Welcome back!


Hope that you and your families have had a great entry into September and are now settling into the fall routine. The schools I have visited in the last two weeks are full of excited kids and energetic teachers and staff who clearly are starting the year off right and ready for what lies ahead!

Though the year ahead will be not without challenge for our Board, and for public education across Ontario, I am committed to ensuring we continue to offer our students what they need to succeed and to make improvements across our board in the areas of achievement, well-being and equity.

The provincial government is proposing and/or implementing many measures that will challenge our system. I will endeavour throughout the year to provide you with analysis and opportunities to make your voice heard via future issues of this newsletter.

I always appreciate the feedback that families and community members provide on how we're doing and how we can do better, and I look forward to working with many of you in the months ahead.

Free Menstrual Products in TDSB Schools

I am pleased to share that the motion I brought forward in August to ensure that the TDSB provides free menstrual products for girls and women in our schools, at no cost to the board, passed unanimously. This motion was inspired by our own TDSB students and the great work of local community partners like The Period Purse. You can read more about the motion here Listen to my interview on Metro Morning here. Or read about period poverty and our TDSB student activists in this Toronto Star article. 

Trustee Harpreet Gill and I holding our “Access to Menstrual Products” motion at our June 2019 Board meeting.

Recommended Read: Education Without Oppression

I have recently been following Shree Paradkar’s series “Education Without Oppression” which is the 2018-19 Atkinson series. She examines the continuing marginalization of Black and Indigenous students in Canada. The series analyzes the challenges and breakthroughs nationally and in the cities of Baltimore, Md.; Lucknow, India; and Napier, New Zealand. This week’s piece “Your name is too difficult: What a school’s hidden curriculum is telling students” highlights some of the excellent work being doing in

the TDSB. I am so grateful for this series, and the time that Paradkar took to speak to so many incredible leaders in the TDSB and across the province who are doing this work and trying to make our public education system work for ALL students.

Jean Lumb Public School Update
As you may know, the City of Toronto is coordinating the construction of a new facility beside Canoe Landing park that will include a new TDSB school (Jean Lumb), a TCDSB School, and a Community Centre. The three parties (City of Toronto, Toronto District School Board and Toronto Catholic District School Board) have engaged Colliers, a project management firm, to manage the project on their behalf. Due to recent strikes, the construction schedule for the new building has been delayed. The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is monitoring the situation and working with its partners to ensure the school is completed as soon as possible. In the interim, Jean Lumb PS students are attending Nelson Mandela Park PS and are travelling by bus to attend. Thank you to the entire community for your patience and partnership as we work through this challenging situation. I know that Principal Judith Kramer appreciates hearing from you and is excited to build this awesome new school community together with you! Although Jean Lumb is operating as a separate facility within the Nelson Mandela Park PS building, the school and staff have been incredibly welcoming. On last week’s visit, I found this invite to a joint school staff meeting created by one of the teachers that really captures the spirit of both schools and the vision that they have for their students. You can follow the school’s twitter account for more details or visit their website anytime.

ArtsJunktion Update

Have you heard of the ArtsJunktion program? It is an incredible program that provides free materials and supplies for teachers and students across our board, while also diverting countless amounts of waste from landfill. It is an excellent example of thoughtful and purposeful recycling and sustainability within the TDSB. I’ve heard from many concerned community members and donors, worried that with the TDSB budget cuts and a change in staffing, that this program is at risk of closing. To be clear, this program is not closing – it is staying open – and board staff are working to make it more accessible to all.

Right now, responsibility for ArtsJunktion is in the process of being transferred to the TDSB’s Sustainability Office, who also operate the board’s EcoSchools program. Starting October 7th, Sustainability staff will operate ArtsJunktion on Monday afternoons from 1 pm to 5:30 pm.

I am also pleased to share that in addition to this, the Sustainability team will also be undertaking a review of the program in order to re-vision ArtsJunktion in a way that retains its strengths, finds ways to make improvements, and creates a sustainable delivery model for the long term.

As an important part of the review, the board will be seeking input from both current and potential future ArtsJunktion users. To get started, a survey will soon be available on the public website. The review will explore ways of:

* Improving accessibility across the TDSB by moving to a more central location and increasing operating hours;

* Finding a location with a loading dock and increased storage capacity so that a broader range of materials can be made available; and

* Creating an online catalogue where donated good can be posted for all to see remotely.

