Labour Negotiations News

As of Sunday night at 9pm, a tentative settlement of central terms was achieved with Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and the Council of Trustees’ Associations comprised of Association des conseils scolaires des ecoles publiques de l’Ontario; Association franco-ontarienne des conseils scolaires catholiques; the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association; and the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association. As part of the settlement, CUPE immediately suspended all central strike action pending ratification of the agreement and TDSB schools were able to open. For additional details and to keep following all labour negotiations, please see www.tdsb.on.ca/labour and follow @tdsb on Twitter.

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 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.

New Motion: Mandatory eLearning

I have recently brought forward two motions for debate at the board. The first is a motion relating to mandatory eLearning in our TDSB schools. I have grave concerns about the mandatory nature of this policy. My key concern are the access issues that exist that I do not believe the government fully considered before announcing this policy for implementation as early as September 2020. Further, the government has not released the results of its consultation on mandatory eLearning. I was inspired by the leadership of the Ontario Student Trustees’ Association and the 6000+ responses that they achieved from surveying students about this policy – of whom 94% were against. I have brought this motion forward now because, as Trustees, we have an obligation to ask our communities about their thoughts on this policy so that we can speak out about our own TDSB facts and data (including the voice of our students) so we can ensure that no student is left behind with this policy. You can read the motion here: https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Leadership/Boardroom/Agenda-Minutes/Type/A?Folder=Agenda%2f20190918&Filename=7.1.pdf

The actions that the motion calls for are:
That the Director:

a) conduct a random sample of the Board’s secondary school students, parents and staff to determine their thoughts about the implementation of mandatory eLearning;

b) That the TDSB survey platform - the Pulse - be used to conduct the survey;

c) That the Chair write to the Minister of Education and the presidents of both the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association and the Ontario Student Trustees’ Association:

i. to express the Board’s concerns about the implementation of the Ministry’s major policy change in its schools regarding mandatory eLearning;

ii. to advise that the TDSB is surveying its community and will then report back to the province when the results become available in winter 2020.

New Motion: Addressing the Youth Vaping Epidemic

As a member of Toronto’s Board of Health, I regularly report into the TDSB board of trustees about public health issues and board matters. At our last board meeting, I gave notice of a motion asking for the TDSB to take leadership to call on Health Canada to take action to prevent the harm that the youth vaping epidemic is having on our students and young people. I have shared this motion with other boards and am pleased to report that the Toronto Catholic District School Board has brought forward a similar motion. The TDSB’s motion will be posted online next week. To summarize, the motion highlights the bold action that has been taken in the US to fight against this epidemic, it cites the 74% increase in vaping here in Canada for youth 16 to 19, highlights the alarming trend of vape-related pulmonary illnesses in youth, and calls on the TDSB to approach Health Canada to ask that they immediately take action to address this epidemic, including:

a) a full ban on e-cigarettes in Canada until the science about the adverse health impacts is known, to ensure that these devices can be properly regulated to protect youth from severe pulmonary disease that has resulted in death in some cases,

b) a removal of flavoured e-cigarette products from the Canadian market,

c) the restriction of any advertising and product design that specifically targets youth;

d) the provision of funding for schools to install vape alarms as a deterrent for youth vaping in schools.

Thanks to those who were able to join us at our October 3rd Ward Forum at the Waterfront School. Our gracious host Principal Delora Harvey was so kind to open the school to our community. Many thanks! The meeting topic was school safety and the two key issues addressed were concussion awareness and online safety and security. Presenters included Brainwaves Canada, a volunteer organization that provides neuro-science training for students grades 4-6 in schools with a specific focus on concussion safety.

We also welcomed Community Resource Officers from 52 Division – with thanks to their connection to the Island School Council - and Constable Anthony Lamanna provided a lively presentation about online safety for parents.

Some of the questions on the minds of attendees were 1) more information about an upcoming motion to the Finance Budget and Enrollment Committee about Pilot Dog Runs that you can view here, and 2) more information about the Ward 9 Equity Committee, including first meeting date and topics to address.

I’ve heard from a few new Ward reps and look forward to seeing you at our future ward forums. Save the dates: November 12, January 16, February 27, March 31, April 21, May 14, June 11.

