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| Shelley Laskin, Trustee
Toronto District School Board
Ward 8: Eglinton-Lawrence & Toronto-St Paul's
416-395-8787
Shelley.Laskin@tdsb.on.ca
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In this Issue -- Happy Orthodox Christmas
- Tamil Heritage Month at the TDSB
- SMHO - Start Well
- Winter Well-Being Guide
- Please Keep Safe... and Keep Others Safe
- Immunizations Up to Date?
- TDSB Climate Action Annual Report
- Out-of-Area Admissions
- Middle French Immersion (Grade 4 Entry) Application Deadline
- Legacy Technical and Commercial Boundaries - Changes Coming in 2025
- Information Sessions - Secondary Alternative School Fair
- Elementary Alternative Schools Online Central Application Process
- Online Tutoring Update
- Combatting Hate
- Virtual Ward Forum - February 1, 2024 – 6:30-7:00 PIAC Election I 7:00-8:30 Discussion on Literacy & Numeracy
- Save the Dates - Holocaust Remembrance Day and National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia
- New Invitations - Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement: 2024 BSSLP Student Application; Chinese Canadian Heritage Minute; TDSB Virtual Community Fair: Let's Talk About Camp and Funding; Toronto Police Service’s Youth in Policing Initiative; Imagine a Canada; Diverse Minds Creative Writing Competition
- Worth Repeating - Ontario Pre-Budget Consultations; Here to Help - Kids Help Line; Winter Outerwear Drive; Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Helpline; Useful Links; We Have a Dog Problem; 2023-2024 Calendar; Community Safety & Support
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Happy Orthodox Christmas
Orthodox Christmas Day for the year 2024 is today, Sunday, January 7th for all who use the older Julian calendar to determine when to celebrate the day Jesus Christ was born.
To all those celebrating, Merry Christmas!
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Tamil Heritage Month at the TDSB
January is Tamil Heritage Month - this year, the theme is Our Memories, Our Truths, Our Paths Forward: A Mosaic of Tamil Identity
இந்த ஆண்டின் தமிழ் மரபு மாதத்திற்கான கருப்பொருள், "எங்கள் நினைவுகள், நமது உண்மைகள், நமது முன்னோக்கி செல்ல வேண்டிய பாதைகள்: தமிழர் அடையாளம்”.
Memories play an integral role in how we shape our stories and our identities. The TDSB is committed to affirming identities, and to teaching and learning about the various stories and viewpoints of all its members. This year’s Tamil Heritage Month theme is a reminder to pause and reflect on our memories and narratives, to consider how they shape us individually, and to look at ways that we can come together to honour and celebrate our individuality while moving forward with our collective humanity in mind.
Toronto has the largest Tamil population outside of the South Asian subcontinent with thousands of TDSB students and staff members who identify as Tamil. The importance of building awareness, creating a strong self and collective identities, and understanding one's own roots and rights are important objectives of the Tamil Heritage Month volunteer planning committee.
To mark Tamil Heritage Month at the TDSB in January, various educational opportunities will be offered to students to learn about the history, culture, and traditions. Recently all students from the Toronto District School Board were invited to submit an image that reflects this year’s theme to a Poster Challenge. Three winning selections were made.
For further information about Tamil Heritage Month, please follow us on X (formerly Twitter) to learn interesting facts on Tamil customs and traditions and explore what students have to say in their own words about the Tamil heritage: @TDSB_Tamil.
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SMHO - Start Well
Start Well's Five days of ready to use activities are for teachers and students to connect, calm and begin the day. Included are 5 days of ready-to-use learning activities - each activity is designed to take approximately 15 minutes in total. Teachers, please click here https://smho-smso.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Start-Well.pdf.
