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Willowdale Parents/Guardians, Students, & Community:
My heart is full of grief for the families, relatives and friends of the innocent children and families from Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 on Jan. 8. from Iran that was attacked and shot down killing all 173 passengers on board, including 63 Canadians. It has been a terrible time for our school communities and indeed for all of us at the TDSB.
When something like this happens we lose a part of ourselves. I struggle with what to say in these circumstances. Nothing can ever be said to ease the heartache or sadness.
Among the lost souls were several of our students at the TDSB. In Willowdale, three of our students were taken in this tragic event. My deepest condolences are with the families, friends, teachers abnd classmates. May they rest in peace.
The children in our schools are as much a part of my family as they are yours and the families who lost them. They will not be forgotten.
The Toronto District School Board is committed to ensuring that our school communities, families, friends and students are fully supported during this tragic and painful time.
Please read the official comments from our Chair and Director Edcuation on behalf of the TDSB. I would also like to thank the Toronto Catholic Dictrict School Board for their statement of support and condolences. It means a lot to me personally that our co-terminus boards reach out to offer love and support.
Alexander Brown
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Speaking with Students About Tragic Events - TIPS
Sadly, when tragic events happen here in Toronto or around the world, we know that some students may experience a wide range of reactions and emotions. TDSB Professional Support Services staff have prepared the following tips that may be helpful for parents whose children are experiencing difficulties. Click here for the link...
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Labour Update:
Labour Update:
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On Wednesday, February 5th, 2020 Let’s get more kids walking & wheeling to school!
Bundle up, walk and roll to school, and enjoy the winter season! On February 5th, join schools across the country in celebrating Winter Walk Day. Visit the Ontario Active School Travel website for resources including posters and event ideas. Anytime you head outside, it's important to dress for the weather.Here are some great winter weather dressing tips from Ontario Active School Travel:
- Keep hands and head covered to prevent heat loss
- On really cold days, wear a scarf over your face and mouth
- Wear warm, waterproof boots
- Wear a warm coat that deflects the wind
- Woolen clothing helps to retain heat
- Wear clothing or carry knapsacks with reflective material to be easily seen
- If possible, change wet clothes at school
In winter conditions, use extra precaution and be mindful of how ice and snow may impact your travel. When temperature and/or wind chill factor indicates -20 to -28 degrees Celsius, consider shortening your walk, moving your walk indoors or selecting another day to celebrate.
Show us how you're celebrating!
Share your Winter Walk Day event with us by tweeting @EcoSchoolsTDSB using the hashtag #WinterWalkDay.
To learn more about road safety, please visit
www.tdsb.on.ca/Road-Safety
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The Toronto District School Board is proud to recognize Chinese Heritage Month during the month of February and the theme this year is “Year of the Pig: Happy, Easy Going, Honest, Trusting, Sincere, Optimistic & Sociable.”
During this month, we celebrate the energetic culture and traditions of the Chinese community with students, staff and community members of the Toronto District School Board and the City of Toronto.
Chinese community is integral to the growth and success of the City of Toronto and Canada. Members of the Chinese community represent approximately 10 percent of the total GTA population and form its second largest visible minority group. Canadians remember and appreciate the Chinese workers who helped build the Canadian Pacific Railway that united our country.
Chinese-Canadians recognize Lunar New Year on Tuesday, February 5, 2019. Lunar New Year is also known as the Spring Festival and begins with the first moon of the lunar calendar and ends on the first full moon of the lunar calendar 15 days later!
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On Wednesday, June 19, 2019, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) approved the Operating Budget Plan for the 2019-20 school year that required $67.8 million in staff reductions and changes to program/service delivery.
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Below I have included the chart that oultines the full extent of Budget Reductions / CUTS passed by the board of trustees at the Toronto District School Board 2019-20. You can also access the full report above.
I am providing this in case public education supporters were unaware of the number of cuts or the specific areas that were cuts were made in order to ensure that the Ford government reductions in education funding could be implemented.
