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| Shelley Laskin, Trustee
Toronto District School Board
Ward 8: Eglinton-Lawrence & Toronto-St Paul's
416-395-8787
Shelley.Laskin@tdsb.on.ca
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In this Issue -- Celebrate Pride
- Italian Heritage Month
- Portuguese-Speaking Heritage Month
- TDSB 2023-24 Budget
- Committee Meeting This Week
- Ministry of Education – Enhanced Student Safety Funding
- Learning Supports for Schools for the 2023-24 School Yea
- Working at the TDSB
- Summer 2023 Well-Being Guide
- New Invitations - 2023-24 Budget Town Halls – June 7; Is your Student Vaping? – June 6
- Worth Repeating - Budget Ward Forum – June 5; Learn4Life; Census 2023; More Joy; Credit Summer Programs; Useful Links; Respect the Rules - No Dogs Allowed on School Grounds; School Year Calendar 2022-23; Approved 2023-2024 Calendar - Secondary School Year Calendar for 2023-2024; Community Safety & Support
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Celebrate Pride
Flags are flying proudly at all TDSB schools and administration sites.
Please join the TDSB contingent as we march in the Pride Parade on Sunday, June 25th. Stay tuned for more details!
As we gathered at the Pride Flag raising today, I reflected on action and hope: action to ensure we prevent bullying and to ensure 2SLGBTQiA+ communities are respected, and hope that all students know they matter and belong. Happy Pride, everyone. - Director Colleen Russell-Rawlins. Find out more here.
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Italian Heritage Month
To commemorate the 90th Anniversary of the Christie Pits Riot, the Toronto District School Board Jewish Heritage Committee and Italian Heritage Committee have gathered daily quotes from notable individuals. These quotes demonstrate the effects of the riots on our Canadian history that we remember today and always.
In addition to commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Christie Pits riot, the Italian Heritage Month planning committee has planned several virtual opportunities to celebrate the Italian heritage. One is honouring our Italian seniors. Maintaining Italian traditions and customs from generation to generation are very important and our elderly members within our families and communities are the key to preserving the vibrant culture of the Italian heritage. As part of Italian Heritage month, we also celebrate Seniors Month and have launched an activity for students from various Toronto District School Boards, to draw and write a message on a postcard that features a white lily, the national flower of Italy. These postcards will be distributed to the residents of Villa Colombo Home for the Aged during the month of June. Please follow Italian Heritage Month @ItalianHer1.
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Portuguese-Speaking Heritage Month
Portuguese-Speaking Heritage Month is proudly recognized during the month of June at the TDSB and has been since 2011. The Province of Ontario passed the Celebration of Portuguese Heritage Act in 2001. This year our theme is Alegria / Joy!
In invitation is being extended to attend the annual Portuguese Parade taking place on Saturday, June 10th! This vibrant and colourful parade brings the Portuguese-speaking community together and experience traditional music, dance, and food! All are welcome to join the fun and celebrate Luis de Camoes, poet and writer of Portuguese heritage who is regarded as a national literary icon. All wishing to participate in the parade are asked to meet at 9:30 am on Lansdowne between Bloor and College where we will then proceed to walk towards the parade designated area (see flyer for details of route).
Throughout the month of June, various educational opportunities are planned for students and staff to further learn about Portuguese-speaking heritage. Results from the Poster Contest and Literacy Arts Contest will be posted in the weeks ahead. Please follow us on Twitter @TDSB_PSHM.
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TDSB 2023-24 Budget
Boards are required to submit a balanced budget per section 231 of the Education Act: Under the regulation, the Board can have a deficit of 1% (up to max of reserve balance) without requiring permission from the Ministry. 1% is approximately $28 million. However, the Board had a 1.4% deficit in 2022-23 and required approval from the Ministry for the deficit. As part of the approval, the Board provided a 3-year deficit recovery plan. 2023-24 is year 2 of the 3 year plan that committed to a $15.1 million deficit in 2023-24.
