Thank You & Acknowledgement
In a few weeks, another extremely challenging COVID-19 school year will conclude. I would first like to acknowledge how difficult this year has been for students, families, and staff. The many transitions from in-school learning to remote learning for uncertain periods of time, has been frustrating and difficult to plan for. Some students continue to excel while many other students and families are struggling. I want to thank students for continuing to do their very best as they struggle with a dramatic reduction in socialization, lack of school activities, and system athletics. Families have had to adapt to remote learning and provide support for their children, even while many were also working from home. I also want to express my thanks to all the families for their resilience, patience, and constructive feedback.
One of the biggest challenges for the 2021/2022 school year will be to recognize where learning gaps have arisen/widened as a result of COVID-19 modifications, and then to identify the necessary strategies required to assist/support students as they regain their academic trajectory.
I would also like to thank and acknowledge the tremendous efforts of staff. These have been unprecedented times requiring resourcefulness, creativity and understanding. Thank you and well done!
I hope the vaccination rates will continue to advance, and that Canadians will soon be able to return to a more traditional lifestyle including the return to in-person learning for the vast majority of students in September.
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Premier Ford’s Announcement
I want to provide you with an important update on in-person learning for the remainder of the school year. The Government of Ontario announced that all school boards in Ontario, will not return to in-person learning for this school year. Students with special education needs who have complex medical and learning needs and are already receiving in-person supports, will continue to receive these supports.
For some families and for many students and staff who will not be able to finish the year in-person as they may have hoped, this will be difficult news. At this point in time, we do not know what may be possible with regard to offering “short, outdoor graduation celebrations” as discussed during the government announcement. We are still waiting for additional information from the province on the parameters for outdoor gatherings. We are also looking for guidance from Toronto Public Health prior to making any decision on these events. As soon as additional information is available, we will provide another update. In the days ahead, schools will provide information on how families can pick up any remaining personal belongings or drop off books, materials, etc.
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Plans for September 2021 Continue to Evolve
Secondary Schools - Staff have messaged to provide some further clarity for secondary school students, staff and families to help answer some of the questions we have been receiving. Regarding quadmesters, the direction TDSB are following is from the Ministry of Education which has stated to all school boards: “In secondary schools, school boards are to adopt secondary timetabling methods that emphasize cohorting of students as much as possible and to limit the number of student-to-student contacts. School boards will be required to limit schedules to two in-person classes (such as quadmestering) with exceptions for schools where contacts can be limited by cohorting grades or if the overall size of the school is small, making contact tracing manageable.”
Staff recognize that some students experienced challenges with the model, while others preferred it and are continuing to explore ways to improve the model that was used this year, to better meet the needs of all students. They are currently planning for all in-person students to be attending school each and every day beginning in September 2021. Should the Ministry direction change, they will certainly revisit these decisions.
Elementary - Students and their families will be receiving selection forms for in-person or virtual learning in mid-August when families will have up-to-date information on the status of the pandemic and vaccinations for school staff and students, and the TDSB will be in a better position to provide information about health and safety measures in schools for in-person learning and more details about how live, online virtual learning will be delivered. I was very pleased that Director Falconer and Senior Team reconsidered the initial June 1st date and moved to a mid-August decision date after myself and others expressed our belief that parents and guardians would be in a better position to make a more informed choice in mid-August. It will create a real system challenge to organize the next school year in three weeks but I firmly believe it provides the time required to make the best choice possible for their students and families.
The Ministry of Education mandated that school boards must offer remote learning again in September (but without funding for separate virtual schools). The Virtual Schools (elementary and secondary) that are currently in place will not be offered for the 2021-22 school year. Virtual Learning will be provided through home schools and will include live, online instruction involving teachers, staff and students from the home school or a group of schools. Staff has confirmed they do not intend to mandate hybrid/simultaneous teaching system-wide. The priority will be for all students to be associated with their home school and for teaching options to be managed locally.
More information about the Selection Form for In-Person and Virtual Learning will be emailed directly to families in August. All information and the selection form will also be made available on the TDSB website.
We all remain hopeful that as the number of COVID cases continues to decline, with the accelerated pace of vaccinations, we will be in a much better situation in the fall with almost everyone back in in-person learning, however staff must plan based on the current environment.
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Mental Health and Well-Being
The Toronto District School Board is committed to providing mental health and well-being support for students, their families and staff. For more information, including helpful resources and coping strategies, please visit the TDSB webpage for Mental Health and Well-Being.
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National Indigenous Heritage Month
Celebrated every June, National Indigenous History Month is a time when Canadians honour the history, heritage and diversity of First Nation, Inuit and Métis peoples, and recognize the strength of Indigenous communities. The Urban Indigenous Education Centre (UIEC) is hosting a number of amazing events for students and staff. Join Indigenous artists and Elders in panel discussions, performances and film screenings discussing Indigenous art, cultures and identities.