I am also providing the link to our 2019-20 Budget webpage at the TDSB. This is an information heavy webpage with many Questions & Answers provided, live-stream recordings of Finance Committee and Board meetings leading up to the June19th, 2019 vote on the final budget reductions /cuts listed below.
In my next newsletter, I will be providing a breakdown of the upcoming 2020-21 Budget process schedule and relevant information to help you get more involved in the process and keep on top of what is happening at the TDSB and the Ministry of Education. I am committed to including the public voice - your voice - on this next budget decision long before it happens. Click here for the Finance, Budget and Enrolment Committee report that includes the schdeuled meetings. More information will be coming through these newsletters and ward forums that I will be setting up.
Update on the 2019-2020 Ward by Ward Budget Breakdown: click here for the report (Jan 22, 2020)
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School Budget Cuts
I am providing this information and full lists of all school budget cuts for transparency and accountability.
If you followed the budget process last year, you would be aware that I voted against these cuts because I could not cite any pedagogical advantages that would keep the focus on students without impacting outcomes. I could only view this as a exercise in finding "efficiencies" due to the provincial government making decisions on grant funding that forced school board across the province to cut their budgets and impact students in classrooms.
Full List of School Budget Cuts Click Here
List of Budget Cuts for Specialized Programs & Schools Click here
If you have any questions about the school budget reductions and how they affect the school's position this year, please speak directly to your school's principal about the information you require. The Director of Education has made this expectation clear; Parents and gaurdians should do this as a first step. You may also wish to consult with the school superintendent and school council chairs. I am also available and would appreciate hearing feedback about the school budget cuts and the process from the last budget round.
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I include the full livestreamed webcast from June 19th, 2019 (Budget Vote). If you would like to review the vote for the budget and comments made by a number of trustees. (Start at 2:00:50sec for budget motion vote) (My comments begin at 2:16:55sec)
FOUR Trustees voted against the Budget motion: Trustees Doyle, Wong, Smith and Brown.
EIGHTEEN (18) trustees voted for the motion to pass the budget as presented on June 19, 2019.
As part of the 2020-21 budget process, I will be holding a SPECIAL BUDGET WARD FORUM to engage Willowdale parents, students, educators and public education supporters on their priorities. Instead of presenting charts and data from our central budget staff, I want to use the meeting as an opportunity to help everyone understand how they can directly participate in the process, what to expect in terms of timing and how to influence the decisions made on the 2020-21 budget. I will also consider live-streaming the event to maximize. This Ward Forum will be held in late March or early April 2020.
Please review the Key Messages below provided by TDSB for your information on the rationale for these cuts, as well as a section of Q&A. Keep these in mind for the Special Budget Ward Forum when we meet a little later this year.
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KEY MESSAGES from TDSB Staff:
In June 2019, TDSB Trustees had to make a number of difficult decisions to address the TDSB’s $67.8 million budget shortfall and balance the Board’s budget. One of these difficult decisions was to reduce school budgets by $2.5 million.
As a result of this reduction, the TDSB’s overall school budget allocation has been reduced by approximately 5%.
To achieve the 5% reduction, the following changes were made to the school budget allocation model:
>$8 per pupil enrolment reduction for all elementary and a $12 per pupil reduction in all secondary schools;
>$12 reduction to the per pupil amount for Elementary Alternative Schools and a $18 reduction to all Secondary Alternative Schools;
>Eliminate the Elementary IB funding ($120k), following board approval of the decision to eliminate the TDSB’s Elementary IB program;
>Eliminate the Special Supplement for Specialized Programs ($915k)
As part of the reduction to the overall school budget allocation, a commitment was made to review the entire school budget allocation model to ensure a more equitable distribution of resources across all TDSB schools. These changes were made to make the school budget allocation model more equitable.
Specialized schools and schools that offer specialized programs will experience the most significant school budget reduction due to the elimination of the Special Supplement for Specialized Programs. While we have always attempted to fund our schools in an equitable manner, historically, schools across the TDSB have received varying levels of funding depending on the presence of certain specialized programs.
