Ward 12 newletter header
Welcome Back to School! 
Below, you will find the newsletter that was sent home to all parents & guardians at the beginning on the school year. You can also access it here as well: NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2019.
This year will be a very busy year. There is a lot of work to do in monitoring the $67M in budget cuts to our schools, programs and staff - all of which will impact students. There are many stories floating around in the media and in schools about class sizes, music programming, and other outcomes from the approval of these cuts. I do not have answers for everything yet and it may take a while longer for the TDSB to have concrete information to share. Once I have it, you'll find it in a forthcoming newsletter... You can always send me an email to ask a question as well... feel free to do so at alexander.brown@tdsb.on.ca
Please note that I will be holding a number of important Ward Forums for parents and students throughout the year. Details of dates and locations will be provided about one month in advance. I look forward to working with everyone this year and beyond. 
Alexander Brown
PDF version of the newsletter below.

New Student Dress Policy

The TDSB has adopted a new Student Dress Policy that now applies to all schools across the Board. The Student Dress Policy, formerly the Appropriate Dress Policy, has been revised and approved by the Board. The policy will apply to all TDSB students in our schools to establish fair and equitable standards and practices for student dress across the Board. The accompnaying procedure can be read here as well: Student Dress PR596

The new policy was developed to provide students with learning environments that are safe, equitable, welcoming and inclusive and to recognize that decisions about dress reflect individual expression of identity, socio-cultural norms, and economic factors and are personal and important factor’s to a person’s well-being and health.
Many of our TDSB students took action on this policy by coming to the Governance and Policy Committee to present their views and ask that the Board to provide them with greater flexibility in determining the most suitable dress codes in their own schools. I would like to thank everyone who took an active interest in the development of this policy. 

What has changed in the policy?

Some of the key changes include:
  • Renaming the policy to Student Dress Policy (formerly the Appropriate Dress Policy)
  • Creating a system-wide dress policy to establish fair and equitable standards in all schools
  • Ensuring the student dress code is based on the equity-centred standard and framework consistent with the Board’s commitments
  • Focusing on student voice, impact and engagement in development, review and revisions
  • Ensuring student engagement in any uniform policy development as well as an equal right to vote in any uniform policy decisio
  • Enhancing knowledge and awareness of assumptions or stereotypes that are based on or reinforce bias, prejudice and discrimination and may lead to discriminatory application of dress codes
  • Providing a continuum of choices for enforcement to remedy any inappropriate dress

    The policy was approved by the Board of Trustees on May 22, 2019, however its effective date is September 2019.


    Have Questions? Read more about it here: 
    Student Dress Policy Question & Answers
Basketball Nets
In June, the City of Toronto announced that all city-owned basketball nets will remain up after hours and the Toronto District School Board has followed suit with a          6 month pilot project that will see nets stay up after school hours. Prior to the pilot project, many TDSB schools kept basketball nets up at all times, however some did not and have now switched over to the new schedule.

As part of the TDSB pilot project, feedback is important to track the challenges, including noise complaints, that arise from keeping nets up after school hours and during the summer. The TDSB is logging concerns and will be reviewing all such feedback as part of the pilot project.                             
Please email nets@tdsb.on.ca if you have concerns.

As with all noise complaints, most concerns are best addressed by the City of Toronto, which can advise on what is permitted and can enforce the city’s noise bylaws. In general, the city advises people to, if possible, speak to the person or people responsible for the noise to give them an opportunity to correct the issue. If that does not work, then you can report a noise issue by contacting 311.

School Crossing Guard Program 2019-2020

Beginning in September 2019, the City of Toronto will be assuming full responsibility for the School Crossing Guard Program and has contracted two separate vendors who will provide school crossing guards at 704 locations across the city to help children travel safely to and from schools.

The City of Toronto issued a Memorandum on Aug. 21, 2019 that provides further details on these upcoming changes, including who to contact with questions about crossing guard locations, changes to school bell times, submitting requests for new crossing guards and associated timelines, the complaint or concern process as well as details on new information to share with people who may be interested in becoming a school crossing guard.

