|
Week of September 30, 2019
| |
|
Rosh Hashanah 5780
Rosh Hashanah, Jewish New Year, is celebrated on the 1st and 2nd days of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, which means that it is celebrated on a different date in the fall - this year the holiday begins the evening of September 29 and ends the evening of October 1.
To all those celebrating this tradition, may you have a good, sweet New Year - Shana Tova U’metuka.
Please note I will be unavailable Monday and Tuesday.
| |
October's Heritage Months -
Somali Heritage Month
Every year, the TDSB recognizes Somali Heritage Month in October. The TDSB affirms our commitment to celebrating Somali Heritage Month, and encourages students and staff to take this opportunity to learn about the history, heritage and diversity of the Somali community. This year’s theme is “Educate. Elevate. Excel.” This theme signifies the month’s planning committee’s ongoing mission for the Somali community to continue to educate students and the community at large, to elevate their student academic achievement and, to continue to excel.
Somali Heritage Month Launch
Date: Wednesday, October 2, 2019
Time: 1:00 – 1:25 p.m. (Refreshments and Display); 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. (Formal program)
Location: Pelmo Park Public School, 180 Gary Drive
Please RSVP, Dani Carnevale, Service Co-ordinator at dani.carnevale@tdsb.on.ca.
Islamic Heritage Month
Islamic Heritage Month (IHM) is recognized at the TDSB during the month of October, with exciting activities and learning opportunities for students, staff and community members across our system. The IHM theme is "Reflect. Celebrate. Learn.", and this theme will continue to resonate in the educational opportunities currently being planned throughout the 2019-2020 school year. To kick off this year’s TDSB IHM celebrations, please join us for a very special evening:
Islamic Heritage Month Launch
Date: Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Time: 5 – 8 p.m. Location: Aga Khan Museum, 77 Wynford Drive
Drop in any time between 5 - 8 p.m. to enjoy light refreshments, explore table displays of exciting Islamic Heritage curriculum resources, and take a free tour of the Aga Khan’s newest exhibit (Sep 21, 2019 - Feb 23, 2020): CARAVANS OF GOLD, FRAGMENTS IN TIME: ART, CULTURE, AND EXCHANGE ACROSS MEDIEVAL SAHARAN AFRICA
Register via Eventbrite for tickets https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/tdsb-islamic-heritage-month-2019-launch-event-tickets-73276954343
| |
Standing Committee Meetings This Week
Programs and School Services Committee - Thursday, October 3, 2019 - 4:30 p.m.
Committee Room A, 5050 Yonge Street
5. Opportunity for Oral Updates From Co-Chairs of Community Advisory Committees
Timed Item at 5 p.m.
5.1 Special Education Advisory Committee Report, September 9, 2019
1. New Alternate Member for Autism Ontario
5.2 Urban Indigenous Community Advisory Committee Report, September 17, 2019
6. Academic Pathways Annual Report To follow
7. 2019 Summer Programs - It is recommended that the 2019 Summer Programs Report be received
8. School Councils Email Access - It is recommended that the report on School Councils Email Access, in response to a recommendation presented at the May 1, 2019 Program and School Services Committee meeting, be received. The Board will provide School Messenger accounts to the School Council Chair(s) at no additional cost. Work is on track to meet the requested
implementation of November 1, 2019.
9. Creation of Indigenous Student Trustee Position - It is recommended that the creation of the position of Indigenous Student Trustee of the Board, as described below, be approved. Consistent with the principles of self-governance and sovereignty as articulated by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (2015), the election process for the position of Indigenous Student Trustee will be overseen by the Urban Indigenous Community Advisory Committee according to Indigenous traditions and ways of knowing and being. The new, duly-elected Indigenous Student Trustee will assume their place on the Board at the Organizational Board Meeting on November 18, 2019.
| |
Climate Strike... Orange Shirt DayI have permission to share a video created by Tanya Murdock, a Glenview parent took during the Climate Strike Friday as she traveled down with a group of grade 7 former Davisville/current Glenview students - this is a wonderful opportunity to see the day's events through their eyes. Tanya tells me they "mostly dressed in Orange shirts in honour of Orange Shirt day coming up on Monday, because the Climate strike is a day where adults are supposed to be listening to children and the orange shirts remind us that every child matters."
