Keeping You Informed and Involved...
Keeping You Informed and Involved...
Ward 12 newletter header

Happy Spring

In this newsletter, I've included some important community events and upcoming PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS at the TDSB that are important for you to know about and participate in. 
If you need to know more & would like to chat about it, get in touch with me by phone or email. I look forward to connecting with you. In the meantime, enjoy the spring...
Alexander
April 2018
Hispanic Heritage Month
In March 2010, the Board of Trustees voted to designate April of each year as Hispanic Heritage Month in the Toronto District School Board. This month marks the celebration of the vibrant tapestry of cultures, histories and traditions that is shared by people of Hispanic heritage, as well as recognition of their many contributions not only within the TDSB community but across the globe.  
Latin-America History Month (LAHM)
The theme this year is Recognizing our Diverse Spiritualties Through Our Stories: Learn About Our Many Roots. Latin-America/Abya Yala heritage is shared by more than 5000 students across TDSB, encompassing the peoples of 21 different countries, linguistically, it represents over 500 hundred different languages spoken, including Indigenous and African languages such as Kuna and Garifuna. The aim of the LAHM 2018 and K-12 Related Initiatives Planning Committee is to support TDSB staff and students to engage in courageous conversations and critical literature, building understanding around the many ways that students and families of Latin-America/Abya Yala and its diasporas practice their spiritualties, centering its marginalized and silenced voices, lived experiences, and realities, including but not limited to those of Muslim Latinxs, Sikh Latinxs, as well as Mapuche or Garifuna youth. 
Sikh Heritage Month
On March 22, 2016, Trustees voted to designate April of each year as Sikh Heritage Month, making TDSB the first school board in Canada to do so, and matching recognition by the Province of Ontario in 2013. Sikh Heritage Month is to provide an opportunity for staff, students and community members to learn more about Sikh traditions and history, and celebrate the many contributions of Sikh Canadians. The theme for this year’s TDSB Sikh Heritage Month is one of the core Sikh Values – SEVA: Selfless Service
TDSB Proudly Celebrates International Day of Pink
April 11th marks International Day of Pink, when Toronto District School Board staff and students wear pink in support of diversity and to raise awareness to stop discrimination, gender-based bullying, homophobia, and transphobia. The Day of Pink is more than just a symbol of a shared belief in celebrating diversity – it’s also a commitment to being open-minded, accepting differences and learning to respect each other.
This year, the TDSB will be getting “Pink at the Rink” with Olympic skater and 2018 Gold and Bronze medalist Eric Radford! Eric will be speaking to students and joining them on the rink for a skate. 18-year-old Canadian Paralympian Marissa Papaconstantinou, TDSB alumnus, will also speak and participate in the free skate.
International Day of Pink is celebrated every year at TDSB schools. Everyone can play a role in promoting a positive school climate by taking action to make schools safe and accepting.
Follow the conversation on Twitter at #TDSBpink!
Board Welcomes New Acting Student Trustee
Amin Ali was welcomed as the new Acting Student Trustee for the TDSB on March 21, 2018, at the regular board meeting.
Amin is a Grade 11 student at Sir John A Macdonald Collegiate Institute in Scarborough. He became involved with the Student Senate (formerly SuperCouncil) in 2015 in order to advocate for youth and amplify the student voice.
PBS - Proud!
Last week PBS NewsHour featured some amazing TDSB students and staff - the segment focussed on how Canada helps support newcomer students and featured the TDSB.  "In Canadian public schools, the children of new immigrants do as well as native-born children within three years of arriving. There kids don't just get language and academic support; their home cultures are celebrated as they are integrated into classes. And strong social services and healthy education funding help too. Special correspondent Kavitha Cardoza of Education Week reports.


Extended Day Programs (EDP)
On February 7th, 2018, The Board of Trustees supported the future expansion of before and after school programs at the TDSB through the implementation of board-operated Extended Day Programs (EDP). Extended Day Programs (EDP) will supplement existing third-party licensed before-and after-school and authorized recreation programs currently operating in TDSB schools. 

