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Lest We Forget:
On November 11th, I had the privilege and honour of laying the wreath in memory of our veterans on behalf of the TDSB at the snowy Fort York National Historic Site. I was grateful to see students from McMurrich public school and two young men from the from the 4/5 class were gracious enough to join me in laying the wreath.
Thank you to everyone who worked hard today to ensure that our students and schools marked the occasion in important and meaningful ways, and helped everyone learn a bit more about why this date remains and hopefully will always remain an important moment to pause and reflect.
I also note that efforts are being made by many in our Board and elsewhere to ensure that our remembrances are reflective of the true diversity of all those who have served since Canada's inception, and the diversity of those who continue to serve today.
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#MyOakwood:
On November 26th, please join us for Oakwood Collegiate’s open house and come see what this great school has to
offer. For a great preview, please take a minute and watch this video that some of the amazing parents at the school have made! #MYOAKWOOD
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Waterfront School Playground Revitalization - Ground breaking:
On October 25th, I was so pleased to join Mayor John Tory and Councillor Joe Cressy, as well as Principal Dolora Harvey, as we broke ground on the Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Plan, which includes exciting new playground revitalization at this amazing downtown school in this vibrant and diverse neighbourhood! Grateful to the parents and students who have put so much into the design and we are looking so forward to your vision being brought to life!
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People for Education Conference:
On November 2nd, I attended the annual People for Education and was so inspired by all of the parents, educators, policy makers, and fellow trustees who attended. The keynote speaker was the inimitable Stephen Lewis, who described the fight for public education as nothing short of the “struggle for the soul of humankind” and then reminded all of us of the global need for public education, all that it has to offer the world, and reminded us of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. If you aren’t familiar with the work of People for Education, please do take some time and check out their work. Especially for parents, their research is so useful precisely because it is grounded in real life in our schools across Ontario. I was delighted to see two of Davenport’s exceptional leaders, MPP Marit Stiles and People for Education Board Member, Kate Gatto. We were all pleased to take part in a video of the day, and snapped this shot right at the end!
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Bloor Collegiate/Alpha II News:
On November 1st, I was pleased to inform the Bloor CI/Alpha II community the temporary relocation to Central Technical School in September 2020 would be moved forward by a year. The reason for the orginal planned move was that Capital Developments, the developer who purchased the Bloor CI site, required the building to be vacated by the end of December 2020 and the new replacement school building would not be ready for occupancy by that time. In late October, the developer exercised their right to extend the closing date on the property until December 2021 and supported the option for the TDSB to remain in the building until the end of the 2020-21 school year.
We met with the School Advisory Council at Bloor CI and ALPHA II to discuss the timing for the temporary relocation of the schools and the Councils expressed the view that they would prefer students to remain at the current Bloor CI building for the additional year. As a result, TDSB staff has
advised that we postpone the relocation of both schools to Central Technical School until September 2021. This change in timing will not impact the schedule for the construction of the new replacement school. I would like to thank everyone involved for their patience and cooperation. I will continue update you as information becomes available. Please find the letter to the community here
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$3.5 Billion and Growing
TDSB Releases Current Repair Backlog
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) has released its annual snapshot of the condition of Toronto public schools. The Board’s repairs backlog currently stands at $3.5 billion. However, without additional and predictable funding from the provincial government, the backlog could hit $5.2 billion by 2023.
The last province-wide repairs backlog reported by the Ministry of Education was almost $16 billion in 2017. Years of underfunding for school boards repairs, especially from the 1990s to the mid-2000s, saw the renewal needs backlog (RNB) rise rapidly at the TDSB. Despite a considerable increase in the annual provincial allocation to the Board during the last five years (an average of $290 million), the provincial funding hasn’t kept pace with the aging school facilities, pushing the backlog higher.
The RNB decreases as we complete projects and update our database over the year. Another contributing factor is the repair of building components that were scheduled for replacement (this usually extends their life cycle by 1-2 years). In these cases, during the school assessment, the Ministry of Education’s consultant postpones the replacement cost of these components, which decreases that year’s backlog. However, the long- term value remains the same as these components would need to be replaced at a later date.
Grassroots parent groups, such as Fix Our Schools, have been effective advocates for additional provincial funding for school repairs. Openly sharing each school’s Facility Condition Index and backlog information has helped this advocacy work tremendously. In 2016, the TDSB became, what is thought to be, the first school board in Ontario to report each school’s Facility Condition Index (FCI) and Renewal Needs Backlog (RNB).
