CORRECTION to Virtual School Contact InformationWe have corrected the contact information for Learning Centre 4 Virtual School. In the previous email we had inadvertently listed contact information for another Learning Centre. We apologize for the mistake.
If you are a parent or staff member with a question of concern about a child or student in Ward 15, we are in Learning Centre 4. Please see contact information below.
- Grades K-3: Contact Principal Susan Yun at susan.yun@tdsb.on.ca
- Grades 4-8: Contact Principal Mary Salvarinas at Mary.Salvarinas@tdsb.on.ca
Phone: 416-397-2468
TDSBVirtualElementarySchoolLC4@tdsb.on.ca
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| Trustee Update Jennifer Story • Ward 15: Toronto-Danforth
Toronto District School Board
416-395-8787 • Jennifer.Story@tdsb.on.ca |  |
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Download COVID Alert TodayAs you know, a new Bluetooth-based COVID-19 contact tracing app developed in Canada was rolled out for testing in Ontario on July 31. Although the app is strictly voluntary, I urge everyone to download it. Privacy is respected.
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COVID-19: Reduce Virus SpreadThe best way to keep our kids in school right now is to ensure everyone is following public health guidelines to prevent community spread. This is the most critical thing we can do. Let's all do what we can. Watch your distance. Wear your mask. Wash your hands.
From the Chair of the Board of Health - Joe Cressy, September 25, 2020
"Today's announcements are not a silver bullet. We still need to boost our testing capacity across the province, so that people aren't waiting in line for hours to get a COVID-19 test. We need the Ontario Government and the Federal Government to work together to roll out rapid at-home surveillance testing options, which can be implemented in high-risk schools and work places. We need improvements to the lab reporting system, so that public health units can access real-time results. We need improvements to data sharing, so that we can effectively enforce the mandatory isolation requirements under the federal Quarantine Act.
We need stronger protections and supports for people in areas that have been hit the hardest by this virus – whether they are employees at a workplace, clients of a shelter or long-term care home, or residents in high-transmission groups and neighbourhoods...
We have a window of opportunity to turn this trend around. If we act quickly to keep people safe, and stay committed to each doing our part, I believe that we can still prevent a staggering second wave in our city.”
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Mask and Face Covering Requirements - UpdatedIn response to rising confirmed cases of COVID -19 in Toronto, the GTA and elsewhere in Ontario, health agencies, and provincial and municipal governments are reviewing and updating health and safety measures in an attempt to reduce the spread of the virus. The TDSB is also reviewing its health and safety measures and making changes where needed. The TDSB’s Mask Guidelines have been updated in light of increases in confirmed COVID-19 cases, as well as confirmed cases among school staff and students. The guidelines have also been updated to provide additional direction regarding mask exemption requests. Important changes are highlighted in yellow throughout the updated Mask Guidelines.
These Mask Guidelines have been developed to address our collective responsibility to follow public health and Ministry of Education requirements known to be effective in combatting the transmission of COVID-19.
Unless an exemption applies that would allow a student, staff or visitor to attend in person without a mask, the wearing of appropriate masks is mandatory at TDSB schools or buildings. This document provides guidance to superintendents, principals, managers, staff, visitors, parents and students on the TDSB’s and the Ministry of Education’s mask requirements, as well as including information about exemptions.
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COVID-19 GuidanceThe TDSB takes its health direction from Toronto Public Health. Each day, before coming to school or work, students and staff should conduct a self-assessment of how they are feeling. Once you've done that, some parents have been asking for a flow chart to make it easier to understand what to do if their child has symptoms of COVID-19. Please follow the steps in the decision guide from Toronto Public Health (see flowchart below).
COVID-19 Advisories - We are continuing to work closely with Toronto Public Health (TPH) on all cases, including any necessary communications to families and school communities. This webpage - https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Return-to-School/covid-19-advisories - provides a list of the active confirmed cases of COVID-19 among students and/or staff in TDSB schools. Please note that all schools where there is a confirmed case of COVID-19 who was contagious while at school will receive a letter from TPH to inform them about the possible exposure. For more information on the TDSB Response Plan with regard to COVID-19 case management for schools and administrative sites, click here.
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Returning to School
For more details, please click on the links below that will bring you right to the information
Please know that during meetings where we receive updates from staff I have been tweeting key information - but if you have questions that still need to be answered, please e-mail me and I will continue to do my best to get you answers - shelley.laskin@tdsb.on.ca.
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Virtual SchoolUpdate as of 12pm Sunday
The ongoing process of staffing all Elementary Virtual School classrooms has continued throughout the weekend. Below is information as it stands at this time:
English Elementary Teachers: Approximately 70 teachers are still required. To further assist in reducing this number, we are now reaching out to Secondary Occasional Teachers, who are qualified to teach Grades 7 and 8.
French Immersion/Extended French Teachers: Approximately 80 teachers are still required. As you know, the availability of French teachers has been and continues to be a challenge.
Virtual School Classrooms Needed: Please note that we had originally indicated a need for approximately 2,200 teachers for the Virtual School. As students have been placed, including those in smaller ISP classes, this number has been revised to approximately 2,400 teachers. Despite this increase, we believe we will be able to fully staff the English program in the next few days.
Tech Support: We continue to provide support to those families having difficulty with login information and/or accessing Brightspace. IT has set up a designated parent phone support line at 416-396-9100 that is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
If you are a parent or staff member with a question of concern about a child or student in Ward 15, we are in Learning Centre 4. Please see contact information below.