Extended Day Programs will:

In most schools, be supervised by two Designated Early Childhood Educators (DECEs)
Operate Monday to Friday from 7:15 a.m. to 6 p.m. at schools beginning in September 2018, where there is sufficient registration

Be a fee-based service for parents who wish to register a child in K-6 (fee rate still to be finalized)

Accept families with a fee subsidy from Toronto Children’s Services

Have a common board-wide fee (to be determined)

Provide nutritious snacks

Be offered during PA Days, Holidays, School Breaks 

Meet the requirements outlined in the Ministry’s policies, and

Offer a seamless program that supports learning during the regular school day AND promote collaboration, responsibility, equity, problem-solving, creativity, global citizenship, wellness and leadership skills.
There are approximately 60 schools that have been identified as having sufficient initial parental interest in a before and after school programs. Forty of the 60 schools will host a registration for an Extended Day Program while the remaining 20 will have a registration for a third-party operated model of before and after school or an authorized recreation program. The target number of registrations for EDP this year is 280 students across a minimum of 10 schools in order to achieve a sustainable and resilient model of EDP.

EDP must be staffed by at least one Designated Early Childhood Educator (DECE) as specified in the Ministry of Education’s policies, and to  support a seamless day for children. In schools with EDP, DECEs will provide supervision of children in FDK during the lunch period. 

REGISTER NOW 
Registration is being held from Tuesday, April 3 to Wednesday, April 18, 2018 to determine if a program will be established for September 2018.
Willowdale Schools: Avondale Public School                                                                  Friday April 6th, 3.30-6.30pm

Please Note: Registration is being held to determine if a program will be established for September 2018. It does not guarantee that a program will be developed, or that a space in the program is available.
Extended Day Programs: Registration Options
Register Online.
(Note: New JK  students and students attending a new school in September 2018 must use the paper application form below.)
Drop off a registration application in the EDP drop box in your school office, along with a cheque made payable to the “Toronto District School Board” noting your child’s name. 
Make an appointment to register in person at 140 Borough Drive or 2 Trethewey Drive. Please contact the Child Care Services Unit at 416-394-2072 or EDP@tdsb.on.ca

At the time of registration, families are required to pay a $50 registration fee ($75 for two children and $100 for three or more). Payment can be made by credit card or cheque payable to “Toronto District School Board” noting your child’s name. Cheques will not be deposited until viability of a program is determined and only if a program will be established.

Note: The registration fee may be waived for families receiving a child care fee subsidy through Toronto Children’s Services. Please speak with EDP staff upon registration.

Please have the following information available at the time of registration: your child’s Ontario Education Number (OEN) and contact information for two people who are authorized to pick up and to contact in case of emergency.


For more information about EDP contact Araz Hasserjian  araz.hasserjian@tdsb.on.ca

PUBLIC CONSULTATION
    Multi-Year Strategic Plan Consultation

Establishing and monitoring the implementation of the board’s Multi-Year Strategic Plan (MYSP), with a budget that supports it, is a very important legislated responsibility of the board of trustees. The Education Act requires boards to have a MYSP in place. The MYSP provides a compelling vision for the school district by establishing a small number of strategic directions for the board, with an emphasis on student achievement. The board of trustees is actively engaged in developing and confirming the strategic directions and in annually reviewing implementation of the plan.

A board’s MYSP is its “face” to the community. It informs constituents what the board intends to achieve, what its priorities are and how it plans to achieve them. It reflects the vision for the board including its overall purpose (mission statement), beliefs, strategic directions and it establishes goals for a minimum of three school years. 

While final decisions relating to the MYSP are the responsibility of the board of trustees, the plan is developed through a partnership involving the board of trustees, the director of education (and staff) and the community. It may take several months to develop and should be the result of consultation. The public should have access to the board’s MYSP through the board’s website. 

The MYSP and its accompanying implementation and operations plans must address:
-student achievement and well-being
-ensuring a safe and inclusive school environment and promoting anti-bullying initiatives
-effective stewardship of the board’s resources
-the delivery of effective and appropriate educational programs


The director of education is responsible for implementing the MYSP and for developing the plan to implement the strategic directions. The director is also responsible for the variety of “operations” plans that are needed to run a complex school system effectively and efficiently. 


