March 16, 2025 

The Toronto District School Board is committed to developing opportunities for our wider school community to connect and engage in conversations about education issues. Meetings will be broadcasted live to the public. Click here at the start time to view - https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Leadership/Boardroom/Live-Webcast-of-Meetings.

To submit a delegation request (written for the Trustees to read or oral to present to Trustees) for a Board Committee (delegations are not accepted for Board meetings), please see here - https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Leadership/Boardroom/Delegations and email delegates@tdsb.on.ca. If your request is approved, further details will be provided to you via email. 

Full Agenda and Reports for meetings are available here - click on the appropriate meeting https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Leadership/Boardroom/Agenda-Minutes

Wednesday, March 19 2025 – Governance and Policy Committee 4:30 Boardroom, 5050 Yonge St - Agenda

One of the items on the GPC Agenda Wednesday of interest to many is the revised Fundraising Policy. 

Staff are recommending that the Committee determine one of the following options regarding the “System Priorities Fund” be approved:

• The “System Priorities Fund” in the revised Fundraising Policy proceed with a mandatory contribution process, OR •  the “System Priorities Fund” in the revised Fundraising Policy proceed with a voluntary contribution process.

Subject to the above decision, staff are asking that the revised Fundraising Policy (P021), be approved.   

Here's a brief summary, but I urge you to read the full report. I have been clear that my preference is for a voluntary contribution process.

I'd be interested in your thoughts.

A central question during the consultation survey for the Fundraising Policy was whether respondents support the creation of a “System Priorities Fund” (SPF). As described in the report, the SPF would be used to accept funds from school fundraised funds, centrally raised funds and employee donations, into a central fund. System priorities would be identified, through system feedback, and an allocation methodology would be identified and outlined in the upcoming procedures. Some current sample priorities may include outerwear (jackets), backpacks and student school supplies (pens, pencils, pencil case, calculators, etc.), and others based on identified needs.

In the survey results, the majority of respondents endorsed the concept of a “System Priorities Fund”: 54% agreed or strongly agreed with the implementation of a System Priorities Fund; 30% disagreed or strongly disagreed with the implementation of a System Priorities Fund and 16% had no opinion regarding the implementation of a System Priorities Fund.

A subsequent question asked whether respondents felt contributions to the fund should be mandatory or voluntary. To this, the vast majority replied Voluntary - respondents replied: 60% - Voluntary; 30% - Mandatory and 10% - No opinion.

Below is a summary of the key decisions made at a Special Board Meeting on March 5, 2025 with regard to School-Based Staff Allocation 2025-26: Teachers and Support Staff. Please note the business arising motions. Below are the system numbers. 

The Board decided:
A. That the following allocation of school-based staff for 2025-2026, be approved:
i. Elementary Teachers: 10,342.0 FTE positions of elementary teacher, as set out in
the staff report;
ii. Secondary Teachers: 4,899.34 FTE positions of secondary teacher, as set out in the
staff report;
iii. Early Childhood Educators: 1,043.0 FTE positions of designated early childhood
educator, as set out in the staff report;
iv. Elementary Vice-principals: 166.5 FTE positions of Elementary school vice-principal, as set out in the staff report;
v. Secondary Vice-principals: 153.0 FTE positions of Secondary school vice-principal,
as set out in staff report;
vi. Educational Assistants: 9.0 FTE positions of educational assistant, Caring and Safe, as set out in the staff report;
vii. Special Education Support: 2,787.5 FTE positions of special education support
staff, as set out in the staff report:
viii. School Office: 1,042.0 FTE positions of school office clerical, as set out in the staff
report;
ix. School-based Safety Monitors: 243.5 FTE positions of school-based safety monitor
as set out in the staff report;
x. Lunchroom Supervisors: 2,355 headcount positions of lunchroom supervisor, as set
out in the staff report;
xi. Aquatics Instructors: Positions of aquatics instructor, To Be Determined, as set out
in the staff report;
xii. Food Program Assistants: 37.0 FTE positions of food program assistant, as set out
in the staff report;
xiii. Caretaking: 2,098.0 FTE positions in caretaking as set out in the staff report;

B. That school-based staffing allocation for 2025 to 2026 school year will ensure at least 90 percent of classes in grades 4 to 8 will have 30 or fewer students, and no classes in grades 4 to 8 will have more than 32 students. To be measured and implemented at the school level at fall reorganization. Contingent upon permissible space in schools including portable space and should align with any provincially legislated and collectively negotiated class size averages. Local schools should have the option to request for exception based on need.