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Winter Well-Being Guide
TDSB's 2023-24 Winter Well-Being Guide is a place to learn about Culturally Responsive & Identity Affirming resources to make the most of this time of year, while supporting & improving our mental well-being. The Guide is filled with activities, games, wellness tips, identity affirming resources and community agencies to support wellness for all students, caregivers/guardians, families, and school communities over the winter months. Created by Professional Support Services Staff who are part of the Mental Health and Well-Being Committee, the TDSB Mental Health Leads and the System Leader for Mental Health and Professional Support Services, this Guide provides accessible resources and has been translated into the top 20 TDSB spoken languages. Also from TDSB Psychology please see the December issue of Hearts and Minds: December Newsletter.
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Please Keep Safe... and Keep Others Safe
Layers of protection work to help reduce virus spread. For example:
😷wear a well-fitted mask
🧼wash hands often
🏠stay home if sick
💨choose well ventilated spaces
🛡️stay up-to-date with your vaccines
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Immunizations Up to Date?
Routine immunizations help protect children against serious infections like measles, polio, whooping cough, & more. Please check their immunization records to make sure they are up-to-date.
Learn more: http://toronto.ca/immunization.
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TDSB Climate Action Annual Report
TDSB's Climate Action Annual Report, 2023 was received by the Board of Trustees . With 53 actions, this is the TDSB’s most ambitious climate action plan to date. For more information, please visit our website –https://www.tdsb.on.ca/environment/Home/Climate-Action-Plans. Please see some highlights below:
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Out-of-Area Admissions
The TDSB is a system of neighbourhood schools. Students who reside within the City of Toronto have the right to attend a school which is designated to serve their residential address. The "Find Your School" section of the website identifies the designated schools for each residential address.
Students also have the opportunity to access schools outside of the school that is designated to serve their home address by applying for Out-of-Area Admissions. Acceptance at these schools is subject to space availability and program suitability. For example, many schools within our Ward are closed to out-of-area attendance.
The online applications for Elementary and Secondary Out-of-Area Admissions will become available tomorrow, Monday, January 8, 2024.
If you choose to apply for Out-of-Area Admissions you should know:
- You will be responsible for your own transportation
- You may only apply to one school (regular programs, French Immersion programs and Extended French programs)
- Waiting lists expire at the end of the Out-of-Area Admission
- You may not apply to a school that is not permitted to receive applications (i.e. closed schools). A list of those schools is produced in November
- A school/program that receives more applications than it has space will use the admissions priorities and run a random selection process for each admission priority to determine the successful applicants.
- Application Window - January 8 - 31, 2024
- Offers Made - February 26 and March1, 2024
- Application Window - January 8 - 26, 2024
- Offers Made - February 7, 14 and 21, 2024
New this year, students currently studying in person wishing to switch to Virtual Learning for September 2024 apply through Out-of-Area Admissions for either “Virtual Learning Elementary” or “Virtual Secondary School”. For more details about this process, please visit the Virtual Learning Q & A.
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Middle French Immersion (Grade 4 Entry) Application Deadline
For families interested in the Toronto District School Board's system-wide French Immersion Program, the deadline for JK entry has already passed. However, we offer an online process to apply for Middle French Immersion (begins in Grade 4).
To apply to the Middle French Immersion Program for September 2024, applications must be completed online between January 8 and February 2, 2024. Families with an older sibling currently in a Middle French Immersion program are still required to complete an online application for the new student.
Information sessions will be held January 11 (7:00 p.m.), January 16 (10:00 a.m.), and January 22 (1:00 p.m.).
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Legacy Technical and Commercial Boundaries - Changes Coming in 2025
Emerging from the Secondary Program Review is a study included within the Board’s Long-Term Program and Accommodation Strategy to explore options for addressing the legacy (refers to the previous Boards of Education that were amalgamated into the TDSB) technical and commercial (business courses) boundaries that still exist in some parts of the city. The schools with large legacy boundaries include Central Technical School, Central Toronto Academy, Danforth Collegiate and Technical Institute, Northern Secondary School, Western Technical-Commercial School and to a lesser extent, Victoria Park Collegiate Institute. What this means depending on your home address, you can attend one school for the regular secondary program, and be considered in district for another school if you commit to taking commercial (business) or technical programs.
