Hello Ward 7 Families:
I hope you are doing well.
While many positive activities continue in our school communities, I recognize this remains a difficult time, as we are impacted by devastation abroad. Further to the statements issued by the TDSB, I want to express my deepest sympathy to everybody impacted by the tragic loss of Palestinian and Israeli lives. I pray for a path to peace in the region. I am especially concerned about the fear for safety felt by Jewish and Muslim families in our school communities, as well as by Palestinian families across the TDSB. No one should live in fear of violence. All our classrooms should be affirming, respectful, and inclusive places to learn and work. Below, I offer culturally-responsive resources and steps to report incidents of racism, hate and bias. I hope this offers some support, and I remain committed to the important work of ensuring safety and belonging for all students, staff and families.
In lighter news, we had a very positive Ward Council and Community Meet and Greet on October 12th. A recap is included below. There are also several program registration annoucements, meeting reminders, and additonal resources for your information.
I hope you continue to be well and find increasing moments of joy in your days. Wishing a Happy Navaratri to those who are celebrating!
Yours in Community,
Debbie King
| |
Updates: October 15-31 2023
IN PARKDALE—HIGH PARK SCHOOLS:
ACROSS THE TDSB:
FROM THE BOARDROOM
PARENT/CAREGIVER ENGAGEMENT:
RESOURCES:
TDSB Job Fair
| |
Jays Care Foundation
Director Russell-Rawlins recently updated Trustees about a meeting with members of the Jays Care Foundation to learn more about their work to support students across our schools. Their work aligns with much of our own efforts to support opportunities for students to take part in physical activity, wellness and making connections. The Director expressed gratitude for the foundation’s generosity in providing 1,280 of our students with an opportunity to foster belonging through teamwork as part of their summer programming. This includes students who participated in the program at Parkdale JSPS, this summer. The program is one of many, and a powerful example of the impact that is possible when working in collaboration with all members of our school community. We are pleased that through this deeper relationship they are interested in increasing their investment in and partnership with TDSB.
| |
Early French Immersion Junior Kindergarden Registration
Banners promoting Early French Immersion Registration for Fall 2024 are appearing at schools across the Ward. The entry point to Early French Immersion is Junior Kindergarten. Ward 7 Schools offering Early French Immersion are:
- Fern Ave JSPS
- Howard PS
- Humbercrest PS
- Runnymede JSPS
- Parkdale JSPS
It is important to note that: admission to the Early French Immersion (JK entry) program is guaranteed at the entry points to all eligible on-time applicants however, admission to a specific school is NOT guaranteed. While every effort will be made to place students in the school identified as their area French Immersion school, this is not always possible. In cases where the number of applications in a given area is greater than the number of allotted program spaces in the school, students may be redirected to schools with available program space. Placements are made based on the child's primary home address of record prior to the application deadline. If the address changes between the application deadline and the fall of the entry year, there is no guarantee of placement in the new area.
| |
Local Government Week School Visits: Oct 16-20
It's Local Government Week across Ontario. Throughout the week (and next), I will be visiting grade five classrooms at Garden PS, Fern Ave JSPS and Warren Park PS. During the visits I'll share inspiring information about the role of School Board trustees. I look forward to the discussions and many insightful questions I know your children will have. Search #LocalGovWeek to follow on social media.
| |
Halloween Costumes
Halloween is an exciting time for many. Throughout our schools, different activities are being planned including costume parades. Please refer to your school communications for guidance regarding safe and appropriate costumes. You can also refer to the TDSB "Cultures are not Costumes" information here. I look forward to seeing your fun and creative costume creations. My kiddo is over the moon about their awesome astronaut costume!
| |
Student Supports and How to Report Incidents of Racism, Bias and Hate
Culturally-Responsive Resources
The Islamic Heritage Committee has compiled a resource guidebook for educators. The TDSB’s Jewish Heritage Committee has developed resources available on their website. These resources are carefully curated in consultation with community leaders, academics and faith-based groups.
Combatting Hate:
As was shared in multiple statements from the Toronto District School Board, we are committed to continuing to provide inclusive, empathetic and supportive environments for all students, staff and families. As part of this commitment, we will continue to educate our students against hate in all its forms in the hope of creating a more just and peaceful world for everyone.
We have a variety of different programs and initiatives that address racism and hate including, but not limited to Anti-Palestinian racism, Islamophobia, antisemitism, anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism, anti-Asian racism, homophobia and transphobia.