Directors are required to review the MYSP with the board each year. It is not, however, a “rolling” plan: in other words, the directions and goals do not change significantly from year to year. Annual adjustments in implementation actions and the resources to support these actions may be required, but the directions and goals will remain relatively fixed until the end of the three years, when a new MYSP is established

The Trustees at the Toronto District School Board are working on a Multi-Year Strategic Plan and require your input to help us set the direction of the TDSB for the next three years.
The Multi-Year Strategic Plan will set direction and identify system goals to support its 246,000 students and 583 schools. 

To learn more and provide input online, please visit: www.tdsb.on.ca/MYSP

Also, DO NOT HESITATE to contact me directly to share your views and provide ideas for improving the TDSB's Multi-Year Strategic Plan.
PUBLIC CONSULTATION
     French Program Review This Spring

A review of all French Programs will begin in Spring 2018, as part of the Director’s Response to the Enhanced Equity Task Force Report. In collaboration with the TDSB Research Department, this review will focus on the current status of all French Programs, including the structure, content of the teaching and learning, and policies and procedures related to French.
We look forward to receiving feedback about the successes and challenges of the various French Programs through face-to-face consultation with parents/guardians, Trustees, staff, students and community members and an online survey (available soon!). 

For information on the French Programs in the TDSB, click here for Annual Report: Enrolment, Successes, Challenges of French Programs.
"With over 90,000 students in Core French and another 28,000 students in French Immersion/Extended French programs come system successes and challenges. We are proud of the Board’s successes in retention rate, inclusion of students with special education needs as well as accessibility and transportation. At the same time, challenges include multiple entry points, equity of access, and transportation." And as some of our classrooms are experiencing, qualified French teachers.

You are invited to join any of the consultation meetings available throughout May 2018. All meetings will be led by TDSB staff and held in the school cafeteria from 7 to 9 p.m.
  • Tuesday, May 1 - Danforth CTI
    (800 Greenwood Avenue)
  • Thursday, May 3 - Etobicoke CI
    (86 Montgomery Road)
  • Tuesday, May 15 - Birchmount Park CI
    (3663 Danforth Avenue West)
  • Thursday, May 17 - Northview Heights SS
    (550 Finch Avenue West)
  • Thursday, May 24 - Advisory Committees Consultation
    (5050 Yonge Street)
  • Wednesday, May 30 - John Polanyi CI
    (640 Lawrence Avenue West) 

PUBLIC CONSULTATION
Policy Consultation
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 students and their parents/guardians, school councils, advisory committees, community members, different levels of government, service agencies, professional organizations and union partners. The objective 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.

POLICY: Community Use of Board Facilities (PO11)
(Permits)
OBJECTIVE: To support the Toronto District School Board’s commitment to optimizing use and accessibility of TDSB facilities for community groups and organizations through a permit process that promotes fair and equitable opportunity.

CLOSING DATE: April 23rd, 2018
CONTACT: Email: ndaba.njobo@tdsb.on.ca; (416) 395 7666
Parents as Partners Conference
Join us for the free Parents as Partners Conference on Saturday, April 28. Meet other parents, attend valuable workshops and find resources available in your community. Registration ends on Monday, April 16.
This conference is presented by the Parent Involvement Advisory Committee (PIAC), Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC), Mental Health and Well-Being Parent Partnership Committee and Model Schools for Inner Cities' Parent Academies and is an all-inclusive conference for TDSB parents and caregivers.
Elementary Summer School
Elementary summer programs increase engagement and build self-confidence in our students. This summer, from July 4 – 27, we are opening schools across the city to help build reading, writing and math skills in students from Kindergarten to Grade 8. Visit www.tdsb.on.ca/summer  for a complete list of participating schools. @TDSB_ConEd

Continuing Education - Summer Music Camps
Add to your child’s summer vacation with music camp. Through three unique programs – Summer Sounds, DownTown Summer Strings and Toronto Summer Music Camps – the TDSB offers band, strings and orchestral experiences for students from Grades 3-9. Registration is open now.

