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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 -- TUESDAY - Ward 8 Virtual Forum: School Building in Toronto: Where Are We Now? Tuesday May 7, 2024, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
- May is Get Outside Month
- Children’s Mental Health Week
- Ontario’s education funding gap continues to grow - OPSBA Media Release
- TDSB Early Analysis on Core Education Funding
- Provincial Announcement re: Cell Phone Use in Schools, Social Media, and Vaping
- New Special Education and Inclusion Video Resource
- Committee Meeting This Week
- Calling New and Soon-To-Be Parents! Roots of Empathy Instructor Volunteers Needed
- Reporting Hate – In Our Schools; In Our Communities
- New Invitations - Suing Social Media; Community Services Open House at LINC Overlea; Become an EcoSchool; Virtual Literacy Series; Asian Heritage Month; Jewish Heritage Month - The Mouse who Danced The Hora; tdsbCREATES; Panfest Vybz: A Celebration of Music, Arts, & Community; Applications for Ontario's Page Program; Backpack and School Supplies Drive
- Worth Repeating - Summer Programs; Need for Aquatic Instructors; Please Keep Safe... and Keep Others Safe; Vaccinations; Useful Links; 2023-2024 Calendar; 2024-2025 Calendar; Dogs Are Not Allowed On School Property - How to Report; Community Safety & Support
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TUESDAY - Ward 8 Virtual Forum:School Building in Toronto: Where Are We Now?
Tuesday May 7, 2024, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
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May is Get Outside Month
It's time to Get Outside, TDSB! For the Month of May, the staff at the Toronto Outdoor Education Schools (T.O.E.S) have created lessons to inspire inquiry-based and experiential outdoor learning activities to enjoy every single day using PICTURE BOOKS as a provocation. Choose one of the picture book lessons, and be prepared to experience how the great outdoors transforms your students as you explore, inquire, discover, and connect outside together! We have appreciated the support and partnership with The TDSB Equity and Library and Learning Resources teams in creating, and supporting, these opportunities. We hope this supports outdoor learning and experiences the benefits for staff and students of what nature has to bring us!
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Children’s Mental Health Week
From May 6 to 12, 2024, TDSB will observe Children’s Mental Health Week (CMHW).
"A Call to Be Kind - Because Compassion Connects Us All" is this year's theme with the Canadian Mental Health Association that underscores the profound impact of compassion in fostering connections among us all.
At TDSB, we aim to shine a spotlight on the incredible efforts of all staff and happenings within TDSB schools, while fostering discussions aimed at dismantling mental health stigmas, nurturing healing through compassion, and championing daily well-being practices for children and youth across all TDSB schools.
Share your stories on social media using the hashtags: #tdsbcmhw2024
#compassionconnects
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Ontario’s education funding gap continues to grow
Adjusted for inflation, per-pupil funding is lowest in recent history
Toronto, May 2, 2024 – OPSBA MEDIA RELEASE
While OPSBA welcomes the recent new investments announced by the government, including new capital funding and student mental health supports for vaping and smartphone addictions, and increased student transportation funding, last week’s announcement falls short of what is needed to ensure all students are set up to succeed.
OPSBA’s analysis shows that actual per-pupil funding is increasing a small amount from $13,584 to $13,834; an increase of $250, or 1.8% year over year. This will not cover the increased inflationary costs in a wide variety of budget lines, let alone the rising needs of our students following the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2018, at the start of the current government’s time in office, per pupil funding was at $12,282.44. Since the height of the pandemic, per pupil funding has been trending down every year, further widening the growing gap in funding for public education. Funding, when adjusted for inflation, now sits at $11,506.03, a gap of $776.41 per student. This is the lowest level of per pupil funding in more than 10 years. With 1.3 million students in our English public system, this is a significant gap of more than a billion dollars. For a year-over-year analysis of education funding, please see the figure below.
Just like for families and businesses, all costs in school board budgets are going up due to inflation. As we have not seen a corresponding increase in funding, there will be an impact on students,” said OPSBA President Cathy Abraham. “School boards have budgets in which they allocate funds to buy goods and services. When the cost of these goods and services increases due to inflation, there is a direct impact on school board budgets.”
It’s not just school boards noting these inflationary pressures – staff federations, People for Education, and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives have all noted that the past few years of funding increases do not cover costs, leading to cuts at the school board level.
