Week of November 30, 2020
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This Week's Update- Reduce the Spread
- COVID-19 Advisory
- COVID-19 Update from TPH
- Expanded COVID-19 Testing
- Grade 3 Universal Screening Process 2020-21
- World Aids Day - December 1
- International Day of Persons with Diabilities - December 3
- National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women - December 6
- Important Information re Optional Attendance
- Student Senate Election
- Beyond 8: Grade 8 to 9 Transition
- Virtual Open Houses
- Optional Attendance
- Learn4Life
- International Languages Elementary & African Heritage Programs
- School Year Calendar
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COVID-19: Reduce Virus Spread
Please note that schools, before & after school programs, & childcares will remain open during the COVID-19 Lockdown in Toronto. The best way to keep our kids in school right now is to ensure everyone is following public health guidelines to prevent community spread. This is the most critical thing we can do. Let's all do what we can.
"Please choose to keep at least six feet or two metres apart from people you don’t live with. Please choose to wear your mask when you’re exposed to people you don’t live with. Please choose to wash your hands as frequently as possible. And please choose to stay home and stay apart as much as you can. So if we’ve got to do this – and there is no doubt that we do – let’s make it work."
Dr Eileen de Villa
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Download the COVID ALERT APP
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COVID-19 Advisories
The Toronto District School Board is committed to providing up to date information about confirmed cases of COVID-19 in schools (students and staff). This information is easily accessible by clicking on the COVID-19 Advisories banner on the main webpage of www.tdsb.on.ca. Please note that all schools where there is a confirmed case of COVID-19 will receive a letter from Toronto Public Health to inform them about the possible exposure.
Please note that as of November 10, TDSB began tracking “resolved” cases on the website. If a case was resolved prior to November 10th, it wouldn’t be reflected on the website.
As of the morning of November 27, 1,180 cases of COVID-19 cases had been reported in publicly funded schools in the past 14 days. Of those cases, 908 are students, 206 are staff, and 66 are not identified. Six of the 4,828 schools in the province are currently closed, or 0.12%.
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COVID-19 Update
At our TDSB Planning and Priorities (Special Meeting) on November 24th, 2020 Dr. Vinita Dubey Toronto Public Health Associate Medical Officer of Health (AMOH) and Vincenza Pietropaolo Toronto Public Health Associate Director, Liaison presented.
They noted cases and outbreaks of COVID-19 are smaller in schools compared to the community and other institutional outbreaks. Schools are the source of about 10% of COVID-19 cases related to all outbreaks in the City. They also noted that secondary school outbreaks do not appear to be the reason behind an increase in the percentage of teenagers whose COVID test results come back positive. The reasons go beyond school to explain higher rate in teenagers.
Their plea was to stay home except to:
- Attend school/work
- Pick up essentials like groceries
- Attend health care
- Exercise
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Expanded COVID-19 Testing
As part of a pilot program, the Ministry of Education and Ontario Health have asked school boards in Toronto, Peel, York and Ottawa to participate in expanded testing of students and staff. This pilot testing will involve completing approximately 34,000 tests over a four week period across the four regions. This testing is voluntary for students and staff in the selected schools. The purpose of the testing is to learn more about the spread of the virus. The results will inform the province’s pandemic strategy and could result in more testing for schools in 2021.
In Toronto, the pilot program will be done in schools where outbreaks have been identified and Toronto Public Health (TPH) has directed that broader testing of the entire school would be beneficial. Currently, TPH only offers testing to impacted cohorts who are in self-isolation. Starting November 23, in schools where there are multiple impacted cohorts with no known source of acquisition outside of the school, testing will be offered to all students and staff in the school. Under the current testing protocol established with TPH, Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) and school boards in Toronto, when an outbreak occurs in a school, an operational “huddle” is immediately called with the school principal, TPH, LHIN and the appropriate testing partner to determine the best approach for conducting the testing at that particular school as well as other factors such as timing of testing (which could be either during school hours and/or outside of school hours). At the conclusion of testing, the testing partner will do a medical cleaning of the tables and chairs used in the testing and take all medical waste back to their sites. TDSB caretakers will also clean the applicable floors, washrooms and high touch surfaces.
To date, four TDSB schools have been identified by TPH for this expanded testing opportunity: Thorncliffe Park PS (Ward 11); Marc Garneau CI (Ward 11); Valley Park MS (Ward 14); and Lester B Pearson CI (Ward 21).
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Grade 3 Universal Screening Process 2020-21As a result of the COVID 19 pandemic and staggered entry to school, the annual TDSB’s Universal Screening Process using the Canadian Cognitive Abilities Test 7 (CCAT 7) for Grade 3 students was delayed. This test provides information to classroom teachers about the strengths and learning needs of each student in order to better support teachers with programming. The CCAT 7, which typically has been administered in October, will now be administered following the process below. We have a total of 17,758 Grade 3 students that require testing: 11, 467 in bricks and mortar and 6,291 in virtual school.
