Keeping you engaged and informed
Keeping you engaged and informed
Ward 11 Weekly Update header
Week of September 2, 2019 - Revised

Budget Update

At the Board meeting last Wednesday staff presented a report that provides both an update on the implementation of budget reductions and a preliminary assessment of the implications of budget reductions on the Multi-Year Strategic Plan (MYSP). Read about 2029-2020 Budget Reduction Implications here. The MYSP continues to be implemented with the support of staff across the organization - some implementation dates, however, have been delayed.

Administrative Changes in Ward 8

Vice-Principal Changes in Ward 8 Effective September 1, 2019
In addition to the changes previously announced in last week's update, there were additional leadership staff changes approved August 28 -
 Vice-Principals -
  • Glenview Senior Public School - Maryam Hasan, Vice-Principal at Glenview is being transferred TBD. Michael Smith, Vice-Principal at Grenoble Public School is being transferred to Glenview as Vice-Principal. In addition, a second VP is being added to assist with transition. Deanna Capemost recently in the role of Special Education Coordinator with the TDSB is being appointed as Vice-Principal (A). 
This completes our compliment of administrators in Ward 8 schools - welcome to all and thank you for your leadership in support of students and their families, staff and community.

Start-of-Year Forms Can Now Be Completed Online

From the TDSB Website - Thursday, August 29, 2019

How does it work?
After your child’s first day of school, an email will automatically be sent to the parent/guardian that is the primary or secondary contact with an email address on file with the school. The email will come from TDSB Online Form (noreply@tdsb.on.ca) and will take you to a secure site to complete and submit your child’s forms. Watch the online tutorial!

What forms can I complete?
The forms available online now, include:
Consent Form Package
Permission to participate in off-site walking excursions
Student media release consent
Permission to leave school in severe weather conditions
Use of parent/guardian email address
Medical Information Form
Acknowledgement and Declaration of:
Digital Learning Tool Consent
Code of Conduct
Code of Online Conduct

Am I required to complete an online form?
Completing the form online streamlines the process not only for parents/guardians, it also helps save resources in schools. While you’re not required to complete it online, we hope as many parents/guardians as possible use this opportunity.

I received a paper copy and an online copy. Which one should I complete?
The online copy is preferred.

How safe is it to submit this information online?
The tool TDSB selected for the online forms, Permission Click, has undergone a detailed security assessment by our IT Services staff. TDSB is confident Permission Click is a safe and secure method for completing online forms. The Toronto District School Board privacy obligations originate from the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA), which permits the Toronto District School Board to collect, use and disclose personal information necessary for the purposes of planning, administering, and delivering its educational programs and services. Under its regulations, MFIPPA requires the Toronto District School Board to ensure that reasonable measures are in place to prevent unauthorized access to the records are defined, documented and put in place, taking into account the nature of the records to be protected.

I have multiple children in the TDSB; will I receive more than one link?
Yes. Please complete a form for each child.

I didn’t receive the link? How do I get it?
Start with your school office to make sure your email address is accurate and active.  Once the email is entered into our student system, the parent/guardian will receive the email the following school day. 

Potential Bus Driver Shortage Impact

The Toronto Student Transportation Group (TSTG) has received an update from Stock Transportation that there continues to be a driver shortage impacting approximately 15 routes in the West Division. These 15 routes serve the 9 TDSB schools including 2 in Ward 8 - Forest Hill Jr/Sr and Glen Park. The TSTG will continue to work with Stock Transportation over the weekend to try to minimize the potential disruption as much as possible. However, we anticipate significant delays (and possible cancellations) on these routes until the shortage is resolved. As a result, we encourage impacted families to arrange alternate transportation to and from school, if possible. Impacted families will be contacted directly by the Stock Transportation this weekend. If you have any questions or would like to find out if your child's route is impacted, please contact the Toronto Student Transportation Group at 416-394-4BUS (416-394-4287) or e-mail transportation@torontoschoolbus.org.

Cell Phone Code of Conduct

The Ministry of Education released their new Cell Phone Code of Conduct on August 29, with restrictions taking effect on November 4, 2019. At the TDSB, we encourage the use of technology in the classroom for educational purposes. It may make sense to use a cellphone in one class, but not make sense in another. That’s why we’ve left it up to individual classrooms to determine if the use of a cellphone is appropriate for that specific class or lesson. While we must still review supplementary documents to determine if any changes need to be made, at first glance of the announcement, it would appear that this is very similar to what we already have in place at the TDSB. In every student agenda.
Technology is used often in classrooms to engage, enhance, and support student learning. The
TDSB is focused on enabling more technology-based learning tools by adding Wi-Fi zones to
further modernize our schools and help to improve student learning in the digital age. We also
understand that students bring their own devices, such as smart phones and laptops, to school.
This can be an important way for parents and guardians to stay connected and engaged with
the learning of their children, as well as a way to reach each other, when necessary. It is
important to make sure that they are used responsibly, do not interfere with learning and
respect the rights of others at all times.
To learn more, visit your school office or speak to your
Principal.

