May 2023
Good Day Ward 9 Community!
May was a very busy month at the TDSB and in our ward, with lots of exciting news to share…
TDSB to Develop Strategy to Address Islamophobia
I am proud to inform you that TDSB Trustees have unanimously voted to develop and implement a system-wide strategy to address Islamophobia. The creation of this new strategy will build on the work of the broader TDSB Anti-Hate and Anti-Racism Strategy, which addresses all forms of racism, hate and discrimination. Staff will now prepare a report to be presented to the TDSB’s Planning and Priorities Committee at a meeting this fall, where they will update Trustees on the development of the new strategy. Learn More.
IDC4U: Deconstructing Anti-Black Racism Motion - Passed Unanimously!
I was thrilled to support Student Trustees Jeffrey Osaro and Naomi Musa, and Indigenous Student Trustee Isaiah Shafqat by moving an advocacy motion on their behalf, together with Ward 7 Trustee Debbie King. The motion urges the Ministry of Education to make IDC4U: Deconstructing Anti-Black Racism a provincially accredited university pathway course with its own dedicated course code. Deconstructing Anti-Black Racism is currently a locally developed, grade 12 interdisciplinary course and students are limited from taking it since all interdisciplinary courses have the same course code. Taking two courses with the same code will appear as though a student has had to repeat a course on their transcript, and they do not get an additional credit. Should the Ministry approve our request, Deconstructing Anti-Black Racism will become more accessible and available to TDSB students and those across the province!
A very special shoutout to TDSB teacher D. Tyler Robinson, for the incredible amount of work he put into consulting with community and advocating at the board to ensure this ground-breaking motion was carried unanimously.
For more information on Deconstructing Anti-Black Racism, please see the curriculum guide.
Student Census
We have asked TDSB students to voice their opinions and provide valuable information to help us improve our schools and system. The student census is a very important part of data collection and resource allocation at the TDSB, and we use the results to help us understand the identities and lived experiences of students, which helps trustees in making a variety of policy and budget decisions. We normally have a 90% response rate, but it has been significantly lower this year.
I strongly encourage you to fill in the census ASAP. Please email me directly at alexis.dawson@tdsb.on.ca if you did not receive an email about the census.
TDSB Budget Town Halls
The TDSB will be holding two virtual Budget Town Halls on June 7, 2023 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. to ensure that all members of the community have the opportunity to hear directly from staff about the 2023-24 budget and ask questions/share feedback. Please find the date/time/links below:
Ward 9 Parent Action – Stop School Cuts!
Ward 9 schools are organizing against the Ford government’s ruthless cuts to the public education budget! A petition spearhead by Ward 9 parents is being distributed and signed by parents, caregivers, guardians from schools across the ward. The petition demands a stop on education cuts and to fund public education. It is open until May 30th and original signatures are preferred. You can access the Stop School Cuts Petition here. Please return signed copies of the petition to Alejandra Gonzalez Jimenez, and contact her to learn more about future initiatives - ale.gojime.21@gmail.com
This petition is the result of the collective effort of six school councils working together: Dovercourt, Jean Lumb, Rawlinson, Regal Road, Pauline and Clinton. It will be presented to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by Davenport MPP and Leader of the Official Opposition, Marit Stiles at 1pm on May 31st. Nice work parents!!
Pandemic Recovery is Not Over
Following a motion from myself and my fellow trustees, we issued a TDSB-wide budget survey to all parents/guardians/caregivers to gauge their opinions on the impacts of the pandemic. I am happy to inform you that the survey was completed by nearly 18,000 TDSB parents/guardians/caregivers. Your responses were loud and clear - survey results showed that 7 in 10 believe the impacts of the pandemic are still being felt by their children, 86% believe that pandemic funding should continue, and 90% believe that the Ministry of Education should fully or partially cover pandemic costs. I encourage you to learn more about: survey results, budget process and ongoing advocacy.
Multi-Year Strategic Plan (MYSP) Renewal – Have Your Say!
We are renewing our Multi-Year Strategic Plan at the TDSB. Thanks to those of you who attended the joint MYSP ward forum I hosted together with Trustees Debbie King and Deborah Williams. The feedback we received was incredibly helpful! I will be hosting another MYSP ward forum for mandarin-speaking families in the fall.
I also invite you to share your opinions to help shape the Board’s future by completing the MYSP online survey or if you are a part of a community group or committee that is interested in contributing to the MYSP renewal, the Facilitation Guide is now available online in multiple languages. I encourage you to review the guide, record your discussions and submit input. To learn more, please visit: www.tdsb.on.ca/MYSPrenewal.