In December 2014, the Board passed a motion, Effects of Residential Schools on Aboriginal Communities, directing the Director to “convene a committee of curriculum experts to determine a way for students to graduate with a significant knowledge of the effects of residential schools on Aboriginal communities.” Indigenous Education remains one of the strategic drivers behind the Board's budget. And the Urban Indigenous Education Centre's (UIEC) mandate is to offer a variety of services with the goal of closing the opportunity gap for Indigenous students. This mandate is approached by infusing Indigenous perspectives across the curriculum for all students as well as by providing direct wrap-around supports to enhance the overall achievement of First Nation, Métis and Inuit students throughout the TDSB.As the Truth & Reconciliation Commission reported, over 130 residential schools were located across the country, and the last school closed in 1996. These government-funded, church-run schools were set up to eliminate parental involvement in the intellectual, cultural, and spiritual development of Aboriginal children. During this era, more than 150,000 First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children were placed in these schools often against their parents' wishes. Many were forbidden to speak their language and practice their own culture.
Last Thursday, the discovery of 215 bodies of children buried at the Kamloops Indian Residential School was announced by the chief of the Tk'emlups te Secwepemc First Nation. Rosanne Casimir, called the discovery an “unthinkable loss that was spoken about but never documented at the Kamloops Indian Residential School”. The Canadian Museum for Human Rights recognizes that the colonial experience in Canada, from first contact to the present, constitutes genocide against Indigenous peoples. The Indian residential school system was one key component of this genocide. As we mourn these children, let us redouble our efforts to ensure genocide education is part of compulsory education in Ontario and continue to support the UIEC's mandate.The TDSB flags will be at half-mast in honour of the 215 children whose remains were uncovered in a mass unmarked grave in Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc.
It is my personal hope that Canadian Governments will use the best scientific equipment available to examine all the former Residential School sites in the hope of finding more of the thousands of missing children identified by the Truth & Reconciliation Commission Report. The families of these missing children and the Indigenous Community deserve to know the truth.
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Celebrating Black Excellence
The Toronto District School Board is committed to ensuring that all students can succeed and to improving equity, human rights, anti-racism and anti-oppression practices within all schools, programs and services. As part of this commitment to increasing access to opportunities and outcomes for Black students across the TDSB, it has launched a new Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement.
It was an honour to attend the virtual launch event, I continue to be inspired by this dedicated group of educators working to dismantle anti-Black racism and disrupt the negative impacts it has had on so many students and their families. The virtual launch featured a performance by Randell Adjei, who was recently named Ontario’s first Poet Laureate; and an engaging panel discussion about the Centre’s mandate with distinguished speakers Dr. George Dei, Dr. Carl E. James, Dr. Nicole West-Burns and Dr. Njoki Wane, and moderated by Itah Sadu.
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Statement: Crisis in the Middle East
The Middle East may be thousands of miles away but the world is small. We know the current crisis deeply impacts many of us in our TDSB family and our hearts and thoughts are with all those affected — particularly Israelis and Palestinians who are experiencing this violence first hand. It is important for us to acknowledge the trauma being experienced by millions as a result of the tragic loss of life and the constant worry about the safety of families and loved ones.
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Virtual Budget Town Halls
The TDSB is holding two virtual Budget Town Halls to ensure that all members of the community, including parents/guardians, have the opportunity to hear directly from staff about the 2021-22 budget, ask questions and share feedback. Join us on Thursday, June 10, 2021 at 11 a.m. or 7 p.m. to take part in the Budget Town Halls.
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Preliminary Findings on the Impact to Learning Due to the Pandemic
In late January 2021, students in Grades 6 to 12 were invited to complete an online survey about their mental health and well-being, support and relationships, and learning experiences during the current school year. Parents also completed a similar survey. Results highlight important findings around secondary students’ mental health and well-being, neighbourhood food insecurity, students’ preference for in-person learning, educators’ dedication, and much more.
The Research and Development department is very interested in understanding the impact of COVID-19 on our students, families, and staff. They are monitoring a variety of policy areas within the board to support schools and the system in adapting to change and planning for the future.
To-date, the Board has received the following reports:
As the pandemic continues, the Research Department is committed to disaggregating and analyzing results in more depth; building upon key areas of interest/concern from results through student and staff engagement; developing student voice; understanding experiences within ongoing practice and policy in close partnership with other departments within the TDSB; and collecting current and relevant data to support ongoing decision-making.
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Return of Borrowed Student Devices
In preparation for the start of the 2021-22 school year, families that borrowed devices (e.g. iPad, Chromebook, Internet Hub) from the TDSB or local school are asked to return them. Devices and all power cables, cases and chargers that were delivered with the device can be returned to any TDSB school between Monday, June 14 and Friday, July 2 (for elementary schools) and Friday, July 9 (for secondary schools) between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
All devices that are not returned by July 2 will be administratively locked, preventing student login. These devices will need to be returned when school resumes in September.Students enrolled in a TDSB summer program may continue using the device for the duration of the summer program and should return the device in September. If you have any questions, please contact DeviceReturns@tdsb.on.ca.
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Safe Drinking Water Test Results
For the very first time, the Toronto District School Board is posting Safe Drinking Water Test Results on all 583 school websites for the year 2020. This work is a part of the TDSB’s commitment to Open Data.
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School Year Calendar 2020-2021
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School Year Calendar 2021-2022
- First day back from Winter Break is January 3, 2022
- First day of classes for students is September 9, 2021
- The last day of class for elementary students is June 30, 2022
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The last day of class for secondary students is June 29, 2022
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