If you have any questions about the program and these changes, email SchoolCrossingGuard@toronto.ca
For more information about the program from the City of Toronto visit       School Crossing Gaurd Program
Vaccination Clinics
Starting in September, Toronto Public Health (TPH) will be implementing an important change in their consent for immunization policy. Secondary school students age 14 or older will be able to give informed consent to receive immunizations at TPH clinics hosted in TDSB secondary schools.
Parental consent is still required for younger students. Clinics in schools are usually offered when there is an outbreak or if a large number of students are at risk of the suspension because of gaps in their immunization record. Parents/guardians and students will be informed prior to the start of any clinic in a TDSB high school.
Read the full letter from Toronto Public Health.

Bus Driver Shortage UPDATE

As of September 20, 2019

There continues to be a driver shortage impacting 20 routes in Stock Transportation’s East, West and North Divisions.
The following TDSB schools are impacted by the shortage. Please note that the schools listed below are impacted because they do not currently have a permanent driver.
In most cases, these routes are covered by assigning spare drivers, doubling up on routes, and the use of taxis. Parents/guardians impacted by these delays will be contacted directly by Stock and/or TSTG this weekend.
I asked about the timeline when we could expect these routes to have permanent drivers and I was told 2-3 weeks. I am hopeful that this situation will be permanently resolved and that we can learn from these experiences to avoid them in coming years. 
Below, I have included the Mini-bus and Big-bus routes with schools and number of students affected. Yorkview PS and RJ Lang E&MS are schools that I have been assured will see large improvements. 
If you have any concerns or need assistance you can connect with the Superintendent of Education, Louie Papathanasakis - louie.papathanasakis@tdsb.on.ca   OR                                                  you can contact me at alexander.brown@tdsb.on.ca
For information and updates you can also contact someone at              Student Transportation

Budget Cuts 2019/20

UPDATE 

The information provided below is an update from TDSB senior staff about the reorganization of programs after the Board of Trustees supported $68M in Ford Government funding cuts to the 2019/20 TDSB budget. 
This information is provided so that you know what trustees are being informed about. I did not support many of the cuts in this budget and I have serious concerns about what the impact on students will be.
Please share your personal experiences about what is happening in our schools because of budget cuts by emailing to:

ArtsJunktion:
ARTSJUNKTION will continue to provide schools with access to materials and supplies to enrich art programming, as well as becoming a innovative program for recycling and reusing materials. Given our current budget realities, we are required to consider different ways of delivering this service. In September, senior staff will work with the TDSB’s Arts and Sustainability teams to review delivery models of this program and develop a plan to ensure continuation of this resource.  

Equity Fund: 
An Equity Fund will assist students facing economic challenges as a result of the reductions to services due to the budget reductions untaken this year to balance the budget. The current balance of this fund is $399,646. The goal is to maintain $500,000 in the fund on a yearly basis. Staff are working on the development of criteria to be used on allocating these funds to students. Once developed, it will be communicated to all schools, superintendents and school councils.
French and Gifted Transportation - Grades 9-12:

Due to budgetary pressures, the TDSB will no longer be providing TTC tickets/tokens to students in Grades 9-12 in the French Immersion, Extended French and Gifted programs as of September 2019. In cases of financial need where the student was previously eligible (living beyond 4.8 km from their French/Gifted school), schools may continue to provide TTC tickets/tokens. Please contact your school Principal if you require more information

Integrated Day Program: The TDSB has eliminated one of three delivery models of the International Languages Programs. The Integrated Day program has been eliminated in the 10 sites. Wherever possible and based on the local demand, after-school programs and Saturday programs will be offered in order to continue providing students with this language and cultural learning opportunity.

Itinerant Music Instructors: Staff are currently in the process of determining IMI allocation for individual schools for the upcoming school year. Allocations will be based on a number of factors, including Learning Opportunities Index and school size. Some schools, depending on size and need, will be allocated more time than they previously had, up to a maximum of 20 hours. In cases where a school experiences a reduction in IMI support, staff will work to build capacity within the school and with teachers to maintain music programs and continue to provide excellent music education. IMIs will return to the school they were previously assigned until new timetables can be created. To read more about this allocation click HERE.