Business Arising: Options to Increase Support Staff
The Board decided that the Director report back during the 2025 budget process around options to increase the number of special education support staff, designated early childhood educators, and elementary librarians for 2025-26.

Business Arising: Keeping Additional Staffing Positions Through the 2025-26 Budget
The Board decided:
(a) That the additional staffing positions added into the 2024-25 Budget be built into the 2025-26 Projected Financial Forecast moving forward, specifically;
i. That 20 elementary vice-principals be added to the school-based staff allocation
for 2025-26 for a total of 186.5;
ii. That eight secondary vice-principals be added to the school-based staff
allocation for 2025-26 for a total of 161;
iii. two caring and safe schools central staff, 12 social workers and 11 child and
youth counsellors added in the 2024-25 budget process;

(b) That the Director present a special report to the Finance, Budget and Enrolment
Committee on multi-year reinvestments needed centrally to ensure the implementation of the Multi-Year Strategic Plan, for example to address sick/leave attendance management, the modernization strategy, an enterprise business and information system, to replenish reserves and other central department priority needs as determined by the Director.

These are system numbers. People and Culture will now prepare and release to Principals shortly their school staffing allocations, so school organizations/timetables can be prepared and reviewed with school staffing committees and Superintendents. 

It is important to note that many of these positions are funded based on enrolment and through collective agreements. There is not enough funding to support the number of positions we require to support students within the system as we continue to advocate for additional funding. In advance of the provincial election, the Chair sent the following letter - we will continue to advocate for necessary funding:

"As a system, we are struggling to provide essential resources, support services, and programs that are crucial for student success. Without adequate funding, our ability to offer a well-rounded education may be compromised. This current situation is unsustainable and unfair to students, staff, and families.  

The TDSB is experiencing a $38.5 million shortfall to support students with special education needs and a $10.9 million shortfall to support student and staff mental health, safety, and well-being. These shortfalls are not just numbers - they represent real students who are not receiving the support they need to succeed in school and life." 

As noted above, school boards receive most of their funding from the provincial government. A large portion of this funding is allocated to cover staffing for schools (including teachers, Early Childhood Educators and principals), while other areas receive targeted funding from the Ministry of Education. 

In June 2024, the TDSB approved a budget of $3.9 billion for the 2024-25 school year with an estimated $35.3 million operating deficit.

Every spring, the Ministry announces education funding (now called Core Education Funding). While the TDSB stays committed to using these resources as responsibly as possible, the funding provided by the government does not fully meet the needs of students in Toronto, nor has it since amalgamation. That said, Trustees are obligated under the Education Act to balance the budget.

TDSB is facing budgetary pressures to meet demands on critical services and infrastructure including:

Please continue to follow the development of the 2025-26 Budget - you can see the schedule above and find additional information on the TDSB's Budget Webpage. 

Every year, the TDSB Excellence Awards help shine a light on the stories of extraordinary staff commitment, and we are delighted to announce that nominations for the Excellence Awards 2025 will open this Tuesday, February 25, 2025.  

The Excellence Awards align with our shared system priorities and help highlight TDSB staff’s efforts to foster joy, engagement and belonging in our schools, workplaces and communities as a foundation for academic achievement, student success, and service excellence. We want to know who are inspiring students, innovating the curriculum, championing digital transformation, creating inclusive schools and workplaces, and working behind the scenes to support operational excellence.  

We welcome nominations from anyone – staff, students, parents/caregivers or community members – please send your nomination submissions through the Excellence Awards website during the nomination period between February 25 and April 4, 2025.  