* Making the program more financially sustainable through external funding and partnerships;

I hope that many of you will participate in the survey and review and help us improve and expand this program so that ALL teachers and students across our whole school board can access these wonderful free materials and resources. For more information, contact Richard Christie, Senior Manager of Sustainability at richard.christie@tdsb.on.ca.

School Crossing Guard Program for 2019-2020
Beginning in September 2019, the City of Toronto will be assuming full responsibility for the School Crossing Guard Program and has contracted two separate vendors who will provide school crossing guards at 704 locations across the city to help children travel safely to and from schools. The City of Toronto issued a Memorandum (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RaTNpx3YF42WVWDfvdpuRksAe1l7V54I/view) on Aug. 21, 2019 that provides further details on these upcoming changes, including who to contact with questions about crossing guard locations, changes to school bell times, submitting requests for new crossing guards and associated timelines, the complaint or concern process as well as details on new information to share with people who may be interested in becoming a school crossing guard.

If you have any questions about the program and these changes, please email SchoolCrossingGuard@toronto.ca

TDSB's Response to Climate Change

This September, millions around the globe will walk out of workplaces and homes to join young climate strikers on the streets in support of their "Fridays for the Future". Greta Thunberg, is the Swedish activist who, at age 15, began protesting outside the Swedish parliament about the need for immediate action to combat climate change. Every Friday since she has led protests to inform the public about the lack of effective climate legislation on a governmental level. Her movement is going global - and Toronto students are already involved.

Walkouts are being planned across Toronto schools and the school board supports student voice and will supervise students who are entitled to express themselves individually, collectively, and safely. Lead the way Greta Thunberg!

The TDSB's Environment Policy outlines the Board’s commitment to environmental literacy for all students and to environmentally responsible operations. The Board recognizes the interdependence of the environment, the economy and society, and the challenge of balancing all three in building a healthy, sustainable future. To achieve this goal, the Board adopts the concept of sustainable development as defined by the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development as “meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

The Board has very publicly acknowledged its responsibility to help prepare students to meet this challenge. Therefore, environmental literacy for all students is integral to the Board’s mission to help prepare our students to become responsible members of a democratic society. The Go Green: Climate Change Action Plan was approved by the Board in 2010. At its most fundamental level, the ten actions outlined in the plan are the TDSB's response to the question: If climate change is one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century, what does that mean for us? If its promise is fulfilled, the plan will further transform Toronto public schools. Go Green builds upon ten years of work that has already been done to establish the TDSB as Canada's greenest school board – from the creation and implementation of its award winning EcoSchools program to the design and construction of high performance green school buildings. This year's EcoSchool's program theme is Building Hope and Resilience Through Climate Action: Empowering Students To Be Agents of Change. Workshops are being held in October to explore how educators can further encourage students to be passionate, positive, and part of the world as global citizens, and collectively transform schools into communities of hope and activism.

The TDSB, through its policies and actions supports doing everything we can to educate about climate change – to engage our students… and to keep them safe as they exercise their voice.

Possible Student Participation in Climate Change Rally: Information for Parents and Students.

TDSB Class Sizes

I've been getting a lot of questions already about class sizes and configurations, and how what we are seeing in our schools relates to the Provincial Government's funding cuts. While the cuts certainly have an impact, there are always issues that need to be rectified in September. Determining class sizes and configurations is a complex web. Here are the rules and considerations that impact class sizes:

School boards are funded by the province of Ontario based on student enrollment. Each September, TDSB staff looks at enrollment projections and adjust the level of school-based staffing needed to support students. In some of your schools you will already know that some classes are larger than anticipated whereas in others, some may be smaller. Board decisions about school-based staff allocations must take into account legislative requirements including the Ministry of Education’s class size regulations that put limits on class sizes or averages and Collective Agreements with teacher federations.

Staff allocation decisions are approved by the Board in March based on projected school enrollments in order to be ready to open schools in September and implement the staffing processes as defined by Collective Agreements. Staffing timelines for the employee groups are prepared in consultation with the appropriate bargaining unit representatives. Each elementary school has a staffing committee where the board-wide allocation is distributed according to local school decisions.

