Trustee Update

Updates From the Director of Education

• We learned schools will remain closed for the remainder of this school year. We have been in close contact with different levels of expertise to inform our contingency planning, Through the different circles we collaborate with, we learn insights. Toronto Public Health continues to be an expert that we pay close attention to.
• Contingency planning work continues to be complicated and complex, we are not losing sight of wellbeing and health and safety. We listen to our families, staff and students who have shared insights with us to inform September.
• Our intention is that all devices distributed will make their way back to the schools where they came from.
• Some have asked directly regarding updates on expectations for educators, real time and synchronous learning.  We are still collaborating with our union colleagues and will have more of an update next Tuesday and will communicate with parents. 
  
  

Updates on Operational Issues for Re-Opening

• Walked through some of the operational issues related to returning to work and returning to school. We currently do not have all the answers, we have more questions.
• Committee of almost 20 people, with representation from across the Board, are working on this. Final direction will come from Ministry, TPH, agencies.
• Access to building to gather student belongings - parents, students and staff are eager to collect belongings from buildings.  We are currently working on a protocol with TPH on next steps.  Board property that needs to be returned could be done at the same time. We will need to develop very detailed time schedules to ensure we don’t have more people in the building than is safe.
  
  

Updates on Academic Issues for Re-Opening

• Provided an overview on the academic side of re-opening in September.
• As we prepare for the re-opening of schools in September, we do so with the safety and security of our students, staff and community as the highest priority. Prevention and control measures must be in place to appropriately limit the spread of COVID-19.
• Final direction for schools and administrative buildings to re-open will come from the Ministry of Education, Toronto Public Health and/or other public health agencies. The Ministry of Education will also provide direction with respect to matters related to curriculum and assessment and evaluation practices. Local Boards will have responsibility for operationalizing Ministry directives with respect to school reopening.
• A range of models is being considered along a continuum ranging from fully open and operational schools to a complete continuation of remote learning for all students. A September return to school may potentially involve a hybrid model which combines elements of remote and in-person learning. A return to school may also occur in phases. Any return to school must and will take many different factors into account. 
• The most important questions raised as part of school re-opening relate to supporting and improving student well-being, achievement and engagement, in light of the closure period. Specific questions raised connect to many areas of the Board including, communication, Employee Services (expectations for staff, issues of absenteeism related to staff and students), implementation of hygiene and physical distancing measures, teacher support,  nutrition, School Councils, technical support for students and staff, transportation, emergency preparedness, sites with multiple users, differentiation between elementary, secondary and “specialized” schools as well as distinct provisions for Wandering Spirit School. 
• We appreciate that while the Board must provide system direction, local schools will implement and operationalize based on the unique needs of school communities.
  
  

Updates on Child Care and Early Years

• Given the complexity of child care and early years programs, there is the need for a detailed, corresponding contingency plan for re-establishing these programs. There are five different programs being considered under this planning framework. 
• These programs are both provincially and municipally regulated.  EarlyON and Extended Day Programs are board-operated and have financial implications.
•  Under O.Reg 221/11, TDSB is required to provide before and after school care where there is a demand and viability. This is a legal requirement. The circumstances associated with COVID-19 will likely make it challenging to deliver programming in the same manner as in the past. 
• We look forward to more information from the Ministries of Education, Labour, Tourism and Recreation, Toronto Public Health and The City of Toronto’s Children’s Services to establish the parameters and health and safety protocols for resuming these programs.
• Staff will evaluate the feasibility of offering TDSB Extended Day Programs in July and August, if feasible, safe and permissible as set out by provincial and local authorities. Staff has requested to meet with Toronto Children’s Services to form a coherent plan for re-opening child care in the community and in-schools. We are conducting scans of successful approaches, in other jurisdictions, to reopening child care in schools to inform our planning.
• Lastly, once more is known about the terms for re-opening from other authorities it will be important to include the perspectives of child care operators in TDSB’s planning process. 
  
  
  

Update on Devices

• 95% of device deliveries have been completed (55,938 devices have been delivered). We still have about 3,000 to go. We have not officially closed the survey, if family’s situations have changed, we ask that they contact their principals to submit a request.
• If you still need devices for your children please email me directly at Zakir.Patel@tdsb.on.ca
  

Summer School Update:

Elementary Summer Programs

Secondary Summer Programs

Summer Programs for Adults

School Year Calendar 2019-2020

• First day of classes for all students is September 3, 2019
• The last day of class for elementary students is June 25, 202
• The last day of class for secondary (full year) students is June 23, 202
• The last day of class for secondary (semestered) students is June 23, 2020
  

Food for Kids program

TDSB Sport Fields/Tennis Courts/Basketball Courts