March 2023
Dear Students, Parents and Caregivers,
2023-24 Budget & Staff Allocation
Our 2023-24 Budget Process is currently underway. Every year, this process begins with staff allocation, which is guided by several factors, including student enrolment, collective agreements, class sizes caps and averages, and the TDSB’s commitment to equity, student achievement and well-being. This year, several additional factors, including the elimination of Ministry funding provided during the COVID-19 pandemic, have impacted our budget and staff allocation. The Board continues to advocate to the Ministry of Education to provide adequate and sustainable funding to support student achievement and well-being. To find out more, please go to Developing the 2023-2024 Budget.
2023-2024 is going to be a challenging budget year. There are structural deficits. The Board is budgeting to spend more money than it receives from the province. For example, additional costs to support student safety. The pandemic had a negative impact on the budget which we have not recovered, for example decreased enrolment (we receive our funding based on student enrollment); decrease in permit, international student tuitions, and continuing education revenues; $70 million costs that were not funded by the Ministry of Education.
Top six strategic budget drivers as a result of consultations:
- Staff allocation to support students
- Student and staff safety, mental health and well-being
- Student success and engagement
- Equitable access to learning opportunities, including Indigenous Education
- Human rights
- Modernization and accessibility
This year, a key update is the inclusion of climate action commitments as part of the following budget drivers: Student and Staff Safety, Mental Health and Well-being; Student Success and Engagement; Equitable Access to Learning Opportunities to Serve Our Students; and Modernization and Accessibility. Including climate action in several areas reflects the TDSB’s commitment to address the issue of climate change in our schools. These additions were made following important feedback received in the survey and from the Environmental Sustainability Community Advisory Committee.
Multi-Year Strategic Plan (MYSP) Renewal
We are beginning to renew our Multi-Year Strategic Plan and we invite the entire TDSB community to get involved and share your voice. The renewal process will build on the foundation of our current strategic plan and there will be a variety of opportunities to share your thoughts and ideas in the coming months. Please visit www.tdsb.on.ca/MYSPrenewal to learn more and for ongoing updates.
Elementary Summer School 2023 – Registration Now Open!
Looking to build your child’s literacy and numeracy skills? Elementary Summer School registration is now open! The focus of the 2023 Elementary Literacy and Numeracy Summer School Program is to continue student engagement through the month of July. Programs, which are developed by the local summer school principal to reflect the local school focus, are offered in-person to students in Kindergarten to Grade 8, from July 4 to July 28, 2023, in various locations around the city. This year, one remote program will also be available.
Sikh Heritage Month at the TDSB
Sikh Heritage Month has proudly been recognized at the TDSB during the month of April. The TDSB became the first school board in Canada to designate April of each year as Sikh Heritage Month. This designation matches the recognition by the Province of Ontario that proclaimed the Sikh Heritage Month Act in December 2013, and the recognition proclaimed by the Government of Canada on April 30, 2019. Sikh Heritage Month is recognized nationally across Canada.
Sikh Canadians have lived in Ontario since the turn of the twentieth century. They have made significant contributions to the growth and prosperity of Ontario and their traditions and culture continues to be a vibrant part of every aspect of life of Canadians today. This year our theme is Kes. Kes is one of the five Kahaars, indicators that Sikh individuals must acknowledge as part of their faith. The five Kakaars are five sacred articles of faith prescribed by Guru Gobind Singh Ji. They are also known as the ‘Five Ks’ because each one starts with letter K representing Kakka in the Punjabi language. The five K’s are: i) Kes; ii) Kirpan; iii) Karra; iv) Kangha; v) Kacchera.
Lastly during the month of April, Sikh Canadians recognize Vaisakhi, also known as Khalsa Day, which celebrates the Sikh New Year across Ontario. This year Khalsa Day will be celebrated on Sunday, April 30th in downtown Toronto at Exhibition Place. This celebration is the third largest parade in Canada with thousands of individuals joining in the festivities! We hope you are available to join us and join the event!
Latin-America History Month at the TDSB – April 2023
Latin-America History Month is proudly recognized at the TDSB during the month of April. This year’s theme is (Decolonizing) Latin-America History Month & Beyond: Honouring & Uplifting the Real Hxstories and Multiplicities of Our Identities. The “x” in HXStories was purposefully chosen to decentre patriarchal HIStories and tell our multiple stories—historical, lived and living.
Since the creation of the Latin-America History Month Volunteer planning committee in 2016, the membership, who is comprised of educators, community organizers, parents and TDSB staff and alumni continues to ensure that we are reflective of all intersectional differences within our communities of Latin-America / Abya Yala / Pachamana and its diaspora. In alignment with the theme, this year we focus on centring, honouring and uplifting our real hxstories, both pre-colonial, and the realities of present-day due to colonization. We also centre, honour and uplift the multiplicities of our identities–recognizing fundamentally that our communities are not monolithic across all intersectional identity markers.
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Program and School Services Committee
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Finance, Budget and Enrolment Committee (Special Meeting)
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Governance and Policy Committee
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Program and School Services Committee
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Finance, Budget and Enrolment Committee
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Governance and Policy Committee
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