Students need be discerning digital citizens and opportunities should be provided within the
curriculum to allow students to safely explore various uses and risks of technology in an
intentionally guided and supportive environment.

Ending "Period Poverty"

Very proud that the Trustees voted unanimously last week to provide free menstrual products in all elementary and secondary schools for the 2019-2020 school year with the rollout beginning this fall. Products will first be provided to students in Grades 7 through 12, followed by other grades. The TDSB has been able to secure access to menstrual products and educational materials at no cost to the Board. Nearly one in seven Canadian girls have either left school early or missed school entirely because they did not have access to the feminine care products they needed to manage their periods. Lack of access due to economic factors can be especially damaging during puberty, when school interactions are crucial to a girl’s development. Thank you to Thames Valley Student Trustee Sarah Chun who led this initiative, and to my colleagues Stephanie Donaldson and Harpreet Gill for bringing the motion forward at the TDSB.

Please... Dogs are Not Allowed in School Yards 

With school beginning, please remember dogs aren't allowed on school property... I have always believed that outside of school and daycare hours, our school yards should be open and accessible to our communities. But the fact that dog owners let their pets run off-leash in the yards and do not stoop and scoop create significant issues - especially in schools short on caretaking staff. We rely on the public - on the dog owners themselves - to respect the fact that dogs are not allowed in school yards. Dogs are not allowed in school yards. The health and safety issues are clear. Our children play on the grass - your children play on the grass - if we are to keep school yards open to the public, then we must find ways to enforce the dog-related by-laws on these properties. Please, please do your part. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Please note we will be piloting a "dog run" at 529 Vaughan Rd where Davisville/Spectrum is currently relocated - will keep you posted on the implementation of this project and the outcome and if it truly stops the amount of dog feces left in the school yard.

Traffic Safety

The TDSB encourages students to walk to school if at all possible - walking safety tips include - 
Avoid using hands-free devices while walking – hang up and walk. Wait until you get to your destination before calling people, texting or gaming. If you have to text or make a call while walking, stop and find a safe location.
Remove your headphones or turn down the volume of your music so you can hear what’s going on around you.
Keep watching out for cars while crossing the street. There are a lot of distracted drivers out there so keep looking all around you while in and around crosswalks.
If you must drive your child to school, please slow down -  follow all speed limits - they are reduced in school zones for a reason. Please watch for school buses. Please watch for excited children. Always come to a complete stop, checking carefully for children on sidewalks and in crosswalks before proceeding. Watch for bicycles. 
Please follow your school's Kiss and Ride rules if you have one - please park legally and do not block neighbourbours driveways - do not park in bike lanes - as one of our VPs wrote on twitter, when parent/caregiver drivers follow traffic rules and are courteous to neighbours, school staff and other community members are not placed in the very difficult position of policing traffic around their school. Better yet, please consider parking a few blocks from the school and walk the rest of the way.

Board and Standing Committee Meetings

In my weekly updates I will do my best to highlight the agenda items at upcoming Board and Committee meetings. There are no meetings scheduled the first week of school. All meetings are open to the public.
September - October Cycle
  • September 11 (Wednesday) Governance and Policy Committee 4:30 p.m.
  • September 12 (Thursday) Program and School Services Committee 4:30 p.m.
  • September 17 (Tuesday) Finance, Budget and Enrolment Committee 4:30 p.m.
  • September 18 (Wednesday) Committee of the Whole 4:30 p.m.
  • September 25 (Wednesday) Regular Meeting 7:00 p.m.
  • October 2 (Wednesday) Governance and Policy Committee 4:30 p.m.
  • October 3 (Thursday) Program and School Services Committee 4:30 p.m.
  • October 10 (Thursday) Finance, Budget and Enrolment Committee 4:30 p.m.
  • October 16 (Wednesday) Committee of the Whole 4:30 p.m.
  • October 23 (Wednesday) Governance and Policy Committee 4:30 p.m.
  • October 30 (Wednesday) Regular Meeting 7:00 p.m.

Note all meetings are held at 5050 Yonge St - time and location of meetings will also be identified on meeting agendas that are available the week before the meetings on the following website.
http://www.tdsb.on.ca/Leadership/Boardroom/AgendaMinutes.aspx
Select Agendas, then the appropriate meeting from the pull-down menu at the top of the page.

School Year Calendar 2019-2020

The 2019-2020 school year at the TDSB begins on Tuesday, September 3, 2019 following the Labour Day long weekend. For more information about important dates and holidays for the upcoming school year, please refer to the 2019-20 School Year Calendar.

The official school year calendar for the Toronto District School Board runs from September 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020, inclusive.
  • First day of classes for all students is September 3, 2019
  • 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
PA Days & Statutory Holidays
  • Labour Day  September 2, 2019
  • 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
Also please note - 
  • 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
EQAO
Gr. 9 Math: 1st Semester: January 13-24, 2020
Gr. 9 Math:  2nd Semester: June 2-15, 2020
OSSLT:  March 31, 2020
Primary/Junior EQAO:  May 19-June 1, 2020

Also please note Days of Significance - click for the complete list 2019-2020
You may also find this Days of Significance Resource Guide helpful
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