Please note the information on Summer Programs on the website will continue to be updated.

Elementary Programs

Summer School - The Elementary Literacy and Numeracy Summer School Program offers the opportunity for students to continue learning in the summer. Programs are offered in-person at various locations to students in Kindergarten to Grade 8, from July 2 to July 25, 2025. A remote program is available for students in grades 6 to 8.

Registration Information: Program Dates and Hours - Monday, July 2 to Friday, July 25, 2025, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. Registration is online. To fill out an application, please click on the school registration form link on the website.

Summer Extended Day Program

The Extended Day Summer Program provides fun explorations and learning for children from Kindergarten to Grade 6. Children will develop skills such as collaboration, responsibility, problem-solving, creativity, citizenship, and leadership through interesting activities, and experiences. The Summer Program is delivered by TDSB staff, Designated Early Childhood Educators, and Early Childhood Assistants.
Registration Information: June 30 to August 15. Please see website here.

Note: Information on International Languages and African Heritage Language & Culture Program, Outdoor Education Summer Camp and Summer Music & Art Camps will be available shortly.

Secondary Programs

e-Summer School Program - Registration will open on Tuesday, April 15 at 10:00 AM for TDSB students and on Tuesday, April 29 at 10:00 AM for NON-TDSB students. More information can be found here.

• All Grade 9 and 10 online Summer School credit courses will be delivered synchronously through the Continuing Education Remote Summer Program.

• All Grade 11 and 12 online Summer School credit courses will be delivered asynchronously through the e-Summer Program.

• The Grade 8 to 9 Reach Ahead Summer Credit course will be offered only in-person through the Continuing Education Reach Ahead Credit Program.  

Summer School

The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) Continuing Education Summer School Secondary Programs are open to students in Grades 9 to 12 and adult learners who are enrolled in the Ontario curriculum and working towards their high school diploma. Students can earn a new credit or retake a previously completed course to improve their grades.

All students enrolling in summer school, including adult students, are required to have earned the current prerequisites. Students may register for one full-credit course or two half-credit courses (Civics and Careers). These classes are available only in July.

The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) reserves the right to cancel classes. All classes are subject to the availability of space, teachers, and sufficient enrollment.

Registration for all Summer Programs will open April 22, 2025, at 10:00 a.m.
Summer School classes will be held from July 2 to July 25, 2025 Monday to Friday, from 8:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. These classes are available only in July. More information on how to register available here.

The Grade 8 to 9 Reach Ahead credit course is available only in person.  Students will attend face-to-face classes with a teacher. Reach Ahead Flyer 

Remote Learning All Grade 9 and 10 credit courses will be delivered through synchronous learning. In-Person Learning All Grade 9 to 12 credit courses, students will attend face-to-face classes with a teacher. Summer School In Person Sites/Locations

Special Education and Inclusion Summer 2025 Programs 

Special Education and Inclusion Summer School 
Special Education and Inclusion will once again offer summer school programs from July 2 to 25 for students currently enrolled in Developmental Disability (DD), Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH), and Physical Disability (PD) Intensive Support Programs (ISPs). Principals were asked to share this information flyer with the families of students currently enrolled in these programs. 

These half-day programs will be held in-person at various locations throughout the TDSB. Students will be supported to develop their independence through programming based on their Individual Education Plans (IEPs) in the areas of functional literacy and numeracy skills, activities of daily living, communication, and social skills. Visit our summer school website for more information. 

Focus on Youth Summer Program for Students with Special Education Needs 
The Focus on Youth (FOY) Program provides learning and employment opportunities for youth in select low-income neighborhoods who face personal challenges and barriers to employment due to circumstances directly linked to systemic inequality, racism and discrimination, and their lived experiences of socio-economic disadvantage. As part of the FOY Program, students with intellectual, developmental, and/or physical disabilities and intersecting identities are supported by Special Education and Inclusion through staff from Occupational Therapy/Physiotherapy (OT/PT) Services to engage students in experiential job-readiness learning through employment.  