If you are a staff or a student or a parent/caregiver, and you are a victim of or witnessing an incident of racism, bias, or hate in our schools, please report it to the school's principal, who has a duty to investigate any such incidents. The TDSB has Procedure PR728 - Reporting and Responding to Racism and Hate Incidents Involving or Impacting Students in Schools, tied to our Human Rights Policy, P031. Our Combatting Hate and Racism Strategy falls under this procedure and part of the strategy was the creation of a “Racism, Bias and Hate (RBH) Reporting Portal”. Each time an incident takes place in a school, it is to be recorded in this portal which then begins a system response. We have a responsibility to educate against hate. For more information, please visit the webpage for Reporting an Incident of Hate or Discrimination Involving or Impacting Students.
| |
Annual Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciaton: October 17
I join the TDSB in acknowledging and commending the hard work and dedication of all Child Care Workers & Early Childhood Educators every day. From our school-based Child Care partners, Parent Workers supporting our EarlyON Child and Family Centres, Designated Early Childhood Educators who support our Kindergarten and Extended Day Programs, and our amazing ECEs who work centrally in our Early Years Department; these professionals support quality early learning experiences through their extensive knowledge of child development and programming. They are an integral part of our school communities and school board. I also want to acknowledge the signifcant percentage of women and racialized people who comprise the sector and their continued efforts toward sufficient compensation.
| |
Enrollment Confirmed
Year after year, TDSB's planning department estimates enrolment. Staffing is based on that enrollment. Projections in March, in comparison to our projections for September 30, confirm we are currently 0.6% above the headcount projection in the elementary panel (EVA Unverified Enrolment Report - Elementary by Ward), 1.7% above the head count projection in the secondary panel (EVA Unverified Enrolment Report - Secondary by Ward), and 0.9% above the projected headcount system-wide. Year over year, our enrollment projections are incredibly accurate. Unfortunately, even with this system-wide accuracy, fluctuations in school-based enrolment means reorganization - and we understand that causes disruption for many. We expect a full report on enrolment in November.
| |
EQAO Results
The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) recently released achievement results for Grades 3, 6, and 9 in reading, writing, and mathematics and Grade 10 literacy results. Overall, Toronto District School Board (TDSB) results from 2022-23 remain closely in line with provincial results and all results are in line with our expectations given our ongoing focus on four key indicators for student success: Early Literacy, STEM Achievement from Gr 4 to Gr 9, Student Wellbeing and Belonging, and Pathways to Post-secondary education opportunities.
We are pleased to see gains in Mathematics scores in both Grade 6 and 9. Specifically, the most significant gains across all 9 assessments were seen in Grade 9 de-streamed Mathematics. These results reflect positively on our work with STEM achievement via our Math and STEM strategies. Results indicate that more students are achieving at or above the provincial standard than have done in the previous year.
At the Primary level, there is a slight decrease in results across all three assessment areas. However, these results do not come as a surprise as the Grade 3 students in last year’s cohort had a severely disrupted early learning experience in Senior Kindergarten and Grade 1 due to COVID-19. We continue to monitor achievement in early literacy and have system-wide supports, resources, and professional learning in place to address these areas, which may have been impacted by disruption to early learning during the pandemic.
To view full results for each grade level and assessment for 2022-23, please visit the Research website.
| |
Ministry of Education CHG381 Genocide Course
Trustees learned of the Ministry of Education’s recent decision to extend the approval of the CHG381: Genocide: Historical and Contemporary Implications (Grade 11) course on a long-term basis. This course investigates examples of genocide in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, and students investigate and explore issues through the lens of critical historical analysis. I am pleased to see the development in this important subject matter.
| |
Changes to Central Student Interest Programs for 2024-25
Arts: There are two (2) new Secondary Arts Programs starting at Westview Centennial SS and Woburn CI. The former CyberARTS programs now fall under the Arts category of programs. The staff at Etobicoke School of the Arts and Earl Haig SS have structured their program pathways to support more interested applicants. All of the program descriptions can be found on the Central Secondary Arts CSIP webpage.
Math, Science and Technology (MST): To help meet the high level of interest, eight (8) new MST Programs have been established across the TDSB. The programs will better serve the East end of the city. Further details about the new programs will be added to the Central MST website in the upcoming weeks.
Elite Athlete: Elite Athlete programs will continue to provide the scheduling that is needed to support athletes training at high levels of competition. As admission to these programs is entirely based on ability, they will not be included as part of the Central Student Interest Program application and grouping. A separate centralized application is being developed for January 2024.
Applications
Program Choice: Applicants can apply to one program choice. This is called their Primary Choice. Applicants may also include an alternate program choice in their application.
• Example 1: Jamal applies to Etobicoke School of the Arts for their Contemporary Arts program as his primary choice. He then chooses Visual Art at Central Tech as his alternate choice.
• Example 2: Mila applies to TOPS at Marc Garneau as their primary choice. They then choose MaST at Danforth CTI as their alternate choice.