Schools that previously received a Special Supplement for Specialized Programs of $20k or more will not experience the per pupil enrolment reduction for the 2019-20 school year.
Small schools with an enrolment of less than or equal to 300 students will not experience a reduction. Alternative schools will experience a higher reduction due to the fact that the majority of these schools have large carryovers each year.
As part of this year’s budget process, the decision was made to fix some of these funding inequities, in many cases left over from the pre-amalgamation boards.
As always, schools have flexibility when it comes to administering their school budgets. Schools may adjust their existing budgets to target funding where they believe it is needed and in accordance with their School Improvement Plans.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS from TDSB Staff:
Q: What is the overall reduction to school budgets? Is the reduction equal across all schools?
A: The overall school budget allocation has been reduced by $2.5M (approximately 5%).
Q: What are the specific changes to school budgets?
A: The following changes have been made to the 2019-20 school budget allocation model:
$8 per pupil enrolment reduction for all elementary and a $12 per pupil reduction in all secondary schools.
$12 reduction to the per pupil amount for Elementary Alternative Schools and a $18 reduction to all Secondary Alternative Schools.
Eliminate the Elementary IB funding ($120k), following board approval of the decision to eliminate the TDSB’s Elementary IB program.
Eliminate the Special Supplement for Specialized Programs ($915k).
Q: Why were these changes made?
A: The changes to the school budget allocation model were made to ensure a more equitable distribution of resources across all TDSB schools.
Q: When were these decisions made?
A: The decision to reduce the overall school budget allocation by $2.5 million was made during last year’s budget process. Final approval was provided by Trustees at the Board meeting on June 19, 2019.
Q: Why were the budgets of specialized schools/programs cut?
A: As a result of historical decisions and practices, these specialized schools/programs were not equitably funded across the TDSB. As always, schools have flexibility in administering their budgets. Schools can continue to fund these programs by adjusting their existing school budgets and targeting funds where they believe they are needed, in accordance with their School Improvement Plans.
Q: Will schools experience both the per pupil reduction and the elimination of the Special Supplement for Specialized Programs funding as part of their 2019-20 budgets?
A: Schools that previously received a Special Supplement for Specialized Programs of $20k or greater will not experience the per pupil enrolment reduction for the 2019-20 school year. Schools that previously received a Special Supplement for Specialized Programs of less than $20k will also experience the per pupil reduction (like all other TDSB schools, except school with an enrolment of 300 or fewer).
Q: How will specialized schools/programs be able to maintain the same programming without this special supplement?
A:The reality is that the difficult decision to reduce school budgets was made to address the TDSB’s $67.8 million budget shortfall and we know that, in some cases, this will have an impact on the programming offered by a specialized school/program. As always, schools have flexibility when it comes to administering their school budgets and can make financial decisions to best meet the needs of their school community within the financial resources available. Schools may adjust their existing budgets to target funding where they believe it is needed and in accordance with their School Improvement Plans.
Q: When will these changes be implemented?
A: These changes apply to school budgets for the 2019-20 school year.
Q: What types of schools/programs received this funding?
While the TDSB has always attempted to fund our schools in an equitable manner, historically, schools across the TDSB have received varying levels of funding depending on the presence of certain specialized programs. These programs include athletics, technology, science, and arts programs, etc. As part of this year’s budget process, the decision was made to fix some of these funding inequities, in many cases left over from the pre-amalgamation boards.
Q: If a specialized school/program needs time to adapt to these funding changes, will there be a phase-in of these reductions?
A: The changes will not be phased-in. However, if a school is experiencing significant difficulties dealing with these reductions, support will be determined and addressed on a school-by-school basis.
Q: Can school communities/school councils fundraise to make up for the elimination of the Special Supplement for Specialized Programs funding?
A: All schools are able to fundraise to enhance programs and support school initiatives.
Q: Will schools still have access to their school budget surplus from last year?
A: Yes. All surpluses will be maintained.
Q: Will budget allocations for new classrooms still be available? Will budgets be updated to Oct 31 enrolments?