As a parent/guardian/caregiver there are several ways to participate in school-board matters. Of course, engaging at the school level on your School Council is the most local way, but there are also ward level committees and board-level committees to participate in as well.

At the Board-level, we have ward elections every two years for representatives at the Parent Involvement Advisory Committee (PIAC) and the French as a Second Language Advisory Committee (FSLAC). Our reps are D. Williams (Dewson) who also Co-Chairs PIAC and Chetna Dickerson (FH Miller) as our PIAC alternate. On the French as a Second Language Advisory Committee our ward rep is Matt Forrest (Regal Road) who is the Vice-Chair of FSLAC as well.

If you are interested in joining we have a vacancy for one FSLAC representative right now and for next year’s elections I would be happy to discuss any questions you have leading up to the vote!

Also at the board level, I am so proud that we have even more representation from Ward 9! Alexis Dawson (Rawlinson) is a member of the Black Student Achievement Advisory Committee and Tania Principe (Rawlinson/Regal Road) is a member of the Special Education Advisory Committee. I am ever grateful for the level of talent, experience and passion that exists here in
our community that is also represented at the board level. Thanks to all of you for your contributions across our entire school board.

Here in ward 9 we have 33 schools from St Lawrence Market, to the Island, to Kensington, and then up through Davenport to Eglinton. We are a hugely diverse riding with lots of experience to share. Our Ward 9 Steering Committee provides insight and expertise into engaging families across the ward, sets the agendas for Ward Forums, provides advice to me, and chairs our Ward meetings. If you are interested in participating on the steering committee, please reach out to me anytime at stephanie.donaldson@tdsb.on.ca.

The inaugural meeting of the Ward 9 Equity Committee is tentatively scheduled for the evening of November 5th from 7pm to 9pm. Alexis Dawson and I will be co-chairing and the goals of this committee are to share information, resources and best practices with parents of ward 9 schools to help inform the equity arm of their local school improvement planning process. In addition, the group will help facilitate information sharing with system level advisory committees such as Equity Policy Advisory Committee, Black Student Achievement Advisory Committee, Special Education Advisory Committee, Urban Indigenous Community Advisory Committee, LGBTQ2S Community Advisory Committee.

Recommended Read: Education Without Oppression

I have recently been following Shree Paradkar’s series “Education Without Oppression” which is the 2018-19 Atkinson series. Paradkar examines the continuing marginalization of Black and Indigenous students in Canada. The series analyzes the challenges and breakthroughs nationally and in the cities of Baltimore, Md.; Lucknow, India; and Napier, New Zealand. I am so grateful for this series, and the time that Paradkar took to speak to so many incredible leaders both in the TDSB and across the province who are doing this work and trying to make our public education system work for ALL students. The link below will take you to many of the articles worth reading and sharing.

Playground Revitalization Projects in Ward 9

I have heard from so many engaged parents over the last few weeks about playground revitalization projects. This is SUCH amazing news and your work in your communities to improve your school grounds is nothing short of tremendous. Please contact me anytime you have any questions, no matter what stage of the project you are at. However, if you are just starting out and at the ideas stage, it’s even more important that you reach out as soon as possible so we can connect you to the right folks at the school board to get you off to a blazing (and well planned) start!

ArtsJunktion Update

Have you heard of the ArtsJunktion program? It is an incredible program that provides free materials and supplies for teachers and students across our board, while also diverting countless amounts of waste from landfill. It is an excellent example of thoughtful and purposeful recycling and sustainability within the TDSB. I’ve heard from many concerned community members and donors, worried that with the TDSB budget cuts and a change in staffing, that this program is at risk of closing. To be clear, this program is not closing – it is staying open – and board staff are working to make it more accessible to all.

Right now, responsibility for ArtsJunktion is in the process of being transferred to the TDSB’s Sustainability Office, who also operate the board’s EcoSchools program. As of October 7th, Sustainability staff are operating ArtsJunktion on Monday afternoons from 1 pm to 5:30 pm. At this time, ArtsJunktion is open for staff to pick up currently stocked items for use in schools. However, the program cannot accept new donations until at least January.