For example, if you live at 1-157 Wychwood Ave (Odd numbers) your secondary school is Oakwood CI, but if you take business courses you can attend Central Technical School and if you take technical courses you can attend Central Toronto Academy or Northern SS, even though Northern is closed to out-of-area attendance. This address was in the former Board of Toronto Education that had these legacy boundaries. But if you live at 159-323 Humewood (odd numbers) you only have access to Oakwood CI. This address was in the former City of York - and it did not have commercial or technical boundaries.
These large regional boundaries were created at a time when students were streamed into academic or vocational programming and have outlived their intended purpose. As noted, the legacy boundaries provide an additional layer of choice for some communities while excluding others, which is counter to the Board’s guiding principle of improving equity of access for all students.
The Board is proposing that these legacy boundaries be dissolved to eliminate the automatic access to these schools depending on programming choices for some parts of the city, while expanding access to all students in Toronto. Admission to these schools will be facilitated through an online application process managed centrally, and subject to space availability. Staff is proposing that the legacy boundaries be dissolved for admission in September 2025.
There will be three virtual meetings held through Zoom Webinar to share information and receive feedback from the public on this proposal. The public consultation meetings will be held between 6:30pm and 8:00pm on the following dates:
• Monday, January 15th - Register here
• Thursday, January 18th - Register here
• Sunday, January 21st - Register here
Each of the impacted secondary schools listed above has sent an invitation to their respective communities through School Messenger. To increase notice of the public meetings, all Grade 5 to 7 students currently attending an elementary school with an attendance boundary that intersects with a legacy boundary also received an invitation.
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Information Sessions - Secondary Alternative School Fair
To support our Grade 8 students and families, the TDSB has hosted a series of Preparing for High School Information Sessions. The Secondary Alternative Schools Fair will take place on January 10, 2024, via Zoom. The virtual Secondary Alternative Schools Fair will introduce families to the Secondary Alternative schools in the board that offer Grade 9 to 12 programming.
Alternative schools are highly engaged, smaller school environments. They use non-traditional, hands-on approaches to learning and each school has a distinct identity and focus. These schools are ideal for students seeking an alternative to mainstream education and who want to take an active role in their own learning.
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Elementary Alternative Schools Online Central Application Process
As you know, the TDSB has a wide range of elementary alternative schools available to students. The application process is managed centrally and includes an online application form. Information about the online application process will be available on the Alternative Schools website on December 11, 2023. The online application for admission for September 2024 will be open from Monday, January 8, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. to Wednesday, January 31, 2024 at 4:00 p.m.
Elementary alternative schools will hold information sessions and/or open houses for students and parents/guardians/caregivers in December 2023 and January 2024. More information is available on the Elementary School Open Houses and Information Nights web page. There will also be two Elementary Alternative Schools live webinars, including one daytime and one evening session. Registration is required, and a recording of the webinars will be posted on the website.
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Online Tutoring Update
TDSB students now have access to free academic support through online tutoring.
Support is available for secondary students through Paper:
- For all courses and grades, including support with exam and/or culminating activity preparation
- For writing assignments, such as essays, resumes, cover letters
- For all math and science courses
- 24/7, on demand for ongoing help, or when they are stuck
- Families or students (18+) who are interested in online tutoring services can contact Paper
Support is available for elementary students through Brainfuse:
- For homework help in all subject areas and grades
- For enrichment activities
- 24/7, on demand
- Families or students (18+) who are interested in online tutoring services can contact Brainfuse
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Combatting Hate
In Our Schools
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. Each time an incident takes place in a school, it is to be recorded in a portal which then begins a system response. We have a responsibility to educate against hate. 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.
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.
In Our Communities
Report any allegations of hate-motivated crimes to police for investigation at 416-808-2222 or 9-1-1 in an emergency. We 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.
Toronto Police provide new online option to report hate-motivated graffiti
Toronto Police Service is launching a new option for the public to provide information to police about hate-motivated graffiti in their neighbourhoods. The web form, available on the Service’s website, provides an additional avenue for the public to alert police to hate-motivated graffiti, so officers can attend, gather evidence and arrange for the hate-motivated graffiti to be removed as quickly as possible. This reporting mechanism will be monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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.