TDSB has been also advocating for the Ontario Government to allow the Board to collect Education Development Charges (EDCs), which could generate approximately $400 million over the next 15 years. Access to EDCs would help the Board reduce its backlog and support urgent infrastructure needs.
This data is posted on the TDSB website annually, and is reported on a school-by-school basis, consistent with our commitment to increase transparency and accountability. It also aligns with the TDSB’s Open Data initiative which allows the public to access published Board data.
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Labour Negotiations Update
All updates will be posted on the TDSB website under Labour Negotiations
Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) - Update: November 1, 2019
Members of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO) which represents elementary teachers at Ontario school boards (including those at the TDSB) has voted in support of taking job action if there is no agreement on a new contract. It is important to note that, despite this strike vote, it does not necessarily mean that job action/partial or full withdrawal of services will be taken by elementary teachers.
Previous Updates - https://www.tdsb.on.ca/About-Us/Labour-Negotiations/ETFO
Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) - Update: November 1, 2019
The Ministry of Labour has released a no-board report for OSSTF Teachers and for OSSTF Education Workers. This means that OSSTF Teachers and OSSTF Education Workers will be in a legal strike position in 17 days, which is November 18, 2019. At this time, OSSTF has not indicated that strike action (partial withdrawal or full withdrawal of services) will begin. Negotiations between the OSSTF, OPSBA and the Ontario government continue.
Previous Updates - https://www.tdsb.on.ca/About-Us/Labour-Negotiations/OSSTF
A tentative agreement on a new contract was reached with CUPE and we are hopeful that a new contract can be negotiated with ETFO, OSSTF and all other school board employee groups.
School boards and unions share a commitment to public education and work together towards positive labour relations. The collective bargaining framework for the education sector features a two-tier bargaining process, involving both central and local bargaining. Learn more about the process https://www.tdsb.on.ca/About-Us/Labour-Negotiations/The-Process. For more information, visit the OPSBA website for the latest updates on central bargaining https://www.opsba.org/advocacy-and-action/labour-relations.
The TDSB is currently bargaining locally with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). We anticipate local bargaining with the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) in the near future and with the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) in the next two weeks.
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Addressing Discrimination
Our TDSB schools should be safe, welcoming, inclusive spaces where students, staff, parents/caregivers and community partners know their rights are protected. Read about how we are supporting TDSB parents and students know their rights and responsibilities and how we uphold these when dealing with incidents of discrimination and harassment in our schools.
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Policy Consultations
We Want to Hear From You
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is committed to open and inclusive policy decision-making and values community input and participation through consultation. Consultation is a two-way communication process between the Board and external participants, including students and their parents/guardians, school councils, advisory committees, community members, different levels of government, service agencies, professional organizations and union partners. The objective of consultation is to gather public input regarding options, alternative courses of action, as well as to identify unintended effects for various participants and to find solutions.
Current Policy Review Schedule
Attendance at Schools Outside of Designated Attendance Area (formerly Optional Attendance) (P013) As per the Secondary Programs Review and the TDSB Policy Review Schedule, the Optional Attendance Policy is currently being reviewed. We are asking all members of the TDSB community for feedback on the proposed draft.
Closes - February 03, 2020
Draft Policy
Survey
Email: secondaryreview@tdsb.on.ca
Objective: To provide policy direction about access to schools outside a student’s designated attendance area. The Optional Attendance policy allows students to apply to schools other than their designated school by home address. This is possible because there is excess capacity at some schools across the system. This has afforded students choice of school and program as well as enabled students to remain with cohorts if a family changes residence. However, optional attendance has prevented equity of access and has created an imbalance of enrolment in our secondary schools (under and over-utilized schools). It has also created an environment where schools are forced to compete with each other to attract more students in hopes of increasing their enrolment.
Note: Please note that in the Review Work Plan that was approved in June 2019, it was recommended to separate and clarify provisions related to requests for Regular Schools vs. Specialized Schools/Programs. This working draft Policy would only apply to Regular Schools and schools with French programs. A separate draft Policy on Specialized Programs will be developed and posted in the coming months for feedback and comment.