Alternate choices will only be considered after all primary choices from the city of Toronto have been considered. If an applicant is accepted to their primary application, they will not be considered for their alternate application. If an applicant is offered a spot in their alternate choice, they will remain on the waitlist for their primary choice.
Expression of Interest: All applicants are expected to submit an “Expression of Interest” in their application. The Expression of Interest is required for the application to be considered complete. It will be verified for completion centrally. Accepted file formats include: DOC, DOCX, PDF, TXT, RTF, XLS, XLSX, BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG or a link to an accessible, shared document/video/file.
Priority for Historically and Currently Underserved Groups: First Nations, Métis and Inuit applicants will be placed into their primary choice program when applying for the entry grade. When applying for other grades, First Nations, Métis and Inuit applicants will be considered before all other applicants. Applicants identifying as Black, Middle Eastern and Latina/o/x will be considered for priority seats reflective of their representation within the TDSB.
Resources
The Arts Courses in the Secondary Schools Search Tool shows students and their families the current Arts course offerings available to students at their local Secondary School. Students can search by school or by Arts area.
Staff have developed new webpages on TDSBWeb for Secondary Program and Admissions. Resources, documents, links to PowerSchool/SIS resources and a list of dates and timelines can be found on the pages created for Out-of-Area Admissions, Central Student Interest Programs (Schools with Programs) and Central Student Interest Programs (all sending schools).
Secondary Central Student Interest Programs and Schools: Timelines & Open Houses begin November 1st. Check here for dates/times.
| |
Days of Significance
Oct 15-24: Navratri
Oct 16: Birth of the Bá’b*
Oct 16: World Food Day
Oct 16-20: Week Without Violence
Oct 17: Birth of Bahá’u’lláh*
Oct 17: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
Oct 20: Gurgadi of the Holy Scriptures of Guru Granth Sahib Ji as Guru
Oct 20-24: Durga Puja
Oct 28: Kathina
| |
OPSBA Black Trustees' Caucus Submission to OHRC
It was an honour to contribute to this important work alongside TDSB Board collagues, Trustee Dawson and Trustee Williams, and members of the Caucus representing Durham, Simcoe-County, York Region and Peel Region school boards. We additonally, had an opportunity for meaningful consultation with senior policy staff at the Ontario Human Rights Office.
As part of this advoacy, OPSBA calls on the provincial government to join in and co-lead this important work to expand it to all areas of the province for all Black and Black identifying students and their communities
| |
Board and Committee Meeting Highlights
Previous Committee Meetings
Oct 3: Governace and Policy Committee (minutes)
Oct 11: Finance Budget and Enrollment Committee (minutes)
Upcoming Committee Meetings:
Oct 18: Programs and School Services Commmittee (agenda)
- Supporting Newcomer/Refugee Students and Families
- Update on Early Years Literacy Intervention Model and New Language Curriculum Implementation
- French Program Enrolment Annual Report
- Parent Involvement Advisory Committee Report, June 6, 2023
- French as a Second Language Community Advisory Committee Annual
Report
Oct 25: Planning and Priorities Committee (agenda)
- Multi-Year Strategic Plan Implementation: Update #3
- Long-Term Program and Accommodation Strategy 2023-2032
- Written Notice of Motion for Consideration - Supporting OHRC’s Request for a Provincial Anti-Hate Strategy (Trustees Laskin and Chernos Lin)
- Written Notice of Motion for Consideration – Somali Centre for Culture and Recreation (Trustees Hassan and Dawson)
on behalf of Trustee Hassan)TLC Report #1TLC Report #2
Next Board Meeting: Wednesday, November 1, 2023
| |
Delegating to Committees of the Board
| |
Ward Council & Community Meeting Recap
Thank you to all School Council reps, families, community members, advisory committee co-chairs and staff who attended our Ward Council and Community Meet & Greet on October 12th. It was our first meeting of the 2023-24 school year, and a very positive evening. It was great to see folks from schools across the ward connecting, sharing stories, and exchanging ideas about effective parent engagement. The meeting minutes and presentation slides are posted on my TDSB Ward 7 page. Please feel free to reference and share the excellent information that staff provided on parent engagment in school improvment, student learning and extracurricular sports.
| |
Parents & Caregivers as Partners Conference: Oct 21 & 22
Learning how to find enjoyment in the journey of learning helps make the overall experience more meaningful and the path easier to travel. Discover how to create safe, joyful, and engaging school spaces and experiences that enable students to thrive. Unearth how to build respectful, positive relationships that fuel development inside and outside. Commit to Truth and Reconciliation and eliminating hate and racism. Strengthen literacy and math skills. Start the joy of learning at the 2023-2024 Parents and Caregivers as Partners Conference. Learn more about the Keynote Speakers, Schedule and more at ParentsasPartners.ca
| |
Digital Citizenship Workshop for Parents and Caregivers
The TDSB is offering a free online digital citizenship workshop for parents and caregivers developed in partnership with Civix. Civix is the organization that the TDSB partners with to run the Student Vote initiative as they offer a range of programming around the themes of elections, government budgets, elected representatives and digital literacy. TDSB has worked with Civix to modify their Cntrl-F workshop and include content about AI and the spread of hate online as part of our parent engagement efforts to promote positive digital citizenship and build parental/caregiver understanding of how misinformation spreads online.
