Keeping you engaged and informed
Keeping you engaged and informed
Ward 11 Weekly Update header
Week of May 1, 2016 
Celebrations... Happy Easter to all Orthodox Christians and May Days of Significance
In May, the TDSB celebrates Asian Heritage Month and Jewish Heritage Month. Other Days of Significance in May - 1 Beltane (Wicca/Pagan); 5 Yom HaShoah (Judaism); 15 Visakha Puja (Buddhism) and Pentecost (Christian); 23 Declaration of the Ba’b (Baha’i) and Victoria Day; 29 Ascension of Baha’u’llah (Baha’i). 

Education Week & Children’s Mental Health Week - May 1 to 7 
Education Week, May 2 to 6, is where students, communities and staff across Ontario dedicate a week to celebrate teaching excellence and student achievement.  The theme this year is “Achieving Excellence: Promoting Well-Being.” The Board has encouraged schools to participate in and organize activities for students and parents/guardians within the community this week and to share their events via Twitter using #TDSBEdWeek. 
Fom the OPSBA Website - "Our members, the trustees on Ontario’s public school boards, make decisions that affect more than a million students. They help shape the education experience, the school environment and the future of our children, communities, and the face of Ontario. Locally elected school trustees put the "public" in public education. They are the connectors who bring community voices to the table and make democracy meaningful. They influence children's experiences today and expand their opportunities for the future.So, this Education Week, let’s all thank the educators, trustees and school staff who truly make a difference in the lives of our children and youth. They know their job is to make great things happen for students and to reach every child who comes through the doors of a school."
Coinciding with Education week, the TDSB is celebrating Children’s Mental Health Week, May 1 to 7 by focusing our efforts on the theme of Belonging (#BelongingMatters).  We know that mental health and well-being are affected by our sense of belonging.  Belonging is the innate desire to be connected to something larger than ourselves.  Based on research, two defining attributes of belonging are: being valued, needed or important with respect to others; and feeling like you fit in through shared experiences.  A sense of belonging to a greater community improves motivation, health and happiness. There will be daily themes:
Monday, May 2: “Mindful Monday"
Tuesday, May 3: “Take Time to Create Tuesday”
Wednesday, May 4: “We Belong Wednesday”
Thursday, May 5: “Taking Care Thursday”
Friday, May 6: “Fit Friday”
On Monday, May 2 we celebrate Mindful Monday. Take 10 stress free minutes and drop everything and relax. Participate in the guided video below that focuses on mindfulness. Clear here for the video.

Delegations - Public Input

The TDSB is committed to advocacy for students, parents and communities. We welcome members of the public to bring forward issues and concerns they have, to the appropriate standing committee, through delegations.

Recently several trustees have provided comment to the Chair of the Board regarding matters related to hearing delegations at all committees. As a result the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Board will be moving a Bylaws revision that formally expands the hearing of delegations to all Committees, and requires the Board to adopt a procedure to accomplish this. This new procedure will effectively become a board governance policy, but much easier to amend should circumstances be identified that trustees believe require changed. We will be discussing the proposed procedure at tomorrow's Governance Meeting. To read what is being proposed, please click here. I would love to hear from you. In the meantine, the current practice on how to delegate to the TDSB can her found on the website - click here.


Live Chat  for Parents and Guardians on May 3 with Chair Robin Pilkey and Director John Malloy
Questions about education at the TDSB? Join us on Tuesday May 3rd between 8-9pm for our first public interactive webcast. Director John Malloy and Chair Robin Pilkey will be talking via live webcast and will also be taking your questions to answer. We look forward to the conversation. See you then! Click here to join.

