School boards and unions share a commitment to public education and work together towards positive labour relations. The collective bargaining framework for the education sector features a two-tier bargaining process, involving both central and local bargaining. Learn more about the process https://www.tdsb.on.ca/About-Us/Labour-Negotiations/The-Process.

The Council of Trustees' Associations (CTA) is a partnership among the following four Associations: Association des conseils scolaires des écoles publiques de l'Ontario; Association franco-ontarienne des conseils scolaires catholiques; Ontario Catholic School Trustees' Association; and the Ontario Public School Boards' Association (OPSBA). OPSBA represents 31 public district school boards and public school authorities across Ontario, which together serve more than 1.3 million public elementary and secondary students. The Association advocates on behalf of the best interests and needs of the public school system in Ontario.

On October 6, 2019 a tentative central agreement was reached between Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) the Government of Ontario and the Council of Trustees Associations. The details of the agreement remain confidential until ratified by all parties. Ratification should be completed by November 1.

Central negotiations between the Government of Ontario (the Crown), public school boards represented by the Ontario Public School Boards Association (OPSBA), and teacher federations and education worker unions (including ETFO and OSSTF) remain ongoing. Visit the OPSBA website for the latest updates on central bargaining - https://www.opsba.org/advocacy-and-action/labour-relations.

The TDSB is currently bargaining locally with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). We anticipate local bargaining with the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), and the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) in the near future.

All updates will be posted on the website - https://www.tdsb.on.ca/About-Us/Labour-Negotiations

All meetings are open to the public - should you wish to speak to an item on the agenda, please follow this process - https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Leadership/Boardroom/Delegations

5. Reports From Trustees Appointed to the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association
5.1 OPSBA Directors’ Report - To be presented
6. Staff Reports
6.1 French-as-a-Second-Language Programs Review: Update - It is recommended that the update on the French-as-a-Second Language Review be received. It includes a report on a:
● Core French Action Plan
● Implementation of a proposed transportation plan
● Development of a redistribution plan for French Immersion programs to improve equity of access
● Revision of operational procedure, PR597, French Immersion/Extended French

6.2 Secondary Program Review: Update - It is recommended that the update about the Secondary Program Review be received.  As of September 27, 2019 the total Full Time Equivalent (FTE) enrolment across all secondary schools was 72,868. The existing capacity within the secondary school system is currently 92,680 pupil places, resulting in a utilization rate
of 78.6%, and close to 20,000 surplus pupil places. The vision will address both under and over-utilized schools, as changes to any delivery model will have some degree of impact on all schools in a geographic cluster. In order to achieve this vision, final recommendations may include the following:
● School closure(s)
● Relocation or consolidation of existing program(s)
● Repurposing of secondary school buildings to address other system needs, i.e.using a secondary school facility for a large elementary school
● Different models of school organization, including full-year programming and campus models Over the course of the next few months, staff will be reviewing enrolment projections, facility conditions, specialized programs, optional attendance, and will be holding ad hoc meetings and consultation meetings with stakeholders to better inform the recommendations of the final report. Regular Secondary Program Review reports will be presented at Committee of the Whole meetings throughout the year.
More specifically by June 2020, the Board of Trustees will have received pertinent information on Access, Program, Location and Facilities as they support our Secondary vision and will be in a position to approve a long term implementation plan of 8-12 years.

6.3 Multi-Year Strategic Plan Action Plans: Update - It is recommended that the Multi-Year Strategic Plan-Action Plans be approved. In October 2018, the Multi-Year Strategic Plan – Action Plans were approved by the Board of Trustees. These 38 action-oriented plans were developed to provide specific details and timelines of the work that support the five system goals as well as
leadership. The Plans outlined our goals, the specific work we have been focused on to achieve these goals and how we measure success.
One year into the Multi-Year Strategic Plan, we have reviewed the Action Plans, making note of our progress, identifying what items have been completed and re-evaluating the remaining work in light of timing, budget implications and system priorities (Appendix A). A great deal of work has been accomplished (Appendix B) in the last year in support of student equity, well-being and achievement. It is important to note, that while many actions are marked complete, a number of actions are considered “ongoing.” This means that the action is a cycle of continuous improvement where a goal is created, reached and then another goal is created, all within the same action. Work continues across the system, guided by the Multi-Year Strategic Plan, in support of student success.