For more information, please visit 
www.tdsbsummercamps.ca . @TDSB_ConEd

Continuing Education - Improve Your English with Us

This summer, adults can build literacy and English language skills from July 9-31. We offer a wide range of classes, from beginner to advanced, to help you improve your conversation skills, further your education, and prepare for citizenship and language proficiency tests. Adult ESL program is free for eligible learners. For more information, visit www.ESLtoronto.ca or call 416-338-4300. @TDSB_ConEd
Last October I held a Ward Forum that focused on Street Safety.
I invited presenters from the TDSB, from Green Communities Canada and the City of Toronto who provided us with lots of solid information on how we can make streets in school zones safer.
I've included a 15 minute video that summarizes the content and gives you a very good idea of how to get involved.
Please view the video below and follow up with me if you'd like to learn more or need assistance getting started. 

Traffic Safety Improvement on Doris Avenue coming soon


New Signals Approved for Doris & Princess Avenues

Councillor John Filion was pleased to work with the parents and administration at Earl Haig Secondary School along with TDSB trustee Alexander Brown to develop a proposal for new crossing signals at Doris and Princess Avenues.  North York Community Council adopted staff recommendations this week that proposed adding a signalized crossing at this location by early 2019.

For many years, parents and members of the community have expressed concern about the large number of students and other residents crossing Doris Avenue at this location.  Each time a signalized crossing was looked at by City Transportation staff, however it had been dismissed.

After a meeting with the Earl Haig Parent Council, Councillor Filion asked staff to initiate a new study in the fall of 2017.  This study endorsed a new crossing by synchronizing with the existing signals at Doris and Empress Avenues.  The crossing will also be supplemented by measures in the City's School Safety Zone program to augment visibility and safety, part of the City's Vision Zero campaign.
I want to thank the School Advisory Council at Earl Haig Secondary school for its ongoing efforts to improve safety in the school zone. I also want to thank Markus O'Brien-Fehr and John Filion for ensuring that this new synchronized signal became a reality. This will make a huge difference to safety on the roads in the area. 
Transfer of the School Crossing Guard Program
School safety is paramount and crossing guards play an important role. The Toronto Police Services Board created a Transformational Task Force (TTF) to propose a new modern model of policing for the City of Toronto. One of the 32 recommendations contained in the TTF’s Action Plan: The Way Forward, is that the responsibility for the School Crossing Guard Program be transferred to the City of Toronto, Transportation Services Division.
 
The Toronto Police Service will continue to deliver the School Crossing Guard Program to the community until and including July 31, 2019, as the City prepares for the transfer. The City will be working with the Toronto Police Service on backfilling school crossing guards with qualified civilian workers, instead of police officers, from September 1, 2018 to July 31, 2019. This will allow police officers to fulfill core policing duties.

For more details on this transition refer to the letter and Frequently Asked Questions document

Ministry approves expansion for Hollywood Public School 


On January 31, the Ministry of Education announced an investment of  $784 million to help build 39 new schools, and renovate or expand another 40 across the province. 
Two capital project proposals - Hollywood Public School & McKee Public School - were submitted to the Ministry for approval in 2017. One of those projects was approved.
This funding is much needed and long overdue.
Project Details:
Total funding: $6.28 million (School expansion: $4.22 million  /  Child Care: $2.06 million)
Funding includes eight additional classrooms and possible gym enlargement. 
The addition will address overcrowding at the school and will also provide 64 new licensed child care spaces.
Public consultation on design will be held. 

Please find the letter sent to parents at Hollywood Public School announcing the project.
NB:
**Although this funding is appreciated, the situation at McKee Public School, Elkhorn Public School and other schools in Willowdale is unchanged. As our student population continues to bump upwards, due to new families moving into the area, accommodation pressures will impact our schools well into the future. 
The TDSB and local parents are still advocating for access to Education Development Charges from local developers to help address these pressures.
Without stable long-term funding that allows the TDSB and other boards to plan for expansions and on-going maintenance of our schools, we will continue be at the "mercy" of the provincial government and the Ministry of Education. 
With a provincial election just weeks away - June 7th, 2018 - we need to hold our current and future representatives to account and ensure that they commit to working for Willowdale (and the rest of the city) by giving local schools back to local kids and families. 
Stay tuned for more information on what we can do together. There is more to come. . .