Speak Up: Show Us How You Combat Hate and Racism
The TDSB’s Student Equity Collective, a student-led group created by the Director of Education, which addresses injustices, racism and hate in our school communities is launching its first board-wide initiative ‒ Speak Up: Show Us How You Combat Hate and Racism! Students were invited to submit a two-minute video to share what they’ve accomplished together to make their schools more inclusive for everyone. This initiative is focussed on students from Grade 7 to 12, but a group or class in any grade may submit a video. This is an opportunity for students to showcase how they’re addressing racism and discrimination in their own unique ways at their schools. For more details, visit the Speak Up: Show Us How You Combat Hate and Racism webpage.
Jewish Heritage Month
We are celebrating Jewish Heritage Month in May! This year marks the 90th anniversary of the Christie Pits riot that took place in Toronto in August 1933. To commemorate this moment in history, the TDSB’s Jewish Heritage Committee in collaboration with the Italian Heritage Committee are offering TDSB students a chance to learn about the largest race riot in Canadian history. I encourage you to learn More and follow @TDSB_JH for updates, activities and events!
Asian Heritage Month
May is Asian Heritage Month at the TDSB. We are proud to celebrate the numerous achievements of Asian-Canadians during Asian Heritage Month. This year our theme is Joining Our Table: Celebrating Asian Canadians. Learn more.
Ryerson CS to Receive Jays Care Foundation Grant
I am excited to announce that Ryerson Community School was recently the recipient of a Jays Care Foundation Field of Dreams Grant to support the revitalization of the school’s baseball diamond! Earlier this month, I attended a celebration at the school where the cheque was presented and students, staff, parents/caregivers and special guests participated in the “7th inning stretch” led by Blue Jays dance troupe “J-Force”. A big thank-you to the amazing parent volunteers who applied for the grant!!
School Anniversaries
I had the pleasure of attending two school anniversary celebrations in May. General Mercer celebrated 100 years with food, cake, speeches, and special guests, including a 104-year-old past student who attended the school when it first opened!
ALPHA Alternative celebrated 50 years with a community potluck, amazing student performances, a play that took us through a time warp of the last 50 years of pop culture and ALPHA milestones, and a special performance by a parent-led band!
School Fun Fairs
It’s fun fair season!! There are lots of fun community events happening in May and June. My daughter and I had the pleasure of attending the Fairbank Memorial International Food Festival and Regal Road Junior Public School Fun Fair this week. Here are some other events you might be interested in:
Upcoming School Fun Fairs:
Givins/Shaw -Saturday, May 27th, 11am-4pm
Carleton Village – Saturday, May 27th, 12-4pm
General Mercer – Thursday, June 1st, 3pm
Alexander Muir Gladstone – Friday, June 8th, 3:30-7pm
Rawlinson – Saturday, June 10th, 11:30am-3:30pm
Perth Avenue – Wednesday, June 14th, 3-7pm
Shirley Street – Wednesday, June 14th, 3:30-7:30pm
Charles G. Fraser – Thursday, June 15th, 3:30-7pm
Ogden – Friday, June 16th, 3:30-5:30pm
**If I’ve missed your school, please let me know!**
Concerts on Connelly
Concerts on Connelly returns to Wadsworth Park on Sunday, June 4th featuring Cuban Salsa with Rubén Vázquez & Friends.
This year they have partnered with CV Climate Champs who will be hosting a clothing swap right before the concert. Also, the organizers have been granted permits from the City of Toronto and are moving the concerts to Wadsworth Park (a nice change from the driveway concerts of the past). Congratulations to Asli Suna and the team for all your hard work in making this happen!
Summer concert dates (all performances start at 5pm, Free/PWYC):
Sun June 4 - Rubén Vázquez & Friends
Sun June 25 - KC Roberts and the Live Revolution
Sun July 23 - Heavyweights Brass Band
Sun Aug 27 - Fethi Nadjem
Please forward information on free school/community events and good news stories you would like included in my newsletter, to alexis.dawson@tdsb.on.ca
Summer International Languages Elementary (ILE) & African Heritage (AH) Program
ILE Summer Program combines language & culture learning with engaging activities like games, songs, dance, storytelling, and writing. No language background knowledge is necessary. Afternoon cultural programs, run by community groups, are also available at a number of sites. AH Summer Program connects students to the contributions, histories, legacies, cultures and traditions of people of African descent through inquiry and experiential learning. Learn more and register.
Steps to Address Your Questions and Concerns
Here at the TDSB, we are always open to hearing your questions and concerns, and make every effort to address them as quickly as possible. Your child's classroom teacher is the first point of contact, followed by the school's principal, the school superintendent, and me, your Trustee! For more information, visit www.tdsb.on.ca/Contact-Us/Steps-to-Address-Questions-Concerns.
Upcoming Meetings
The next Regular Board Meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 14, 2023. For a list of upcoming meetings, please click on the calendar at www.tdsb.on.ca.
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Join the conversations happening on TDSB's social media communities. You'll find the most up-to-date information about us on our Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts.