- Grades K-3: Contact Principal Susan Yun at susan.yun@tdsb.on.ca
- Grades 4-8: Contact Principal Mary Salvarinas at Mary.Salvarinas@tdsb.on.ca
Phone: 416-397-2468
TDSBVirtualElementarySchoolLC4@tdsb.on.ca
If you are a parent with questions about Brightspace please go here:
If you are a teacher with questions about Brightspace
- please visit KEY to Learn, under Course Registration and the Virtual School Staff section.
For TDSB Brightspace support
For urgent Early Years matters
For urgent French as a Second Language matters
For Secondary Contact Information
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Brightspace SupportBrightspace's (D2L) suite of online learning tools is provided to all Ontario school districts by the Ministry of Education and is fully supported for use in TDSB by staff and students. The Brightspace online learning platform is used across TDSB by teachers K - 12 for blended learning, documenting student learning and fully online e-Learning courses. Please visit the "Brightspace Tools" page for more information and resources on the tools available in the Brightspace online learning platform. For Brightspace support - https://sites.google.com/tdsb.on.ca/tdsbvle/home.Brightspace links:
More technology links:
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TDSB Virtual LibraryDid you know that your child can get help from their school library even when they’re not at school?
Please click here for a video tutorial to help you access the TDSB Virtual Library from home.
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Board Meeting This Week
Governance and Policy Committee - Wednesday, September 30, 2020 4:30 p.m. Electronic Meeting
Committee of the Whole (Special Meeting) - Thursday, October 1, 2020 4:30 p.m. Electronic Meeting
The purpose of the meeting is to hear delegations regarding the Director of Education Search Criteria.
3. Delegations
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Director of Education Search - ConsultationPlease note an additional opportunity to hear from you regarding the Director's Search Criteria has been added -
Key Dates
- Stakeholder Consultations Continue on Search Criteria - Public Delegations, Oct. 1, 2020 - Click here for Delegation Process
- Final Approval of Director Search Criteria - Committee of the Whole, followed by a Special Board Meeting, Oct. 6, 2020
- Candidate Recruitment - Job Posting: Oct 7, 2020; Job Closing: Oct 28, 2020
- November - Candidate Interviews and Assessment; Candidate Selection
For more information please click here.
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Orange Shirt DayEstablished in 2013, Orange Shirt Day recognizes the legacy of the Residential Schools System for First Nations, Métis and Inuit families and communities. By wearing orange, we acknowledge the history of Residential Schools in Canada and we honour Survivors.
On Wednesday, September 30, 2020 wear orange to participate in Orange Shirt Day. Follow @UIEC_tdsb and @tdsb on Twitter to see how students and staff from across the Toronto District School Board recognize Orange Shirt Day. For more information, visit the Urban Indigenous Education Centre website.
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Policy ConsultationsWe would like to know your thoughts about our policy decisions by inviting you to our policy consultations. Please click on the policy of your interest to see the current draft. You are welcome to provide your comments, including suggestions on the wording and provisions of the draft policies, questions or recommendations using the contact information below.
- Objective: The Records and Information Management Policy supports the Toronto District School Board’s commitment to the effective, efficient and secure management of recorded information, regardless of format or media. The Policy is consistent with subsection 171. (1), par. 38 of the Education Act which states the Board may institute a program of records and information management.
Parent and Community Involvement Policy
- Objective: To establish a framework for building and supporting parent and community involvement in the Toronto District School Board. We are currently reviewing P023 – Parent and Community Involvement Policy and are inviting feedback from our community as we develop the first draft of the policy. Learn more, and share your voice, at www.tdsbengage.ca
Objective: The Advertising and Distribution of Materials Policy supports the implementation of the legislative requirement under Ontario Regulation 298, section 24 of the Education Act which governs advertisements and announcements in a school, on school property, or to pupils of these schools. The Policy’s objective is to establish parameters related to advertising on Board property, including distribution of advertising materials to students, parents/guardians and staff.
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Secondary Program Review Our vision is for all students to have equitable access to stronger programs and richer opportunities – as close to home as possible. This is the driving force of the Secondary Program Review, which, for the first time ever, is reviewing all TDSB secondary schools at once to develop a plan to address the inequities and imbalances throughout our current system.
The Secondary Program Review Interim Report highlights the issues, gaps, and needs facing our system that are impacting our ability to support this vision. There is still time to share your feedback - Students, parents, staff and community members can continue to provide feedback and further insight through delegations and their local Trustee, by email to secondaryreview@tdsb.on.ca. The Secondary Program Review Final Report will be presented to the Board in October 2020.
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School Year Calendar 2020-2021The official school year calendar for the Toronto District School Board runs from September 1 to June 30, inclusive and has now been approved by the Ministry.
- First day of classes for students - In-Class Elementary entry staggered September 15-17. In-Class Secondary, either Thursday September 17 or Friday September 18 based on the cohort assignment. We are no longer staggering entry to the Virtual School. Both Elementary and Secondary Virtual Schools will open on September 22.
- The last day of class for elementary students is June 29
- Updated Secondary Quadmester Calendar
Quad 1: Sept. 17 - Nov 17 + exams Nov 18 & 19
Quad 2: Nov. 23 - Feb 2 + exams Feb 3 & 4
Quad 3: Feb 8 - April 20 + exams April 21 & 22
Quad 4: April 23 - June 23 + exams June 24, 25 & 28
PA Days & Holidays Remaining
Thanksgiving October 12, 2020
Board-wide PA Day November 20, 2020
Winter Break Dec 21, 2020 - January 1, 2021
Elementary PA Day January 15, 2021
Secondary PA Day (Semestered Schools Only) February 5, 2021
Board-wide PA Day February 12, 2021
Family Day February 15, 2021
March Break March 15 – 19, 2021
Good Friday April 2, 2021
Easter Monday April 5, 2021
Victoria Day May 24, 2021
Elementary School PA Day June 4, 2021
Secondary School PA Day June 29, 2021
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