PHASE 1: CCAT 7 Testing for OSR School students (in bricks and mortar) - Parents will be notified before December 2nd, 2020 that all Grade 3 students will be writing the CCAT 7 test. Schools will receive their testing materials within the week of November 30, 2020. If a parent chooses to opt their child out of the testing, the letter being sent home to parents will indicate that parents must notify the principal.
Between December 2nd - December 10th, 2020, schools are asked to have their bricks and mortar students write the test. All TPH protocols will be followed and the Grade 3 Teachers will be administering the test.
PHASE 2: CCAT 7 Testing for Virtual School students - The CCAT 7 Parent Letter for Virtual School Students will be emailed centrally to the families of your respective Grade 3 students who are attending virtual school no later than December 2nd , 2020.
All grade 3 students in virtual schools will write the CCAT 7 test on January 15th, 2021 which is an Elementary PA Day. If a parent chooses to opt their child out of the testing, the parent will indicate on the Parent Option Form. For families who are experiencing special circumstances or have complex needs and are unable to have their virtual school child participate in bricks and mortar, and want their child to write the test, accommodations will be provided.
This plan has been discussed with Toronto Public Health (TPH) through our Occupational Health & Safety Senior Manager. TPH is aware and is in support of our plan if we continue to follow all TPH health and safety protocols. Moreover, a system deep clean is being arranged through Senior Manager of Operations, Maintenance, and Community Use for January 14th for all the spaces that VS Grade 3 students will be writing. Based on the parent response, the Special Education team, in collaboration with the Planning team will determine one of two testing locations: the OSR school or a Central Location.
A communication from the Special Education team will be sent to the OSR Principals to share with their respective parents of the Grade 3 students writing the test, closer to the January 15th, 2021 date. The letter will indicate where students will be writing the test (based on numbers). The letter will also explain TPH has been consulted with the plan and share the health and safety protocols that will be followed the day of the testing.
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World AIDS Day - December 1World AIDS Day, December 1, which also launches the start of Aboriginal AIDS Awareness Week in Canada, is a time for reflection: on what we have achieved with regard to the national and global response to HIV, and what we still must achieve.
This year’s World AIDS Day comes in the midst of another global epidemic: the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The public health response to these epidemics is linked. The COVID-19 pandemic is threatening access to HIV prevention, testing, treatment and care. And without strategies to meet these needs, we may see a resurgence of HIV that would threaten our public health response to COVID-19. For more, please visit https://www.catie.ca/en/world-aids-day
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International Day of Persons with Diabilities - December 3
Building Back Better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 World
Disability inclusion is an essential condition to upholding human rights, sustainable development, and peace and security. It is also central to the promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to leave no one behind. The commitment to realizing the rights of persons with disabilities is not only a matter of justice; it is an investment in a common future.
The global crisis of COVID-19 is deepening pre-existing inequalities, exposing the extent of exclusion and highlighting that work on disability inclusion is imperative. People with disabilities—one billion people— are one of the most excluded groups in our society and are among the hardest hit in this crisis in terms of fatalities.
Even under normal circumstances, persons with disabilities are less likely to access health care, education, employment and to participate in the community. An integrated approach is required to ensure that persons with disabilities are not left behind.
Disability inclusion will result in a COVID19 response and recovery that better serves everyone, more fully suppressing the virus, as well as building back better. It will provide for more agile systems capable of responding to complex situations, reaching the furthest behind first.
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National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women - December 6
Flags on all Government of Ontario buildings and establishments across the province will be flown at half-mast from sunrise to sunset on Sunday, December 6, 2020, to mark the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. The TDSB will support the marking of this day of remembrance by flying flags at half-mast, at all sites, starting on Friday, 4 December and raising the flags on Monday, 7 December.
It has been over 30 years since the murder of 14 young women at Polytechnique Montréal (December 6, 1989). This act of violent misogyny shook our country and led Parliament to designate December 6 as The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women.
On December 6, we remember:
- Geneviève Bergeron
- Hélène Colgan
- Nathalie Croteau
- Barbara Daigneault
- Anne-Marie Edward
- Maud Haviernick
- Maryse Laganière
- Maryse Leclair
- Anne-Marie Lemay
- Sonia Pelletier
- Michèle Richard
- Annie St-Arneault
- Annie Turcotte
- Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz
As we mourn their loss and honour their memory, we reaffirm our commitment to fight the hatred that led to this tragedy, and the misogyny that still exists today. In Canada and around the world, women, girls, LGBTQ2 (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two spirit) and gender diverse individuals face unacceptable violence and discrimination. Gender-based violence in Canada has been magnified and amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been reports from police services, shelters and local organization of an increase in calls related to gender-based violence across Canada during the pandemic.
The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women is about remembering those who have experienced gender-based violence and those who we have lost to it; it is also a time to take action. Working together we can help prevent and address gender-based violence by remembering and learning from our past, listening to survivors, and speaking up against harmful behaviour.
December 6 falls within the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. Add your voice to the conversation between November 25 and December 10 and share the ways you are being part of the solution to end gender-based violence using the hashtag #16Days.