Fix Our Schools
Please Support the Fix Our Schools Pledge Initiative!  Fix Our Schools is a parent-led, non-partisan, provincial-wide campaign that was founded by TDSB parents four years ago in an effort to address the disrepair that plagues so many of our publicly funded schools. They have launched a Fix Our Schools Pledge initiative and are seeking active engagement from parents and school councils, who were mailed a hard copy of the Fix Our Schools Pledge package over March Break (be sure to check your council mail-slot in your school office!).   
The repair backlog in TDSB schools has continued to grow each year and currently sits at $4.05-billion. If you want to help ensure that your local school is a safe, healthy, well-maintained building that provides an environment conducive to learning, then please visit http://fixourschools.ca/advocacy-101/ for specific, easy actions you can take to help Fix Our Schools. 

Fix Our Schools also supports the Board's advocacy for Education Development Charges. For more information from their perspective, please click here
http://fixourschools.ca/2014/11/16/education-development-charges-edcs-101/. To know how you can help, click here.

        Community Neighborhood Day & Yard Sale

        Join the Lillian Public School Community

        MAY 12th, 2018 - 8am to 12 noon
I am looking forward to joining everyone on May 12th. I encourage you to share this information with your neighbours and invite others to celebrate spring with the community and to help Lillian Public School Parent Council raise funds for school initiatives in 2018/19. 
For more information contact: lillianevent@gmail.com


Basketball Ontario's Summer Development Program (OSDP) Registration is now open 

ATTENTION MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS!

The Ontario Summer Development Program (OSDP) is for U12 and U14 athletes who strive to grow their personal, social, and athletic skills through involvement in programming that emphasizes teamwork, leadership, and learning. OSDP is the latest iteration of Ontario Basketball’s Talent Identification and Development Program (TIDP)

The 8th Don Mills Venturer Scouts are holding their 7th Annual Electronics & Battery Waste Recycling and Bottle Drive event on Saturday April 14, 2018 from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.

Collection of electronics and battery waste and empty alcohol beverage containers is being held at Church of Our Saviour, located at 1 Laurentide Drive, Don Mills (SE of Don Mills and York Mills Roads).

Please drop off any of the following unwanted items during this time:


Televisions, computers/laptops/printers/photocopiers and any accessories/adaptors/wires, VCR, DVD, stereos and speakers, monitors, ink and toner cartridges, cameras, cell phones, battery chargers, car batteries, batteries of any kind, small electric appliances, exercising equipment and anything not mentioned with electronic components.  Financial contributions are also welcome (payable to 8th Don Mills Scout Group).


Money is raised on every pound of electronics collected. Proceeds will support camp and event opportunities for scouting youth who otherwise wouldn’t be able to participate.

For free pickup of large items, please contact
Scouter Liz - bliness@yahoo.com or 905-621-9205



Clean Toronto Together Event

Friday, April 20th is the City of Toronto’s School Yard Clean-up day. Join over 200,000 residents, students, businesses, organizations and community groups as we come together for the 15th annual city-wide cleanup of public spaces.

Provincial Election
June 7, 2018 and Education Day 

OPSBA - the Ontario Public School Boards Association - is developing resources to support an OPSBA Education Day which has been tentatively set for Wednesday, May 23, 2018.
As the trustee for Willowdale, I will confirm a date for this provincial all-candidates Education Day debate.
All registered candidates for Willowdale will be invited to attend the debate which will be held in one of our Willowdale schools.
The focus of this public meeting/debate will be Education issues at the provincial level. This will be an opportunity for parents and constituents to find out more about where candidates from various parties stand on these important issues by asking questions and making comments.
I will provide all of the details and confirmation in early May 2018
In the meantime, I am including the Elections Ontario website link in case you have any questions or want to register to vote for the upcoming provincial election. Click below. . .
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