In addition to this, the Sustainability team will also be undertaking a review of the program in order to re-vision ArtsJunktion in a way that retains its strengths, finds ways to make improvements, and creates a sustainable delivery model for the long term. As an important part of the review, the board will be seeking input from both current and potential future ArtsJunktion users. To get started, a survey will soon be available on the public website. The review will explore ways of:

* Improving accessibility across the TDSB by moving to a more central location and increasing operating hours;

* Finding a location with a loading dock and increased storage capacity so that a broader range of materials can be made available; and

* Creating an online catalogue where donated good can be posted for all to see remotely.

* Making the program more financially sustainable through external funding and partnerships;

I hope that many of you will participate in the survey and review and help us improve and expand this program so that ALL teachers and students across our whole school board can access these wonderful free materials and resources. For more information, contact Richard Christie, Senior Manager of Sustainability at richard.christie@tdsb.on.ca.

Bloor Collegiate/Alpha II Temporary Relocation Update

At the September 25th meeting of the Board of Trustees, a temporary relocation of Bloor CI to Central Technical School was approved and will proceed, as planned, for the beginning of the 2020-21 school year. The board report on the move is available here. As noted in the report, the scheduled opening of the new school is 2022 (dependent on the timing of the City of Toronto approving the site plan). As noted at the community meeting last May, the two schools will operate as two separate schools located in the same building. Principal Arnott (Bloor CI) and Principal Edwards (Central Tech), along with Superintendent Mike Gallagher will be leading the creation of a relocation committee. Please expect communication about the goals and membership of this committee shortly. For more information about the relocation and the new build, please check my webpage in the section called “Bloor/Alpha Rebuild” as well as the websites of both schools Bloor and Central Tech.

by Carla Garbas, OPSBA

This fall, more than 9,000 schools and 1 million students are expected to take part in Student Vote Canada 2019 coinciding with the October federal election. Student Vote is an authentic learning program that provides elementary and high school students with the opportunity to experience the voting process firsthand and practice the habits of active and informed citizenship. Student Vote is a program of CIVIX. Elections Canada has engaged CIVIX to deliver Student Vote for the 2019 federal election. Register here

Participating students will learn about government and the electoral process, and research the issues, candidates and parties through classroom activities, family discussion and media consumption. In the culminating activity, students will cast ballots for the local candidates running in their riding. The results are shared with the media for broadcast and publication following the close of polls. Student Vote Canada 2019 is targeted at grades 4 to 12 and materials are available in English and French. Registered schools will receive educational resources, posters, riding maps, ballots and ballot boxes at no cost. Learn more by visiting www.studentvote.ca/canada or calling toll free: 1-866-488-8775.

TDSB Releases EQAO and OSSLT Results

On Wednesday, Sept. 25, the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) released achievement results and the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is proud that results remain strong.

When compared to the province, 2018-19 EQAO results for TDSB students in Grades 3 and 6 show that a higher proportion are performing at or above the provincial standard in five of the six assessments in reading, writing and mathematics. This has been a consistent trend over the past five years, with a higher proportion of TDSB students continually performing at the highest level of EQAO.

To learn more, please read the full news release and visit the TDSB webpage for Achievement and EQAO.

French-as-a-Second-Language: Question and Answers
At the June 2019 Board meeting, recommendations to change the Intensive French-as-a-Second Language programs in the TDSB were passed. For your information, please see the FSL Program Review Recommendations Q & A that has been prepared. Additional details regarding TDSB French programs, including the application process and information on who to contact with any further questions, can be found on the TDSB French Programs webpage.

French Programs Application Deadline

For families interested in the Toronto District School Board's French Immersion or Extended French programs, we offer an online process for applying to:

* Early French Immersion (EFI) which begins in Senior Kindergarten;

* Junior Extended French (JEF) which begins in Grade 4

At this time, TDSB guarantees an offer of placement in the program (not a specific school) to all on-time applicants. The timelines for applying for these programs for September 2020 are:

* Applications for Early French Immersion (for a Junior Kindergarten aged child), must be completed online between November 4, 2019 and November 29, 2019.

* Applications for Junior Extended French must be completed online between January 6, 2020 and January 31, 2020.

Offers of placement within your chosen program will be made to all on-time applicants in the weeks following the close of the application window. Please note that families with an older sibling currently in a French program are still required to complete an online application for the new student. For further information about French as a Second Language programs, the application process and important dates, please visit www.tdsb.on.ca/french.

