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| Shelley Laskin, Trustee
Toronto District School Board
Ward 8: Eglinton-Lawrence & Toronto-St Paul's
416-395-8787
Shelley.Laskin@tdsb.on.ca
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"It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept and celebrate those differences.” - Audre Lorde
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In this Issue:
- Changes to Administrative Liaison
- Observances and Celebrations
- International Day of Pink
- Holodomor Remembrance Day
- COVID-19 Reminders
- Right to Read
- Ministry Announcement on Childcare
- Committee Meeting This Week
- TDSB System Calendar
- Policy Consultations
- New Invitations - Identity Affirming Stories with TDSB Families; From Councillor Matlow - Combatting Antisemitism Together: Public Meeting on April 27 at 7pm; Clean Toronto Together; FHCI Speaker Series
- Worth Repeating - Clothing Swap; Summer School Program Updates; Prime Minister's Awards for Teaching Excellence; Elections 2022 - Are You on the Voters Lists?; Backpack and School Supplies Drive; Respect the Rules - No Dogs Allowed on School Grounds
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Changes to Administrative Liaison
Congratulations to Araz Hasserjian, who has supported me and our Ward so well for many years - Araz has accepted an acting position in Business Services (Executive Assistant to Marisa Chiu) until November 2023. I know you join me in thanking her and wishing her well.
I'd like to welcome Maria Jose Oliveira (Zee) who is now in the role of Administrative Liaison, Trustee Shared Services supporting me and our Ward. She has worked at several schools; the last 4.5 years Zee was the Office Administrator at Oriole Park. She can be reached at 416-397-2577 or via email at mariajose.oliveira@tdsb.on.ca. I know she is looking forward to supporting us in her new role.
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Observances & Celebrations
Ramadan Mubarak to all Muslims observing as Ramadan continues this month. On Friday, Easter and Passover observances also begin.
Easter 2022 begins with Good Friday on April 15 and Easter Sunday on April 17. Easter is one of the principal holidays in Christianity as it celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after his death by crucifixion. Christians believe "After his crucifixion, death, and burial, three days later, He rose from the grave. By this, He conquered death and redeemed us from sin." (Christianity.com) Wishing all celebrating a blessed Easter.
Passover (Pesach) 2022 is observed from sunset April 15 to sunset April 23, 2022. Passover is celebrated by Jews every year, commemorating the anniversary of the Exodus from Egyptian slavery, as told in the Bible. "The Passover story of liberation is at the core of Jewish values, urging support and inclusion of those who are marginalized or vulnerable - as the Jewish people know what it is to be vulnerable. Let us all embrace the lessons of this holiday’s story by working to welcome and protect refugees and immigrants, and by fighting back against hate." (from the ADL) For all Jews observing, Chag Pesach Sameach.
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International Day of Pink - April 13
The International Day of Pink is a worldwide anti-bullying and anti-homophobia event held annually during the second week of April.
On Wednesday, April 13, the Toronto District School Board will once again honour International Day of Pink in support of creating a more inclusive and diverse world by encouraging young people to challenge social norms, ask more of their educators and stand up against bullying towards their 2SLGBTQIA+ peers. We are all encouraged to wear pink in celebration of this important day and the Board’s work to create and maintain safe and inclusive spaces in which to learn and work.
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Holodomor Remembrance Day
"In the Spring of 1933 the number of deaths inflicted by the Soviet regime’s forced starvation of Ukraine escalated significantly. It was the Holodomor's deadliest year. By Spring there was nothing left to eat because many villages had all their food removed by decree. Deaths increased from 12,000 people per day in February to nearly 20,000 deaths per day in April of 1933. In April each year, Ukrainians worldwide traditionally visit cemeteries to remember the dead with special memorial ceremonies held the week after Easter, when victims of the Holodomor are specifically remembered... Today in 2022, as Putin attempts to eradicate the Ukrainian nation, annex Ukraine to Russia and rewrite the history on the origins of both, another state-sponsored genocide unfurls now before our very eyes. This is an attack on every democracy, every country that wants to remain sovereign, and an assault on the international rules based order.
April Genocide Remembrance, Condemnation and Prevention Month is recognized in Canada annually through a historic motion passed in 2015. During this month, we honour the memory of the victims of genocide whose survivors Canada has welcomed along with the descendants of those who perished in the atrocities. The Holodomor is one of 9 global genocides recognized by the Government of Canada and 6 of it’s provincial legislatures.