Please find the link here if you would like to watch https://vimeo.com/363012067/9aa04aac1a. I am so proud of the many students and schools supported by parents and staff who joined the Global Climate Strike Friday either by participating at their own schools, in their own communities or at Queen's Park engaged in climate change action. The vast majority of our schools are EcoSchools... thank you.
| |
Labour Negotiations News
School boards and unions share a commitment to public education and work together towards positive labour relations. The collective bargaining framework for the education sector features a two-tier bargaining process, involving both central and local bargaining. Learn more about the process https://www.tdsb.on.ca/About-Us/Labour-Negotiations/The-Process.
Central negotiations between the Government of Ontario (the Crown), public school boards represented by the Ontario Public School Boards Association (OPSBA), and teacher federations and education worker unions (including ETFO, CUPE and OSSTF) remain ongoing. Visit the OPSBA website for the latest updates on central bargaining - https://www.opsba.org/advocacy-and-action/labour-relations.
The TDSB is currently bargaining locally with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). We anticipate local bargaining with the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), and the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) in the near future.
Sept 25th Update - The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has announced that its members will begin a job action, sometimes referred to as work-to-rule, on Monday, September 30. At the TDSB, CUPE represents school support staff, such as caretakers, lunchroom supervisors, office/clerical staff and Designated Early Childhood Educators.
Read the full list of job actions and the work-to-rule instructions by job classification for more information. Schools will remain open during this work-to-rule and instructional programs will continue to run. We will continue to update parents/guardians and staff with new information as soon as it becomes available. For ongoing updates, please continue to check the TDSB website and follow @tdsb on Twitter. At this time, CUPE has not given any notice to school boards that its members will conduct a full withdrawal of service or strike. We are hoping that the union, the school board association and the Ontario government reach a new contract agreement in the very near future.
You might also find a recent article in Today's Parent by Louise Brown helpful in understanding the bargaining process - please click here - What parents should know about a possible Ontario teacher strike - The article ends with the following - "The situation is confusing and stressful, but one thing to remember is that our children are watching us. How we react to this uncertainty and change will model for them how to do the same. They’ll hear enough panic in the playground, from teacher-bashing to Ford-bashing. We might serve our kids best by keeping calm, giving them the facts and reminding them all players in this labour drama mean well. This turbulence is just part of the cycle of life in Ontario schools."
| |
TDSB Enrolment Above ProjectionFYI, the TDSB grew in enrolment in each week of September as expected based on the historical pattern of enrolment change. If enrolment change over the next week follows a similar pattern to that of last September, the elementary panel is expected to come in above projection by month-end, while the secondary panel is expected to come in slightly below projection by month end. System-wide, we are expected to come in at projection by month-end.
| |
From PIAC Ward 8 RepsGreetings Ward 8 Parents, welcome back to the 2019/20 school year.
Already one month into the new school year and things are off to a fast and furious start. At the Parent Involvement Action Committee (PIAC), we are committed to working with our local school councils and Trustee to bring the concerns and opportunities brought forward by parents directly to the working committees of the Toronto District School Board and bring the same back to our communities.
A key priority for us this year in Eglinton-Lawrence and Toronto-St. Pauls, is to work with Trustee Laskin to increase opportunities for networking and collaboration amongst our diverse 33 schools. We look forward to sharing more and meeting you at the upcoming Ward Forum on October 7 at Lawrence Park CI. Please contact us by email at: PIAC.Ward08@tdsb.on.ca
Kaydeen Bankasingh and John Bakous
| |
We Need to Hear From YouProcedure - Community Consultation: Exemption from Health and Physical Education Curriculum
In August, the Ministry of Education issued PPM162
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/extra/eng/ppm/ppm162.pdf
This consultation is regarding the requirement for school boards to develop a procedure that allows for students to be exempt, at the request of their parents/guardians, from instruction related to the Human Development and Sexual Health Expectations in the Ontario Curriculum: Health and Physical Education, Grades 1-8, 2019. From Monday, September 30 to Saturday, October 12, an online consultation will be open for TDSB parents/guardians and community members to provide their thoughts and comments that will be considered and may help inform the procedure. Please share your voice. Click here beginning Monday - https://www.tdsb.on.ca/About-Us/Policies-Procedures-Forms/Policy-Consultations.