A: Yes. The same process and allocation will be available for new classrooms opened in schools. School budgets will be updated at the end of October based on actual enrolments. Like in previous years, both of these allocations for new classrooms and enrolment updates will be completed in November.
Q: Were school budget surpluses and non-board fund balances used in calculating the reductions to school budgets?
A: No. School budget surpluses and non-board fund balances were not used when determining the revised allocations.
Q: Are these reductions permanent?
A: These reductions are permanent for the 2019-20 school year. As we work through each year’s budget process, we will revaluate the ability to expand school budgets.
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TDSB Appoints First Indigenous Student Trustee
I was so happy and proud when Clarity M. Smoke, a Grade 9 Anishnaabe student from Monarch Park Collegiate Institute, took her seat as the first ever Toronto District School Board Indigenous Student Trustee.
About 4 years ago I had a conversation with our previous Director of Education, Donna Quan, about the possiblity of having a third student trustee to represent the interests of Indigenous students at the TDSB. I presented the idea to our Urban Indigenous Community Advisory Committee (UICAC) at the time and over the course of the past few years and many discussions it came to be. Many thanks to the UICAC members, Elders Council and all those involved in creating this new and important position.
Clarity will provide Indigenous students, families and communities with additional representation at the highest level of the TDSB; help inform and challenge the Board’s decision-making process; increase understanding about Indigenous ways of knowing and being, as well as the issues that matter most to Indigenous students and their families.
I look forward to working with her and our other dedicated student trustees.
WELCOME CLARITY in 2020.
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Next Board Meeting
The next regular Board meeting is scheduled for
Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020.
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Secondary School Program & Optional Attendance Policy Reviews:
Virtual Public Consultations - January 30, 2020
The TDSB is undertaking a review of secondary schools to ensure all students have equitable access to programs and opportunities.
As part of this review, the Board is also reviewing the Optional Attendance Policy (P013), which allows students to apply to schools other than their designated school by home address. We have held four public meetings on both Optional Attendance Policy (P013) and Secondary Program Review in November 2019 and you can review this presentation here. On January 30, 2020, we will be hosting two virtual information sessions as our final public consultations.
Join the Consultations
The TDSB will hold parallel consultations on both the Secondary Program Review and Optional Attendance Policy (P013).
Two virtual public consultation meetings are scheduled for Thursday, January 30, 2020 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Online Survey
You can also provide feedback by completing the survey here.This survey will be online until January 31, 2020.
In addition, the Optional Attendance draft policy has been posted on the TDSB public site. To provide feedback, please visit the Policy Consultation page.
Please note that the Optional Attendance policy is being reviewed at the same time as the Secondary Program Review.
EmailYou can e-mail your comments or questions about the review and/or the Optional Attendance policy to: secondaryreview@tdsb.on.ca
WARD 12 / Willowdale Meeting Opportunity
I am planning to meet with parents and any other public education supporters who want to share their feedback with me directly on the Optional Attendance and Secondary School Reviews.
The only date that I have available is February 10th, 2020 at 7pm. The location will be announced by January 30th - and if I can arrange a VIRTUAL Meeting from the Boardroom at 5050 Yonge Street, I will try to do this to allow more people to particpate from a remote location if that allows for greater flexibility.
STAY TUNED for a further anouncement on this and feel free to contact me at alexander.brown@tdsb.on.ca to provide feedback by email as well.
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Below you will find the current policy and procedures that guide parent and community involvement at the TDSB. Trustees of the Governance and Policy Committee and the Board are asking for your input and guidance on how we can better serve the needs of our education system through parent, community and student involvement. This is an opportunity to help us improve how we serve you.
You can attend this meeting in person at the Board Head Office - 5050 Yonge Street OR by watching online through a live stream. Go to:
www.tdsb.on.ca/Laskin to become part of the virtual experience.
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Thank you to everyone who attended this ward forum. There were about 45 people who showed up to learn more about e-Learning at the TDSB and the provincial government's plan to force students to take courses in grades 9 and 10.