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Virtual Ward Forum - February 1, 2024
6:30-7:00 PIAC Election I 7:00-8:30 Discussion on Literacy & Numeracy
Please join me and Superintendents Felsen, Howard & Pividor for Ward 8 PIAC and FSLCAC Elections at 6:30 followed by a conversation on Numeracy and Literacy in our classrooms. Register here.
Election for PIAC and FSLCAC Representatives
We will be electing Ward 8 Co-Representatives for both TDSB Parent Involvement Advisory Committee (PIAC) and French as a Second Language Community Advisory Committee (FSLCAC).
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Holocaust Remembrance Day - January 26, 2024 at 9:30am
“To Hope and Back” is a comprehensive Holocaust education program for Grade 6 students, in line with the new Social Studies curriculum. This nonfiction book, suitable for Grade 6 students, tells the story of he St. Louis, an ocean liner carrying over 900 Jews fleeing Nazi-occupied Europe that was turned away from every port - including Canada’s.
Join the TDSB Jewish Heritage Committee via Zoom from the TDSB boardroom at 5050 Yonge Street and hear Shari Schwartz-Maltz in conversation with:
- Kathy Kacer, the author
- Ana Maria Gordon, last living survivor of the St. Louis in Canada
- Madeline Avedon, daughter of Lisa Avedon, one of the main characters in To Hope and Back
The International Holocaust Remembrance Day on 27 January, the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp in 1945, commemorates the more than 6 million Jews murdered in the Holocaust and the countless other victims. Never Again Is Now.
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National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia - January 29, 2024 from 6:00-7:00pm for the Community
The Islamic Heritage Month Committee, in partnership with the Equity, Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression Department, is offering students (Grades K-8), families, and staff the opportunity to attend the virtual session of Salat in Secret: Love and Belonging in Community Spaces.
The sessions commemorate the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia. Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, critically acclaimed author of Your Name is a Song and many other celebrated children’s books, will engage TDSB students, along with their caregivers and families, in an interactive storytelling session focused on courage, conviction and the importance of prayer spaces. There is a session during the day designed for students in Grades 4-8 and for students in Grades K-8 with families and caregivers during the evening from 6 to 7 p.m. To register for the community event, please complete this Google Form.
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Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement: 2024 BSSLP Student Application
The Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement is inviting Black high school students at the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) to apply for the Black Student Summer Leadership Program (BSSLP). This 7-week paid leadership Program begins Tuesday July 2nd to Friday August 16th, 2024. Apply for the 2024 cohort by January 19 by clicking here https://bit.ly/bsslp24.
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Chinese Heritage Month at the TDSB: Chinese Canadian Memory Minute
Chinese Heritage Month is proudly recognized by the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) in February. For this month, we invite all students and staff to submit a 1-minute video that answers one (or more) of the guiding questions posed below. Videos can be created individually or in pairs.
- What does being a Chinese Canadian mean to you?
- What aspect of the lunar new year is most important or meaningful to you?
- What does the dragon symbolize for you?
- How has identifying as Chinese impacted you in your school and/or your community?
Students must complete a Media Release Form. All entries must be received by Friday January 26, 2024, by 4:00 pm. Submit here.
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TDSB Virtual Community Fair: Let's Talk About Camp and Funding
The virtual community fair is taking place to learn from our community partners about camp and funding options for your child or youth with special/complex needs. Get first-hand information from agency representatives about March Break Camps, Summer Camps, respite and funding options. Start your planning early!
Speakers: Geneva Centre for Autism, Community Living Toronto, Surrey Place, Toronto Parks & Recreation, Variety Village and Ontario Camp Association.
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Toronto Police Service’s Youth in Policing Initiative
The Toronto Police Service’s Youth in Policing Initiative program is currently hiring for the 2024 Summer program.
