Consultation – Secondary Program Review and Optional Attendance Policy

The TDSB is undertaking a review of secondary schools to ensure all students have equitable access to programs and opportunities, as close to home as possible. As part of this review, the Board is also reviewing the Optional Attendance Policy (P013), which allows students to apply to schools other than their designated school by home address. A public consultation process for both will begin this month.

For more information, including public meeting dates and ways to provide feedback, please visit the TDSB webpage for Secondary Program Review.

Addressing Discrimination

Our TDSB schools should be safe, welcoming, inclusive spaces where students, staff, parents/caregivers and community partners know their rights are protected. Read about how we are supporting TDSB parents and students to know their rights and responsibilities and how we uphold these when dealing with incidents of discrimination and harassment in our schools.

Labour Negotiations

The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) is currently in the process of negotiating a new contract with the Ontario Public School Boards' Association and the Ontario government. OSSTF Teachers and Education Workers will be in a legal strike position on Monday, Nov. 18. At this time, OSSTF has not indicated that strike action (partial or full withdrawal of services) will begin, and negotiations are continuing.

The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) has requested a no-board report. This means that ETFO will be in a legal strike position 17 days after the no-board report is issued. At this time, ETFO has not indicated that strike action (partial withdrawal or full withdrawal of services) will begin, and negotiations are ongoing.

For ongoing updates, please visit www.tdsb.on.ca/labour.

Indigenous Education Month

In November, we honour Indigenous Education Month at the TDSB. This month provides an opportunity to centre First Nations, Métis and Inuit perspectives, histories and contemporary realities. In classrooms across the TDSB, it is an opportunity to learn about treaties, Indigenous leadership, achievements, and resistance. 

Hindu Heritage Month

November is Hindu Heritage Month at the TDSB. It’s an opportunity to celebrate the Hindu way of life, examine its impact and contributions to the world culture, and recognize values which promote compassion, tolerance and inclusion.

The Toronto District School Board is always proud to highlight the achievements of our students, staff and school communities. Below are a few moments from October and November:

Establishment of Position of Indigenous Student Trustee

The Board approved the establishment of a position for an Indigenous Student Trustee.

The addition of an Indigenous Student Trustee will provide Indigenous students, families and communities with representation at the highest level of the Toronto District School Board. This step will also contribute to improved Board decision-making by raising Trustees’ awareness, understanding and sensitivity to the challenges faced by Indigenous students. The TDSB will join other Ontario boards, including Thames Valley, Lambton Kent and the District School Board Ontario North  East, which have also established this position. 

On March 15, 2019, the Government of Ontario announced that starting in 2020-21, secondary students will be required to take a minimum of four mandatory e-learning credits out of the 30 credits needed to fulfill the requirements for achieving an Ontario Secondary School Diploma.

Since the announcement, the province has not issued any further information or answered any questions, such as how this will be implemented and equitable to all secondary students, and students are expected to start choosing their courses in the coming months.

Therefore, the Board decided that:

Board Calls for Urgent Government Action to Address Dangers of Youth Vaping

E-cigarettes, commonly known as vapes, contain harmful substances that can lead to serious lung disease and other health problems. The use of e-cigarettes has dramatically increased among Canadian youth, ages 16 to 19, and a recent study from the University of Waterloo indicates that high schools across Canada are struggling to respond to the rapid increase in youth.

Therefore, Trustees decided that the Chair write to Health Canada, the Ontario Ministry of Health and the Toronto Board of Health to plead for urgent action to address the youth public health epidemic of vaping.

The full motion is available in the Summary of Decisions for Oct. 30, 2019. 

Next Board Meeting

The next regular Board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2019.