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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 -- Happy Long Weekend
- TDSB Budget Survey Results - Worth Repeating
- Board Meeting This Week
- Toronto Lands Corporation Guiding Principles
- Reporting Hate - In Our Schools and In Our Communities
- More Details on Reporting an Incident of Hate or Discrimination Involving or Impacting Students
- New Invitations - Invitations from Community Support Workers; Learn4Life - Adult General Interest Courses - Summer 2024; Virtual Literacy Series; tdsbCREATES Celebration and Exhibition Opening, May 23, 2024, 6:00 - 8:30 PM; 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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Happy Long Weekend
Hope you have a chance to enjoy this long weekend with family and friends.
Stay safe - into the home stretch now!
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TDSB Budget Survey Results - Worth Repeating
The TDSB Budget Survey closed on Friday, May 3. A total of 7,080 surveys were completed by parents/guardians/caregivers (80%), staff (15%) and community members (5%). Please find a summary graphic of the survey results below. We are grateful to all who shared their input.
Please note, the TDSB will next discuss the proposed 2024-2025 Operating Budget at the Special Finance, Budget & Enrolment Committee on May 30 at 4:30.
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Board Meeting This Week
Wednesday, May 22 - Regular Board Meeting - Public Session 7:00pm - Boardroom, 5050 Yonge St - Agenda
- 15.1 Representation on the Ontario Public School Boards' Association
- 16.1 Governance and Policy Committee, Report No. 3, March 20, 2024
- 17.1 Governance and Policy Committee, Report No. 4, April 24, 202
- 17.1 (1) Cell Phone/Mobile Device Use in Schools Policy, Phase 2: Work Plan
- 17.1 (2) P034, Workplace Harassment Prevention for Non-Human-Rights-Code Harassment Policy: Annual Review
- 17.1 (3) Special Education Identification, Placement and Appeal: Delegation of Authority
- 17.1 (4) PR743, Employee Interim Measures Pending Investigation
- 17.1 (5) Business Arising: Employee Interim Measures Pending Investigation
- 17.2 Finance, Budget and Enrolment Committee, Report No. 8, May 1, 2024
- 17.2 (1) Contract Awards, Operations
- 17.2 (2) Contract Awards, Facilities
- 17.2 (3) Construction Tender Award: Addition and Renovation at Hodgson Middle School
- 17.2 (4) Second Quarter Interim Financial Report, 2023-24
- 17.2 (5) Plan for the Implementation of Outdoor Education Program Changes at Scarborough Outdoor Education School
- 17.3 Director’s Performance Appraisal Committee, Report No. 1, May 3, 2024
- 17.3 (1) Director of Education Performance Appraisal, 2024-2025
- 17.4 Program and Schools Services Committee, Report No. 4, May 8, 2024
- 17.4 (1) Special Education Advisory Committee: Membership
- 17.4 (2) Student Transportation Annual Report on Safety in School Zones
- 17.4 (3) Special Education and Inclusion, 2023-2024
- 17.4 (4) Math Achievement Action Plan: 2023-2024, Update 3
- 17.4 (5) Cultivating Arts Learning: Creating Opportunities for All, 2023-2024
- 17.5 Planning and Priorities Committee, Report No. 4, May 15, 202
- 17.5 (1) Affirming Toronto Lands Corporation's Guiding Principle
- 17.5 (2) Human Rights Office, Annual Report, 2022-2023
- 17.5 (3) Attendance Boundary Changes for Niagara Street Junior Public School, Ryerson Community School and The Waterfront School
- 17.5 (4) Review of the Legacy Technical and Commercial Boundaries
- 17.5 (5) Support for Newcomer Students and Families Including Refugee Claimants and Students Without Legal Immigration Status
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Toronto Lands Corporation Guiding Principles
"The Toronto Lands Corporation is the wholly owned subsidiary and exclusive real estate, leasing and land use planning services provider to the Toronto District School Board. With specific and professional expertise in these disciplines, TLC’s mandate is to provide opportunities that ensure the well-being of TDSB students in modern and innovative schools, preserve public assets and collaborate to build complete communities where people live, learn, work and play."
At this week's Board Meeting, the TDSB will affirm the TLC's Guiding Principles. For the full report, please click here.
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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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More Details on Reporting an Incident of Hate or Discrimination Involving or Impacting Students
Unfortunately, incidents of hate and racism impact students and staff within our schools as they do in our communities - we have a process for dealing with all incidents - please see below.
Step 1: Talk to your classroom teacher. When possible, follow up with an email or written account of your discussion, and what resolution was agreed upon. If your issue was not resolved, move to step 2.
Step 2: Raise your concern with the school principal. When possible, follow up with an email or written account of your discussion, and what resolution was agreed upon. If your issue was not resolved, move to step 3.
Step 3: Raise your concern with your superintendent, you may copy the TDSB Human Rights Office. When possible, follow up with an email or written account of your discussion, and what resolution was agreed upon. If your issue was not resolved, move to step 4.
Step 4: File a complaint with the TDSB Human Rights Office using the Student and Parent Complaint Form. Give as much information as possible. Describe what happened, who was involved, when it happened (day, month, year),where it happened, why you think it happened and how it is connected to one or more grounds of discrimination.
What happens after you raise a concern?
At the individual school level, school administrators have primary responsibility for addressing any racism and hate incidents and are obligated to report these incidents as set out in (PR728).
Anyone in the TDSB, including students, parents, and community members, who witnesses or becomes aware of a racism incident, hate/bias incident or hate crime should report it to a TDSB employee or supervisor.
Any TDSB employee, including contract, temporary, permanent and occasional employees, who witnesses or otherwise becomes aware of a racism incident, a hate/bias incident or a hate crime must immediately report it to the school Principal or Vice-Principal, or next level workplace supervisor not involved or implicated in the incident.
The Principal, or next level supervisor not involved or implicated in the incident, must, upon being notified or otherwise becoming aware of a racism incident, a hate/bias incident or a hate crime involving or impacting a student:
- Notify the Superintendent as soon as possible
- Contact the police as soon as possible (in the case of a Hate crime)
- Report the incident and initial response through the Racism, Bias and Hate (RBH) Portal within 24 hours (wherever possible, before the end of the school day).
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Invitations from Community Support Workers
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2024 Summer International Languages Elementary & African Heritage Program (In-person learning only)
When: July 2 to July 26, 2024 (Monday to Friday)
Who: Senior Kindergarten (as of Sept 2024) to Grade 8 students (TDSB and non-TDSB students)
Cost: $20 (for materials fee)
Please note that a minimum of 25 students is required to open a class. For more information and to register.
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Learn4Life - Adult General Interest Courses - Summer 2024
Learn4Life's summer term's registration is open.
Have you registered for the Learn4Life newsletter? Visit our website and enter your email address at the top of the page: http://learn4life.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 21st - session 3
6:00 to 7:30pm
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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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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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