There are 300 spots reserved for parents/caregivers to participate in one of two free Zoom sessions. The first date of Thursday, October 12th (6:30 - 7:30PM) conflicts with our Ward Council and Community meeting. I encourage you to consider attending the Wednesday, October 18th (6:30 - 7:30PM) session. Registration is required and on a first come, first served basis.
| |
School Council Innovation Grant (SCIG)School Council Innovation Grant (SCIG) is a grant program for Councils to enhance innovation in engagement. Councils may apply for a maximum of $1,500.00 to improve and enhance the School Councils' work in addressing anti-Black, anti-Indigenous, anti-oppression equity, human rights, food security, belonging, mental health & and well-being, creating safe spaces, engaging in literacy and numeracy. The 2023 - 2024 School Council Innovation Grant (SCIG) application is now accepting applications until October 31, 2023.
| |
Music Counts Grant
MusiCounts supports all approaches to music education through the MusiCounts Band Aid Program and the MusiCounts Slaight Family Foundation Innovation Fund. These programs grant up to $20,000 for the purchase of instruments, equipment, and resources to make music education accessible, sustainable, and inclusive for all youth in Canada.
Learn more at musiccounts.ca and speak to your school staff if this might be of benefit at your school. Last year, Runnymede CI was able to update instruments with funding from this program.
| |
PHE Canada Healthy Schools Empowerment Grant
The Healthy, Active School Programming stream provides financial support to schools for projects that initiate, enhance, and/or increase access to meaningful physical and health education programming and/or healthy school initiatives. While the funds will be made out to the school, eligible applicants include teachers and school staff, school system administrators, and/or students (with a staff sponsor). With grants typically ranging from $500 to $2,500, funding opportunities include, but are not limited to, school projects and initiatives that support such topics as physical and health education programming, non-curricular physical activity programming, healthy eating, mental health, and substance use awareness and prevention.
| |
City of Toronto PollinateTO Grant
Grants of up to $5,000 are available to support community-led projects that:
- Create a new pollinator garden or rain garden
- Expand or enhance an existing garden by adding native pollinator-friendly plant
- Convert a lawn area, boulevard or hard surface to a pollinator garden
All Toronto neighbourhoods are eligible. Priority will be given to projects located in Toronto’s Neighbourhood Improvement Areas. Learn more and apply at toronto.ca
| |
Youth Action Climate Grant
Calling all TDSB students! City of Toronto grants of up to $1,000 will be available to student groups who want to take on climate action projects in their schools and communities. Applications for grant funding are now open and the deadline to apply is November 20, 2023. The EcoSchools central team is available to support student groups to develop their action projects and assist with best practices for grant writing proposals.
Toronto has an ambitious strategy to address the climate emergency and accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2040. Achieving net zero emissions will require big changes in how we live, work, and travel. For more information about the grant program, visit Youth Climate Action Grants.
| |
TDSB Job Fair: October 28
Toronto District School Board is excited to host the 2023 TDSB Employment Opportunity Fair! Join us virtually on Saturday, October 28th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to learn more about the hiring process and meet with recruitment staff to discuss the exciting career opportunities at Canada’s largest and most diverse school board! To register for the TDSB Employment Opportunity Fair, please complete this Google Form.
We’re currently recruiting for the following areas:
- Elementary Teaching opportunities for all areas, with high needs in:
French, Special Education (Blind and Low Vision; Deaf and Hard of Hearing), Native Languages and Native Studie - Secondary Teaching opportunities for all subject areas, with particular needs in: Technological Education, Business, Computer Studies, Frenc
- Support Staff, On-call replacement opportunities are available for:
Special Education programs, Educational and Special Needs Assistants, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Educational Assistants - Noon Hour Assistants
- Lunchroom Supervisors
- Early Childhood Educators (Regular Programs and Bilingual English/French)
- School Based Safety Monitors
- Office Support Staff
- Aquatics - Lifeguards and Swim Instructors
- Child & Youth Workers
For more available opportunities with the TDSB and application details, please visit tdsb.on.ca/employment.
| |
|
