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Week of November 15, 2015

Bullying Awareness Week - November 15 - 21, 2015 "Stand Up! (to bullying)" From their website "Research has shown us that approximately 15% of a given population in a school or workplace are directly involved with bullying, that leaves 85% as potential bystanders or silent majority. This group is the primary focus and target audience for Bullying Awareness Week. The week also has youth as a primary focus, as they are the ones who can "Be the change", and grow up thinking differently about bullying unlike many in previous generations who have attitudes about bullying as a "Rite of passage" or even that "Being bullied is good for you, it toughens you up."

The vision behind Bullying Awareness Week:

Bullying Awareness Week is about working at preventing bullying through education and awareness
Bullying Awareness Week is NOT about what others could or should be doing, but rather what WE can do!
Bullying is a community issue. Schools are a critically important part of the solution, but bullying should not be defined solely as a "school problem".
Addressing bullying is best done with a holistic, community approach because bullying is a community health and wellness issue.
Everyone can play a role in addressing bullying in their community.
Bullying also needs to be understood as a health issue. The impact of bullying on personal health and wellness can last a lifetime. This also financial implications for our society with lessened productivity, lost man-hours due to illness or personal days off work.
Bullying is a serious issue, at it's worst, bullying can kill.

Ontario has designated the week beginning on the third Sunday of November as Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week to help promote safe schools and a positive learning environment. Schools across the TDSB use this week to highlight initiatives that promote a positive school climate and celebrate the outstanding partnerships and programs that promote harmony and respect in schools.

To learn more about the TDSB’s bullying prevention programs, the TDSB Caring and Safe Schools Policy, and the Bullying Prevention and Intervention Procedure, visit http://www.tdsb.on.ca/safeschools.

Provincial Capital Funding Announcement

Earlier this week, at Davisville JPS/Spectrum Alternative School, I was proud to welcome Dr Eric Hoskins, our MPP for St Paul's and Education Minister Liz Sandals who made an announcement with regard to capital funding for schools across Ontario, including additional child care spaces. Councillor Josh Matlow, board staff and Davisville parents and community members were also invited. Prior to the announcement, Principal Shona Farrelly and Vice Principal Lara Schneider were able to tour the Ministers and visit a few classrooms where students were engaged in learning.

The province's Media Release stated “Overall, the province is investing $498 million toward 30 new schools as well as 26 major additions and renovations. Families will also benefit from increased access to safe, high-quality licensed child care with 122 new child care rooms, resulting in 2,135 new licensed spaces for infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers.”

Forty-nine school boards submitted 220 school construction projects, worth approximately $2.7 billion to the Ministry of Education under the Capital Priorities Grant process. According to the Ministry, projects were assessed based upon factors such as the need to address accommodation pressures, increase utilization through school consolidation, improve facility condition or accommodate French-language enrolment in a cost effective manner. Like other boards across the province, TDSB submitted 8 priority projects – the Ministry approved funding to support 3 and allocated $29.3M to undertake these projects - $25.5M in new 2015 CPG funding, $1.27M in Full Day Kindergarten funding, $2.52M in Child Care Capital funding. The three schools that will be receiving funding include:

Davisville JPS [new build]
Norseman JPS [addition] and
Terry Fox PS [addition and 5 new child care rooms, creating 88 new child care spaces]

As I said to Minister Sandals, our community greatly appreciates the support and funding approval by the Ministry for the long awaited new Davisville JPS. This funding, along with the additional renewal funding provided by the Ministry last March, comes at a critical time for the TDSB as we are faced with aging infrastructure, a $3.2 billion capital renewal backlog and increased enrolment projections for the future... our needs are great... we hope for additional infrastructure investment for our Board in the future to begin to meet those needs. To read more about the Board's Capital Plan, click here. To read Capital Facts click here. To follow the work of Fix Our Schools, click here. Stay tuned for more information on the plans to rebuild Davisville.

Public Information Meeting on PART Recommendations – November 17 at 7pm, Hodgson Sr PS

The information meeting on Thursday is to share the final recommendations of the Yonge-Eglinton Program Area Review Team (PART) with the community. These will be presented to the Central Accommodations Team (CAT) for review. The Final PART Report will be sent to the February Program & Priorities Committee and on to the Board for final decision-making. Please note this is an information meeting only, and staff will be on hand to answer questions about the PART recommendations being shared and to discuss next steps on transitioning at all the impacted schools that will begin next Spring.

The PART’s final recommendations are as follows:

Revise shared attendance area (Eglinton Jr. PS/Hodgson Sr. PS and Northlea E & MS) so it is directed entirely to Northlea E & MS for September 2016
Re-align intermediate attendance areas (Glenview Sr. PS/Hodgson Sr. PS) – Allenby Jr. PS and Eglinton Jr. PS areas for September 2016
Change boundary for Oriole Park Jr. PS-Forest Hill Jr. & Sr. PS “triangle” area – from Forest Hill Jr. & Sr. PS to “shared” attendance area between Forest Hill Jr. & Sr. PS/Hodgson Sr. PS for September 2016 (for Grades 7-8 only in 2016 and Grades 6-8 from 2017 onward)
Retain the Extended French program at Forest Hill Jr. & Sr. PS through to Grade 8 and reduce entry to 1 class for September 2016 onward
Change grade configuration from JK-6 to JK-5 at Davisville Jr. PS (English stream), Eglinton Jr. PS (English & Extended French), Maurice Cody Jr. PS, and Oriole Park Jr. PS for September 2017
Change grade configuration from 7-8 to 6-8 at Hodgson Sr. PS (English and Extended French) for September 2017
Change school name: Hodgson Sr. PS to Hodgson MS for September 2017
Review accommodation options for the Davisville Jr. PS Grade 6 students upon opening of Davisville Jr. PS/Spectrum Alternative Sr. School new facility in (est.) 2020
Review the Maurice Cody Jr. PS/Eglinton Jr. PS boundary change in (est.) 2022

If you are unable to attend, information related to the review can be found on TDSB’s website: http://www.tdsb.on.ca/aboutus/strategyplanning/communityinvolvement.aspx - from the drop-down menu, select: Program Area Reviews – 2015 – Yonge-Eglinton Review.

