Hello Davenport school friends, neighbours and families,

For many of us, the next few weeks will be busy with high school commencements, family gatherings, holidays and Hallowe'en. The cooler weather is a big relief for teachers and students working in hot classrooms, and a sign that we've nearly completed the first month of the school year.

Mark your calendars! our Ward 9 Council will meet on October 17 (location to be determined) at 6:30PM. Everyone is welcome. Please ensure your school council is represented! A calendar of upcoming Ward Council meeting dates will be circulated soon.

Some school buses are still not running on schedule and - as I said in my last email - we need to first solve the problem and then work to prevent this from happening again. Last week, as Chair of the TDSB's Finance and Accountability Committee, I asked for more answers about the delays, the lack of bus drivers, and the issues that are making it hard to recruit and retain people to carry out this very important work. I was interviewed the following morning on CBC Metro Morning, and you can hear the interview here.

As your TDSB Trustee it is my privilege to serve such an engaged and amazing community. Public Schools are the heart of our neighbourhoods, and a strong public education system benefits everyone.

I'm proud to work with you to ensure our public schools are safe and welcoming places for students to learn and succeed, and hubs for our community.

Here's just a glimpse of what we have been accomplishing together:

• Engaged parents directly in decision-making through month Ward Council meetings and forums;
• Supported parents and students to prepare to welcome refugee families;
• Made the TDSB more accountable by becoming the first school board in Canada to hire an Integrity Commissioner;
• Passed a motion calling for the end of carding and issued a statement on Anti-Racism and Fairness in Police Services and Investigations signed by all availalbe TDSB Trustees;
• Continued to advocate for changes to the Education Funding Formula and increased provincial funding for programming and school capital repairs, working closely with community partners like Fix Our Schools;
• Pushed back against the privatization and sale of our public spaces;
• Passed a motion to include a community hub in the development plans for the TDSB-owned land at Bloor & Dufferin, bringing together the City, Province, TDSB and Toronto Land Corporation to get this done!;
• Passed a motion for the Board and schools to acknowledging that our schools are located on indigenous land, at the request of the TDSB Aboriginal Advisory Committee.
• Advocated for safer streets and more bike lanes to ensure more of our families and children feel safe walking or biking to school.

There is so much more to be done... I look forward to continuing this journey with all of you.

Marit

Don't forget: October 7 is a PA Day!

Wondering what all those orange shirts were about?

Last Friday September 30, students and staff across our Board wore orange shirts to school. Find out why.

Community members are invited to join a conversation about equity in the TDSB. 

The TDSB has been a leader in equity and, to continue to improve student achievement and well-being, we must take a more strategic approach. Our vision is to create equitable learning environments to close the gaps and raise expectations for everyone. To do that, we have developed a draft Integrated Equity Framework Action Plan that will be the foundation for a system-wide, cultural shift.

Please learn more online, take a look at the framework (or the summary version) and share your feedback online, join us at an in-person conversation or join an online webcast. Your voice and perspective will help inform the work that makes this vision a reality.