April 16 is designated as Holodomor Remembrance Day in Schools by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress. For additional information about the Holodomor please visit https://education.holodomor.ca/." - Holodomor Research and Education Consortium
Our thoughts continue to be with the people of Ukraine and the Ukrainian community here in Toronto. Read the Director's full statement and read tips that may be helpful for parents/caregivers whose children are experiencing difficulties.
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COVID-19 Reminders
With the removal of many protections as directed by the province, cases continue rise within our schools. TDSB schools will continue to share COVID-19 notification letters when they become aware of a positive case (as confirmed by PCR or Rapid Antigen Test), until the end of this school year. With the lifting of many COVID-19 measures by the Ministry of Education, moving forward, we will no longer be notifying only directly impacted classes. To provide a more complete picture to families and to streamline the process, we are moving toward a once a day letter that provides a snapshot of cases in the school to the entire school community.
On Friday, Public Health Ontario released an Evidence Brief - COVID-19 Omicron Variant Sub-lineage BA.2: Evidence and Risk Assessment (up to date as of April 5, 2022). They confirm that "Masking with high-quality masks (i.e., good fit and filtration) at a population level is a public health measure that can be effective at reducing transmission, while enabling community settings and activities to continue functioning." They go on to suggest " temporary re-implementation of masking requirements indoors and improved air quality can reduce the risk of in-school transmission and related disruption for students, families and educational settings."
There is no question cases continue to rise in schools – our data is clear. At the Ontario Public School Boards' Association (OPSBA) Regional Meeting Saturday, it was also clear that most boards are experiencing a rise in cases since the protections were removed – and although I agree with what has been reported, we cannot act unilaterally – this doesn't change the regulations put in by the government that specifically deny us the ability to go further at this point. We are advocating through OPSBA and exploring our options and reached out to both Toronto Public Health (TPH) and the province. While we can strongly encourage, we can’t mandate masking even with the increase in COVID-19 cases due to the newest variant and the numerous staff and student absences. Our educators could not enforce a mask mandate at this point without government and TPH Support.
And based on the advice of the CDC and Public Health, we also continue to recommend vaccinations and boosters as the most important step we can take to ensure the health and safety of all community members.
The CDC's report tracking rates of cardiac issues (myo/pericarditis) after infection or mRNA vaccination combining information across 40 health systems in the USA, stratified by age/sex found that the risk of cardiac complications was higher from COVID infection versus COVID mRNA vaccination in all age cohorts over 5 years, and for both males & females.
We will continue to follow the science.
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Updated Information from TPH
Please get VaccinatedMasks
Masks are strongly encouraged, especially as cases continue within our schools. TDSB schools will continue to be mask-friendly environments. Masks will still be available to both staff and students upon request. Classroom environments will be inclusive of all students.
Mental Health and Well-Being
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Right to Read
The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) recently released its report, “Right to Read: Public inquiry into human rights issues affecting students with reading disabilities.” The report has detailed findings and recommendations for many stakeholders including the Ministry of Education, school boards, and faculties of education. The TDSB multi-disciplinary team is currently reviewing the report as well as the Ministry of Education’s response, and awaiting further guidance from the Ministry.
The OHRC report made recommendations in the following areas:
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Early Screening
- Reading Interventions
- Accommodations
- Professional Assessments
- Systemic Issues
The resources on TDSB websites for educators and administrators reflect key recommendations in the OHRC Right to Read Report and also ensure that students maintain a joy of reading.
The multi-disciplinary team is currently formulating a plan for how the TDSB moves forward to ensure that all students, regardless of social identity, have the foundational literacy skills to be fluent, confident and literate citizens.
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Ministry Announcement on Childcare
On March 28, the province announced it signed a $13.2 billion agreement with the Federal government that will lower fees for families and deliver an average of $10 a day childcare by September 2025. While specific implementation details regarding this Canada Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system are yet to be received, we wanted to share the following:
- This plan applies to licensed child care programs serving children ages 0-5 (infant, toddler, preschool and FDK before and after-school programs).
- There will be a phased in plan, with Phase 1 focusing on affordability, including funding guidelines, and quality. By Sept 2025 the goal is to have an average of $10/day care in place.