I would like to thank Superintendent Sandra Tondat, Kathleen McGrath, Administrative Liaison to Superintendent Tondat, the school principals, school council representatives, central staff, and planners who participated in the PART process for their time and commitment and for ensuring their community questions and concerns were brought forward.

Syrian Refuges

As you’ve heard, the federal government is working hard to accept approximately 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of the year. Director Quan has let us know that the TDSB is pulling together a staff committee to discuss how we can best be prepared to welcome and receive children of Syrian families into our schools. To date, staff has met with Syrian Lifeline to review the registration process into our schools and how to best accept students (recognizing some won’t have the “paperwork” immediately on hand to retrieve). In addition the TDSB has been on a City of Toronto Inter-Agency Task Force, which was established as a result of City Council's measures to address the potential arrival of Syrian refugees. The Director assured then we will do everything we can to coordinate and streamline activities and services for children and adults to ensure a successful reception, settlement and integration of resettled refugees in all aspects. There are many ways to support the Syrian Refuges – please consider the following;

Supper with Syria - November 29, 2015, 4 -9pm Artscape Wychwood Barns - Learn the story of Syria that you don't hear in the news. Join your neighbours and friends for an evening of Syrian food, music and culture, and help us raise $70,000 for the sponsorship and settlement of 2 Syrian families in our community (Ward 21). Watch Syrian and Canadian chefs prepare traditional Syrian meals while sharing stories of food and life from opposite ends of the world. There will be a silent auction, storytelling, traditional music, art, and much more. For more Visit Supper With Syria on Facebook at www.facebook.com/supperwithsyria or email info@supperwithsyria.org
Join the 1000 Schools Challenge – Dewson Public School – “Schools Welcome Refugees” was formed to support and encourage school communities that are looking to sponsor refugee families. We’ll share our learning and resources about raising funds, putting together an application and assisting with the settlement of refugee families. We believe 1000 schools across Canada could commit to sponsoring refugee families much like church communities did in the 1970s and 1980s, and are doing today. For more information, click on http://schoolswelcome.wix.com/1000schoolschallenge
TDSB Cares - The Toronto District School Board is supporting the efforts of the Red Cross to provide refugees and migrants in their journey by providing essential relief items such as food, water, first aid and psychological support. Red Cross and Red Crescent teams are on the ground providing direct aid to those affected by this ongoing humanitarian crisis. For every eligible dollar donated by individual Canadians to registered Canadian charities between September 12 and December 31 in response to the conflict in Syria, the government will set aside one dollar in its own Syria Emergency Relief Fund. This money set aside in the fund will then provide financing to experienced international and Canadian humanitarian organizations. The total value of the Fund will be capped at $100 million. Please consider donating at https://secure.redcross.ca/registrant/donate.aspx?eventid=184355&langpref=en-CA

New Invitations

Cyberbullying, Sexting & Online Safety - Tuesday, November 17 – 6:30-8pm Humewood Community School (15 Cherrywood Ave) is hosting Toronto Police Service, 13 Division for a presentation about cyberbullying, sexting and online safety. Here is the link to the flyer.

Worth Repeating

High School Information Nights - To help you make an informed decision when choosing a high school, TDSB schools host open houses and information nights for parents and grade 8 students each year. Open houses take place between October and January and are an opportunity to learn everything you need to know about our incredible variety of schools, programs and courses. This link shows all the open houses.

French Immersion & Extended French Timelines - A reminder that the TDSB guarantees an offer of placement in the Early French Immersion or Junior Extended French program (not a specific school) to all on-time applicants. Timelines for the application process to French Immersion and Extended French programs for September 2016 are as follows:

Early French Immersion (EFI): Families must apply on-line (for a JK aged child) between November 2nd 2015 and December 3rd 2015;
Junior Extended French or Middle Immersion: Families must apply on-line (for a child currently in Grade 3) between January 4th and January 28th 2016. For further information, please click here.

Kindness Week Fundraiser - November 16, 2015 - the movie is a 45 minute documentary titled Teaching the Life of Music about Venezuelan children who rise out of their slums by being given musical instruments and instruction. The movie is Monday, November 16th at the Cineplex Empress Walk at 7:15 (between Sheppard and Finch). See https://www.facebook.com/events/898497920235290/ for more detail. Tickets are $20. If you can't go yourself, please consider buying one and sending a student!

Alyson Schafer - Family Talk About Drinking - Tuesday Dec. 1st, 7:30-8:30 - Northern SS Library Family Talk about Drinking gives parents and educators the tools and strategies required to navigate this important phase of development. The goal is to help adults better understand what is happening in the lives of teens and take an active role to prevent underage drinking.

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