Interestingly enough, the Minister of Education made an annoucement earlier in the day of November 21st that they were NOT going to force students in grades 9-12 to take at least one e-Learning course per year but instead only grades 9 and 10: Read Minister's Statement:
Ontario students will be required to take two online credits to graduate from secondary school. Students that graduate in the 2023-2024 school year will be the first cohort that are required to complete online courses. Online courses can begin counting toward students' graduation requirements beginning in September 2020.
I am perplexed by this government's lack of sense on real issues that affect real people - students and teachers - in our classrooms. Other than reducing the number of teachers in schools and reducing school board budgets (an exercise to save money - nothing to do with pedagogy), I do not understand the reason for such bad decisions. They turn around and decide to back-track once they realize that four mandatory courses are not viable.
I'm attached the Meeting Minutes for this Ward Forum. There were many good questions from the audience. You can find the questions and responses in the minutes.
I have also attached the Presentation Slides from the meeting by Beyhan Farhadi. They are informative and useful. If you'd like to follow up with Ms. Farhadi, you can contact me and I will make every effort to answer any questions or refer you to Beyhan.
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PRO Grants - 2019/2020 Grant Allocation
The PRO Grant program provides funding to district school boards and school authorities to lead projects with a focus on the identification and removal of barriers that prevent parents and families from participating and from engaging fully in their children's learning.
The Ministry changed the program from an application-based funding model to an allocation-based grant provided to each school board. School boards received a predetermined funding amount for parent engagement projects.
TDSB was allocated $133,405.35 for projects that demonstrate a commitment to respecting the role of parents in students’ educational experiences. All funds must be spent and reported to the Ministry by June 15, 2020.
The Board, at its meeting on November 27, 2019, approved the allocation of the $133,405.35 to the following areas:
Learning Network / Centre & Ward Engagement ($103,405.35)
• Supporting and enhancing school council capacity
• Enhancing the efficacy of families around mental health and wellbeing, equity or achievement and/or
• Engagement of diverse families and school councils in the School Improvement Process (e.g. workshops/training for families)
Recently, I had a meeting with other trustees in Learning Centre 2 including Trustees Manna Wong, Trixie Doyle, & James Li, Parent Involvement Advisory Committee (PIAC) members and learning coaches.
We discussed how to ensure that all school councils in SIX (6) wards would be able to effectively utilize what little money is now available to enagage pur parent communities. I've included the summarized notes of that planning session. One of the action items that we settled on was to engage school councils / parents through a survey. That survey has not yet been prepared; As soon as it is ready, I will send it out.
However, I would like to receive feedback on this process and the fact that the provincial government has reduced it's supports for school councils, parents, families and students at the TDSB by drastically reducing PRO-Grant funding.
Rest assured that I will do whatever I can to advocate for the re-instatement of support for TDSB parents - especially those who are hard to reach and engage in many communities across the city including Willowdale.
See TDSB's 2020-21 Education Funding Engagement Guide Consultation Responses: Pro-grant comments can be found at the end of the document - also see below highlighted in yellow.
2020 Parents as Partners (PAP) Conference ($30,000)
PAP is scheduled for Saturday, March 28, 2020 and will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at The Toronto Congress Centre. The day will offer families/guardians the opportunity to participate in day long learning, sharing and networking with families, staff and community partners. The day will feature a keynote address, informative workshops and a vendors’ marketplace of local associations and agencies which provide many different kinds of support for children and families.
For further information on Learning Centre and Ward engagement initiatives, please visit:Parent Reaching Out Grants (PRO Grants).
For information on the Parent as Partners Conference, please visit: parentsaspartners.ca.
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Join us for the Parents as Partners Conference on Saturday, March 28, 2020!
This all-inclusive conference is organized by TDSB parents for TDSB parents, guardians and caregivers. Participate in workshops, network with parents and community agencies and learn new strategies to support your child’s success.