In particular, school boards note a significant issue regarding funding for statutory benefits – the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Employment Insurance (EI). Like all employers, school boards are required to pay these important statutory benefits. CPP has been gradually increasing from 4.95% in 2019 to 5.95% in 2023. This increase, mandated by the federal government, costs school boards money every year. The provincial government has not provided funding to cover this. In 2024, a second additional contribution rate was added. Similarly, EI has also been increasing over this time. This has led to an annual funding gap in just this one area of more than $100 million across English public school boards.
Despite the ongoing gap in funding, we will continue our advocacy for appropriate funding for public education. Nanos/OPSBA data from late 2022 shows that nine in ten Ontarians agree that spending on public education is an investment in the future. We know from a 2019 Conference Board of Canada report that “each dollar of public education spending generates $1.30 in total economic benefits to Ontario. At the same time, the inverse holds true for each dollar taken from public education.”
OPSBA will continue to review the 2024-25 education funding grants and allocations, as well as the associated memoranda, to assess the impacts on school boards and students across Ontario. We look forward to ongoing discussions with the government to ensure that our schools have the necessary resources and supports that our students need to succeed.
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TDSB Early Analysis on Core Education Funding
At last week's FBEC Meeting, staff provided an early analysis of TDSB's Core Education Funding. Staff confirmed that with Ontario 2.7% inflation rate, a 1.5% increase in TDSB's share of funding actually translates to a $37.6M funding gap caused by inflation - in other words the province's announcement is not new real money at all - and the majority is for salary increases negotiated centrally.
Significant changes in funding from previous year:
- Amounts for labour: 1.25% for teachers and $1/hour for education workers - note the vast majority of the Ministry funding increase on paper is flow through to pay for salary increases
- The Ministry is beginning a five-year phase-in for the 2021 census updates - Staff still need to complete the analysis to determine impact on TDSB - If there are negative impacts to TDSB, for 2024-25, we have been informed that the difference will be provided through the Responsive Education Program
- Transportation funding will be increased by a minimum of 3% - 3.5% per Ministry projection for TDSB - Need to fully examine to determine if there are additional costs associated with increased funding
- Sunsetting COVID-19 related funding - Elimination of Safe and Clean Schools Supplement which was $1.8 million for TDSB
- Continuation of Differentiated Funding for Online Learning - Assumption that secondary students are taking 2 online courses and class sizes are 30 versus 23 - fewer teachers required
- REP Grant - Elimination of the De-Streaming and Transition to High School Grant which was approximately $11M - This represents approximately 100.0 FTE in the current year
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Provincial Announcement re: Cell Phone Use in Schools, Social Media, and Vaping
Worth repeating - Director Colleen Russell-Rawlins provided the following important context on to the letter the Ministry directed us to send out.
Monday April 29, 2024
Dear Parents, Guardians and Caregivers,
The Government of Ontario has announced changes to how students may use cellphones in schools and new rules surrounding social media and vaping starting this September. We welcome the announcement and endorsement of the issues raised by staff and the Board of Trustees and our ongoing efforts to address vaping, inappropriate cellphone usage, civility, and safety in schools.
While we welcome any steps that address the use of cellphones in the classroom and the negative impact they can have on learning, we will need to review the details of the announcement to determine how it impacts the development of the TDSB cellphone policy which was announced at the end of January. As part of this policy development process, the TDSB had been planning broad consultations with students, staff, families and experts, along with a review of best practices from around the world, to better understand what will and won’t work. We also want to ensure that any policy has the least negative impact on class participation, attendance, achievement, and the important relationships with educators and principal/vice principals.
Recognizing the harmful impacts of social media on students, the TDSB, together with other school boards recently launched a lawsuit against social media companies Meta Platforms Inc. (Facebook and Instagram), Snap Inc. (SnapChat), and ByteDance Ltd. (TikTok) for disruption to the education system. We believe these companies have negligently designed and marketed addictive products that have disrupted our Board’s mandate to enhance student achievement and well-being. We will be implementing the Government of Ontario’s direction by further restricting social media use on our networks, however we believe it is also essential that social media companies make these products safer for students.
