This Week's Update- Reduce the Spread
- COVID-19 Advisory
- Updated COVID-19 Public Health Measures from TPH
- Virtual School
- In-Person School
- Grade 8 to Grade 9 Transition Information Sessions
- Committee and Board Meetings This Week
- Legislative Update from OPSBA
- Hanukkah
- Important Information re Optional Attendance
- Beyond 8: Grade 8 to 9 Transition
- Virtual Open Houses
- Optional Attendance
- School Year Calendar
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COVID-19: Reduce Virus Spread
Please note that schools, before & after school programs, & childcares will remain open during the COVID-19 Lockdown in Toronto. The 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.
"Please choose to keep at least six feet or two metres apart from people you don’t live with. Please choose to wear your mask when you’re exposed to people you don’t live with. Please choose to wash your hands as frequently as possible. And please choose to stay home and stay apart as much as you can. So if we’ve got to do this – and there is no doubt that we do – let’s make it work."
Dr Eileen de Villa
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COVID-19 Advisories
The Toronto District School Board is committed to providing up to date information about confirmed cases of COVID-19 in schools (students and staff). This information is easily accessible by clicking on the COVID-19 Advisories banner on the main webpage of www.tdsb.on.ca. Please note that all schools where there is a confirmed case of COVID-19 will receive a letter from Toronto Public Health to inform them about the possible exposure.
Please note that as of November 10, TDSB began tracking “resolved” cases on the website. If a case was resolved prior to November 10th, it wouldn’t be reflected on the website. Between November 10th and December 4th, 518 cases were resolved.
As of December 4, in TDSB schools there were 379 students and 80 staff affected.
As of December 4, 1,445 cases of COVID-19 cases had been reported in publicly funded schools in the past 14 days across the province. Of those cases, 1,192 are students, 252 are staff, and one was not identified. Six of the 4,828 schools in the province are currently closed, or 0.12%.
This week, the government rolled out a pilot of voluntary asymptomatic testing for students and staff at designated schools in Toronto, Peel and York Regions and Ottawa — four Ontario regions with a high number of active COVID-19 cases. School-wide COVID-19 testing has been/will be conducted at the TDSB: Thorncliffe Park PS, Valley Park MS, Lester B Pearson CI, Lawrence Park CI, Marc Garneau CI. Schools across the City of Toronto are identified for the Ministry of Education testing pilot based on developed criteria initiated by Toronto Public Health and also agreed upon by the Board. TPH looks at the unique circumstances in each school community to determine what school should be prioritized for school-wide testing. These include schools with multiple cases for which there are no epidemiologic links and multiple dismissed cohorts. We expect additional schools in hotspot areas will also be receiving voluntary asymptomatic testing clinics in the near future. Personally, I wish we could off testing for all.
On November 30, the government announced a second round of the Support for Learners program, which will cost the government about $380 million. The program will provide direct one-time payments to help offset additional learning costs, whether their children attend school in person, online or a mix of both.
Parents or guardians residing in Ontario can complete one application per child to receive a one-time payment of:
- $200 for each child aged 0 to 12; or
- $250 if their child or youth is aged 0 to 21 with special needs
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Updated COVID-19 Public Health Measures Toronto Public Health announced Friday, December 4 that it has updated its COVID-19 student screening tool to prevent further opportunities for virus spread.
As part of this guidance, if a child has one or more new, or worsening COVID-19 symptoms, parents will now be required to:
- Keep their child home.
- Keep sibling and other children home, even if they do not have symptoms.
- Arrange for the child to get tested or contact their health care provider.
- Without testing, the child must stay home for 10 days.
- Monitor the family for symptoms. Adults must stay home if they have one or more symptom.
The TDSB takes its lead from Toronto Public Health and will begin using this new screening guidance starting Monday, December 7, 2020.
Ensuring the health and safety of our staff and students is our priority and we all play a role. Again, one of the most important things families can to do help slow the spread of COVID-19 is to screen their children daily for COVID-19 symptoms and keep them home from school if they are sick or have had close contact with anyone diagnosed with COVID-19.