Registration opens in 2020! Register early as there is limited space in each workshop! More information to come in the next newsletter or watch for registration at thism link PAPC2020
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Senior Management Team Responsibility for Outcomes Letters (ROLs)
Consistent with the TDSB's commitment to senior level accountability, I have provided all members of the TDSB Executive Council with annual expectations in the form of Responsibility for Outcome Letters.
The letters, distributed for the first time at the TDSB in 2017, outline system and department priorities for the year and, in some cases, a sustained focus over two or three years. I am currently drafting a Responsibility for Outcome Letter for all Superintendents of Education and this will be available by February 1, 2020.
In keeping with the Board’s efforts to promote transparency and openness with information, I am pleased to share these letters with you. The TDSB senior management team is committed to demonstrating the highest standards of responsibility and accountability to each other and to our students, parents and employees.
John Malloy
Director of Education
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TDSB Roof Replacement Schedule - November 2019
Attached is an up-to-date TDSB Roof Replacement Schedule as of November 2019.
Please note, that emergencies and weather could significantly affect the timing for the completion of the roofing work.
If you require further information, your school principal is the best person to speak to first.
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Click for City of Toronto News Release
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Wuhan Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)
Learn about how the Ministry of Health is preparing for the Wuhan novel coronavirus in Ontario. Find out how to protect yourself, what to do if you’re sick after you travel and how to recognize possible symptoms.
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Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that can cause respiratory illnesses such as the common cold, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Most people get infected with coronaviruses at one point in their lives, but symptoms are typically mild to moderate. In some cases, the viruses can cause lower-respiratory tract illnesses such as pneumonia and bronchitis.
These viruses are common amongst animals worldwide, but only a handful of them are known to affect humans. Rarely, coronaviruses can evolve and spread from animals to humans. This is what happened with the coronaviruses known as the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-Cov), both of which are known to cause more severe symptoms.
Letter to School Community from Ministry of Health
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| I'd like to share this local Willowdale initiative from Empress Orthodontics called You Smile We Smile Anti-Bullying Campaign. This is the second year that this campaign has run. I'd like to thank Doctor Shiva Shadmand for taking the initiative by actively tackling bullying and highlighting the importance of oral health. Bullying comes in many forms and the issue of dental appearance/oral health is just one of them.
Doctor Shiva Shadmand, lead orthodontist, and her team at Empress Orthodontics, invite you to participate in our exciting anti-bullying campaign titled, YOU SMILE WE SMILE. This social initiative each year provides FREE orthodontic treatment to two individuals under the age of 20 who are the victims of bullying but cannot afford the cost of treatment.
Effects of Oral Bullying on Youths
Nothing warms the heart more than the smile of a child. But sadly, many children and teens are bullied — just for their smile. Childhood bullying is nothing new to the human experience, and a child’s appearance is often the main target of social chastisement. One in four elementary-aged children and one in three teens have reported being bullied due to dental deformities (i.e. buck teeth, overcrowding) and poor oral health. As adults, we can relate to the impact, emotional trauma and isolation that childhood bullying brings. But in extreme cases, the repercussions can lead to depression and long-standing self-esteem issues that carry through to adulthood. In our practice, Empress Orthodontics, we are restoring the smiles and joy to children traumatized by dental bullying every day. But what about those who can’t afford the cost of treatment?
You Smile We Smile Campaign
In 2018, we launched our first annual anti-bullying campaign: You Smile We Smile! We closed this campaign in February 2019 with a bang! Celebrating the winners and their families with a grand event held at Empress Orthodontics, on the global anti-bullying day, Pink Shirt Day!
This year, Empress Orthodontics’ 2nd You Smile We Smile campaign will close on Wednesday, February 19, 2020. The winners will be announced on Pink Shirt Day, Wednesday, February 26, 2020.
Campaign Rules
If you know someone who has been targeted due to dental appearance and simply cannot afford orthodontic treatment, we want to hear about it! To nominate that person, simply click on the link below for their chance to win FREE orthodontic treatment from Empress Orthodontics. Winners must be aged 20 or under. All entries will be kept strictly confidential.
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