I am proud that one of the first acts I did as a Trustee was to serve on a committee to create a new TDSB Environmental Policy. The TDSB's Environment Policy outlines the Board’s commitment to environmental literacy for all students and to environmentally responsible operations. The Board recognizes the interdependence of the environment, the economy and society, and the challenge of balancing all three in building a healthy, sustainable future. To achieve this goal, the Board adopts the concept of sustainable development as defined by the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development as “meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” 

The Board has very publicly acknowledged its responsibility to help prepare students to meet this challenge. Therefore, environmental literacy for all students is integral to the Board’s mission to help prepare our students to become responsible members of a democratic society. 

The Go Green: Climate Change Action Plan (Operational Procedure PR603) was approved by the Board in 2010. At its most fundamental level, the ten actions outlined in the plan are the TDSB's response to the question: If climate change is one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century, what does that mean for us? If its promise is fulfilled, the plan will further transform Toronto public schools. Go Green builds upon ten years of work that has already been done to establish the TDSB as Canada's greenest school board – from the creation and implementation of its award winning EcoSchools program to the design and construction of high performance green school buildings.

This year's EcoSchool's program theme is Building Hope and Resilience Through Climate Action: Empowering Students To Be Agents of Change. Workshops are being held in October to explore how educators can further encourage students to be passionate, positive, and part of the world as global citizens, and collectively transform schools into communities of hope and activism. 

The TDSB, through its policies and actions supports doing everything we can to educate about climate change – to engage our students… and to keep them safe as they exercise their voice.

All meetings are open to the public and are at 5050 Yonge St.

5.1 OPSBA 2019-20 Membership Renewal
5.2 Grants for Student Needs (GSN) Funding Update - At the Board meeting on 28 August 2019, staff presented an update on the 2019-20 budget reductions. As part of the report, a link was shared to the Education Finance Information System (EFIS) forms that represent the Board’s budget submission using the Ministry of Education’s templates. The template submitted to the Ministry of Education can be viewed by visiting the following link. 
5.3 Student Transportation Update - This report will contain two components. The first will be a written report to provide background information on student transportation, with the second part of the report being a verbal update on the current status of drivers and routes.
6.1 Contract Awards, Facilities
6.2 Contract Awards, Operations
7.1 York Memorial Collegiate Institute: Post Fire - The following report outlines the status of the York Memorial Collegiate Institute /2 Tretheway Administration Centre restorations.
8.1 Pilot Dog Run (Trustees Laskin and Aarts) - Notice only; will be discussed next month -Whereas, in many communities, our school grounds are used as community parks; and
Whereas, dogs are not allowed on school property; and
Whereas, this is largely ignored, and dog feces is found every morning in school yards,
resulting in the inability for students to use the fields;
Therefore, be it resolved:
(a) That the Director present a report on the feasibility of a pilot dog run project at schools including:
(i) criterion for the establishment of such dog runs (school and community input);
(ii) the potential costs of fenced in enclosures to accommodate the dog runs;
(iii) the development of appropriate signage;
(iv) an evaluation criterion to determine the effectiveness of the pilot project.

6.1 Provincial 2019-20 Capital Priorities Program - Project Scope Revisions - The purpose of this report is to seek approval for the scope to be amended for two capital projects. 2019-20 Capital Priority Projects

1. Hodgson MS – Adding Classrooms to Previously Approved Addition $14.2M
282 Davisville Avenue - Ward 11 (Trustee Chernos-Lin)