Priorities in new Draft Policy -
6.1.7. If sufficient space is available at the requested school, spaces will be filled by grade according to the admission priorities below. For each of the admission priorities (in priority order), the school principal will conduct a lottery if the number of applications exceeds available spaces:
Priority 1: Students who are attending another school as an Out-of-Area student at and who wish to return to their designated school by address.
Priority 2: Secondary students whose child/children is/are enrolled in a child care centre in the designated attendance area of the secondary school.
Priority 3: Students who have siblings currently attending the requested school and the siblings are expected to be at the requested school for the next school year.
Priority 4: Students currently attending a feeder school of the requested school.
Priority 5: Children enrolled after January 1 in the school-based child care pre-school program of the requested school (see 6.1.6).
Priority 6: Children attending child care programs in the designated attendance area of the requested school.
Priority 7: Current TDSB students.
Priority 8: Other students residing in the City of Toronto.
Priority 9: Students residing outside the City of Toront
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Personal Mobile Devices
As noted in last week's updated, at the TDSB, we encourage the use of technology in the classroom, but for educational purposes only. Recent changes to the Board Code of Conduct to address the direction of the Ministry of Education re: cellphones essentially formalizes what schools have already been doing — using cellphones where appropriate to the lesson or topic at hand.
The use of personal mobile devices during instructional time is permitted under the following circumstances:
• for educational purposes, as directed by an educator
• for health and medical purposes
• to support special education needs
Specifically, the Code of Conduct was revised under the Standards of Behaviour section to include the following; respect the need of others to work in an environment that is conducive to learning and teaching, including by ensuring that personal mobile devices are only used during instructional time for the educational and other permitted purposes outlined on page 1 of this memorandum.
Under PPM 128 schools are allowed to either adopt their Board Code of Conduct, in the TDSB PR 585, or create their own code of conduct. Regardless, schools who have created a local code of conduct will need to be in compliance with the new changes. In the end, we’d also rncouarge schools to work together with families and students to ensure that the use of personal mobile devices is understood and messaged consistently.
Should you have any questions at the local level, please speak with your Principal and/or Vice Principal.
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Ward 9 PIAC Alternate Needed
The position of Ward 9 Alternate for the Parent Involvement Advisory Committee (PIAC) is currently vacant.
Click here for information on PIAC including their purpose, by-laws, and membership. And look at their website here.
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2020-2021 Optional Attendance
Information on Optional Attendance
Please note that not all programs/schools are open to Optional Attendance if you do not live in the school's catchment area. Acceptance at these schools is subject to space availability and program suitability. The procedures, conditions and timelines relating to optional attendance are described in the Optional Attendance Policy and the Optional Attendance Operational Procedure.
Each year in December, schools are classified as limited or closed to optional attendance based on the space they have available for the upcoming school year.
Elementary Schools (applying for September 2020 admission)
For the form, click here. Applications must be received by Friday, February 14, 2020.
Secondary Schools (applying for September 2020 admission)
For the Form, click here. Applications must be received by Friday, January 31, 2020.
Note: It is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to deliver this application (no faxed or scanned copies) to the school or schools of choice.
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Academic Pathways: Grade 9 and 10
Student success drives everything we do in the Toronto District School Board. Our focus is to ensure that every student receives a great education by having equitable access to programs and resources and increased opportunities. As part of the Board’s Multi-Year Strategic Plan, we are committed to working over the course of three years to support the majority of students to study academic courses for Grades 9 and 10.
To learn more about this work, including the benefits and timelines, please visit the TDSB webpage for Academic Pathways and read the document, Leading to Success.
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Secondary Program Review
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is undertaking a review of secondary schools to ensure all students have equitable access to programs and opportunities, as close to home as possible.
As part of this review, modifications and updates to current policies and procedures will be required. This includes the Optional Attendance policy (P013) and its procedures (PR545 and PR612).
Please note, however, there are no changes to the Optional Attendance Policy for September 2020. For more information, please visit https://www.tdsb.on.ca/High-School/Secondary-Program-Review
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Early French Immersion
Parent/Guardian Information Sessions
This year, there will be two virtual (online webchat) information sessions for parents/guardians interested in the Early French Immersion (SK entry) application process. For more information on dates/times for each virtual online webchat session, please visit https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Elementary-School/School-Choices/French-Programs/Application-Process/Early-French-Immersion website or click on Information Sessions.