With regard to vaping, TDSB Trustees have been advocating for additional steps to be taken for a number of years now – whether it’s further restricting the sale of vape products or restricting advertising and appealing for funding for vape detectors in schools. This complements the ongoing efforts of school staff and public health to educate about and stop vaping. The TDSB prohibits vaping on school property, however we will be reviewing the new provincial guidance to determine the practical improvements to our policy and our responses to preventing and responding to vaping at school. We are glad to be working with all partners including parents, guardians and caregivers to support healthier habits and relationships among young people.
We will continue to provide updates as these respective policies are developed and put into place. Further to the information above, all school boards have been asked to share the following letter from the Minister of Education with more information about these changes. (see below).
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New Special Education and Inclusion Video Resource
I am pleased to share this video resource, which provides a high-level overview of TDSB’s Guide to Special Education for parents/guardians/caregivers, which includes information about programs and services for students with special education needs. We encourage families to review the complete guide on the TDSB website, along with several other guides.
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Committee Meeting This Week
Wednesday, May 8 - Program and School Services Committee - 4:30pm - Boardroom, 5050 Yonge St - Agenda
- 5.1 Special Education Advisory Committee Report, April 8, 2024
- 6.1 Student Transportation - Annual Report on Safety in School Zones
- 6.2 Special Education and Inclusion, 2023-2024
- 6.3 Math Achievement Action Plan: 2023-2024, Update 3
- 6.4 Cultivating Arts Learning: Creating Opportunities for All, 2023- 2024
- Notice of Motion - 7.1 Annual Reporting on Student Attendance (Trustees King and Shan, on behalf of Trustee Ehrhardt)
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Calling New and Soon-To-Be Parents! Roots of Empathy Instructor Volunteers Needed
This is a truly exciting opportunity for new and soon-to-be parents! See firsthand how bringing a baby into a classroom of children is helping to instill lifelong empathy. How does it work? Your baby, known as a “tiny teacher”, is 2-4 months old at the start of the school year, and you are matched with a local school in your neighbourhood as well as a Roots of Empathy Instructor who will support you in and out of the classroom. The program follows the course of the school year with monthly visits. To find out more, please watch this short video to see how you and your baby in a classroom teach empathy to students, or visit the Roots of Empathy website for more information on how to get involved.
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Reporting Hate
In Our Schools
If you are a staff or a student or a parent/caregiver, and you are a victim of/or witnessing an incident of racism, bias, or hate in our schools, please report it to the school's principal, who has a duty to investigate all incidents. Each time an incident takes place in a school, it is to be recorded in a portal which then begins a system response. We have a responsibility to educate against hate. For more information, please visit the webpage for Reporting an Incident of Hate or Discrimination Involving or Impacting Students. If you experience it, or witness it, report it. Please.
Complaints regarding social media postings should be sent directly to the TDSB's Human Rights Office at humanrightsoffice@tdsb.on.ca. The intake process is being centralized in the Human Rights Office to ensure for consistency of process.
In Our Communities
Report any allegations of hate-motivated crimes to police for investigation at 416-808-2222 or 9-1-1 in an emergency. We will not tolerate any intimidation, harassment, or hate-motivated behaviour aimed at specific communities. You can also call 1-800-222-TIPS to Crime Stoppers anonymously.
Toronto Police provide new online option to report hate-motivated graffiti
Toronto Police Service is launching a new option for the public to provide information to police about hate-motivated graffiti in their neighbourhoods. The web form, available on the Service’s website, provides an additional avenue for the public to alert police to hate-motivated graffiti, so officers can attend, gather evidence and arrange for the hate-motivated graffiti to be removed as quickly as possible. This reporting mechanism will be monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Please remember TDSB's Mental Health and Well Being Professional Support Staff (PSS) are here to support your mental health and well-being and to help you navigate the tools and resources you may need. Please see resources on their website.
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Suing Social Media
In April 2024, four Ontario school boards initiated legal actions against social media giants, alleging that the companies’ platforms have contributed to a range of mental health challenges among their students. They are seeking $4.5 billion in total damages. What kind of outcomes can we expect from these lawsuits? Can they lead to meaningful change? Do social media companies really hold a duty of care to the school boards? What can we learn from similar efforts elsewhere to protect kids?
This event will be hosted by the Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy at McGill University and the Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University.