- The fee subsidy system currently in place in Toronto will continue to be available to eligible families, however specific details haven’t been confirmed (e.g., will the eligibility criteria remain the same? Will the same amount of subsidy dollars be allocated in the system, etc.)
While TDSB is awaiting information about the plan, Early Years staff has started important conversations with key stakeholders.
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Committee Meeting This Week
Wednesday, April 12 - Planning and Priorities Committee - 4:30pm -Agenda
- 6.1. 2021-22 First Quarter Business Report
- 7.1. Update to the Names of the Year Round Alternative Centres
- 7.2. Update on the Review of the Scarlett Heights Property, 15 Trehorne Drive
- 8.1. Student Trustee Governance (Trustees Laskin and Aarts on behalf of Student Trustees Dadhich, Shafqat and Woo)
- 8.2. City Growth and Intensification Update (Trustees Kandavel and Wong)
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TDSB System Calendar
There are many ways for parents/guardians and school community members to get involved, learn, connect and participate in TDSB activities and events. Visit this page often and see what's coming up!
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Policy Consultations
You are welcome to read the draft policies, provide your comments, including suggestions on the wording and provisions of the draft policies, questions or recommendations using the contact information below.
- April 13, 2022 (7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.) - REGISTER
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Identity Affirming Stories with TDSB Families
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From Councillor Matlow - Combatting Antisemitism Together: Public Meeting on April 27 at 7pm
Since May 2021, Toronto has seen an alarming rise in antisemitic harassment and targeted hate crimes. These attacks on the Jewish community are entirely unacceptable and have absolutely no place in Toronto-St. Paul's or anywhere in the city. I was proud to have sat on the Mayor's antisemitism round table along with members of the Toronto Police Services Hate Crime Unit, my colleagues on Council, and representatives from the United Jewish Appeal, Centre for Israel Jewish Affairs, and Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre.
These discussions, as fruitful as they were, required the voices of local leaders within our community to comment on how the events of the last year have impacted all of us.
That is why I am honoured to be hosting a roundtable discussion on Wednesday, April 27th at 7:00 PM about Antisemitism in our community, what we are currently doing at the city and what more we could be doing. I will be joined by Detective Lauren Pogue from TPS hate crimes unit, Shelley Laskin, TDSB School Trustee, Rabbi Steve Wernick from Beth Tzedec Synagogue, and Jamie Kirzner-Roberts from Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre.
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Clean Toronto Together
Clean Toronto Together invites residents, community groups, schools and businesses to spend 20-minutes picking up litter and recycling that’s accumulated in local parks and other public spaces over the winter. Join the City of Toronto on April 22-24! Registration closes on April 15. For more information, please click https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/festivals-events/clean-toronto-together/
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FHCI's Speaker Series
Please join us on April 28th @8pm for the second event in our 2022 SPEAKER SERIES. CTV's Dana Levenson will sit down with Katie Dudtschak, who revealed her journey to embrace her true self to friends, family and thousands of RBC colleagues in 2019. While facing her true gender was the hardest experience of her life, it provided her with a unique and powerful view on society and the role and practices of business leadership moving forward. Please click the link to register https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/fhci-speaker-series-embracing-change-with-katie-dudtschak-tickets-311333154847
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Clothing Swap on April 16th
Have you been going through your closets as Spring approaches? Works-in-Progress art collective is organizing a FREE Clothing Swap April 16th in Davisville Village as part of the Ringing in Spring Celebration at June Rowlands Park. Donate what you don't want, take what you want. Donations accepted the night before or on the day of the swap, clean and dry donations in good shape, sorted into bags labelled by size. Swap located in yards and driveways in the Davisville neighbourhood, one size/ yard. There is enough for all!
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Summer School Program Updates
Continuing Education Secondary Credit Summer Programs - Please note that space is limited and courses may fill up prior to the close of registration.
In Person & Remote Incoming TDSB Grade 8 Summer Reach Ahead Opportunity
TDSB Grade 8 students are eligible to register for the TDSB Continuing Education, In Person or Remote Secondary Full Credit Summer Reach Ahead course, GLD2O1. In-Person & Remote Full Credit High School Program: Students can enroll in one full-credit course that is offered in July, either remotely or in person at multiple locations. Should an announcement be made that only remote learning can take place, in person students need to be prepared to pivot to remote learning.