For families interested in the Toronto District School Board's French Immersion or Extended French programs, we offer an online process at this time, we guarantee an offer of placement in the program (not a specific school) to all on-time applicants. The timelines for applying for these programs for September 2020 are:
Applications for Early French Immersion which begins in SK (for a Junior Kindergarten aged child), must be completed online between November 4, 2019 and November 29, 2019.
Applications for Junior Extended French which begins in Grade 4 must be completed online between January 6, 2020 and January 31, 2020. Please note that this will be the last entry class for this program as it will be transitioning out - Grade 4 Immersion Program will continue.
Offers of placement within your chosen program will be made to all on-time applicants in the weeks following the close of the application window.
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No Changes to French or Gifted Transportation or Staffing Recommended for 2020-21
Staff are reviewing the year two budget reductions approved by Board in June 2019 to determine any implementation challenges or issues. During staff’s analysis of the year two options to balance, potential issues have been identified in the following areas: Supplementary French Teachers, Supplementary Gifted Teachers, and Transportation. At a Special Committee of the Whole last Thursday, staff reported they have conducted further analysis of these recommendations considering the following factors: Multi-Year Strategy plan commitments, policy issues, staffing concerns, available resources and timing. Their analysis identified recommendations that staff felt, and the trustees agreed, need additional time to implement.
Staff will report back in January on the achievability of savings and the impact of collective agreements and associated funding changes. As a result, the Committee recommended that:
French and Gifted bussing reductions in the amount of $1.9M in 2020-21 be delayed until the Learning Opportunities Index (LOI) review and French redistribution of program sites are completed; and,
That staff present a report in January 2020 on the achievable savings in 2020-21 and future years on supplementary French and Gifted teachers.
That means that there will be no service changes to grades 4 to 5 in Gifted and grades JK to 6 in French Immersion. The same bussing that exists for 2019-20 will continue for 2020-21. During budget discussions for 2020-21, we'll have a better understanding of future years.
For the complete budget report that came to Committee of the Whole on November 7, 2019 click here.
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Reminder: Call School if Your Child Will be Late or Absent
One measure of keeping our students safe is to ensure we can account for any absences or reasons for being late to school. We would like to remind you that if your child is going to be absent or late for any reason, we ask that you contact the school immediately and report the reason for the absence. If we are not informed about the absence, we will make attempts to contact you through our automated call-out system to determine the reason for the absence. To find out how this automated system works please visit the
Please let the office know by calling the school if your contact information, including phone number, changes at any time throughout the school year.
Thank you for your continued cooperation to keep your children safe and accounted for.
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School Year Calendar 2019-2020
The 2019-2020 school year at the TDSB begins on Tuesday, September 3, 2019 following the Labour Day long weekend. For more information about important dates and holidays for the upcoming school year, please refer to the 2019-20 School Year Calendar.
The official school year calendar for the Toronto District School Board runs from September 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020, inclusive.
The last day of class for elementary students is June 25, 2020
The last day of class for secondary (full year) students is June 23, 2020
The last day of class for secondary (semestered) students is June 23, 2020
PA Days & Statutory Holidays
Board-wide PA Day November 15, 2019
Board-wide PA Day December 6, 2019
Winter Break December 23, 2019 to January 3, 2020 (inclusive)
Last day of school is December 20, 2019
School resumes January 6, 2020
Elementary PA Day January 17, 2020
Secondary PA Day (Semestered Schools only) January 30, 2020
Board-wide PA Day February 14, 2020
Family Day February 17, 2020
March Break March 16 to 20, 2020
Good Friday April 10, 2020
Easter Monday April 13, 2020
Victoria Day May 18, 2020
Elementary School PA Day June 5, 2020
Secondary School PA Day (Full Year Schools only) June 24, 2020
Secondary School PA Day June 25, 2020
Board-wide PA Day June 26, 2020
Also please note -
Hanukkah begins sunset of Sunday, December 22, 2019 and ends nightfall of Monday, December 30, 2019
Passover begins sunset of Wednesday, April 8, 2020 and ends nightfall of Thursday, April 16, 2020
Ramadan 2020 will begin in the evening of Thursday, April 23, 2020 and ends in the evening of Saturday, May 23, 2020 (dates may vary)
Eid al-Fitr 2020 will begin in the evening of Saturday, May 23, 2020
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