Outdoor Education:
  • The reductions to Outdoor Education included the closing of one site as well as a reduction in staff across all sites. The approved changes also included a revision to the user fees
  • The Etobicoke Field Studies Centre is being transferred back into the sole possession of the Toronto Region Conservation Authority (TRCA). Site materials and equipment have been distributed to the remaining Outdoor Education sites. The Etobicoke Field Studies Centre hosted elementary schools mainly in Wards 1, 2 and 6. Outdoor Education trips for these schools have now been divided between Forest Valley Outdoor Education Centre and Warren Park Outdoor Education Centre. We will make every effort to ensure that schools don’t miss any trips;
  • Etobicoke Field Studies Centre also hosted the Secondary Leadership Program which has been moved to Forest Valley, a more central location that will be led by a teacher Each school continues to offer Outdoor Education excursions. Each elementary school has been assigned trips based on the projected school enrollment 1:100;
  • We maintain waitlists for all sites; Secondary Outdoor Education program continues to be open, with on-going enrollment but is very full and popular. We will make every effort to assist schools
  • All Overnight Centres will continue to focus on students in Grades 5 – depending on the site and region; Outdoor Education sites will continue to arrange transportation.

Priority Schools Initiative (PSI) Permits: 
Due to the elimination of PSI funding for selected schools, there has been a concern about the ability of community groups to access free permits in PSI schools. Staff have worked on a solution that would allow the groups that have previously accessed these permits to continue to do so as long as there is no additional cost to the school board. This will mean that most weekday permits will continue as in previous years, but weekend permits where additional overtime is needed will not be able to continue.

Room Closures: 
Given that caretaking staff have been reduced by 52, classroom closures are being considered at schools with surplus space to their projected enrolments and teaching staff allocations. Planning, Facilities and School Superintendents are working with Principals to identify their surplus classrooms for closure. For elementary schools, surplus classrooms are those classrooms not required to accommodate the school’s teaching staff allocation. Schools are provided a withdrawal classroom, a classroom for HSP, and, for schools larger than 400 students, a second withdrawal classroom. For secondary schools, surplus classrooms are those classrooms that are not timetabled with a course at any point during the school day –even if a classroom is used for a single period out of four in a school day, it is considered utilized and not surplus. All classrooms exclusively used by other groups (e.g. TDSB groups, child care centres, EarlyON centres or tenants) are not considered surplus and remain open. The final classroom closures should be completed sometime in September. While these classrooms will not be available for daily use, they can be used to store material, which only needs to be accessed occasionally.

School Budgets: 
School budgets were reduced by approximately 5% or $2.37M. Historically, schools have carryovers at year end totalling approximately $15M. Staff are modelling several different allocations methods for reducing school budget to determine the most equitable allocation to use. The factors considered in developing a school budget allocation will include equity, school budget carryover and size of school. The final model will be decided shortly and communicated to Principals, Superintendents and Trustees.
This is an area that I am very concerned about. Many schools may lose a significant portion of their school budgets compared to previous years. I will montior how schools are affected and ensure that we don't run into difficult situations. School council chairs should keep me closely posted at: alexander.brown@tdsb.on.ca

Special Education/Inclusion: 
Specialized programs have not been directly impacted by budget reductions, but there will inevitably be indirect impacts across the system. In some schools, local programs were re-located or closed based on a number of factors. The number of students enrolled dictates the number of classes required to serve our students.
We are committed to ensuring each class has enough students enrolled as per class size requirements to provide opportunities for social and academic experiences that contribute to the vitality of the program and opportunities for each individual student. Sometimes classes or locations experience a drop in enrolment that impacts our ability to provide such robust programs. In such cases classes can be combined to create one class serving the same number of students, but only in one location rather than in multiple locations with limited enrolment. Student needs and enrolment dictate such decisions about the viability of particular classes and locations. We are committed to providing students opportunities to have their academic and social needs met within their neighbourhood school when possible and many families choose this option for their child. A reduction in classes over time does not mean a reduction in services for students with special needs but rather a redistribution and a shared commitment to meeting educational needs in local schools as much as possible.