Students are provided with opportunities to develop essential job readiness skills such as socialization, executive function and self-care among others, while receiving minimum wage compensation for a period of six weeks, commencing July 2, 2025. Eligible students are those currently enrolled in a cooperative education or experiential learning program. Staff select these students based on their readiness for safe, community-based job experiences, in accordance with Ministry criteria for the Focus on Youth Program. 

Summer Skills Development Leisure Program for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) 
The Summer Skills Development Leisure Program is designed for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Through this half-day, month-long (July 2025) program, students are able to develop and enhance their social and communication skills through leisure activities that include board games, physical education and outdoor activities, arts and crafts, neighborhood excursions, and cooking activities. Many parents attend the program with their children and can observe strategies modelled by staff for at-home use that help students be more successful in regulating their emotions and behavior (e.g., visual schedules, timers, 5-minute countdowns, breathing techniques, etc.). Registration information is forthcoming. 

Education and Community Partnership Program (ECPP) Summer School 
The Education and Community Partnership Program (ECPP), in collaboration with agency and hospital partners, will provide full-day summer school in July for students in care and treatment programs at SickKids Hospital, Humber River Hospital, Youthdale Treatment Centre, Lumenus Community Services at York Humber, Fernie Youth, Central Toronto Youth Services, Abiona Centre for Young Women, Jessie and June Callwood Centre for Young Women, and Turning Point Youth Services and Springboard Youth Services at Overland Education Center. Teachers will work alongside agency staff to provide academic programming while students receive care and treatment. Students are able to earn credits in various subjects including English, Math, Family Studies, Physical and Health Education, and Geography. 

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. 

Learning Opportunities Index Policy Consultation 

The Learning Opportunities Index Policy (P067) is currently being reviewed. The revised draft Learning Opportunities Index Policy (P067) (the “Policy”) affirms the TDSB’s commitment to achieve equitable academic opportunities. 

This Policy will assist with steering additional resources to schools serving students who face greater challenges and make sure all students have access to educational resources. The revised draft Policy also aims to support student learning experiences through equitable allocation of resources to schools and to provide direction to staff regarding the use of the Learning Opportunities Index (LOI). 

Consultation closes in early April 2025. Draft New Policy [docx]  Draft New Policy [pdf]

Please provide your input and feedback here. If you have any questions related to the review and consultation of the Policy, please feel free to contact us at: research@tdsb.on.ca

Learning Opportunities Index (LOI) Public Policy Consultations

TDSB Trustees and Research and Development staff will be hosting four public consultation sessions across the city on the draft Learning Opportunities Index (LOI) Policy. These sessions ensure families, students, and community members have the opportunity to learn about the LOI and how it is used to support schools. 

We are committed to creating inclusive and accessible meetings for everyone. If you have specific concerns related to accessibility, or require childcare or interpretation services, please indicate when registering, email research@tdsb.on.ca or call 416-394-7404.

There will be opportunities to ask questions and share feedback on the dates listed below:

Please use the RSVP form to let us know you will be attending. Click here to view the flyer. 

As staff continue developing the overarching Anti-Hate and Anti-Racism Strategy please remember that should an incident of antisemitism or any form of hate or racism occur in our schools, principals have an obligation to report it.

As I repeat in every update, the TDSB collects data through the Bias and Hate (RBH) Portal. An increase in antisemitic incidents is being experienced in our schools as it is in our communities - on my website I have excerpted from all our public reports on the data - TDSB Public Reports with RBH Portal Data 2018-2023. Principals and Superintendents are being reminded of their responsibilities in documenting incidents and educating against them. All students and staff - all students and staff - must be safe in our schools and free from discrimination, harassment and hate. Antisemitism is but one form of hate our students and staff are experiencing. 

If you are a staff or a student or a parent/caregiver, and you are a victim of/or witnessing an incident of racism, bias, or hate in our schools, please report it to the school's principal, who has a duty to investigate all incidents. For more information, please visit the webpage for Reporting an Incident of Hate or Discrimination Involving or Impacting Students. If you experience it, or witness it, report it. Please. If you are concerned your complaint is not being taken seriously after you follow the Parent Concern Protocol, please let me know.