High School Information Nights

To help you make an informed decision when choosing a high school, TDSB schools host information nights for parents and grade 8 students each year between October and January. Learn everything you need to know about our incredible variety of schools, programs and courses. The dates and times for all High School Information Nights are available online.

Here are the dates for Ward 9 schools:

ALPHA II Alternative School -Jan 06, 2020 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM (ALT)

Bloor Collegiate Institute -Nov 04, 2019 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM Advanced Placement (AP) Math and TOPS on Bloor Presentation: 5:30pm & 7:30pm (Please attend ONE presentation only to allow room for everyone) Regular Program: 6:30pm Science Focus (MST) Pre-Advanced Placement (Pre-AP)

City School -Nov 19, 2019 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM Alternative (ALT)

Contact Alternative School, Alternative (ALT)- By Appointment

Oakwood Collegiate Institute -Nov 26, 2019 7:00 PM Extended French (ExF) French Immersion (FI) Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM)

Oasis Alternative Secondary School, Alternative (ALT)- By Appointment

Reminder to Call school if Your Child will be Late or Absent

One measure of keeping our students safe is to ensure we can account for any absences or reasons for being late to school. We would like to remind you that if your child is going to be absent or late for any reason, we ask that you contact the school immediately and report the reason for the absence. If we are not informed about the absence, we will make attempts to contact you through our automated call-out system to determine the reason for the absence.

Please let the office know by calling the school if your contact information, including phone number, changes at any time throughout the school year.

Thank you for your continued cooperation to keep your children safe and accounted for.

Lockdown and Fire Drills

At the beginning of each school year, our students and staff prepare for the year ahead by establishing the foundations for a successful year. One of the ways we know we can help students be successful is to create a safe environment in which to learn. Though no one ever wants to see an emergency happen at a school, it's important for school staff to be equipped to deal with those situations, should these occur. The safety of students and staff is a top priority at our school and to that end, as with all emergency drills, it is essential that we are prepared and understand the importance of procedures that will help ensure the safety of everyone in our school. The TDSB has taken steps to ensure your child's safety while in school. Each school has developed emergency preparedness plans that include steps staff will take in the event of an emergency, how staff will get students away from possible dangers, and how students' families will be contacted.

One aspect of emergency preparedness is the lockdown and fire drill. All schools are required to conduct a minimum of two lockdown drills and six fire drills each school year. Lockdown drills, like fire drills, are an essential component to ensuring student and staff safety. It is important that all staff and students are prepared and know how to respond in cases of emergencies. The drills last approximately 5 minutes and ensure plans are effective and can also systematically identify any safety concerns. Communication is also very important in any emergency situation. The emergency contact information kept on file is important in helping this happen. It lists the people who can pick up a student from the school. If you have not yet provided this information to the office or have updates to the information on file, please make sure our office staff
have that information as soon as possible.

Keeping Kids Safe

Drivers are reminded to do their part to keep children safe near school buses.

Drivers should follow these tips:

* Stop and never pass a school bus when its red lights are flashing.

* Leave space around school buses and avoid blocking school bus loading zones so children can enter and exit safely.

* Be prepared to stop for a school bus at any time, not just during school hours.

* Always obey the rules of the road and watch for children, especially in school zones.

* Stop for pedestrians at crosswalks and school crossings.

Parents can also help keep their children safe by reminding them to be aware of their surroundings when they are on or near school buses.

Reminders

Ontario College Information Fair
Oct 23 - 24, 2019 Enercare Centre

"The international educational trade fair." The Ontario College Information Fair provides the attendees with the opportunity to learn about careers available and which college programs will best prepare them for those careers, find out about unique programs that can only be offered at Ontario colleges, hear about campus life, housing, and student services, and find out how to pay for the colleges.


2020 Prime Minister's Awards Now Open

This program honours innovative and outstanding elementary and secondary school teachers and early childhood educators who are helping prepare Canadian youth for the challenges of tomorrow. Looking for inspiration? Check out previous teaching and early childhood education award recipients. 2020 nomination packages are now available at www.pma.gc.ca. The nomination deadline is January 14, 2020.