Student Support Services
Earlier in the year, the Ministry of Education announced the end of Local Priorities Grant which had allocated funding for additional staff. Through the budget process there was a reduction of 10 psychology staff. There is a commitment to review the model of service to mitigate the impact of this reduction. A one-year reduction in staff was made to a social workers (-4.5) and speech and language pathologists (-3). As a result, some speech and language pathologists will provide less professional learning. The Ministry of Education has confirmed an extension on funding for additional Mental Health Social Workers above the regular staffing complement. This funding mitigates the impact of this one-year reduction.

Transportation
A letter was sent home to all students in French Immersion/Extended French and Gifted (Grades 9-12) regarding the elimination of TTC tokens/tickets effective September 2019. 
Due to budgetary pressures, the TDSB will no longer be providing tickets/tokens to students in Grades 9-12 in the French Immersion, Extended French and Gifted programs as of September 2019. In cases of financial need where the student was previously eligible (living beyond 4.8 km from their French/Gifted school), schools may continue to provide TTC tickets/tokens. Please contact your school Principal if you require more information.

READ MORE ABOUT THE 2019/20 BUDGET

Class Sizes at the TDSB

"High school class sizes in Ontario to remain 'effectively the same' this year, Lecce says. "
If you are confused about secondary class sizes based on reports in the media, it is very understandable. Recently the Minister of Education, Steven Lecce, announced that the government will limit average high school class size to 22.5 students.  
Please note that this is the AVERAGE class size across Ontario. At the TDSB the average class size is higher than this - based on the government mandate not to hire new teachers if they retire or quit and the corresponding government funding that the Board is given for the remaining positions. 
At the TDSB, the Board’s average high school class size for 2019-20 will be 23.6 students, up from an average of 21.9 students last year. 
There have been some isolated cases where classes have reached as high as 40 or more students in the opening week of school. This is not uncommon and in the upcoming weeks, class sizes will normalize. At the end of the third week of the new school year, schools report their enrolments by grade to the Board. This information will be available soon.

Staff review these details and make adjustments as necessary — at high schools that experience an enrolment greater then projection, there may be some reorganization of classes and/or they may be assigned additional teachers. Schools that report lower than expected enrolment may experience a reduction in its teacher allocation. 
If you continue to experience larger than expected class sizes, please contact the school principal and superintendent to share your concerns and find out what the plan is for the school.
***Please review the attached document below to see how course selections have been affected by government manadated class size increases in secondary schools. Feel free to contact the principal / superintendent of education if you have any questions or concerns.
French Immersion/Extended French
At the June 2019 Board meeting, recommendations to change the Intensive French-as-a-Second Language programs in the TDSB were passed. These changes include:
  • Phasing out of the Grade 7 Entry Extended French program; 

  • Transition from Junior Extended French (Grade 4 Entry) to Middle French Immersion (Grade 4 Entry);

  • Shift in entry point for the Early French Immersion from
    Senior Kindergarten to Junior Kindergarten entry
    .
Please find below a timeline of these changes as well as some frequently asked questions specific to each program change.

Also noteChanges to French and Gifted Transportation                                    Grades 9-12
Due to budgetary pressures, the TDSB will no longer be providing TTC tickets/tokens to students in Grades 9-12 in the French Immersion, Extended French and Gifted programs as of September 2019. In cases of financial need where the student was previously eligible (living beyond 4.8 km from their French/Gifted school), schools may continue to provide TTC tickets/tokens. Please contact your school Principal if you require more information.

Labour Negotiations 

Ontario education sector collective agreements expired August 31, 2019. However, under the Labour Relations Act, these agreements remain in effect beyond their expiry date until a new contract is reached or until the parties are in a legal strike/lockout position.
Currently our nine local bargaining units are involved in the Collective Bargaining Process. I've included a link to the Ontario Public School Board's Association website explaining the bargaining process for the education sector: Collective Bargaining

The collective bargaining framework for the education sector features a two-tier bargaining process, involving both central and local bargaining (see images below). Central bargaining typically includes significant monetary and policy issues (e.g. compensation, benefits and paid leaves), while local negotiations typically involve non-monetary issues or matters that are specific to the local board. 