6.4 Toronto Lands Corporation Budget: Amendment - It is recommended that the Committee of the Whole approve the amended budget as presented in Appendix A for the Toronto Lands Corporation for 2019-20.

7. Toronto Lands Corporation Reports
7.1 Proposed 2019-20 Toronto Lands Corporation Annual Plan:Building for Tomorrow - The Draft 2019-2020 Toronto Lands Corporation Annual Plan: Building for Tomorrow provides the approved and updated Mission, Vision, Core Principles and strategic direction and proposed budget for the operation for TLC. The three strategic goals with corresponding objectives which received Board approval on May 7, 2019. 

7.2 Proposed 2019-2020 Toronto Lands Corporation Budget 
7.3 Management Report to Board, September 2019
7.4 Crescent Town, Massey Square Bridge Reconstruction Maintenance Agreement
7.5 Choice Properties REIT: TCDSB, 238 Dundas Street West and 1515 Bloor Street West
7.6 Sir Robert Borden, 770 Don Mills Road: Land Exchange With City of Toronto

8. Written Notices of Motion for Consideration
8.1 Mandatory eLearning in Schools (Trustees Donaldson and Story) 
Therefore, be it resolved:
(a) That the Director conduct a random sample of the Board’s secondary school students, parents and staff to determine their thoughts about the implementation of mandatory eLearning;
(b) That the TDSB survey platform - the Pulse - be used to conduct the survey;
(c) That the Chair write to the Minister of Education and the presidents of both the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association and the Ontario Student Trustees’ Association:
i. to express the Board’s concerns about the implementation of the Ministry’s major policy change in its schools regarding mandatory eLearning;
ii. to advise that the TDSB is surveying its community and will then report back to the province when the results become available in winter 2020.

In last week's update I noted that the Ministry of Education recently held a public consultation on proposed amendments to the Educational Development Charges (EDC) regulation of the Education Act under Bill 108 More Choice, More Homes Act, 2019. I noted that OPSBA provided a response on behalf of all school boards and included the link. The TDSB has also taken the opportunity to advocate for changes and note its primary concern that we do not qualify for EDCs due to excess capacity. A copy of TDSB's submission is found on the TDSB EDC webpage, along with other information concerning our judicial review application. For additional background on Bill 108, please review our May 2019 analysis of the Bill, also found on the TDSB EDC webpage - https://www.tdsb.on.ca/About-Us/Accountability/Renewal-Needs-Backlog-and-Facility-Condition-Index/Education-Development-Charges.

Background - EDCs are funds that school boards can spend on new developments. The current regulation establishes that EDCs can be used to purchase land for future school sites, not to support the cost of building new schools or renovating existing ones. 

The City of Toronto’s population has increased from 2.6 million in 2006 to 2.9 million in 2017 and is expected to increase to 3.9 million by 2041 (Ministry of Finance, Ontario Population Projections Update, 2017-2041, Spring 2018). Residential development is a significant contributor to the population growth, resulting in substantial pressure on critical public infrastructure serving the area, such as local schools, public transit and roads.

Between 2013 and 2017 approximately 93,000 residential units were built in the City of Toronto. A further 214,000 residential units are forecast to be built over the next 15 years, which could generate approximately 20,000 new students.

While other school boards in Ontario are allowed to collect EDCs, the TDSB does not qualify because it has excess capacity when assessed on a district-wide basis, regardless of significant capacity pressures and challenges faced in many neighborhood schools. This puts the TDSB at a disadvantage. 

What is the TDSB advocating for? The TDSB is advocating for the Ontario Government to amend the Education Development Charges Regulation (Ontario Reg. 20/98) under the Education Act to allow the TDSB to collect EDCs to help support urgent school infrastructure needs and reduce overcrowding in high-growth areas of the City. In addition, the TDSB is asking to expand the definition of “education land costs” to include construction costs for new buildings and other costs to meet growth-related infrastructure needs such as additions and renovations to existing schools.

The Ministry of Education has announced that the PRO Grant will continue. However, changes to the program were made for the 2019-20 school year from an application-based funding model to an allocation-based grant provided to each school board. 

As a result, this year's PRO Grant provides funding to district school boards and school authorities to lead projects with a focus on the identification and removal of barriers that prevent parents and families from participating and engaging fully in their children's learning.

