Dear parents, caregivers and community members,
Thank you to everybody who responded so promptly to the online registration last week. It is important for central and local school staff to have accurate numbers for in-school attendance and for remote learning in the Virtual School, so they can build classes and plan appropriately. With the online registration now closed, schools have been busy following up with families whose response is yet to be recorded. As I write, classes are being organized and buildings are being readied to welcome students back beginning Tuesday, September 15th. 
Below you will find information and updates on Board and Ward news, including:

• Our initial data for Ward 11 registration

• Information from my August 25 and 27 Back-to-School Ward forums, 
  including presentation slides, meeting notes, and answers to dozens of additional questions that were asked in the WebEx chat. 

• TDSB's Covid-19 Response Plan

• Checklists for preparing for Back to School

• Update on the search for a new Director for the TDSB
  
  

Read on for this information (and perhaps a little more!). 

WARD 11 SCHOOL REGISTRATION RESULTS

To learn more about the elementary and secondary school registration reports for Ward 11, please click the links below. The reports provide the ‘In School’, ‘Virtual School’, and ‘No Response’ counts and percentages for elementary and secondary students for each of the schools in Ward 11.
This information is as of September 3, and continues to change as schools hear back from more families. 
Ward 11 School Registration 2020-2021 Elementary students
Ward 11 School Registration2020-2021 High School students

WARD FORUMS

More than 300 people attended the two Ward Forums on August 25 and August 27. Thank you to the many parents who submitted questions in advance and during the course of the meeting. Below you will find links to the slides that were presented in both ward forums, transcripts of the presentations and Q&As from the event, as well as summaries of the questions posed in the chat which have all now been answered in the linked documents.
A big thank you to Ward 11 "Extra-Super" Superintendents John Chasty and Andrew Howard, who kindly spent several hours helping me answer the dozens of extra questions we did not have time to get to during the forums. So, if these are of interest to you, grab a cup of tea and a comfy spot as there is a lot of information to catch up on! 

Updated School Reopening Plans Ward Forums
Elementary focus - August 25

• Meeting Notes and Chat Q&A

• Presentation Slides

• Additional Q&A

 Secondary focus - August 27

• Meeting Notes and Chat Q&A

• Presentation Slides

• Additional Q&A

RETURN TO SCHOOL INFORMATION

This year's return to school is obviously a lot different than any other year. Please be sure to regularly check the tdsb.on.ca/Return-to-School portal on the TDSB website, as it continues to be updated with information a on a variety of topics, including, but not limited to: 
Elementary School models (both in-school and Remote Learning)
Secondary (High) School (both in-school and Remote Learning)
Supporting Students with Special Education Needs
Adult Education
Health & Safety
Operations (Transportation; Before and After School Programming)
Well-Being & Supports, and
Registration (with Questions & Answers)

I am highlighting a few new additions below that parents have asked many questions about and that have been recently added to our website. See below for information on what happens in scenarios where we may have Covid-19 in our buildings, the staggered entry schedule for elementary children, and helpful checklists for returning to school.

COVID-19 RESPONSE PLAN

Many parents and caregivers have inquired about what happens if someone tests positive for Covid-19 in a school. Recently, the Province released their guidelines, and asked school boards to work with their local public health units to develop their own versions. The TDSB, working together with Toronto Public Health, has now officially released our own plan, TDSB Response Plan: COVID-19 Case Management for Schools and Administrative Sites. To read this document, please click here.

DELAYED AND STAGGERED START:

A reminder that based on the advice of Toronto Public Health and with permission from the Ministry of Education, the first day of school has been delayed, and our schools will now begin the new school year on Tuesday, September 15. 
In addition to the one week delay, elementary schools will have a staggered entry to safely reintroduce smaller numbers of students on each day into the building and give everyone a chance to get used to the new routines. The general schedule for the start dates for elementary is on the Returning to School websection at tdsb.on.ca/Return-to-School (accessible document: here), and copied in below. Please note that where children are in split classes, individual schools will make local decisions as to what day those classes will start to keep numbers as balanced as possible. As plans are finalized, your Principal(s) will be in touch as to when your child(ren) will start.
 

DAILY BACK-TO-SCHOOL CHECKLIST: ELEMENTARY