary to cancel student transportation, classes and/or programs because of severe weather. On rare occasions, severe weather makes it necessary to close schools, administrative offices or sites.
With approximately 246,000 students in 582 schools, any decision to cancel buses, classes and/or programs or to close sites can have a significant impact on thousands of families across Toronto. This decision is not taken lightly. When schools remain open on days with inclement weather, parents/guardians make the final decision on whether to send their children to school and they can keep children home from school if they so choose.
Click here for details on TDSB School & Bus Cancellation Procedures
Updates to Student COVID-19 Screening Procedures
Toronto Public Health announced on December 4 that it has updated its COVID-19 student screening tool to prevent further opportunities for virus spread
As part of this guidance, if a child has one or more new, or worsening COVID-19 symptoms, parents will now be required to:

1. Keep their child home.
2. Keep siblings and other children home, even if they do not have symptoms.
3. Arrange for the child to get tested or contact their health care provider.
4. Without testing, the child must stay home for 10 days.
5. Monitor the family for symptoms. Adults must stay home if they have one or more symptoms.

Click here for more information (Use Translation Tool on Top Right of Website of additional languages)
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