At central negotiations, the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA) represents all English public school boards in Ontario (including the TDSB). The Government of Ontario, as the funder of education in Ontario, also participates in central bargaining. 

For local negotiations, the TDSB will negotiate with its nine local bargaining units. This includes groups represented by the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF), the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and the Maintenance, Construction and Skilled Trades Council (MCSTC).

Collective Bargaining
In the education sector, under the School Boards Collective Bargaining Act, the central parties are the employee bargaining agent (represented by unions), the employer bargaining agent (represented by Trustees’ Associations), and the Crown (represented by the Government of Ontario).

CURRENTLY, all nine of our local bargaining units are working through the central negotiations process. 
ETFO: Elementary Teachers Fedederation of Ontario has started working with the TDSB on determining the parameters for local bargaining. The TDSB Negotiations Steering Committee was presented with a report for consideration on local baragining parameters. The process is ongoing and as soon as we have an update on the LOCAL BARGAINING parameters for ETFO, the board will share that information publicly. At this point, negotiations remain confidential.
OSSTF: The Ontario Secondary School Teacher's Federation was unable to agree on what should be centrally bargained with the Government and Trustee's Association (OPSBA). They made an application to the Ontario Labour Relations Board to help determine the centrally bargained issues. In a rare move, they have declared their intention to continue bargaining IN PUBLIC. This normally isn't done for the purposes of avoiding influence on the bargainining process. What does this mean for teachers, schools and students? Bargaining in this way will limit the voice of the trustee's association on the central bargaining process. We have no indication that OSSTF will strike or take other job action at this time. 
GlobalNews: Ontario teachers’ union releases bargaining proposals, adds pressure on Ford government -  Read
CUPECanadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) CUPE represents school support staff, such as caretakers, lunchroom supervisors, office/clerical staff and Designated Early Childhood Educators.  
CUPE has announced that its members will begin a job action (work-to-rule) on Monday, September 30. The job action will affect all Ontario school boards and schools, as well as administrative offices.

The job action (work-to-rule) involves the partial withdrawal of service, which includes (but is not limited to):
  • Not sweeping hallways, office areas and gymnasium
  • Not doing school compost or recycling programs
  • Not cutting grass, shovelling or completing other ground maintenance duties 
  • Not collecting or accepting money for school-related initiatives and fundraising

    For the full list of CUPE job classifications and services that will be impacted, please visit the TDSB webpage for Labour Negotiations.

    Schools will remain open during this work-to-rule and instructional programs will continue to run.

    During this time, principals and vice-principals will work with staff to maintain a caring and positive school environment for students.

    Our school administrators and superintendents will be monitoring the impact of the partial withdrawal of service on our school operations.

    As always, student safety and learning remain the top priorities of all TDSB staff.

    We remain hopeful that negotiations between unions, the Government of Ontario and public school boards will soon result in a new contract agreement.

    If the withdrawal of services is prolonged it will have a more significant impact on school activities, permits and school operations. 

    For on-going updates, please visit the TDSB webpage for          Labour Negotiations and follow @tdsb on Twitter.


The Bargaining Process












Possible Student Participation in Climate Change Rally: Information for Parents & Students

Inspired by Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg, young people from around the world have joined the Fridays for Future movement and are showing their support by participating in climate change rallies. Currently, there is a student climate change rally planned for Friday, September 27 at Queen’s Park.
To be clear, this is not a TDSB-sanctioned event, however we understand that students at a number of our schools may take part. At the TDSB, we honour student voice and are committed to ensuring students can express themselves individually and collectively in ways that are constructive, respectful and responsible.