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Important Information re Optional AttendanceIf a student moves to their designated school by address, parents will have the choice keeping their child at the designated school or returning to their Optional Attendance school for 2021-22. A decision will need to be made by January 15, 2021 so that schools can determine the available space for the 2021-22 Optional Attendance process. Re-entry into an intensive French program is subject to Operational Procedure PR597 (French Immersion/ Extended French) and cannot be guaranteed.
Elementary students who entered a school under Optional Attendance through the before and after school program will be able to retain their space in the school, even if they select the Virtual School option and do not make use of the before and after school program in 2020-21. There is no requirement, however, for the child care operator to hold a space for the students for 2021-22.
My child is in a specialized program. Can they return to their designated school by address and hold a spot in the program for the following year? If space is available, the principal will facilitate the transfer back to the designated school. To determine your local school, please visit https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Find-your/School. A space will be held at the specialized program for the 2021-22 school year, however parents will have to indicate their school choice by January 15, 2021.
I attend an Arts school but would like to transfer to an Arts school closer to my home. Is this possible? No. Students can return to their designated school by address only, provided there is space. Alternatively, they can remain in their specialized program school or select the remote learning option.
My child attends an elementary school through Optional Attendance and he is in the Before and After Care program. If we select remote learning, can my child return to the school in 2021-22?Yes. Although a space may not be held by the child care operator, the school will continue to hold a place for your child. The child care operator conducts its own registrations and although we work closely with them, we cannot require them to retain your space.
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Student Senate Election (2020-21)
The Toronto District School Board is now accepting applications for the 2020-21 Student Senate, including the positions of President, Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer, Communications Officer, Conference Chair, Alternative School Rep and Learning Centre Reps. The mandate of Student Senate is to provide consistent, responsive representation of all TDSB students at the appropriate levels, and to help ensure students' needs and interests are met with the proper attention. This year, to reflect the voices of all students and the way education is currently delivered due to COVID-19, each Learning Centre will have a rep from in-person learning and Virtual School.
Interested students are asked to apply online by Friday, December 4. Each position is open to Grade 9 – 12 students, with the exception of the Learning Centre Reps, which is open to Grade 7 – 12 students. Official candidates will be asked to prepare a short campaign video, which will be posted online to promote their candidacy and help students make an informed decision when they vote. Campaign videos will be available from Monday, January 18 to Wednesday, January 27. Voting will take place online on Tuesday, January 26 and Wednesday, January 27. For more information visit https://www.tdsb.on.ca/High-School/TDSB-Student-Senate/Student-Senate-Election.
Please note that Student Trustees were elected separately in June 2020 for the 2020-21 school year. This election was delayed due to the various impacts of COVID-19.
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Beyond 8: Grade 8 to 9 Transition
The list of High School Virtual Open Houses and Information Sessions can be found: here.
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Virtual Open Houses and Information SessionsTo help you make an informed decision when choosing a school, TDSB schools will host virtual open houses and information sessions (live or pre-recorded) for parents/guardians and students between November and January.
Note: Please check this page regularly, as schools will continue to post information about virtual open house dates/times and available pre-recorded information sessions. https://www.tdsb.on.ca/openhouses
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Optional Attendance
If you choose to apply for optional attendance you should know:
- You will be responsible for your own transportation.
- You may only apply to two regular and two specialized schools/programs.
- 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 by mid-January.
- A school/program that receives more applications than it has space will run a lottery to determine the successful applicants.
- Once you accept an offer of admission to a regular school through Optional Attendance, it becomes your home school and you are expected to remain there until graduation. For specialized schools/program and alternative schools, you may return to your designated school by address at an appropriate intake opportunity (i.e. semester change, end of term)
Elementary Optional Attendance – Key Dates:
- February 12, 2021 - Optional attendance forms due at elementary school
- March 05, 2021 - Deadline for parents/guardians to be informed of the status of the application request
- March 26, 2021 - Parents/guardians must inform the requested school of their acceptance of the offer
Secondary Optional Attendance – Key Dates:
- January 29, 2021 - Optional attendance forms due at secondary school
- February 12, 2021 - Deadline for parents/guardians of students to be informed of the status of the application request
- February 26, 2021 - Course selection sheets due at secondary schools
- March 1, 2021: Course selection sheets due at secondary schools via myBlueprint
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Learn4Life
Registration for the Winter 2021 term begins Wednesday December 2, 2020.
TDSB has served adults in Toronto for more than 160 years. Today, nearly 30,000 adult learners join 1700 general interest classes to take up a hobby, learn a skill and to meet people in their communities.
For details on courses, click here.
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International Languages Elementary & African Heritage Programs
International Languages Elementary & African Heritage Program is an enriching learning experience for K-8 students to learn a new language and discover other cultures. Open to all TDSB and non-TDSB students, programs are currently offered online and there is no language background necessary.
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School Year Calendar 2020-2021The official school year calendar for the Toronto District School Board runs from September 1 to June 30, inclusive and has now been approved by the Ministry.
PA Days & Holidays Remaining
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Virtual School - December 4, 2020
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Dec 21, 2020 - January 1, 2021
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Secondary PA Day (Semestered Schools Only)
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