2. Davisville Jr. PS / Spectrum Alt. Sr. School – Adding Classrooms to Previously Approved Replacement School $5.2M
43 Millwood Road - Ward 8 (Trustee Laskin)
3. Courcelette PS – Additional Costs to Previously Approved Addition $2.9M
100 Fallingbrook Road - Ward 18 (Trustee Kandavel)
4. Poplar Road Jr. PS - New Replacement School $12M
66 Dearham Wood - Ward 19 (Trustee Patel)
5. Elizabeth Simcoe Jr. PS – Addition $5.9M
166 Sylvan Avenue - Ward 19 (Trustee Patel)
6. McKee PS – Addition $2.6M
35 Church Avenue - Ward 12 (Trustee Brown)
7. Regent Heights PS – Replacement School $13M
555 Pharmacy Avenue - Ward 18 (Trustee Kandavel)
8. David Lewis PS – Addition $5.2M
130 Fundy Bay Boulevard - Ward 20 (Trustee Wong)
9. St Margaret's PS – Replacement School $8.7M
235 Galloway Road - Ward 19 (Trustee Patel)
10.Secord ES – Replacement School $18.9M
101 Barrington Avenue - Ward 16 (Trustee Aarts)
Grenoble PS – New School $ TBD
Don Mills Road / Eglinton Avenue East - Ward 14 (Trustee Doyle)
Yonge-Eglinton – New Elementary School $16.7M
Location to be determined - Ward 8 (Trustee Laskin), Ward 11 (Trustee Chernos-Lin)
6.3 Bloor Collegiate Institute and ALPHA II Alternative School - Relocation During Construction of Replacement School - It is recommended that Bloor Collegiate Institute and ALPHA II Alternative School be relocated to Central Technical School, effective 1 September 2020, for the duration of construction of the replacement school for Bloor Collegiate Institute and ALPHA II Alternative  School. 
6.4 Malvern Community Schools Attendance Boundary Changes - The proposed boundary changes contained in this report are consistent with the guiding principles approved by the Board of Trustees for planning the accommodation of students.
6.5 National Alliance of Black School Educators' 47th Annual Conference, November 13-17, 2019: Expense Approval - For Trustee Smith
6.6 International LGBTQ Leaders Conference 2019, November 14-16, 2019: Expense Approval - For Trustee Moise
7.1 Mandatory eLearning in Schools (Trustees Donaldson and Story) - Notice only; will be discussed next month - Mandatory eLearning in Schools
Whereas, the Minister of Education announced on March 15, 2019 the policy of at least four mandatory eLearning courses of the thirty credits needed to graduate to be implemented in the 2020-21 school year; and
Whereas, the Board’s Multi-Year Strategic Plan seeks to provide equity of access to learning opportunities for all students; and
Whereas, the Board’s most recent student census resulted in some students expressing
challenges with issues of mental health, belonging, and access to caring adults in schools, and the role of technology in relation to their overall well-being; and
Whereas, this policy raises as yet unanswered questions regarding equitable access to technology, and students, parents and teachers have already identified access issues; and
Whereas, the Halton District School Board and the Ontario Student Trustees’ Association have surveyed their communities about the issue of mandatory eLearning; and
Whereas, the Board honours and values student voice as well as parent and staff feedback; and
Whereas, it is our obligation to provide the Ministry of Education with input about the repercussions of this policy on the Board’s elementary and secondary schools, and on student success overall; and
Whereas, the Ministry has indicated that implementation is next school year and yet no
framework or implementation details have been provided from the Ministry of Education,
nor have the results of the government’s own consultation on the matter;
Therefore, be it resolved:
(a) That the Director conduct a random sample of the Board’s secondary school students, parents and staff to determine their thoughts about the implementation of mandatory eLearning;
(b) That the TDSB survey platform - the Pulse - be used to conduct the survey;
(c) That the Chair write to the Minister of Education and the presidents of both the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association and the Ontario Student Trustees’ Association:
i. to express the Board’s concerns about the implementation of the Ministry’s major policy change in its schools regarding mandatory eLearning;
ii. to advise that the TDSB is surveying its community and will then report back to the province when the results become available in winter 2020.

At the June 2019 Board meeting, recommendations to change the Intensive French-as-a-Second Language (FSL) programs in the TDSB were passed. These changes include the phasing out of the Grade 7 Entry Extended French program, a transition from Junior Extended French (Grade 4 Entry) to Middle French Immersion (Grade 4 Entry) as well as a shift in entry point for the Early French Immersion from Senior Kindergarten to Junior Kindergarten entry.  Please find below a timeline of these changes as well as some frequently asked questions specific to each program change.

