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Message from Trustee Gough
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Dear Ward 3 Resident,
Ward Council coming up: our next Ward Council Meeting is this Thursday, May 17th, 7 pm. I will be showing the acclaimed documentary Screenagers at John English Jr. Middle School. This award-winning movie offers solutions to messy struggles over social media, video games and academics. Check out the trailer here. You can find a parent guide and more information below.
May is Asian Heritage Month, Jewish Heritage Month, and Get Outside Month. The beautiful spring weather has us all enjoying the outdoors. Bike to School Week is happening throughout the GTA from May 29 to June 1. Schools can register for Bike to School week here to get incentives, posters, and a chance to win a $200 MEC gift card. Congratulations to Sunnylea JS for being among the first schools to register for this rite-of-spring event! TDSB has made great strides over the last few years in communicating the physical and mental health benefits of students getting to school and back actively. We're also working more closely with public health nurses, our local community police officers, and City of Toronto traffic staff to educate students on safe pedestrianism, which is now a mandated part of the board curriculum. We have started to make our school zones safer places during opening and closing times. Many thanks to the panel of experts and large crowd of parents who attended my School Traffic Safety ward meeting on April 25th. Keynote speaker Roger Browne, Manager of Traffic Safety for Toronto, brought everyone up to date on the new Vision Zero traffic safety plans and accomplishments.
Education Week: several TDSB schools in the ward celebrated excellence in education last week with large scale events. To name a few, Twentieth Street JS had an open house to showcase art and technology, Second Street JMS held a fabulous Health and Wellness Night, John English JMS put on a highly polished theatre production of The Little Mermaid and Park Lawn JMS did a spirited version of the play Mary Poppins. A special thanks to all who gave their time so generously for these special events.
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The Little Mermaid at John English Junior Middle School | |
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At Etobicoke School of the Arts, music theatre students (SPLASH) competed in the Show Choir Canada Championships in April. They won awards for Top Vocal, Top Choreography, Top Design, and then went on to win the big prize, the National Show Choir Championship. An ESA student was selected for a $40,000 Music Theatre BFA Conservatory Scholarship from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. With this and other successes, ESA has once again positioned itself as the top arts high school in Canada and one of the best in North America.
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ESA’s National Show Choir Champions - the SPLASH ensemble - celebrate their win | |
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| In this issue:
Local news and updates:- Screenagers: coming Thursday May 17th 2018
- Castlebar Jr. School to re-open in 2019
- TDSB Ward 3 Environmental Leadership Award
- "The Dad Workshop" with PIAC rep Trevor Burnett
- Excellence Award won by Lauren Pacheco of James S. Bell
- Get PRO grant ideas at the Ward 3 Essential School Resources Guide
- Register for a Canadian School Travel Planning Toolkit
News and updates from TDSB's Education Centre:- Active transportation in TDSB schools: progress report
- Graduation rate reaches all-time high
- Recreational cannabis legislation: update
- STEM conference at Richview Collegiate May 26 2018
- Summer e-learning in French
- Early Years conference May 26 2018
From our community:- ESA Yard Sale
- James S. Bell Sports and Wellness Academy Bellapalooza
- Sunnylea Spring Fest
- Samuel Smith Park Spring Bird Fest
- Lemonade for Love Saturday June 23 2018
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| Screenagers: coming May 17th 2018 Join me Thursday to view the documentary Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age. This film offers solutions to how we can help our children navigate the digital world. Find out more by watching the Screenagers trailer. Teens and tweens are welcome to join the audience with their parents. Get the most out of the film by watching it with your teen/tween and discussing it afterwards using questions in this parent guide developed by the producers of Screenagers.
Childminding is available for children 4- 10 years of age. If you require childmindng please pre-register through Araz Hasserjian at araz.hasserjian@tdsb.on.ca
When: May 17 2018 at 7 pm
Where: Auditorium, John English Jr. Middle School, 95 Mimico Ave.
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| Castlebar Jr. School to re-open in 2019Norseman JMS's growing enrollment has put strains on the school for years. Over the winter a committee called a Program Area Review Team (PART) analyzed the feasibility of opening nearby Castlebar Jr. School as a standalone school. The PART recommended reopening Castlebar in September 2019, starting with JK to Grade 3 only, then phasing in Grades 4 and 5. You can find the PART Final Report here, as well as a Q and A sheet. The Norseman school website has a link to the final report. This recommendation was passed at the April 18 2018 TDSB board meeting. Staff committed to fully resourcing the new school, including upgrading the outdoor play area and providing a new play structure or a more creative and stimulating set-up, such as an OPAL play program. This is great news for the Norseman-Queensway community!
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| TDSB Ward 3 Environmental Leadership Award Once again this year, I will be presenting the TDSB Ward 3 Environmental Leadership Award to a student at each of the elementary schools in the ward, as chosen by principals. The award will be presented at the school's graduation ceremony in June.
