Hello Friends,

I hope everyone has had a fantastic start of the 2022 school year. I’m very excited to see so many of our students returning to our physical classrooms and that things are resembling more to their pre-pandemic levels. This year, I am happy to say that over 95% of our students have voted with their actions to return to their physical classrooms. This is a drastic change from just two years ago when 1 in 4 students chose to learn virtually. I am also happy to say that the TDSB received more students in this school year than we had expected, and the board’s total enrollment is around 5% higher than projections. This higher enrolment is great news for our system because it means the board will now receive more resources from the province to be directed towards helping our kids learn. That being said, many of our schools in the community recently went through reorganization, where some large classes were split up into smaller ones as additional staffing is brought in. I hope things settle down quickly so we can get to some high quality learning.

Parents and Caregivers as Partners Conference

Join us at our annual Parents and Caregivers as Partners Conference on October 22 and 23, 2022. Parents, guardians and caregivers are invited to participate in a weekend of learning, connection and engagement and learn strategies to support your child throughout the year.

New this year, we have partnered with the TDSB’s Outdoor Education team as well as the City of Toronto to bring a unique, outdoor experience to the conference. All pre-conference sessions will run from 8:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday. Transportation from hub sites is available to all venues and leaves a designated departure location at 8 a.m. and returns at 10:30 a.m. More information will be provided in the registration.

The virtual conference includes a keynote address on Sunday, October 23 by Randell Adjei, Ontario’s Poet Laureate, as well as a number of workshops in a range of areas including mental health and well-being, learning, special education, anti-racism and hate and more.

Registration opens soon. Visit www.parentsaspartners.ca for more information.

A Look Back: Supporting Students and School Communities

Every day, we support students, staff and our school communities across Toronto. Every decision made and action taken is with the intentional focus on ensuring that students have the resources, opportunities and welcoming and respectful learning spaces they need to thrive.

Here is a look back on some of our most impactful work, guided by our Multi-Year Strategic Plan, over the last several years that is making a difference in the lives of those we serve. Watch the video here.

Stay Connected with your School

The TDSB is offering two new ways to stay connected with your school and the TDSB. Learn about opting in for text messages and using the School Messenger app, which provides a faster and easier way to report absences. Learn more.

Mental Health and Well-Being

Check out our mental health and well-being website for resources, webinars and drop-in times to help support families’ and students’ well-being all year.

Central Student Interest Programs

Applications for central student interest programs open in November! Visit our website for elementary and secondary programs to learn about each of the programs, review program and application requirements, get dates for upcoming open houses and webinars and all application timelines.

Early French Immersion (Junior Kindergarten Entry) Application Deadline

For families interested in the Toronto District School Board's system-wide French Immersion Program, we offer an online process to apply for Early French Immersion (begins in JK). An offer of placement in the program (not a specific school) is guaranteed to all on-time applicants. The timeline to apply to the Early French Immersion program for September 2023: Applications must be completed online between October 31 and November 25, 2022.

Visit the TDSB website for more information about Early French Immersion, Virtual & In-Person Information Sessions or the Application Process.

Hallowe’en Safety Tips

Hallowe'en provides an opportunity for parents and children to spend time together creating costumes, carving pumpkins, planning trick or treat activities and participating in family parties. Hallowe'en is a big event at schools and provides opportunities for parties, creative activities, art programs and impromptu history lessons. Hallowe'en is also a time for students, parents, and schools to take extra care to ensure safety and security.

Trick or Treating Safety

Children should NEVER eat any treats until parents have had a chance to go through them and inspect them. Parents should look for tampering of packages and discard any they believe to be unsafe or unknown.
Have your child carry a flashlight.NEVER go into a stranger's house.
NEVER trick or treat with people you do not know.
Trick or treat only at homes you know.
Children should always stay in groups if no parent is present.
Younger children should ALWAYS be accompanied by an older person.
If you can not accompany your child, then know the route they will take.
Flame resistant (retardant) costumes are in order. Keep costumes short and remind children to stay away from pumpkins with candles in them.
Remind children to stay away from pets they do not know.
Remind children of road safety rules. Cross only at corners. Do not criss-cross the road. Go up one side of the road and down the other side. Never cross between parked cars. Walk facing on-coming traffic if there is no sidewalk.
If adults are driving their children, drive slowly, with lights on and be cautious when pulling to the side of the road.
Children should wear their own shoes when trick or treating. Wearing costume shoes/boots can be dangerous and uncomfortable.
Remind children that not everyone celebrates Hallowe'en, and to avoid any homes that have no lights on.
With older children, be sure to know what other events (such as parties) they plan on attending.
Set time limits when children should return home.

Heritage and History Months

The Toronto District School Board is proud to celebrate the following heritage and history months during October:

Upcoming Meetings

The next Regular Board Meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 26, 2022. For a list of upcoming meetings, please click on the calendar on the main webpage of www.tdsb.on.ca.

TDSB Update

Sign-up for TDSB Update and stay informed about recent Board decisions and district-wide news.

Follow the TDSB

Join the conversations happening on TDSB's social media communities. You'll find the most up-to-date information about us on our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts.

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