2016 Excellence Awards Update - May 3
On Tuesday we will  be honouring thirteen outstanding staff members at the annual Excellence Awards ceremony. The event will take place during Education Week in the Boardroom at 5050 Yonge Street, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Congratulations to all those nominated and to the winners:
Individual Awards
  • Monday Gala, Principal, C.W. Jefferys Collegiate Institute 
  • Michael Shum, Caretaker, Finch Public School 
  • Mike Easton, Caretaker, Pleasant Public School 
  • John Tyrrell, Lunchroom Supervisor, Claude Watson School of the Arts 
  • Elaine Hick, Teacher, George Webster Elementary School
  • Frank Tromposch, Teacher (Retired), John Buchan Sr. PS
  • Emily McQueen, Teacher, Morrish Public School 
  • Christine Jackson, Program Coordinator, West Ed. Office, The Arts Department
Group Awards
  • Renee Mazzei and Jamie Bargis, Office Staff, Allenby Junior Public School
  • Rethink the Box
    • Shaun Grant, Teacher, Don Mills Middle School
    • Ray Mercer, Teacher, Ranchdale Public School
    • Sharon Markovitz, Teacher, Blythwood Junior Public School 

New Invitations
Free School Travel Planning (STP) Webinar – Thur, May 12
“School Travel Planning (STP), when effectively coordinated and implemented, can result in positive school travel behaviour change, and ultimately provide substantial economic, environmental and physical activity benefits.” On May 12th, from 12 to 1:30 p.m., join parents, educators and community stakeholders across the country in a live and interactive webinar on School Travel Planning. Learn about new ‘Active & Safe Routes to School’ tools that have been developed by Green Communities Canada, and hear Linda Rothman, a Post Doctoral Fellow with York University’s School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, discuss recent research on school traffic safety in the City of Toronto.For more details, and to register for this free event, click here.

Mindful Parenting - Brown Public School Speakers Series for Parents, Tue, May 3rd, 7:00- 8:30 p.m.
Felicity Bannister MSW, RSW Mindfulness Facilitator | Psychotherapist Founder of MindSana.com - Felicity has worked in mindfulness for over 6 years with both adults and youth and has extensive experience running groups. In Felicity's presentation she will:
  • Define mindfulness
  • Discuss the benefits and how they apply to parenting
  • Outline the science behind the practice
  • Run two short meditations
  • Offer mindfulness tips in everyday life
  • Provide a list of resources
Participants will receive a handout. Please note: This speaker series is generously supported by a Parents Reaching Out Grant for School Councils, Ministry of Education, Province of Ontario.Please contact Unicorn Daycare by May 1st if you require childcare.

Worth Repeating...
Hodgson’s 100th Anniversary May 13-14, 2016 - Hodgson's 100th anniversary celebration is scheduled for Friday, May 13 and Saturday, May 14. There will be two Open Houses (May 13, 5-8pm & May 14, 12-5pm) which will include decade rooms, decade activities by teachers and students, school tours,100th ceremonies (including cake!), presentations from local dignitaries, 100th t-shirt sales, a 100th Anniversary Photo Booth, performances by our Strings and Band ensembles and a performance by the soon-to-be-world-famous, Hodgson Alumni Concert Band.  All of these events are free and family-friendly. Please continue to check the school website (http://schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca/hodgson) for more details.
Applications for Parents Reaching Out Grants 2016-17 Now Open - Grant applications for the 2016-17 school year are now open and will be accepted until May 29, 2016. In the 2015-16 school year, the province funded more than 2,200 projects that helped identify barriers to parent engagement and found local solutions to help more parents be engaged in their children's learning. For more information, click on http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/parents/reaching.html     
NOTE - Change of Date - Presentation by Jennifer Kolari, Wednesday, May 25, 7-8pm at Oakwood CI, 991 St Clair  Av - Oakwood Collegiate invites all parents to attend a Parent Presentation by Jennifer Kolari. This presentation will show parents the importance of communication in the parent-teen relationship and is for parents and teens. Her Website is: connectedparenting.com. Light refreshments will be provided. Chilcare available if requested at youmeweee@hotmail.com.

TDSB Healthy Schools 5k Run/Walk
On Saturday, June 4, 2016 the Health and Physical Education Department is hosting a celebration of all the healthy active living that happens in our schools and communities every day. Students, staff, parents/guardians and community members are invited to join us at Downsview Park for the TDSB Healthy Schools 5k Run/Walk. The run/walk will consist of a 5k loop and participants will have the option of finishing after 2.5k. Elementary schools will  participate at 10 a.m. and secondary schools will begin at 11 a.m. This day will also include a full program of activities and performances for participants from 9 a.m. to noon.
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