In Person & Remote Summer Full Credit Adult 18+ Program
Adults can enroll in one full credit course that is offered in July in-person at Yorkdale Adult Learning Centre or remotely. Should an announcement be made that only remote learning can take place, in person students need to be prepared to pivot to remote learning.
Remote Credit Recovery - For TDSB Students ONLY
Current TDSB students have the opportunity to recover one or two credits for the month of July. Remote summer credit recovery courses are open to current TDSB high school students who have taken the course in the past two years but have not earned the credit.
Summer Dual Credit, SWAC and Coop
These programs will be offered during the month of July. Students can register through their day school guidance counsellors. For more information, including registration dates, please visit our secondary summer page.
e-Summer School
The e-Summer program provides full credit courses for secondary school students in Ontario, aged 13-20 years old. e-Summer courses count toward the mandatory graduation requirement for students who entered Grade 9 in the 2020-2021 school year or later. Courses are fully online. Most of the class time is asynchronous with about one hour/day of synchronous, live lessons delivered by the teacher. e-Summer offers two full sessions, one in July and one in August. Mandatory program orientation for students takes place online for one hour in the week before the course begins. e-Summer course count toward the new graduation requirement of two e-Learning credits.
Elementary Summer SchoolThe focus of the Elementary Summer School Program is to continue student learning and engagement through the month of July. Programs, embedded in Literacy and Numeracy, are developed by the local summer school principal to reflect the local school focus. Programs are offered in-person to students in K to Grade 8, from July 4 to July 29, 2022.
Registration Information - Program Dates: July 4-29, 2022 - Registration is online. Program delivery method is in-person this year. One remote (online) program is available. Please see full list of programs.
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Prime Minister's Awards for Teaching Excellence
Nominations for the Prime Minister’s Awards for Teaching Excellence, Excellence in STEM & Excellence in Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Early Childhood Education are extended to April 21. Educators show unparalleled resilience & commitment in the face of COVID-19. Nominate an educator who goes above & beyond!
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Elections 2022 - Are You on the Voter List?
The upcoming year will be a busy one for Ontario voters, with the Ontario Provincial Election and Municipal and School Board Elections happening just a few months apart. Are you on the voter's list?
For the Ontario Election on June 2, 2022. Ontario residents can visit Elections Ontario - Voter Registration to add, update or confirm your information on the voters list for individuals who are 18 years of age or older, Canadian citizens and residents of Ontario; Register of Absentee Voters for voters temporarily living outside Ontario who intend to return to the province; or Ontario Register of Future Voters for eligible 16- and 17-year-olds who will be automatically added to the voters list when they turn 18.
For the 2022 Municipal and School Board Elections on October 24, 2022, Ontario residents can visit Voterlookup.ca at any time to find out whether their information is accurately reflected for inclusion on the Preliminary List of Electors for the 2022 Municipal and School Board Elections. Eligible electors can also update their information, add a name to an address, or change their school support for electoral purposes. Let's be ready.
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Backpack and School Supplies Drive
This year’s Backpacks & School Supplies Drive will run from March 1, 2022 to the end of September 2022. Individual donors and companies can help our students by making a monetary donation and/or a donation of new backpacks and school supplies. Please contact the Business Development department at BusinessDevelopment@tdsb.on.ca for more information about how to donate new items. Tax receipts are available for these donations. Donate now.
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Respect the Rules - No Dogs Allowed on School Grounds
Dogs are not allowed on school property at any time. Many people are surprised to learn that City of Toronto By-Laws and TDSB Policy prohibit dogs (leashed or unleashed) being on school property.
Please respect children’s play spaces. And please do not verbally abuse TDSB caretaking staff - I am hearing that when members of the public and caretakers onsite try and inform dog owners, they are met with threats and intimidation.
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School Year Calendar 2021-2022- The last day of class for elementary students is June 30, 2022
- The last day of class for secondary students is June 29, 2022
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Community Safety & Support
If you should you ever see any suspicious activity around school buildings after school hours, please contact 311, Toronto Police Services Dispatch at 416-808-2222, or the TDSB’s 24-hour Call Centre at 416-395-4620.
If you or a family member is in crisis, please contact Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 or get support right now by texting CONNECT to 686868.
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