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Volume 41 - March 2021

NEWS

Education Development Charges Hearing

On March 25, 2021, the Toronto District School Board made arguments to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Divisional Court) before a panel of three judges about changes to the Education Act to allow the TDSB to collect Education Development Charges, which could generate about $500 million in additional revenue over the next 15 years to make investments in schools.

Lawyers for the Government of Ontario and Building Industry and Land Development Corporation also participated in the hearing and argued against the changes proposed by the TDSB.

As expected, following the three-hour hearing, the Court reserved judgment and will render its decision at a later date.

Letters from the Chair of the Board

Chair of the Board Alexander Brown issued the following letters to the Government of Ontario to advocate for the Community Use of Schools Grant, Focus on Youth Summer Program, Access to Paid Sick Days and COVID-19 Funding for the 2021-21 school year:

Prioritizing COVID-19 Vaccinations for Education Workers

On March 19, 2021, Interim Director of Education Karen Falconer sent the following letter to Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health, the Toronto Central LHIN and local health partners about the urgency of prioritizing COVID-19 vaccinations for education workers in our Board:

Prioritizing COVID-19 Vaccinations for Education Workers

OPSBA Advocacy Day 2021: TDSB

The purpose of Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA) Advocacy Day meetings are to re-introduce OPSBA and its priorities to the government and the opposition parties. It is also an opportunity to increase and elevate the overall awareness of the association and its advocacy efforts. Following the provincial meetings, OPSBA Directors representing the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) reached out to their local government MPPs to set up a virtual meeting. The following document was developed to highlight various issues that are impacting the Board and ways that government could help alleviate them:

OPSBA Advocacy Day 2021: Toronto District School Board (PDF / Word)

TDSB Action Plan to Combat Discrimination Outlined in Human Rights Report

The TDSB has recently released its first-ever Human Rights Annual Report. The report underscores a continued commitment to create welcoming schools, classrooms and spaces free from discrimination, informed by the collection of data on incidents of racism, hate and bias. The report also lays out a comprehensive plan to address the serious issues identified, including all forms address all forms of racism.

TDSB Statement Re: Tragic Events in Atlanta

In the wake of the horrific shooting on Tuesday evening in Georgia, the thoughts of the students and staff of the Toronto District School Board are with the victims, their loved ones, and Asian communities in the Atlanta area and beyond.

Please read the full statement from the Chair of the Board Alexander Brown and Interim Director of Education Karen Falconer.

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.

Reminder: Ontario Government Delays March Break

The Minister of Education announced that March Break — originally scheduled for March 15 to 19, 2021 — has been delayed by approximately a month in hopes of reducing community transmission of COVID-19. On the advice of public health officials, the break is now scheduled for April 12 – 16, 2021.

Heritage and History Months

The Toronto District School Board is proud to celebrate Greek Heritage Month during March.

BOARD MEETING NOTES

The following items were approved or received by the Board of Trustees at the Regular Board Meeting in March:

The Board received the report. For a full list of Board decisions, please read the Summary of Decisions.

Upcoming Meetings

The next Regular Board Meeting is on Wednesday, April 21, 2021. For a list of upcoming meetings, please click on the calendar on the main webpage of www.tdsb.on.ca.

TDSB Trustees