For incidents involving and impacting students, the following procedures can apply: Reporting and Responding to Racism and Hate Incidents Involving or Impacting Students in Schools, PR728 Parent Concern Protocol, PR505 Caring and Safe Schools related procedures

For employee complaints, the following procedures can apply: Workplace Harassment Prevention and Human Rights, PR515 (for employee conduct alleged to be a human rights violation or Code-based workplace harassment) Non-Code Based Workplace Harassment, PR740

In some circumstances an incident entered into the RBH portal may be a breach of the Criminal Code through the incitement of hate; in which case, the incident must also be reported to the police in accordance with PR728.

Complaints regarding social media postings should be sent directly to the TDSB's Human Rights Office at humanrightsoffice@tdsb.on.ca. The intake process is being centralized in the Human Rights Office to ensure for consistency of process.

If you witness something inside the community, report any allegations of hate-motivated crimes to police for investigation at 416-808-2222 or 9-1-1 in an emergency. The Police state they will not tolerate any intimidation, harassment, or hate-motivated behaviour aimed at specific communities. You can also call 1-800-222-TIPS to Crime Stoppers anonymously.

Please remember TDSB's Mental Health and Well Being Professional Support Staff (PSS) are here to support your mental health and well-being and to help you navigate the tools and resources you may need. Please see resources on their website.

Thursday March 20, 2025 | 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Please join me and my colleagues Alexandra Lulka Rotman, Michelle Aarts and Deborah Williams for an opportunity to hear from experts in the field of antisemitism and hate - Mark Sandler and Karen Mock. To read their full bios, please click here. Our guests will discuss hate, what it is and what it isn’t, antisemitism, its historical roots and current context and how it impacts the broader community and the educational environment on students, their families and staff.

Most importantly, how to move forward through respectful dialogue in this time of geopolitical conflict.

If you are interested in participating, please Register Online.

Vaping poses serious health risks, including lung damage and addiction. Spreading awareness is essential, and together, we can educate and empower students to make informed, healthier choices.

Teachers are encouraged to utilize the comprehensive 3-part lesson plans on the TDSB E-Cigarette & Vaping website to educate their students on the serious health risks of vaping and to inspire their creativity when completing their Anti-Vaping poster.

Winning entries will have their poster professionally printed and featured in schools across the TDSB! Student posters could help change minds and spark conversations about the dangers of vaping.

How to participate: Create an original poster that highlights the dangers vaping to their peers (be imaginative—use your creative skills, powerful messages, and imagery!). Winners will be selected from two entry categories: Grade 4-8 and Grade 9-12. Please review the Contest Guidelines prior to submission. Submit your design by Friday March 21st to the following Google Form.

Virtual Urgent Care Kiosk, an in-person space at the Lawrence Allen Center

SickKids started a Virtual Urgent Care (VUC) platform in 2021 (Learn more by clicking here).

After initial community consultation, SickKids have created the Greeter-supported Virtual Urgent Care Kiosk, an in-person space at the Lawrence Allen Center (a local mall located at Lawrence and the Allen Road). This one-year project is a novel, health equity-focused approach to urgent care, which would see SickKids provide an additional way for one of Toronto’s most digitally underserved communities to access our VUC platform.

The initiative launched in late January. SickKids are very excited to bring this novel, health equity-focused resource to the community - we hope this project brings benefits to the local community and learning that will improve care for patients and families.

Nominations are now open for the 2025 OTIP Teaching Awards. For many years, these awards have recognized the excellence of our teachers in publicly funded education. There are three categories of awards: elementary teacher, secondary teacher and beginning teacher (in the first five years of teaching). 

A teacher may be nominated by anyone—professional colleagues, students, parents, or the general public. The deadline for receipt of nominations is March 31, 2025. Questions should be directed to Jason Healey at OTIPAwards@otffeo.on.ca. The Ontario Teachers Insurance Plan (OTIP) and the Ontario Teachers’ Federation (OTF) are proud sponsors of the OTIP Teaching Awards. Nominate here.