As a Board, we know that climate change is an important issue that needs to be addressed and that students play an important role in building an environmentally sustainable future. The TDSB EcoSchools Program (see information above in this newsletter) provides opportunities within the classroom, the school, and the community for students to engage in education actions that prepare them with the knowledge, skills, perspectives, and practices they need to be environmentally responsible citizens. This approach is guided by the TDSB’s Global Competencies, which encourage students to engage in local and global concepts and initiatives while demonstrating responsibility and ethical citizenship.

At the September 27 rally (tomorrow), safety is our top priority for students who may be planning to participate. We’ve asked our schools to work closely with student organizers so that their plans include consideration of student safety and logistical issues:
  • As always, students under the age of 18 require parental permission to leave class. Any students who are not in attendance at school will be marked absent. As is the case with all absences where parental permission has been granted, the absence will be deemed “explained.”

  • To ensure students receive no academic penalty for taking part in the rally, we have also asked our schools to avoid scheduling tests and other assessments on that day.

  • In the days ahead, we will be providing additional curriculum resources to support our teachers as they provide learning opportunities for students on climate change.

  • We encourage parents/guardians to discuss this climate change rally with their child(ren). Student voice and action is important for our students and parent/guardian involvement in this process is key.
Eco Schools in Willowdale(Ward 12)

·         Cameron Public School
·         Churchill Public School
·         Drewry Secondary School
·         Earl Haig Secondary School
·         Finch Public School
·         Hollywood Public School
·         McKee Public School
·         Newtonbrook Secondary School
·         RJ Lang Elementary and Middle School
·         Willowdale Middle School
·         Yorkview Public School


EcoSchools is a school greening program with a very broad scope covering not only what is taught, but also how we run our schools and how we design and use our schools grounds. Its central focus is supporting students and staff in learning about, caring for, and protecting the environment starting right in their own school.

EcoSchools asks us to examine the decisions we make in our schools, inside and out — from modifying practices in our classrooms, offices, and boiler rooms to designing the school ground as a place for healthy, enriched learning.

We have certified elementary, middle, secondary schools, outdoor education schools and administration centres in all parts of the city and in all kinds of neighbourhoods.

The TDSB's Environment Policy outlines the Board’s commitment to environmental literacy for all students and to environmentally responsible operations. 

ALSO Read 
Green Cleaning (Procedure 701)

For questions regarding the program please contact EcoSchools Certification Specialist's Serita Lawson at serita.lawson@tdsb.on.ca / call 416.396.3464 or Jenn Vetter at jenn.vetter@tdsb.on.ca / call 416-396-3469.
Click on image to access videos about 
Fall is here! On October 2nd, students, families and staff are encouraged to join schools across the country in celebrating International Walk to School Day (IWALK/IWHEEL), a day that celebrates all forms of active transportation including walking, cycling, scootering and/or travelling using a mobility device.

Did you know October is also International Walk to School Month? If you're feeling up to the challenge, consider celebrating active transportation all month long.
For resources including posters and event ideas, click here.
Share your IWALK/IWHEEL event with us by tweeting @EcoSchoolsTDSB and @TDSB using the hashtag #walktoschool or #biketoschool

As autumn arrives, the days begin to get shorter and increasing our visibility on city streets becomes especially important. The following are some safety tips from Toronto Public Health to keep in mind before heading outside:
  • Carry identification, a cell phone and a whistle
  • Bring water
  • Wear comfortable walking shoes and bright, reflective clothing
  • Dress for the weather
  • Cross streets at traffic lights, stop signs or crosswalks-always walk facing traffi
  • Avoid using headphones and cell phones while walking
  • Tell someone where you are goin
  • Check the Air Quality Health Index and UV index before you start your walk
  • Be sun safe
  • Show us how you're celebrating!
SIGN UP & KEEP IN TOUCH 

TDSB Connects is a monthly electronic newsletter for parents/guardians with information about news and events from across the Toronto District School Board. If you are a parent/guardian who doesn’t currently receive TDSB Connects, please contact your local school to ensure your email address is up-to-date in your child’s student contact record.

TDSB Update is published approximately 10 times a year, following a meeting of the Board of Trustees. It carries the latest news across the TDSB, and summarizes the decisions of Board meetings. 
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