To read the Questions and Answers about the changes to FSL in the TDSB, please click  https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Portals/0/docs/Questions%20%26%20Answers%20-%20FSL%20Program%20Review%20Recommendations(1).docx. This list of Qs & As will continue to be updated so if you have additional questions to be answered, please let me know.

A few things to note - access to transportation for French Immersion/Extended French in K-8 is currently being reviewed and due to budget decisions, may not be provided for all beginning September 2020. We will continue to update as soon as information becomes available. The Core French action plan will be presented at the fall board meeting that will serve to strengthen the existing Core French program. And while admission to the Early French Immersion (SK entry)/Junior Extended French (Grade 4 entry) program is guaranteed at the entry points to all on time applicants, admission to a specific school is not guaranteed if the school reaches capacity. For more information, please click here https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Elementary-School/School-Choices/French-Programs.

As noted previously, ArtsJunktion is not closing but the responsibility for ArtsJunktion is in the process of being transferred from the Arts department in Leadership, Learning and School Improvement to the TDSB’s Sustainability Office. The Sustainability Office operates the Board’s EcoSchools program. Using its existing resources, Sustainability staff will operate ArtsJunktion on Monday afternoons from 1 pm to 5:30 pm, starting on Monday October 7, 2019. In addition to re-opening ArtsJunktion, the Sustainability team will also be undertaking a review of the program. The purpose of the review is to re-vision ArtsJunktion in such a way that we retain its strengths, find ways to make improvements, and create a delivery model that is financially sustainable over the long term. As an important part of the review, input will be sought from both current and potential future ArtsJunktion users. To get started, a survey will soon be available on the public website, TDSBWeb, and through the System Leaders’ Weekly bulletin. Please stay tuned.

"The international educational trade fair." The Ontario College Information Fair provides the attendees with the opportunity to learn about careers available and which college programs will best prepare them for those careers, find out about unique programs that can only be offered at Ontario colleges, hear about campus life, housing, and student services, and find out how to pay for the colleges.

This program honours innovative and outstanding elementary and secondary school teachers and early childhood educators who are helping prepare Canadian youth for the challenges of tomorrow. Looking for inspiration? Check out previous teaching and early childhood education award recipients. Last year, Ward 8's Lawrence Heights Middle School teacher Terrance Alonza Saunders was awarded a Certificate of Achievement. I know there is excellence throughout our schools...

• The last day of class for elementary students is June 25, 2020
• The last day of class for secondary (full year) students is June 23, 2020
• The last day of class for secondary (semestered) students is June 23, 2020

• Board-wide PA Day  October 11, 2019
• Thanksgiving October 14, 2019
• Board-wide PA Day  November 15, 2019
• Board-wide PA Day  December 6, 2019
• Winter Break  December 23, 2019 to January 3, 2020 (inclusive) 
• Last day of school is December 20, 2019
• School resumes January 6, 2020
• Elementary PA Day  January 17, 2020
• Secondary PA Day (Semestered Schools only) January 30, 2020 
• Board-wide PA Day February 14, 2020
• Family Day  February 17, 2020
• March Break  March 16 to 20, 2020
• Good Friday  April 10, 2020     
• Easter Monday  April 13, 2020
• Victoria Day  May 18, 2020
• Elementary School PA Day  June 5, 2020
• Secondary School PA Day (Full Year Schools only) June 24, 2020
• Secondary School PA Day  June 25, 2020
• Board-wide PA Day June 26, 2020

• Rosh Hashanah begins sunset of  Sunday, September 29, 2019  and ends nightfall of  Tuesday, October 1, 2019
• Yom Kippur begins sunset of  Tuesday, October 8, 2019 and ends nightfall of Wednesday, October 9, 2019
• Hanukkah begins sunset of Sunday, December 22, 2019 and ends nightfall of Monday, December 30, 2019
• Passover begins sunset of  Wednesday, April 8, 2020 and ends nightfall of Thursday, April 16, 2020
• Ramadan 2020 will begin in the evening of Thursday, April 23, 2020 and ends in the evening of Saturday, May 23, 2020 (dates may vary)
• Eid al-Fitr 2020 will begin in the evening of Saturday, May 23, 2020