We are currently part way through year's budget process. Right now for 2023-24 we have projected a deficit of $53.7M (includes $52.3 million presented on May 23 plus an additional $1.4 million related to the addition of 10.0 Elementary Vice Principals bringing the total to 20 FTE VPs added back). Staff presented $32.6M of options from the May 23 Report leaving an updated projected deficit of $21.1M (remember we need to get to $15.1M)
We did receive some good news following our advocacy letter of May 2) requesting an increase in Special Incidence Portion (SIP) of the Special Education Allocation. The SIP is a claims-based allocation school boards may apply for on behalf of students who require more than two full-time equivalent board-paid staff providing intensive support for the health and/or safety of the applicant student, other students and/or staff. The deadline for the application is usually in December of the school year and the supports must already be in place when submitting a claim. The Ministry has agreed to extend the deadline for TDSB to ensure that all eligible claims are submitted. The estimate of the additional funding to be received is minimum $5 million (could be more...).
Staff reported that we have been approached by a neighbouring school board to provide remote learning for secondary students on their behalf. As you know the TDSB is providing remote learning for students in 2023-24 per the Ministry memo related to the GSN. "For students who wish to enroll in remote learning, school boards may offer remote learning instruction directly, they may partner with another school board to provide remote learning instruction on their behalf, or they may work with other school boards to deliver remote learning collaboratively.“ We expect an increase in revenue by approximately $300,000.
Staff are also reviewing licensing agreements for software to determine if any agreements can be paused/terminated with minimal impact as well as all new
PPF funding to determine if there are more existing costs that can be funded by these grants, and staff are taking a final review of central departments to find efficiencies and savings.
As a result, the current projected deficit, should the Board approve the staff options is now at -$14.9M, less than $15.1 million (committed to by deficit recovery plan).
I am still committed to moving the following motion at the June 13 meeting. I am hoping colleagues support to ensure full swim programming in all operating pools.
Business Arising: 2023-24 Updated Projected Financial Position: Addition of Aquatic Instructors
The Board decided: That consideration of the following be deferred to the final budget proposal: Whereas, following the vote on reducing aquatic instructors, staff realized that with 80 aquatic instructors, the swimming programs for students would indeed be reduced at 8 elementary and 12 secondary schools; and Whereas, the Board did not intend to confirm this implementation of a reduction to swim programming; Therefore, be it resolved: That the Director be asked to pause the current program reduction implementation and add back a complement of aquatic instructors to ensure full programming for students in all schools with pools for 2023-24. As per the staff report, this would mean the addition of 6FTE aquatic instructors.
And please note this does not mean the Board does not continue to advocate for additional funding. We look forward to hearing the public's thoughts at our Budget Ward Forum tomorrow evening and through the Board's Budget Town Halls (information below).
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Committee Meeting This Week
We welcome members of the public to bring forward issues and concerns they have through a delegation, which is addressing a committee of the Board of Trustees (by speaking virtually, in person or submitting a written statement). Our Delegation Procedure is designed to set out a consistent and easily understandable process for the public and to manage the process in a fair and equitable manner. https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Leadership/Boardroom/Delegations
Delegates are encouraged to make their needs for accommodation known in advance of the Committee meeting when they send their request by e-mail to delegates@tdsb.on.ca by 4 p.m., two (2) working days before the committee meeting day.