Thank you for your continued efforts to help keep our school environments safe and healthy.
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Virtual School
For information on Virtual School, both Elementary and Seconday, click here.
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In-Person Learning
For information on In-Person Learning, both Elementary and Secondary, click here.
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Grade 8 to Grade 9 Transition Information Sessions
This week, the TDSB is hosting four (4) Grade 8 to Grade 9 Transition Information Sessions for parents/guardians of Grade 8 students that will focus on the Top 10 Tips and Considerations in the Transition to High School process. This presentation will supplement the work already taking place through secondary school virtual open houses and at Grade 8 schools.
Presenters will highlight the key practical aspects of the process of transitioning to high school, as well as share the social-emotional factors that often surface with Grade 8 students as part of this transition. Presenters include:
- Renée Rawlins – Program Coordinator, Guidance & Career Development
- Georgia Gallagher – Centrally Assigned Principal (Acting)
- Secondary Guidance Counsellors – to help answer general high school and program-specific questions
These sessions will be Learning Centre specific and will take place via Zoom as listed below. Please join the webinar that is specific to your Learning Centre. To determine the Learning Centre for your child’s school, please check this school list.
LC2 & LC3 Schools
LC1 & LC4 Schools
To join by phone, please dial +1 647 374 4685 or +1 647 558 0588 and enter the Webinar ID and Passcode.
The webinar will be available for joining 15 minutes before the start time. Families who require an interpreter can request Interpretation Services for the event.
If you are unable to join the live Zoom webinar due to the capacity limit, please watch the YouTube Livestream. Please note that questions can only be posted from the live Zoom webinar.
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Committee and Board Meetings This Week
Delegation requests will still be accepted during the closure of all schools and administrative sites at the TDSB; however, oral delegations to address a committee of the Board will be presented by phone. To submit a delegation request (written or oral), please refer to the information found here https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Leadership/Boardroom/Delegations and email delegates@tdsb.on.ca. If your request is approved, further details will be provided to you via email.
Planning and Priorities Committee (Special Meeting) Tuesday, December 8, 2020 4:30 p.m. Electronic Meeting
The purpose of the meeting is to provide strategic advice and recommendations to the Board on COVID-19 related matters.
Regular Board Meeting Wednesday, December 9, 2020 7 p.m. Public Session Electronic Meeting
- 16.1 Finance, Budget and Enrolment Committee (Special Meeting), Report No. 01, November 25, 2020
- 16.1 (1) Contract Awards, Facilities
- 16.1 (2) Contract Awards, Operations
- 16.1 (3) Reserve Status as a Result of 2019-2020 Operations: Update
- 16.1 (4) 2020 Actual Enrolment: Update
- 16.1 (5) 2020-21 Revised Estimates: Update - The Finance, Budget and Enrolment Committee recommends: (a) That the report be received; (b) Whereas, the Toronto District School Board was committed to do everything possible to open schools safely for its students and staff for the 2020-21 school year; and Whereas, in order to do so, the Board used working fund reserves and other reserves that had been set aside for specific purposes; and Whereas, since budget estimates continue to be revised and based on actual enrolments which have declined due to the pandemic, there are significant changes from the original budget projections as well as the ongoing risks to the board's financial forecast; Therefore, be it resolved: i. That the Chair write to the Minister of Education to advocate for the full reimbursement of reserve funds and other pandemic related costs that the TDSB and other school boards were required to spend to safely open and operate schools; ii. That the letter at Part (a) be copied to the Ontario Public School Boards' Association.
- 16.1 (6) 2021-22 Operating Budget Communications Overview
- 16.1 (7) Draft 2021-22 Budget Strategic Drivers and Consultation Plan
- 16.3 Planning and Priorities Committee, (Special Meeting), Report No. 01, November 24, 2020
- 16.3 (1) TDSB Readiness to Welcome International Students
- 17.1 Use of Outdoor Spaces for Instructional Time (Trustees Story and Aarts)
- 18.1 Procurement of External Legal Counsel to Support the Director Search Committee (Trustees Story and Tonks)
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Legislative Updates from OPSBA
Bill 229, Protect, Support and Recover from COVID-19 Act (Budget Measures) - Earlier in the week, the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs held three days of public hearings and the bill is due back to the house for third reading by December 7, 2020. Last week OPSBA’s Policy Development Work Team supported a brief submission that addressed education references in the provincial budget.
