Week of May 29, 2016 

June is Italian Heritage Month, Portuguese-Speaking Heritage Month and PRIDE

In June 2010, the Province of Ontario declared June as Italian Heritage Month. Italian Canadians have contributed and continue to contribute to the growth and prosperity of Toronto and Canada at large. They have "altered society's tastes in food, fashion, architecture and recreation, thus helping to bring a new cosmopolitanism to Canadian life." (Historica Canada - Italian Canadians, Franc Sturino, 2013). As the most diverse school board in Canada, the TDSB is proud to encompass multiple communities and to benefit from the strengths and assets each one offers to the larger community. As such, the TDSB will formally celebrate Italian Heritage Month in recognition of this community's accomplishments by hosting a variety of events in partnership with the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TDCSB).

June is also Portuguese-Speaking Heritage Month in the TDSB. Please join Toronto’s Portuguese-speaking community both within the TDSB and across the city in celebrating at the following city-wide events: Portugal National Day: Wednesday, 8 June 2016 at noon for the raising of the Portuguese Flag, Toronto City Hall, 100 Queen Street West; and 29th Portugal Day Parade: Sunday, 12 June 2016. Marchers will be gathering between 10 and 10:30 am at Bloor and Lansdowne. 

Last year, the PRIDE Toronto drew more than 1.2 million spectators and participants. In 2016, as we've been doing each year since 2000, a proud TDSB contingent of students, staff and Trustees will again be marching in the city's annual PRIDE Parade, which will take place on Sunday, July 3rd, culminating the 10-day 2016 PRIDE Toronto festival, as well as Canada’s first-ever officially proclaimed PRIDE Month. I will provide you with further information as it becomes available.

Support for Bill C-241, An Act to Amend the Excise Tax Act (School Authorities)

On May 11, 2016 the Canadian School Boards Association sent a letter to Prime Minister Trudeau in support of Bill C-241, An Act to amend the Excise Tax Act (school authorities). This is a Private Member’s bill introduced by PC Kevin Waugh that seeks to allow school boards to receive the full 100 percent GST rebate. The Ontario Public School Boards’ Association joined as a signatory in the Canadian School Boards Association letter. It states: The Canadian School Boards Association unanimously supports BILL C-241, An Act to amend the Excise Tax Act (school authorities). This proposed bill would amend the Excise Tax Act so as to increase the goods and services tax rebate rate for school authorities from 68% to 100%.

Happily, on Wednesday, the Toronto District School Board voted unanimously to also support Bill C-241, An Act to amend the Excise Tax Act (School Authorities) and asked that the Chair write a letter to all members of Parliament in support of the proposed Bill C-241, An Act to amend the Excise Tax Act (School Authorities) so as to increase the goods and services tax rebate rate for school authorities from 68 percent to 100 percent, as charging the GST on school board purchases means that the federal government is, in effect, adding a layer of taxation. This form of double taxation costs school boards millions of dollars, makes no sense, and takes money away from the classrooms where it belongs. For the TDSB it means over $7M annually!

Operating Budget for 2016-17 - Approved!

The Board decided that the balanced operating budget for the 2016-17 school year, as presented in the report, be ap-proved; and that the Director request the Toronto Lands Corporation to present a report in September 2016 on the progress to date regarding pools.

The TDSB has an annual operating budget of $3 billion. Each year, Trustees and staff work together to pass a balanced budget. The TDSB is committed to the effective use of resources and we have made it a priority in recent years to improve financial controls across the system to ensure that every dollar spent has a positive impact on student success and well-being. Over the past few years, we’ve made a number of difficult decisions to address the Board’s structural deficit. That means we’ve made changes to the way the Board is run so that our overall operating costs are reduced year over year. However, declining enrolment and ongoing funding reductions are making this more and more difficult.