Wednesday, June 7, 2023 - Planning & Priorities Committee - 4:30 p.m. Boardroom - Agenda- 5.1 Report From Trustees Appointed to the Ontario Public School Boards' Association - to be presented
- 6.1 Toronto Lands Corporation 2023-24 Annual Capital and Operating Budget
- 6.2 2023-24 Toronto Lands Corporation Annual Plan
- 6.3 2022-23 Q4 Leases and Licenses for TDSB Operating Schools
- 6.4 Community Access Agreement, Blake Street Junior Public School, 21 Boultbee Avenue
- 6.5 Community Access Agreement, General Brock Public School, 140 Chestnut Crescent
- 6.6 Community Access Agreement, JR Wilcox Community School, 231 Ava Road
- 7.1 Gradual Implementation Plan NBE3U/3C English: Contemporary First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Voices
- 7.2 Program Area Reviews for New Arts-Focused Central Student Interest Programs at Westview Centennial Secondary School and Woburn Collegiate Institute
- 7.3 Background to the Future Revision of Procedure PR598, Pupil Accommodation Review
- 7.4 Amendments to the Special Education Plan, 2023-2024
- 7.5 529 Vaughan Road Building, Community Planning and Partnerships Lease Agreement With Oakwood Vaughan Community Organization
- 7.6 Review of the Need for the 200 Wilmington Avenue Property and the 2245 Lawrence Avenue West Property
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Ministry of Education – Enhanced Student Safety Funding
Most recently, to support the Board’s ongoing work with community organizations, the Ministry of Education announced approximately $1.8 million in additional funding for TDSB. This grant will facilitate TDSB’s ongoing collaboration with community partners to deliver cross-curricular programming outside of regular school hours that includes learning in literacy, numeracy and the arts as well as activities intended to support healthy active living, fitness, well-being, team-building, leadership and conflict resolution. These programs will employ TDSB secondary school students through the Focus on Youth student employment initiative. This funding is intended for use between the summer of 2023 and early 2024.
Many of the identified partners have participated in the recently established local community safety tables. Some for example, have created new tutoring programs and have led student re-engagement strategies. TDSB will continue to work with both existing and new partners and organizations based on the terms established by the Ministry of Education and the Board’s policies and procedures. Once the terms are complete, staff will finalize the selection criteria for agencies. All of the agencies working as part of this project will submit preliminary proposals as well as final reports to summarize the impact of their programs.
Measures to track progress will be both qualitative and quantitative in nature and include surveys, questionnaires and interviews.
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Learning Supports for Schools for the 2023-24 School Year
The TDSB has received funding from the Ministry of Education for Literacy, Mathematics for the 2023-24 school year and for the role that was formerly the Middle Years Student Success Counsellors. The funding received will be used for the following supports:
Early Literacy Intervention Team
The Early Literacy Intervention Team provides evidence-based literacy instruction and intervention supports to students in 54 schools. These supports are aligned with the recommendations in the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) Right to Read Report and the principles of Culturally Relevant and Responsive Pedagogy. This team is composed of a Centrally Assigned Principal for Early Years and Literacy, 4 Early Literacy Intervention Coaches (1 per Learning Centre), 38 Early Literacy Intervention teachers with two specific roles (11 school-based Early Reading Teacher Leaders and 27 Reading Intervention specialists) along with some support from the Early Years Coordinator. The Early Literacy Intervention Coaches provide professional learning for the Intervention team and other central leaders and educators as well as providing job-embedded professional learning. The Early Literacy Intervention Teachers work directly in classrooms in two schools each, supporting students and their co-educators. The schools these teachers support have been determined by analyzing a variety of data sources including (but not limited to) achievement data, LOI, well-being indicators, etc. The ELIT team works in partnership with the Research Department to track and monitor progress.
New Mathematics Recovery Intervention Supports
Development of a new Mathematics Recovery Intervention plan is in progress. This team will work in 61 target schools identified by the Ministry of Education. The team will include the Centrally Assigned Principal for Mathematics, Science/STEM and the Arts, approximately 32 Math Learning Partners (MLP teachers) and will be supported by the Coordinators for Mathematics and STEM. The MLPs will work in classrooms in schools and support job-embedded professional learning in schools and in networks of schools. The Mathematics team will work in partnership with the Research Department to track and monitor progress.
New Learning Network School Improvement Planning (SIP) Coaches
The Learning Network SIP coaches will work alongside the Learning Network Superintendents and the Special Education and Inclusion Coordinators/ Consultants to provide coaching support to schools, hubs and learning networks in relation to schools’ School Improvement Plans (SIPs). The work of the LN SIP coaches will be aligned with the Early Literacy supports and the Mathematics Recovery supports to ensure continuity of practice in a broad range of schools. There will be 27 LN SIP coaches (minimum of 1 per LN). The LN SIP team will work in partnership with the Research Team to track and monitor progress.