Learn4Life.ca - Adult General Interest Courses General Interest Programs Adults 18+ and Seniors Program Information General Interest courses are for adults, 18 years of age and older. Seniors' Daytime courses are for registrants 65 years of age and older. For more information please visit www.learn4life.ca Registration is Open  Classes Begin: Tuesday, April 1, 2025 

Please ensure you check for Days of Significance before scheduling student and community events - as the TDSB is currently reviewing ours - for 2024-25, the TDSB will only publish a Faith/Creed-Based Holy Days Calendar and an Indigenous Days of Significance Calendar. For now, please check the Multi-Faith calendar available online https://multifaithcalendar.org/cal/index.php.

2005 - 2026 School Year Calendar

Regulation 304 requires that there be a minimum of 194 school days between 1 September and 30 June, including a maximum of ten examination days for secondary schools and a maximum of seven Professional Activity (PA) days.  It also establishes the dates for the Winter Break and the Mid-Winter Break. 

It is the hope that presenting this early provides students, parents and staff sufficient notice to make plans for the 2025-2026 school year following Ministry approval. 

March is Greek Heritage Month (GHM) 

2025 marks 10 years of recognizing GHM at the TDSB. For this reason, our theme for this year is:

Odyssey - A Decade of Celebrating Greek Heritage Month
Oδύσσεια - Μία Δεκαετία Εορτασμού του Μήνα Ελληνικής Κληρονομιάς

To mark Greek Heritage Month, the TDSB has planned several educational activities.

The TDSB Greek Heritage Month Volunteer Planning Committee looks forward to celebrating GHM with everyone! OPA!

Ramadan Mubarak!

Ramadan is the holiest month in the Islamic Calendar. During the month of Ramadan, many Muslims around the world abstain from food and water from sunrise to sunset. This year, Ramadan began in the evening on Friday, February 28, 2025 and will end on Saturday, March 29, 2025. 

The TDSB Human Rights Office has developed a guide - Ramadan and the Duty to Accommodate. Included you will find information about Ramadan along with some tips and considerations for meeting the duty to accommodate staff and students under the Ontario Human Rights Code and TDSB’s Human Rights Policy (P031). To all observing Ramadan Mubarak!

Special Education and Inclusion Guides for Parents/ Guardians/Caregivers

From learning about Individual Education Plans (IEPs) to navigating the Identification, Placement, and Review Committee (IPRC) process, these resources are here to support you every step of the way.

We encourage you to explore the full guides on the Special Education and Inclusion website, where you’ll also find\additional Special Education resources for families.

Summer Reach Ahead Program

This year, the program will be offered in-person at five locations: ○ Danforth Technical and Collegiate Institute ○ David and Mary Thomson Collegiate Institute ○ Dr. Norman Bethune Collegiate Institute ○ Western Technical-Commercial School ○ Westview Centennial Secondary School

The TAS1O1 – Exploring Technology course will be available exclusively through Continuing Education and offered only in person. Please note that e-Summer School will not offer any remote Reach Ahead courses this year. For more information, please visit our website.

School Mental Health Ontario (SMHO) has launched By Your Side, a new parent/caregiver learning hub that has been designed to meet the needs of Ontario’s families.By Your Side was created by Ontario parents/caregivers and school mental health professionals and includes resources and supports made available in multiple formats—including web content, PDFs, and videos to ensure that families can easily access information and strategies that promote mental health and well-being at home. Key topics include understanding mental health, promoting mental health at home, supporting mental health at school, stress and anxiety management, substance use prevention, navigating digital technology use, and reaching out for help. Our hope is you find these resources helpful. Mental health matters.

Stay Home If You Are Sick

During this respiratory virus season, I encourage you to review tips from Toronto Public Health (TPH) to help prevent the spread of infections in schools and communities.