This program enhances the link between the police and the neighbourhoods we serve. This initiative gives young people an opportunity to develop job skills while fostering positive partnerships with the Toronto Police Service. Youth ages 15 to 18 who reside in the city of Toronto are employed through the summer and throughout the year, working alongside police officers and civilian staff in a wide range of roles. The program is not unique to Toronto, as it was created and funded by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services, and is now used throughout the province. Our applications close on January 21st, 2024.
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Imagine a Canada
The Imagine a Canada 2023-2024 program invites Canadian youth from K-G12 to envision a Canada reconciled.
Youth who participate in the art and essay stream can submit an art piece, essay, or other representation to express their vision of a reconciled Canada and what they hope others will learn from their submission. Up to twelve projects will be selected from the art and essay stream to be included in an art booklet showcasing their work and message. Youth who participate in the project stream are asked to go one step further and submit a plan on how their project will address Reconciliation in their community or school. Projects for consideration include: inviting Survivors, Elders, or Knowledge Keepers to speak at a series of learning events; building a permanent art installation representing Reconciliation at the school; or supporting volunteer work in communities related to Reconciliation. Six projects from the project stream will receive $750, six will receive $1000, and three will receive $1500. Additionally, these projects will also be recognized in an art booklet. For more information, please click https://nctr.ca/education/educational-programs/imagine-a-canada/,
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Diverse Minds Creative Writing Competition
B'Nai Brith Canada invites high school students to showcase your talent in their Diverse Minds Creative Writing Competition! Craft your own children’s book to reflect on the values of diversity and inclusion by writing and illustrating a story for elementary school students (Kindergarten to Grade 5) and have your book published before graduating high school! Don't just dream it, write it into reality! Join the writing community and let your imagination flow. For more details, or to enter the competition, click here: https://bnaibrith.ca/diverseminds. Deadline for entries is April 15, 2024.
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Ontario Pre-Budget Consultations
More information has been posted regarding the province’s plans for its 2024 Pre-Budget Consultations. In addition to the online survey, Ontarians can also submit written submissions by January 31, 2024. Further, the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs will be conducting public meetings across the province during December 2023 and January 2024.
We ask that you complete the online survey - please see Question 5 that asks, “When you think about your community, what services or resources could use more government support? Please choose the top 3 priorities that you feel are the most important.” One of the options is “Education supports (like before and after school programming, special education and developmental support programs).” We encourage you to list this priority should you wish to support public education.
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Here to Help - Kids Help Line
As conflict around the world continues, we’re here for anyone who may need support in their language. We offer phone counselling through trained interpreters in over 100 languages including Arabic, Hebrew, Yiddish, Ukrainian, Russian and more by calling 1-800-668-6868. Talking to someone about what you’re going through can be difficult, especially if you don’t use the same language. That’s why Kids Help Phone is providing our phone counselling in over 100 languages, with the help of trained interpreters. It’s all free, confidential and available 24/7 in Canada. No ID required.
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Winter Outerwear Drive
The TDSB holds an annual Winter Outerwear Drive to help ensure that all students have warm winter outerwear to get to and from school, and are prepared to participate in all of the fun outdoor activities winter has to offer. You can support our students and their families by making a donation to provide warm winter coats, pants, hats, gloves, and boots. This year’s Winter Outerwear Drive will run from October 2023 to the end of February 2024. 100% of all proceeds and in-kind donations go to benefit our students. Tax receipts are available for these donations. Contact the Business Development department at BusinessDevelopment@tdsb.on.ca for more information about how to donate new outwear items. Please donate here.
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Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Helpline
Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Helpline 9-8-8 - On November 30, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC ) through the Canadian Radio and Television Corporation (CRTC) announced a national three digit Mental Health and Suicide Prevention hotline number, 988. Learn More.
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We Have a Dog Problem
Current by-law rules don’t work for school grounds. As a result, many dog owners disregard our signage and don’t seem to care that children play on that same grass! With limited resources the TDSB must rely on dog owners to be responsible and unfortunately, so many aren’t.
Please respect children’s play spaces.
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2023-2024 Calendar
Please ensure you check these dates before scheduling events.
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Community Safety & Support
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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