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Working at the TDSB
Our staff members are the backbone of our system. Becoming a part of the TDSB team means joining a talented community of educators and support staff dedicated to enriching the lives of all students and helping them to achieve success. Check here.
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Summer 2023 Well-Being Guide
The Summer Well-Being Guide is created by TDSB-Mental Health and Well-Being-Professional Support Services Committee & Systems leadership team.
As we look toward the end of the school year, there may be excitement as well as thoughts and feelings that bring forward a need for support. Our Summer 2023 Well-Being Guide is a place to learn about Culturally Responsive and Identity Affirming resources and activities to make the most of this time of year, while supporting and improving our mental well-being. Please click here for the complete Guide available in multiple languages.
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2023-24 Budget Town Halls
A special meeting on June 12 has been scheduled for budget delegations. The full budget process is public and documents and schedules are posted here,
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Is your Student Vaping?
Lawrence Park CI is hosting an educational video focusing on understanding the impact of vaping on pre and adolescent students June 6th @ 7pm. You do not have to preregister.
Please click on the Webinar link on the date and time of the webinar, or you can assess the meeting by scanning the QR code on the flyer.
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Budget Ward Forum on June 5
Please Hold the Date for a Joint Virtual Ward Forum on TDSB's Budget with Special Guest Craig Snider, Executive Officer, Business Services - on Monday, June 5th from 7:30-9pm. If you are interested in participating, please Register Online (https://forms.gle/Yg24DuvGQwigKxG4A)
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Learn4Life
Learn4Life summer courses are now available to view on http://learn4life.ca Registration started May 17 at 8:30am.
Appointments can be scheduled for learners who do not have a credit card and need to pay by cash or cheque by emailing us at communityprograms@tdsb.on.ca with the subject line: In-person Accommodation.
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Census 2023
The TDSB Census has been conducted every five years since 2006. Census data has provided schools, parents and the community with valuable information to help improve schools for the benefit of all students. Extensive input from students, parents/guardians/caregivers, staff and the community informed the Census.
The confidential survey asks students important questions about their school experiences and identities including participation in school activities, safety, well-being, mental health, outdoor learning, etc. It is an opportunity for students to share their voice and provide valuable information to help improve our schools and system.
The TDSB is asking all parents/guardians/caregivers and/or students to consider filling out a census survey online. Based on opt-out and consent information, all Census surveys have been sent to students or families. JK to grade 3 families and grade 4 to 8 families (completing the Census at home) check your emails for TDSBStudentCensus@qemailserver.com.
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More Joy
TDSB Community Support Workers (Model Schools) present
MORE JOY!!
A 30-minute after-school family literacy series
Wednesdays from 7:00pm to 7:30pm
From May 3 to June 14
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Respect the Rules - No Dogs Allowed on School Grounds
A reminder to dog owners (and I know not all of you have kids at school). Dogs are not allowed on school property at any time. Many people are surprised to learn that TDSB Policy prohibit dogs (leashed or unleashed) being on school property. Section 6.10 PR523 Access to School Premises prohibits canines on our properties “at any time” (except service animals).
Please respect children’s play spaces.
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School Year Calendar 2022-23
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Approved 2023-2024 Calendar
Secondary School Year Calendar for 2023-2024
The updated Secondary School Year Calendar for 2023-2024 is available online. This calendar includes PA days, exam days for final evaluations, Board and Statutory holidays, and other notable school year details.
For the 2023-2024 school year, no PA days are scheduled before the first day of classes. The first day of school is Tuesday, September 5, 2023.
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Community Safety & Support
If you should you ever see any suspicious activity around school buildings after school hours, please contact 311, Toronto Police Services Dispatch at 416-808-2222, or the TDSB’s 24-hour Call Centre at 416-395-4620.
If you or a family member is in crisis, please contact Kids Help Phone:1-800-668-6868 or get support right now by texting CONNECT to 686868.
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