Policy - Transforming Student Learning in Literacy and Mathematics Policy (P038) Objective - To affirm the Board’s commitment to improve outcomes for all students and to develop and deliver strong, effective literacy and mathematics programs in all TDSB schools. Please read the draft policy P038 - and Email your comments to: helen.fisher@tdsb.on.ca or
anastasia.poulis@tdsb.on.ca. Closes October 17, 2019.
| |
Financial Accountability Office of Ontario (FAO)- Education Estimates
On Thursday, the Financial Accountability Officer, Peter Weltman, released a report on the 2019-20 expenditure estimates for the Ministry of Education. The FAO “provides independent analysis on the state of the Province’s finances, trends in the provincial economy and related matters important to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.”
Many things in the report were concerning -
- We are in a period of education spending restraint - cost drivers growth rate is accelerating due to faster growth in the school-age population.
- On March 15, 2019, the Province announced funded average class sizes for secondary students will increase from 22 to 28 students per teacher in the next 4 years and the funded average class sizes for students in grades 4 to 8 will increase from 23.84 to 24.50 students per teacher immediately. Beginning in the 2020-21 school year, mandatory elearning will be phased in for secondary students. The FAO compared the new class size policy against the old class size policy and projects: There will be an estimated 2,826 fewer teachers in the 2019-20 school year as a net result of the new class size targets and the Teacher Job Protection Fund; By the 2023-24 school year, there will be 10,054 fewer teachers in the education system. (Note - this is not new as boards and unions made this clear at the time of the announcement)
- The reduction in teachers required to implement the new class size ratios will be gradually phased in through attrition only. A $1.6 billion Teacher Job Protection Fund will be used to prevent teacher layoffs related to increased class sizes. The FAO projects increasing class sizes, net of the cost of the teacher Job Protection Fund, will save the Province $2.8 billion over the next five fiscal years.
- On June 5, 2019, the Province introduced Bill 124, Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act, 2019. The proposed legislation would place a one per cent cap on wage increases for new public sector contracts negotiated for a three-year period and would apply to over 200,000 teachers and other education staff whose collective agreements are up for renegotiation in September 2019. If school board education workers’ base salaries increase at one per cent annually, rather than the rate of inflation, the ministry would save $2.5 billion over five years.
Chair Robin Pilkey was on CBC Radio Friday morning responding to the projections from the province's FAO of 10,000 fewer teachers in Ontario by 2024. Robin spoke about how even in year 1 we are seeing impacts - larger classes, fewer courses for students, fewer options - fewer teachers. Nothing about the increasing averages was positive for students. She also talked about e-learning, saying that the problem is that it will be mandatory, rather than on a basis of needs. We have spoken up against increasing class size and against mandatory e-learning as have other boards, students and teachers from the time the provincial announcement was first announced.
| |
EcoSchool PDEmpowering Students To Be Agents of Change - This year's Eco-schools theme is "Building Hope and Resilience Through Climate Action". Workshops are being held in October to explore how educators and community members can further encourage students to be passionate, positive, and part of the world as global citizens, and collectively transform schools into communities of hope and activism.
The Kick-offs are full-day sessions open to elementary staff (including daycare and caretaking staff, and office administrators) and parents. Don't miss out on this opportunity to build your EcoSchools community! We strongly encourage you to send 2 adults to represent your school. Register now on Key-to-Learn for 1 of the 6 full-day Kick-offs at a location that is convenient for you. Parents - ask your school administrator about attending as part of your Eco-Team.
Time: 8:30 am to 3:15 pm
Dates/Location: October 2, 4 or 17: Japanese Cultural Centre - 6 Garamond Court
Dates/Location: October 10 or 16: TDSB West Ed. Office - 1 Civic Centre Court
Date/Location: October 15 at UofT Scarborough Campus - 1265 Military Trail
Environmental Education Conference
Register now for the 4th Annual EcoSchools/OISE Environmental Education Conference taking place on Saturday, October the 26th. Registration is FREE for TDSB employees, and lunch is included. For more information, please click here.
