| Volume 19 - June 2018 NEWS Apply to be a Trustee: Trustee Vacancies in Ward 2 and Ward 9
The TDSB is currently looking for qualified candidates to fill the Trustee vacancies in Ward 2 (Etobicoke Centre) and Ward 9 (Davenport). These individuals will serve a term of approximately three months, ending on November 30, 2018.
The application deadline is July 20, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.
For more information, including how to apply, visit the TDSB website.
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| English Language Learners
In Canadian public schools, the children of new immigrants do as well as native-born children within three years of arriving. PBS News Hour visited Islington Junior Middle School and Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute to see how immigrant students are integrated into classrooms.
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| Eastview PS Student Wins Medal at National Science Fair
The Regional Science Fair was held recently in Toronto and Eastview’s Nain Abdi was one of three medalist recipients selected to represent Team Toronto at the Canada Wide Science Fair (CWSF) in Ottawa. Nain, who won a gold medal at the Regional Science Fair in March, went on to win a bronze medal at the national championship.
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| Music by the Lake 2018
Music by the Lake was once again a resounding success. This year, 363 elementary students and 93 secondary students attended this 8-day residential music camp located at Camp Wahanowin on Lake Couchiching.
The music faculty continued the tradition of providing comprehensive musical training and musical enrichment to students based on their many years of experience as professional musicians and educators.
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| Earl Haig SS Emerges as National Champions
Earl Haig Secondary School Cyber-Challenge students became national champions at the Cyber Titan 2018 Competition and Youth Summit, held in Fredericton, New Brunswick last month. Students had to improvise and adapt to overcome the challenges and difficulties posed by the cyber-criminal gang responsible for the attack over social media.
The team, known as 6ixside, competed among the best ten teams in Canada.
Click here to learn more about the team and their experience at the summit.
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| BOARD MEETING NOTES Whistleblower Program: Overview and Metrics
The Board received a report that outlines the Whistleblower Program’s efforts and latest metrics. The program is a process for reporting the suspected wrongdoing of employees at the Toronto District School Board. Read the Board decision (16. 1).
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| Revision to Governance Procedure PR533, Election Activities and Use of Board Resources
The Board approved (16.2) the following revisions to the Governance Procedure PR533:
• Replace 6.1 (h) and (i) with Trustees will not use Board resources or funds to print or distribute information which promotes themselves as a candidate or any other candidate for municipal, provincial or federal office. Trustees may distribute information regarding all candidates’ meetings being held on Board property, provided that they are not a participant in the debate;
• Reword 6.2.1 – Trustee Newsletters: Trustees may continue to distribute newsletters to school communities as part of the Trustees’ official business, provided that the newsletters are not used for campaign purposes; and
• Add headings to sections 6.1.1 – Use of Board Resources, Communications and Election Activities and 6.2.6. – Websites and Social Media Restrictions during Municipal Election Year (beginning August 1).
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| New Policy: Open Data, Phase Five
Trustees approved (16.2) the new policy for Open Data which will maximize the public’s access to the Toronto District School Board’s data, subject to privacy, security and confidentiality restrictions as outlined in existing legislation and policies.
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| New Policy: Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy, Phase One
The Board approved (16.2) the policy development work plan for the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy policy. This policy will support the implementation of the TDSB’s obligations under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA), particularly with regard to the collection, use, and disclosure of information and protection of personal information held by the Board.
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| Review of Policies and Procedures Related to Sexual Harassment and Misconduct
The Board approved an immediate review and update of the Board policies and procedures related to any allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct by Board employees. For more information, read the Summary of Decisions (16.2)
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| Policy Review: Appropriate Dress, Phase One
Trustees approved (16.2) the work plan for the review of policy P042, Appropriate Dress, Phase One. The plan includes the development of an equity-centered system standard and framework for schools to use when developing or revising dress codes.
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| Stockpiling Potassium Iodide in Schools
The Board decided (16.3) that the Director will communicate with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission to request that Ontario Power Generation stockpile potassium iodide pills in TDSB schools located within 50 kilometres of the Pickering and Darlington nuclear stations. This is due to the fact that there are ten nuclear reactors operating in those areas that pose health and safety concerns for students, staff and the community.
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| Long-Term Program and Accommodation Strategy, 2018-2027
Trustees approved (16.6) the Long-Term Program and Accommodation Strategy 2018-2027 and Annual Planning Document 2018-2019.
The Long-Term Program and Accommodation Strategy is one of four operational plans that support the Multi-Year Strategic Plan, along with the Equity Framework, the Leadership Capacity Plan and the Learning Centre Strategy. The Annual Planning Document that accompanies the strategy document provides details about the specific studies that are planned for the next school year. It reflects the short-term work that will be done to execute the long-term strategy.
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| Strategy to Address City Growth and Intensification
The Board decided (16.6) that the Director:
• ensure that future planning policy documents reflect the Board’s interest in the provision of school accommodation;
• take all measures to ensure future development proposals are phased to align with the adequate provision of school accommodation;
• seek redress from proponents of development in the form of assets that can contribute to the provision of school accommodation;
• take all measure to minimize adverse impacts resulting from
development adjacent to school sites;
• meet with development proponents early in the planning process to ensure the TDSB’s accommodation needs are understood; and
• report periodically to the Board, at a minimum annually, to provide a general overview and highlights of the various land use planning matters in which the TDSB is involved.
Trustees also decided that the staff report on strategies to address city growth and intensification be sent to the Ministry of Education, the Mayor of the City of Toronto and the City’s Chief Planner, with copies to all City Councillors.
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| School Site Considerations for Active Transportation to School
Trustees decided (16.3) that the Director will present a report on best practices in school site considerations related to active transportation to school, and that it will be presented for consideration this fall. This is due to the fact that TDSB has had a Charter for Active, Safe and Sustainable Transportation since 2013 and school site considerations have a major impact on the safety of children walking, cycling or using other methods of mobility to travel actively to school.
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| School Renaming Request for First Nations School of Toronto
The Board decided (16.6) that a school renaming committee be established to identify a new name for the First Nations School of Toronto. Learn more about the former Wandering Spirit Survival School (WSSS).
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| Establishment of a Community Advisory Committee for LGBTQ2S
The Board decided that:
• members from the LGBTQ2S community be invited to engage in decisions and consultations on the creation of a community advisory committee, and help identify key issues, including purpose, design, membership and timelines; and
• the Director will present a report on the feasibility of the establishment of the committee to the Programs and School Services Committee during the fall 2018 cycle of meetings.
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| Board Bylaws Review, Stage One (Part Two)
Trustees decided on amendments that will be made to the Board’s bylaws, related to the following matters: Definition of Committee of the Whole; Standing Committee Chair and Vice Chair Elections; Electronic Participation, Decorum and Quorum; Board Meeting Consent Agenda; Membership on the Audit Committee and the Finance, Budget and Enrolment Committee; House Committee Membership and Voting Privileges; and Board Committee Structure.
Read the specific amendments in the Summary of Decisions (16.2).
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