In the October 30 memo to school boards, the Minister of Education referred to a number of operational changes aiming to reduce administrative burden and cut red tape. Some of these have been previously announced and more recent regulations filed include the 2020-21 pause on performance appraisals for teachers, principals and vice-principals and the flexibility for School Council and Parent Involvement Committee elections.
2021-2022 Grant For Student Needs On Thursday, the Ministry of Education released information about their engagement process regarding next year’s GSN. The 2021-22 Education Funding Consultation Guide focuses on the COVID-19 Outbreak Response, the Online Learning Adjustment, the Priorities and Partnerships Fund, Reducing Administrative Burden and Red Tape, the School Board Administration and Governance Grant, Managing Information for Student Achievement (MISA), Census Data and Secondary Class Size Compliance. Submissions are due January 15, 2021, however it is my understanding the TDSB has an extension until January 20, 2021 so it can be discussed at the January 20, Finance, Budget and Enrolment Committee Meeting.
It’s important to note that OPSBA has already begun to gather feedback from its members about education funding beginning with regional meetings in November, discussions at both the Education Program and Policy Development Work Teams, as well as at recent meetings of OPSBA’s Executive Council and Board of Directors. Additional discussions will occur with the work teams and feedback will be sought from the Indigenous Trustees’ Council and senior business officials, and incorporate member board correspondence that included funding requests. Feedback to date includes pandemic-related costs of additional staffing for both teachers and education workers; IT devices for staff and students; HVAC and air ventilation; PPE and cleaning (supplies and caretaker costs); student transportation, and others.
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Happy Hanukkah
Hanukkah, which means “dedication” in Hebrew, begins on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar or the evening of Thursday, December 10 and it ends in the evening of Friday, December 18. Often called the Festival of Lights, the holiday is celebrated with the lighting of the menorah, traditional foods, games and gifts. To all celebrating, wishing you light in your lives and delicious latkes!
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Beyond 8: Grade 8 to 9 Transition
The list of High School Virtual Open Houses and Information Sessions can be found: here.
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Virtual Open Houses and Information SessionsTo help you make an informed decision when choosing a school, TDSB schools will host virtual open houses and information sessions (live or pre-recorded) for parents/guardians and students between November and January.
Note: Please check this page regularly, as schools will continue to post information about virtual open house dates/times and available pre-recorded information sessions. https://www.tdsb.on.ca/openhouses
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Optional Attendance
If you choose to apply for optional attendance you should know:
- You will be responsible for your own transportation.
- You may only apply to two regular and two specialized schools/programs.
- You may not apply to a school that is not permitted to receive applications (i.e. closed schools). A list of those schools is produced by mid-January.
- A school/program that receives more applications than it has space will run a lottery to determine the successful applicants.
- Once you accept an offer of admission to a regular school through Optional Attendance, it becomes your home school and you are expected to remain there until graduation. For specialized schools/program and alternative schools, you may return to your designated school by address at an appropriate intake opportunity (i.e. semester change, end of term)
Elementary Optional Attendance – Key Dates:
- February 12, 2021 - Optional attendance forms due at elementary school
- March 05, 2021 - Deadline for parents/guardians to be informed of the status of the application request
- March 26, 2021 - Parents/guardians must inform the requested school of their acceptance of the offer
Secondary Optional Attendance – Key Dates:
- January 29, 2021 - Optional attendance forms due at secondary school
- February 12, 2021 - Deadline for parents/guardians of students to be informed of the status of the application request
- February 26, 2021 - Course selection sheets due at secondary schools
- March 1, 2021: Course selection sheets due at secondary schools via myBlueprint
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Download the COVID ALERT APP
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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.
PA Days & Holidays Remaining
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Dec 21, 2020 - January 1, 2021
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Secondary PA Day (Semestered Schools Only)
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