TDSB was allocated $133,405.00 for projects - almost a third of what we received in 2018-19  ($369,901). All funds must be spent and reported to the Ministry by August 21, 2020. Projects will be required to demonstrate a commitment to respecting the role of parents in students’ educational experiences by working with parents or seeking parent input on how schools can:
• Provide a safe and welcoming school environment;
• Maintain open communication with teachers; 
• Respect parents as valued partners within the education system in relation to decisions about their child’s education; and,
• Parents are informed about the content of the Ontario Curriculum Guidelines.

Over the next few weeks staff will consult with the Parent Involvement Advisory Committee (PIAC), as stipulated by the Ministry, other relevant stakeholders and the Multi-year Strategic Plan to identify appropriate TDSB programs, projects and initiatives that fall within the scope of the grant. More information will follow.

Advance polls are open Friday, October 11 through Monday, October 14. More information can be found at the Elections Canada website at: https://www.elections.ca/home.aspx. I voted this weekend... hope you have too!

During federal elections, the Ontario Public School Boards' Association (OPSBA) advocates for non-partisan strategies to engage politicians on issues that affect public education and our children and youth. OPSBA sent letters to the main parties asking questions about key education-related topics contained in the Guide. The Guide and the letters are posted on OPSBA's web page: The 2019 Federal Election.

For families interested in the Toronto District School Board's French Immersion or Extended French programs, we offer an online process.
At this time, we guarantee an offer of placement in the program (not a specific school) to all on-time applicants. The timelines for applying for these programs for September 2020 are:
• Applications for Early French Immersion which begins in SK (for a Junior Kindergarten aged child), must be completed online between November 4, 2019 and November 29, 2019.
• Applications for Junior Extended French which begins in Grade 4 must be completed online between January 6, 2020 and January 31, 2020. Please note that this will be the last entry class for this program as it will be transitioning out - Grade 4 Immersion Program will continue
Offers of placement within your chosen program will be made to all on-time applicants in the weeks following the close of the application window.

Please note that families with an older sibling currently in a French program are still required to complete an online application for the new student.

For further information about French as a Second Language programs, the application process and important dates, please visit www.tdsb.on.ca/french.

Policy Consultations

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. 

Policy development and reviews are carried out in accordance with the policy review schedule that is approved by the Board of Trustees and is revised on a regular basis. To view the latest policy review schedule, please click here.

Policy - Transforming Student Learning in Literacy and Mathematics Policy (P038) Objective - To affirm the Board’s commitment to improve outcomes for all students and to develop and deliver strong, effective literacy and mathematics programs in all TDSB schools. Please read the draft policy P038  - and Email your comments to: helen.fisher@tdsb.on.ca or
anastasia.poulis@tdsb.on.ca. Closes October 17, 2019.

An Evening for Parents with Paul Davis - October 23, 2019 at 6:30 pm - Cedarvale Community School - 145 Ava Rd - All are welcome

• The last day of class for elementary students is June 25, 2020
• The last day of class for secondary (full year) students is June 23, 2020
• The last day of class for secondary (semestered) students is June 23, 2020

• Thanksgiving October 14, 2019
• Board-wide PA Day  November 15, 2019
• Board-wide PA Day  December 6, 2019
• Winter Break  December 23, 2019 to January 3, 2020 (inclusive) 
• Last day of school is December 20, 2019
• School resumes January 6, 2020
• Elementary PA Day  January 17, 2020
• Secondary PA Day (Semestered Schools only) January 30, 2020 
• Board-wide PA Day February 14, 2020
• Family Day  February 17, 2020
• March Break  March 16 to 20, 2020
• Good Friday  April 10, 2020     
• Easter Monday  April 13, 2020
• Victoria Day  May 18, 2020
• Elementary School PA Day  June 5, 2020
• Secondary School PA Day (Full Year Schools only) June 24, 2020
• Secondary School PA Day  June 25, 2020
• Board-wide PA Day June 26, 2020

• Hanukkah begins sunset of Sunday, December 22, 2019 and ends nightfall of Monday, December 30, 2019
• Passover begins sunset of  Wednesday, April 8, 2020 and ends nightfall of Thursday, April 16, 2020
• Ramadan 2020 will begin in the evening of Thursday, April 23, 2020 and ends in the evening of Saturday, May 23, 2020 (dates may vary)
• Eid al-Fitr 2020 will begin in the evening of Saturday, May 23, 2020