Date: Wednesday, May 8, 2024
Time: 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. EDT
Location: Toronto Metropolitan University
Get tickets
- Speakers - Frances Haugen, Senior-Fellow-in-Residence, Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy
Dr. Alexia Polillo, Staff Scientist, Slaight Family Centre for Youth in Transition at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)
Rachel Chernos Lin, Chair, TDSB
- Moderator - Martin Regg Cohn
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Community Services Open House at LINC Overlea
I encourage you to explore TDSB's free and low-cost services and programming for immigrants, newcomers, job seekers, and adults. Join us at the TDSB Community Services Open House at LINC (14 Overlea Blvd.) on Wednesday, May 8, 2024 from 3 to 6 p.m. There will be displays, demonstrations, and panel discussions by Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada; Enhanced Language Training; Newcomer Services; Essential Skills Upgrading; Welcoming Communities; Studio500 Hairstylist program; Next-Steps Employment Centres; and Scarborough Centre for Employment Accessibility. Learn more and RSVP here.
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Become an EcoSchool
The deadline for submitting your 2023-24 EcoSchools application to be certified is just around the corner, make sure to submit your plan before May 10 at 11:59pm http://app.ecoschools.ca
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Virtual Literacy Series
Join our teachers and staff for a virtual literacy series that will provide you the support you need from the comfort of your home. 3-Part Virtual Literacy Series 📚
Tuesday, May 14th - session 2
Tuesday, May 21st - session 3
6:00 to 7:30pm
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Asian Heritage Month
This year's theme for May 2024 was selected by the Asian Heritage Month Volunteer Planning Committee as Our Journeys: Thriving Through Struggle and Triumph.
During the month of May, the Asian Heritage Month Volunteer Planning committee members are working together to assemble various educational opportunities and resources for our students, staff and TDSB community to further learn about the Asian heritage. Stay tuned for these exciting offerings to be shared in the upcoming weeks.
All students, staff, and TDSB community members are invited to join us in at our upcoming Asian Heritage Month Virtual Launch Celebration.
Date: Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Time: 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Zoom webinar Link: https://tdsb-ca.zoom.us/j/98436950594
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Jewish Heritage Month - The Mouse who Danced The Hora
This year, the Jewish Heritage Committee is focusing on students in Kindergarten to Grade 3 using the book The Mouse Who Danced the Hora by Pamela Mayer, illustrated by Christine Davenier, to teach our youngest students about diversity and equity through Jewish wedding traditions, and learning to dance the Hora.
Teach your students this unique dance and have them learn diversity and equity through the traditions of Jewish weddings.
The TDSB Jewish Heritage Committee invites those interested to participate in a wonderful opportunity to learn the Hora at:
ALLENBY JUNIOR PUBLIC SCHOOL 391 St. Clements Ave.
Schools can sign up for a Hora dance lesson at Allenby PS. Please access this Google Form to reserve your spot.
Access comprehensive lesson plans and curriculum expectations here
Please follow the Jewish Heritage Committee on X: @TDSB_JH. Please visit the JHC website for other resources.
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tdsbCREATES
dsbCREATES Celebration and Exhibition Opening, May 23, 2024, 6:00 - 8:30 PM
at Daniels Spectrum - Ada Slaight Hall and Hallway Galleries, 585 Dundas St. E. Please join us for an evening celebrating student creativity through art, film, fashion, dance, music, and spoken word performances.
tdsbCREATES is a board-wide Arts initiative connecting local artists with classrooms to foster creativity while exploring visual arts, dance, drama, spoken word, film, music, and multidisciplinary arts. This program focuses on process and engagement through the Arts while celebrating student voice, powerful ideas, and creativity for all. tdsbCREATES is a project of the TDSB Arts Department delivered in partnership with the Toronto Arts Council with administrative support from Prologue Performing Arts.
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Panfest Vybz: A Celebration of Music, Arts, & Community -
Thursday, May 9, 2024, 6-8 p.m.
Winston Churchill CI
This free community event celebrates Carnival culture through Arts such as costuming, dance, drumming and steel pan music. All are invited to join us to enjoy student and professional performers and a series of fun workshops.
Presented by the TDSB Arts Department in partnership with the Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement
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Applications for Ontario's Page Program
Applications for the fall 2024 term are now open. We are accepting applications until June 15th, 2024. For the Fall 2024 period, applicants must attend school in Ontario and be entering Grade 8 in the Fall of 2024 and have an academic average of Level 4 or 80 % (or higher).