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| The Dad Workshop" with PIAC rep Trevor BurnettIs your school council looking for new and stimulating ideas? Our Parent Involvement Advisory Committee representative, Trevor Burnett, is available to give his workshop on fathering, which was very well received at the recent Parents as Partners conference. "The Dad Workshop" is an interactive and engaging seminar based on recent research that shows the many lasting benefits of fathers volunteering in their children's schools. You'll hear empowering ideas for fathers based on Trevor's own experience as an involved parent and school council co-chair at Seventh Street Jr. School. Cost is free. Contact Trevor at trevor.h.burnett@gmail.com.
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Trevor Burnett presents "The Dad Workshop" at the Parents as Partners Conference April 2018 | |
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| Excellence Award won by Lauren Pacheco of James S. Bell Congratulations to Lauren Pacheco of James S. Bell Sports and Wellness Academy, who has won a prestigious TDSB Excellence Award for her commitment to excellence and innovation in her work with students in the intensive support program. Only twelve of these awards are given out per year in our system. Well done Ms. Pacheco!
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| Get PRO grant ideas at the Ward 3 Essential School Resources Guide
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| Register for a Canadian School Travel Planning Toolkit
The newly formed Ontario Active School Travel Council is running a webinar and website launch on May 31 2018. Register for the free webinar to find out about the new School Travel Planning Toolkit and how you can use it to address congestion, improve safety, and increase active transportation in your school community.
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| | News and Updates from TDSB's Education Centre
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| Active transportation in TDSB schools: progress report Since the TDSB approved its Charter for Active Transportation in 2013, hundreds of schools have received bike racks and thousands of students have taken part in bike rodeos, cycling assemblies, mechanics and bike safety workshops. Beginning in September, all elementary students will be taught safe pedestrianism and all schools will be encouraged to take part in International Walk to School Day in October. The TDSB is greatly expanding its School Traffic Safety Program to make the physical aspects of school zones safer, and is working with Toronto Police Services to bring back the Parent Safety Program, which assists school communities in organizing volunteer- supervised pick up and drop off areas.
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| Graduation rate reaches all-time highThe TDSB's most recent graduation rate has increased to an all-time high of 86%, representing an overall increase of 17% since 2000 when rates began to be tracked.
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| Recreational cannabis legislation: update
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STEM conference at Richview Collegiate May 26 2018
The Toronto STEM parent conference is taking place at Richview Collegiate in Etobicoke. This conference, organized by a parent group with support from the Ministry of Education and TDSB, creates excitement in children and their parents about Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) through workshops, speakers, and hands-on experiences. It is free.
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| Summer e-learning in French Students wanting to take courses in French in Grades 11 and 12 sometimes find their schedule makes it hard to fit them in, especially at the arts schools where required courses in the arts majors take precedent. A solution exists. TDSB offers a number of online credit French courses in the summer. Find out more here for information about July e-learning courses and here for information about August e-learning courses.
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| Early Years conference May 26 2018
TDSB is hosting a conference for Early Years educators on Saturday May 26. Participants include K-2 teachers, designated early childhood educators, Parent Family Literacy Centre program providers, licensed daycare providers, parenting workers, special education support staff and professional support staff. The program aims to provide Early Years educators with ways to deepen their understanding of equity in education in pedagogy for very young children. Register and get more information about the Early Years Conference here.
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Etobicoke School of the Arts Yard Sale
May 26 2018 from 9am to 2pm
675 Royal York Road
Rain Or Shine All Proceeds go to ESA Students | |
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| | Bellapalooza at James S. Bell Sports and Wellness Academy
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James S. Bell School Council Presents Bellapalooza
May 26 2018 from 11am to 3pm
90 Thirty First Street Silent Auction, BBQ, Car Wash, Games, Yard Sale, Bouncy Castle, Wacky Wizard Magician & More!!! | |
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| | Sunnylea Jr. School Family Fun Day
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Sunnylea Junior School's Family Fun Day May 26 2018 from 11am to 2:30pm 35 Glenroy Avenue Bouncy Castles, Bake Sale, BBQ, Silent Auction, Face Painting, Ice Cream, Giant Slides, Cakes, Snow Cones, Dunk Tank, Photo Both and more! Everyone welcome - Free admission Rain or Shine | |
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| | Colonel Samuel Smith Park Spring Bird Fest
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Spring Bird Festival
May 26, 2018 from 10am to 2pm
Colonel Samuel Smith Park
Bird Walks, Family Activities, Live Animal Displays | |
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| | Lemonade for Love June 23 2018
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Lemonade for Love
June 23 2018 from 9am to 12pm Fairfield Park, Etobicoke This is a child-driven, parent supported fundraiser event. In support of the #CaptianXavierFund for Silver Creek Pre-School #lemonadeforlove18 | |
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