Stay home if you are sick: If you have symptoms of illness, even if they are mild, stay home and wear a mask for 10 days after symptoms start. Practice good hygiene: Wash or sanitize your hands often, cover your cough or sneeze with your elbow or a tissue, and clean frequently touched surfaces.

Vaccines

Toronto Public Health (TPH) is hosting community clinics to help students catch-up on their school-based vaccines. Clinics are appointment based and residents are encouraged to book an appointment.

In Ontario, the Immunization of School Pupil Act (ISPA) requires all students to be up to date with meningococcal vaccines or have a valid exemption  even if they received a meningococcal vaccine as a child. Visit School Immunization Program (SIP) clinics.:

The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) presents Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away, which examines the history and legacy of the most significant site of the Holocaust, for its exclusive Canadian showing. The exhibition opened on January 10, 2025, and runs to September 1, 2025.

This powerful exhibition arrived in Toronto just ahead of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz on January 27, 2025, "explores the dual identity of the Auschwitz camp as a physical setting — the largest documented mass murder site in human history — and as a symbol of the borderless manifestation of hatred and human atrocity."

The public is invited to purchase tickets - more information can be found here.

Please note that a group of TDSB educators from the Jewish Heritage Committee (as reported at our last JHC Executive meeting) and members of TDSB Central Teaching and Learning Team (part of a team of educational advisors and partners to the ROM), were invited to an advance preview of the exhibit in December and began to plan how we would promote it internally to TDSB and that plan is currently underway…. We have messaged this important opportunity to teachers and all staff through DirectLine, administrators through the System Leaders Weekly, Trustees in Trustees Weekly and Social and World Studies and Humanities teachers through the department newsletter.

More information on school visits for grades 6-12 can be found here. 

Special Education and Inclusion is pleased to once again offer a series of drop-in sessions designed for parents/ guardians/caregivers on navigating special education resources and supports within the TDSB.

These informal gatherings provide a welcoming space for parents to learn about available services, ask questions, and connect with other families.
Facilitators will guide discussions on topics such as supporting student
transitions and exploring occupational therapy/ physiotherapy strategies to use at home with students. All drop-in sessions for the 2024-2025 school year can be found here.

TDSB Special Education Department Family Sessions
Drop-In Q & A with Occupational Therapy/Physiotherapy Staff - Receive general OT/PT strategies for your child(ren) / Chat with other parents/caregivers; Ask questions.

If you require translation services or have any questions or concerns, please email:
Learning Centre 1 - Rhanda Craig: rhanda.craig@tdsb.on.ca and Leslie Hopkins: leslie.hopkins@tdsb.on.ca Learning Centre 2 - Anna Lin: anna.lin@tdsb.on.ca and Andrea Wiltsie: andrea.wiltsie@tdsb.on.ca
Get the link here Sensory and Motor team parent/guardian/caregiver VOH flyer

I have been communicating issues we have been having with dogs on school property with every update. Now, as part of our ongoing efforts to maintain a safe and welcoming environment on TDSB properties, we would like to update you on the policies and new reporting procedures related to dogs on school grounds.

The TDSB enforces a strict policy regarding dogs on its properties. Dogs are generally not permitted on TDSB grounds, with the exception of service animals as defined by the Student Use of Service Animals in Schools Policy (P096) and the Use of Service Animals by the General Public Procedure (PR604). These guidelines are in place to ensure proper management and support for service animals within our schools.

New Reporting Process for Dogs Off-Leash

To effectively address incidents of dogs being off-leash on school properties, a new reporting process has been established through the City of Toronto’s 311 service. Community members can report such incidents either by phone or online:

Phone Reporting: Call 311 to report dogs off-leash on school property

Online Reporting: Visit the City of Toronto Service Request or Feedback webpage.

If you should you ever see any suspicious activity around school buildings after school hours, please contact 311, Toronto Police Services Dispatch at 416-808-2222, or the TDSB’s 24-hour Call Centre at 416-395-4620.

If you or a family member is in crisis, please contact Kids Help Phone:1-800-668-6868 or get support right now by texting CONNECT to 686868.

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