Each year approximately 150 young students from across Ontario are selected to participate in Ontario's Legislative Page Program. This unique educational program for Ontario students provides an opportunity to experience the provincial legislature in action and forge new lifelong friendships with peers from all over the province! The program is designed for outgoing, high-achieving, community-involved students who have demonstrated responsibility and leadership. Legislative Pages meet key parliamentary and political figures, and learn first-hand about Ontario’s Parliament and the legislative process.
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Backpack and School Supplies Drive
This year’s Backpacks & School Supplies Drive will run from March 1, 2024 to the end of September 2024. Individual donors and companies can help our students by making a monetary donation and/or a donation of new backpacks and school supplies. Tax receipts are available for these donations.100% of all proceeds and in-kind donations go to benefit our students. NOTE: Due to potential health & safety, hygiene, sorting and storage limitations, the TDSB can only accept new items. For more information about how to donate new items, please contact the Business Development department at BusinessDevelopment@tdsb.on.ca.
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Summer Programs
At the TDSB we provide a wide range of enriching summer programs for children, youth and adults.
Elementary
Secondary
Special Education and Inclusion
Adult
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Need for Aquatic Instructors
In order to operate swim programs in our schools with pools, we need two on-site aquatic instructors. Sadly, the TDSB has had a shortage of aquatic instructors since schools reopened from COVID. If you know of any aquatic instructors, please, have them complete the application - the board has been advertising and I have been advertising on Twitter since the end of last year. Here’s the link directly to the posting for applicants to apply. https://tdsb.sabacloud.com/Saba/Web_spf/CA1PRD0033/jobs-Support/career/jobdetail/jobrq000000000002580. Thanks!
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Please Keep Safe... and Keep Others Safe
Layers of protection work to help reduce virus spread. For example:
😷wear a well-fitted mask
🧼wash hands often
🏠stay home if sick
💨choose well ventilated spaces
🛡️stay up-to-date with your vaccines
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Vaccinations
Measles is increasing and spreading in every region of the world. It can cause a fever, rash, runny nose, red eyes & more. It spreads through the air and close contact when a person infected with measles breathes, coughs, or sneezes. If you think you have the virus, stay home & contact your doctor. Learn more: http://toronto.ca/measles-fact-sheet.
Vaccines are available from your primary health care provider or at a TPH community clinic for school-aged children, by appointment. Visit TPHbookings.ca for more information.
All children attending school between ages 4 to 17 need to be immunized according to Ontario's Immunization Schedule. If you are unsure of your child’s vaccination status, check their yellow card (Ontario Immunization Record), TPH’s Immunization Connect Ontario (ICON) or by speaking with their primary health care provider.
Updated COVID-19 vaccines and flu vaccines
We are still in the midst of respiratory illness season, and it is not too late to get vaccinated against both COVID-19 and the flu. Both of these vaccines continue to be available at your local pharmacy and doctor’s office. The updated COVID-19 vaccine better protects against the new Omicron XBB variant. You can get the updated COVID-19 vaccine if you are aged six months and older and it has been at least six months since their last COVID-19 dose or infection (whichever is longer). It is safe to get the COVID-19 vaccine and flu vaccine at the same time or around the same time. Learn more about where to get the COVID-19 vaccine and flu vaccine.
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Dogs Are Not Allowed On School Property - How to Report
Please contact 311 if you see dogs in school grounds so they can log the concerns and please also call TDSB’s 24-hour Call Centre at 416-395-4620. Tracking the concerns will allow us to build the case for increased surveillance.
At our recent Finance, Budget and Enrolment Committee, the staff report confirmed the following -
Dogs on school properties have been an ongoing challenge for many years despite the “no dogs permitted” signage. There have been examples of dog owners taking their dogs off leash or even leaving their dogs unattended in a school yard, or within the kindergarten or childcare enclosures. There have been incidents of off-leash dogs chasing as well as biting students, members of the public and staff. Dog feces and disposal bags are frequently left on the school grounds impacting the student use and enjoyment of outdoor activities.
Signage is posted near the entrances, such as gates or openings in the school ground fencing (refer to Appendix A for a copy of the signage) that clearly indicates TDSB school grounds are private property and dogs are not permitted on school board property. Section 6.10 in PR523, Access to School Premises prohibits canines on TDSB properties at any time (except service animals).
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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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