When: Saturday, October 26th, 2019
Time: 8:30 am - 3:30 pm
Where: OISE (University of Toronto) 252 Bloor St. West
| |
Student Senate By-Election - Grade 7/8 Reps for LC1 & LC4The TDSB Student Senate will be holding an online By-Election for a Grade 7/8 Representative for the Student Senate Executive for Learning Centres 1 and 4 on Wednesday, October 30, 2019 as these positions went unfilled during the Student Senate Election last Spring. The by-election is open to all students who are currently in Grades 7 and 8. Interested students are asked to apply online by Monday, September, 30, 2019. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScFySg-GHnDDmwNMVER6GWDtrpAm68oB40yjAB34ikfBOuq5g/viewform; The election process will begin on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019. Candidates and their campaign speeches will be available online from Oct. 23 – 30, 2019; All Grade 7 and 8 students in LC1 and LC4 are eligible to vote. Voting will take place online on Oct. 30, 2019. I am hoping that some Grade 7 and/or 8 students in Ward 8 schools will be motivated to apply - please let your child/student know of this opportunity.
| |
Changes to French ProgrammingJunior Extended French (Gr. 4 Entry) Last Entry Class - September 2020
Extended French (Gr. 7 Entry) Last Entry Class - September 2020
Cosburn Intensive Extended (Gr. 6 Entry) Last Entry Class - September 2020
Immersion French (Gr. 4 Entry) - Continuing
SK Early French Immersion Final Entry at SK - September 2022
JK Early French Immersion First Entry at JK - September 2022
For additional details, please click here https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Portals/0/docs/QA%20Recommendations_ACCESSIBLE.PDF
Ontario College Information Fair
Oct 23 - 24, 2019 Enercare Centre
2020 Prime Minister's Awards Now Open2020 nomination packages are now available at www.pma.gc.ca. The nomination deadline is January 14, 2020 at 11:59 a.m. (Pacific time).
| |
School Year Calendar 2019-2020
The 2019-2020 school year at the TDSB begins on Tuesday, September 3, 2019 following the Labour Day long weekend. For more information about important dates and holidays for the upcoming school year, please refer to the 2019-20 School Year Calendar.
The official school year calendar for the Toronto District School Board runs from September 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020, inclusive.- The last day of class for elementary students is June 25, 2020
- The last day of class for secondary (full year) students is June 23, 2020
- The last day of class for secondary (semestered) students is June 23, 2020
PA Days & Statutory Holidays
- Board-wide PA Day October 11, 2019
- Thanksgiving October 14, 2019
- Board-wide PA Day November 15, 2019
- Board-wide PA Day December 6, 2019
- Winter Break December 23, 2019 to January 3, 2020 (inclusive)
- Last day of school is December 20, 2019
- School resumes January 6, 2020
- Elementary PA Day January 17, 2020
- Secondary PA Day (Semestered Schools only) January 30, 2020
- Board-wide PA Day February 14, 2020
- Family Day February 17, 2020
- March Break March 16 to 20, 2020
- Good Friday April 10, 2020
- Easter Monday April 13, 2020
- Victoria Day May 18, 2020
- Elementary School PA Day June 5, 2020
- Secondary School PA Day (Full Year Schools only) June 24, 2020
- Secondary School PA Day June 25, 2020
- Board-wide PA Day June 26, 2020
Also please note -
- Rosh Hashanah begins sunset of Sunday, September 29, 2019 and ends nightfall of Tuesday, October 1, 2019
- Yom Kippur begins sunset of Tuesday, October 8, 2019 and ends nightfall of Wednesday, October 9, 2019
- Hanukkah begins sunset of Sunday, December 22, 2019 and ends nightfall of Monday, December 30, 2019
- Passover begins sunset of Wednesday, April 8, 2020 and ends nightfall of Thursday, April 16, 2020
- Ramadan 2020 will begin in the evening of Thursday, April 23, 2020 and ends in the evening of Saturday, May 23, 2020 (dates may vary)
- Eid al-Fitr 2020 will begin in the evening of Saturday, May 23, 2020
EQAO
Gr. 9 Math: 1st Semester: January 13-24, 2020
Gr. 9 Math: 2nd Semester: June 2-15, 2020
OSSLT: March 31, 2020
Primary/Junior EQAO: May 19-June 1, 2020
| |
|
|
|
