November 2020
Dear Parents and Guardians,
French Programs Application Deadline
For families interested in the Toronto District School Board's system-wide French Programs, we offer an online process to apply for Early French Immersion (begins in Senior Kindergarten) and Middle French Immersion (begins in Grade 4). An offer of placement in the program (not a specific school) is guaranteed to all on-time applicants. The timelines for applying for these programs for September 2021 are:
- Early French Immersion: Applications must be completed online between November 2 and November 27, 2020.
- Middle French Immersion: Applications must be completed online between January 4 and January 29, 2021.
Offers of placement within your chosen program (not a specific school) will be made to all on-time applicants in the weeks following the close of the application window. Families with an older sibling currently in a French program are still required to complete an online application for the new student.
Virtual Web-Chat Information Sessions (for the Early French Immersion (SK) application and placement process):
- November 2, 2020, 7 p.m.
- November 12, 2020, 7 p.m.
- November 19, 2020, 10 a.m.
Remembrance Day
On Wednesday, November 11th, students and staff at our schools and across the city will mark Remembrance Day. For Remembrance Day, teachers make connections between global events and students' lives by promoting peace within our school community. On this solemn occasion, staff, students, parents, and the wider community all join together in a call for peace.
November is Indigenous Education Month at the TDSB
In November, we honour Indigenous Education Month at the TDSB. This month reminds us to centre First Nations, Métis and Inuit perspectives, histories and contemporary realities. In classrooms across the TDSB, it is an opportunity to learn about treaties, Indigenous leadership, achievements, and resistance.
Over the course of this month, students, staff and community members recognize a number of important days to deepen knowledge, to learn together about our shared history, and to build stronger relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada.
Hindu Heritage Month at the TDSB – November 2020
In 2016, the Government of Ontario declared the month of November each year as Hindu Heritage Month. Further to this, on April 18, 2018, the TDSB Board of Trustees voted to recognize the month of November as Hindu Heritage Month. The theme chosen this year is Om Shanti: Living Together in Peace.
The Sanskrit words OM Shanti are considered to be one of the most important mantras or sacred sounds in Hinduism. OM, or AUM, is energy, a vibration from which all the universe originates. Shanti refers to peace in many levels of existence. For example, OM Shanti refers to experiencing peace at the level of the body, mind and spirit. From a wider perspective, it is a prayer for peace in the whole world, including the environment and in our relationships with friends, family, communities and countries - indeed in the entire creation. The word Shanti is chanted three times in the belief that the desire to attain peace will come true. OM Shanti, Shanti, Shantihi!
Canadians of Hindu faith have greatly contributed to civic life in Canada for decades, and are a vibrant part of the growth and prosperity of Toronto, Ontario and Canada. November is an opportunity to celebrate the Hindu way of life, examine its impact and contributions to the world culture, and recognize values which promote compassion, mutual respect and inclusion.
We are pleased to share with you that a poster challenge has been put forth to all TDSB students and we are excited to select two posters that reflect our chosen theme in the upcoming weeks. They will be posted to the TDSB public and internal website and shared digitally across the system.
The Hindu Heritage Month planning committee continues to work on virtual initiatives to recognize Hindu Heritage Month during the month of November and are eager to have them come to completion in the upcoming weeks.
Mark Your Calendars for the PIAC Annual Parent Conference!
PIAC invites all parents and caregivers to take part in our 14th annual parent conference – Ready. Set. Engage! Navigating the School Year Together – in partnership with TDSB. Join us in our first-ever virtual conference on November 21 and 22 for two days of workshops for parents and school councils. Connect with others from across TDSB as we adapt to a new educational landscape and school year unlike any we have experienced before.
Registration opens soon!
TDSB Connects App Now Available!
TDSB has launched a new online app to help high school students stay connected and organized.
Phase 1 is designed with secondary students in mind, helping them stay organized with school work, see their daily school calendar and stay in touch with their school community. By logging in with their TDSB school ID, their timetable is automatically populated allowing them to easily add notes, goals and details to each course.
Schools can also share announcements, updates, local calendars and more to help students stay connected and informed.
Subsequent phases include features such as the student safety line, notifications and opportunities to share your voice, and also a version for elementary students and families.
The TDSB Connects App supports our commitment to be more digitally-friendly, reduce paper and find new and engaging ways to connect with students to support their success.
