Hello Friends,
As we are now well into spring, I hope that you all have great plans to enjoy the warmer weather. At the school board we are doing some very exciting things, such as planning for the first in-person graduation ceremonies since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are also now preparing for next year’s budget. In addition, I am planning to hold a Ward Forum in early June that will focus on upcoming changes to the new Science Curriculum and E-learning for high school students.
I hope you have a wonderful month of May and, as always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns.
Thanks and best regards,
James
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Virtual Ward Forum New Science Curriculum and E-Learning
Tuesday, June 7, 2022
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Ward 13 School Councils, Student Councils, Parents/Caregivers, Community Members, Superintendents and School Staff are invited to join Trustee James Li and his guests for an information session on New Science Curriculum and E-Learning.
New Science Curriculum
Wendy Terro, Centrally Assigned Principal of Learning Transformation and Equity, Special Education and Inclusion, The Arts, Math, Science/STEM and Robotics
Mahfuza Rahman, Coordinator, Secondary, STEM Science & Tech and Robotics.
E-Learning
Peggy Aitchison, Centrally Assigned Principal, E-Learning
Denise De Paola, Centrally Assigned Principal, Student Well-being and Innovation
The meeting will be hosted on the Zoom conference platform. Registrants will be sent a meeting invite with a link and call-in details for the session on the day of the meeting. If you are interested in participating
There will be an Opportunity for Feedback and Questions
Attend from wherever you are!
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Supporting Healthy, Safe and Respectful Schools As we move to a more sustainable model of living with COVID-19, a number of health and safety measures continue to remain in place. Please be respectful of others and individual choices.
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Letter: Student Trustee Governance On behalf of the Toronto District School Board, Chair Alexander Brown issued a letter to Minister of Education Stephen Lecce to request amendments to the Education Act 1990 to better support student trustee governance.
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TDSB Budget Town HallsThe Toronto District School Board is holding two virtual Budget Town Halls to provide communities with the opportunity to hear from staff about the 2022-23 Budget, ask questions and share feedback:
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New Funding Provides New Learning Spaces at Poplar Road JPS & Elizabeth Simcoe JPS The Ministry of Education, together with the Toronto District School Board, has announced $16 million for the replacement of Poplar Road Junior Public School in Guildwood. This announcement also included $2.5 million in funding for the expansion of nearby Elizabeth Simcoe Junior Public School.
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Elementary Summer School 2022The focus of the 2022 Elementary Literacy and Numeracy Summer School Program is to continue student engagement through the month of July. Programs, embedded in Literacy and Numeracy, are developed by the local summer school principal to reflect the local school focus.
Programs are offered in-person to students in K to Grade 8, from July 4 to July 29, 2022. This year, one online (remote) summer school program will be available.
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tdsbCARES Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal As the war in Ukraine continues and the resulting humanitarian crisis worsens each day, the TDSB has launched the tdsbCARES Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Appeal to support the Canadian Red Cross and UNICEF in their ongoing efforts to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance to those impacted. This initiative will run until May 31, 2022.
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TDSB Excellence Awards Return for 2022 and Nominations Are Now Open!
The TDSB Excellence Awards have returned for 2022! Nominations are now open and refreshed nomination categories are aimed at recognizing outstanding staff (individuals and groups) who have demonstrated excellence and continued to thrive throughout the past two years. To learn more, visit www.tdsb.on.ca/excellence and consider submitting a nomination. The deadline is Friday, May 20, 2022 at 4 p.m.
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Join the Conversation Join us on May 19 for a presentation on Nurturing Children’s Gender and Identity. Hear the personal journey of Vivek Shraya and learn how parents and caregivers, teachers and staff can be better allies.
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Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement It is finally here! Join us for the grand opening of the Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement. The event takes place on June 1 from 6 to 8 p.m. Participants can engage virtually or in-person at Winston Churchill Collegiate Institute. More details and opportunities for registration will be available soon. To learn more about the Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement, visit our website tdsb.on.ca/cebsa or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
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Bicycle SafetyWith warmer weather approaching, children may be participating in more outdoor activities like bike riding. To help keep children safe while playing outdoors this summer please follow social distancing and all other guidelines provided by Toronto Public Health.
When children are riding their bicycles, parents and caregivers can take steps to protect them.
Here's how:
An adult should always supervise children 10 years of age or younger when they are using a bicycle or other wheeled sports equipment. Even older children may need on-going supervision when riding near the road.
