April 2021
Dear Parents and Guardians,
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.
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:
TDSB Reaches Tentative Local Agreement with Professional Support Services Staff
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) has reached a tentative agreement with Professional Support Services Personnel (PSSP) District 12 which is represented by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation.
The tentative agreement must still be ratified by both the TDSB and OSSTF (PSSP) with a vote expected on or before May 15, 2021.
School Excursion Forms Are Now Digital
School excursion notifications and permission forms are now digital. The TDSB has launched a new online system to replace the current paper-based model.
While in-person excursions and athletics are not taking place right now, there is still a wide variety of virtual excursions available to our students.
When a teacher creates a virtual excursion for their students, parents/guardians will receive an email notification from tdsb.excursions@tdsb.on.ca about the upcoming event. As these opportunities are happening virtually and during the school day, permission is not required, but it is to let parents/guardians know what their child is engaged in.
When in person athletics and excursions resume, all related forms and communication will also be available through this online process, which will include a secure login process for parents/guardians to provide consent.
Elementary Summer School 2021
The focus of the 2021 Elementary Literacy and Numeracy Summer School Program is to address student learning gaps and to continue student engagement through the month of July. Programs, embedded in Literacy and Numeracy, are developed by the local summer school principal to reflect the local school focus. Programs are offered to students in K to Grade 8, from July 5 – 30, 2021.
Student Registration 2021-22
The TDSB Online Registration links are now available for current and next school year. Please ensure you select the form called “20212022 TDSB Online Registration.”
Online registration is for students new to the TDSB. Please do not complete an online registration for a current TDSB student. For further information and instructions, contact the school where you would like to register.
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.
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.