The TDSB’s projected deficit for 2016-17 is approximately $21M. The approved balanced budget plan includes a number of central department reductions (totalling $15.2M) for 2016-17. An additional $5.8M will need to be found in-year to fully balance the budget. The plan reflects the reorganization of central staff to allow for the creation of four new Learning Centres. These centres will enable the TDSB to be more responsive to schools, and better support teachers and administrators in improving student achievement. In addition, a Business Case model was introduced this year to identify system priorities that are not automatically funded in the annual budget. All Business Cases that were submitted were reviewed by senior staff and only those Business Cases that have a direct impact on student programs were included in the proposed 2016-2017 budget.

The Board will approve the Captial Budget when it approves the Long-Term Program and Accommodations Strategy and Annual Plan at its June Meeting.

Other Selected Key Votes from the May Board Meeting

• Transfer of Pool Items to the Toronto Lands Corporation – The Board decided that all pool agreements and pool matters, as presented in the report, be transferred to the Toronto Lands Corporation for oversight and management.
  
• Agreement With the City of Toronto for the City’s Continued Use of School Pools – The Board decided that the Toronto Lands Corporation be authorized to lead, with input from Toronto District School Board staff and trustees, the negotiations with the City on an agreement for the leasing of the TDSB’s pools by the City; that any pool(s) released from the use of school pools agreement between the City of Toronto and the Toronto District School Board for use of school pools be transferred to the Toronto Lands Corporation for oversight and development of strategies to maximize usage and revenues, including Leasing, Licensing, or Permitting; and that the Toronto Lands Corporation be authorized to undertake a pool condition assessment for the pools under the current agreement between City of Toronto and the Toronto District School Board for use of school pools.
  
• Keyboarding Pilot Program – The Board decided that the Director prepare a pathway for teaching students proper technique and posture when using a keyboard; find volunteer Grades 3 and 4 teachers willing to run a pilot with an evaluation component in families of schools in the fall of 2016; and present an evaluation report to Program and School Services Committee in March 2017 with recommendations for next steps.
  
• Policy Consultation Requirements – The Board received the proposed external consultation requirements for policy development and review, as presented in the report.
  
• Bylaws Amendment – Delegations – The Board decided that current Bylaw 42 Delegations be replaced in its entirety (Bylaws 42.1 to 42.9) as follows: 42. Delegations 42.1 The Board shall adopt a procedure to permit delegations at committee meetings.
  

New Invitations...

The Fix Our Schools campaign (www.fixourschools.ca) is a grassroots, non-partisan, parent-led campaign focused on ensuring safe, well-maintained school buildings in Ontario. Please mark down June 9th, 6-9 pm on your calendars to join members of the Fix Our Schools working group at a family-friendly campfire at Dufferin Grove Park! This is a great opportunity to meet other parents engaged in this important campaign and find out more/exchange ideas on how we can work tougher to Fix Our Schools!  Marshmallows and hot chocolate will be served. For more information, contact info@fixourschools.ca.    

Worth Repeating...

TDSB Supports Fort McMurray - Deadline for Federal Government matching funds to donations to Red Cross May 31 - For more information on how to donate to the Canadian Red Cross, please visit www.redcross.ca. To read about what are schools are doing, click here.

On-Line School Council Survey - Deadline May 31 - The TDSB, in collaboration with the Parent Involvement Advisory Committee (PIAC), is pleased to launch the first system-wide School Council survey in alignment with PR558 - Parent and Community Involvement. Please complete yours! One per school... on-line at www.tdsb.on.ca/Community/HowtoGetInvolved/SchoolCouncils/SchoolCouncilSurvey.aspx.

TDSB Healthy Schools 5k Run/Walk - On Saturday, June 4, 2016 the Health and Physical Education Department is hosting a celebration of all the healthy active living that happens in our schools and communities every day. Students, staff, parents/guardians and community members are invited to join us at Downsview Park for the TDSB Healthy Schools 5k Run/Walk. Elementary schools will  participate at 10 a.m. and secondary schools will begin at 11 a.m. Read all about the Run/Walk event day details.