Make sure children wear the correct helmet properly when they ride. Ontario's bike helmet law requires all children and youth under age 18 to wear an approved bike helmet when riding a bicycle.
Keep children away from traffic when they use wheeled sports equipment. Make sure they ride in a safe place.
Teach children how to:
a) steer, brake, and ride in a straight line
b) wear the right safety gear, and
c) do a safety check every time they ride a bicycle, scooter, skateboard, use in-line skates or wear shoes with wheels.
Be within arm's reach when your children are learning to ride any wheeled equipment.
Always walk a bicycle, scooter, or skateboard across a street intersection, instead of riding across.
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Tell children that you are happy when you see them riding safely.
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Remind children of the safety rules when they forget.
Be a good role model - wear a helmet and safety gear yourself. Children copy what adults do.
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Barrier-free Employment Resource Centre in Scarborough Did you know Community Services operates a free employment resource centre in Scarborough? The Scarborough Centre for Employment Accessibility provides free resources to all job seekers, including people with disabilities. Visit www.AccessibleErc.com now.
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Becoming an Ontario-licensed Hairstylist Through TDSB The TDSB Community Services’ Studio500 Hairstylist program offers an extremely accessible pathway to become a licensed hairstylist in Ontario. Visit www.studio500.tdsb.on.ca for more information!
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TTC 100 Contest for Students!In celebration of its 100th anniversary, the TTC wants to know what students think the next 100 years of transit will look like. From April 4 to May 15, students can send a photo, photo collage, drawing, short essay, or model of their idea – the sky’s the limit. The TTC’s panel of experts will select the best ideas and work with the winners to bring their ideas to life.
Entries will be accepted from students in:
- Junior Kindergarten to Grade 4
- Grade 5 to Grade 8
- Grade 9 to Grade 12
The contest is free to enter, and entries may be submitted individually or as a team (no more than four students per team).
Prizes:
- Winners will be invited to attend a Transit Fair on August 22 at Nathan Phillips Square to share your ideas with the public.
- Winners will receive a prize pack of TTC merchandise (value $100).
- Winners will have their idea incorporated into a community art mural produced by a local Toronto artist, which will be installed at a TTC station.
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Backpack and School Supplies Drive All students should have access to backpacks and school supplies to help them get the most out of their school experience – and you and/or your business can help our students and families in need with a donation to the TDSB’s Backpack & School Supplies Drive!
Backpacks and school supplies can be expensive. They can also wear out easily or are often lost or misplaced by students throughout the school year. They represent a difficult purchase for some students and for their families.
The TDSB is Canada’s largest and most diverse school board, with more than 247,000 students in 583 schools across Toronto. One in every three children live in poverty right here in our city and many of our students are new to Canada. We know that there are many students who are not equipped with school supplies for the school year. As we continue to deal with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need is even greater for many of our families.
This year’s Backpacks & School Supplies Drive will run from March 1, 2022 to the end of September 2022. Individual donors and companies can help our students by making a monetary donation and/or a donation of new backpacks and school supplies. Tax receipts are available for these donations.
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Kensington Market Historical Walking Tours for Jewish Heritage Month (May 2022) Throughout the month of May (Jewish Heritage Month), TDSB’s Jewish Heritage Committee and the Ontario Jewish Archives are offering a lively and historical guided walking tour of Kensington Market to Grade 6 & 7 TDSB students.
“A Trip to the Market” is an engaging exploration of the history, music and architecture the market has to offer. This opportunity will connect students to a significant part of Toronto’s local history as a destination for new immigrant groups.
The walking tour focuses on the stories of Toronto’s early Jewish community, largely immigrants from Eastern Europe. TDSB’s TUSC (Toronto Urban Studies Centre) staff will guide the groups through the sites, smells, and sounds of the market. Destinations include historical homes, former businesses, and culminates at the beautiful and historic Kiever Synagogue.
Please see attached "A Trip to the Market" Kensington Walking Tour flyer! For additional resources please visit
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Heritage and History Months The Toronto District School Board is proud to celebrate the following heritage and history months during May:
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Upcoming Meetings The next Regular Board Meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 25, 2022. For a list of upcoming meetings, please click on the calendar on the main webpage of www.tdsb.on.ca.
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TDSB UpdateSign-up for TDSB Update and stay informed about recent Board decisions and district-wide news.
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Follow the TDSB Join the conversations happening on TDSB's social media communities. You'll find the most up-to-date information about us on our Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts.
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