Parameters: Full-Day Kindergarten (FDK): A system average of no more than 26.0 students per class. A cap or maximum of 29 students in any class. The Board is permitted to exceed the cap in 10% of Kindergarten classes if there is no purpose-built kindergarten space available or for program purposes. All Kindergarten classes except those with 15 or fewer students are required to have a teacher and a Designated Early Childhood Educator (ECE). Classes of 15 or fewer students are required to have a teacher only.

Grade 1-3: A cap or maximum of 20 students in any class. The Board is permitted to exceed the cap in 10% of Grade 1-3 classes up to a maximum of 23 students. Grade 3/4 Combined Grade Classes: A cap or maximum of 23 students in any class.

Grade 4-8: Classes are required to have a system average class size of 23.24 students based on collective agreements with ETFO but are actually being funded by the Ministry of Education at a system average class average of 24.5 students. ($9.5M cost to the Board)

Grade 9-12 - On March 15, 2019 the Ministry of Education advised that secondary system-wide class size average will transition to 28.0 but for this year, the regulation is for a system average of no more than 22.0 students per class plus attrition.

Under the Ministry of Education guidelines for attrition funding, the TDSB projected system average will be 23.6 for the 2019-2020 school year. Additionally, the existing collective agreement with OSSTF places class size caps on classes based on level. For example, classes at the Academic level has a cap of 30, applied level has a cap of 23, classes at the Locally Developed level has a cap of 14. Each secondary school is permitted to exceed the cap by 10% in 10% of classes. (Note that the TDSB has had reductions to the number of teachers that are not covered by the Ministry attrition funding. For example, those positions funded by Local Priorities funding from the Ministry have been reduced due to this funding being discontinued, a number of teachers in central positions e.g., coaches, etc.) As a result of the attrition funding not covering those types of positions, there have, in fact, been layoffs of secondary teachers.


Local Priorities Funding -as noted above, the Ministry of Education advised Boards that Local Priorities funding ended August 31, 2019. Additional teachers derived from the contract extension agreement with ETFO and OSSTF are not included for 2019-20. This is a further reduction of funded teachers across the system. It's important to remember that a 'System Average' measures all of the classes in that category across the Board. A 'Cap' is a measurement pertaining to each class in that category. It is important to note that in Grade 4-8 this is a TDSB system-wide average, meaning that in some schools, some classes may be as low as 20 and as high as 30. There have been a few isolated cases where some classes in the first week reached as high as 40. Please know that this will change within the next two weeks to meet the expectations noted above once schools reorganize.

In secondary schools, there is impact that will be felt including course cancellations, larger class sizes and combined grade and level courses. Each TDSB secondary school will be offering all compulsory courses; however, when a section of a compulsory course has been cancelled, all remaining sections of that compulsory course will be larger. The staffing reduction has not only impacted class size and course selection, but will also result in fewer supports for students who need them.

Remember, the number of teachers allocated to the system is directly dependent on the number of students. And the number of teachers allocated to a school is directly dependent on the number of students enrolled in the school. As a system, we do our best to plan for the new school year, but there are always factors, such as new or departing students, that might affect how classrooms are organized. Every September, the TDSB reviews actual student enrolment in our schools (compared to the spring's projections). This is the month where adjustments to teacher allocations are required in order for the board to be compliant with class size regulations and collective agreements.

For elementary, the Ministry requires the Board to identify a “count date” in the month of September where the class sizes must be adjusted to become regulation compliant based on the enrolment of that date. For 2019-20, that date is September 13. Adjustment or re-organization in some cases means the movement of students among classes but may also include the creation of an additional class via the allocation of an additional teacher or the cancelling of class via the removal of a teacher allocation. Adjustment activity takes place in the week following the count date. The Board is required to report the elementary class sizes to the Ministry on the last day of October.

For secondary, the system average is not established until the spring of the school year since Full-Year, First Semester and Second Semester class enrolment must be measured. However, adjustment to teacher allocation also occurs in September. Typically secondary students do not all arrive on the first day of school, enrolment at secondary schools grows between the start of school and the third week of September. It is for this reason that secondary teacher adjustments occur after this point. In the first week of high school classes, there have been a few isolated cases where some classes have reached as high as 40 or more students. Please know that this will change in the next few weeks to meet the expectations outlined above. Please also note that secondary teacher adjustment also occurs in February/March to address second-semester class sizes. In the secondary panel, additional teacher allocation may mean the re-organization of some classes and timetable changes for some students. We know that reorganization is challenging for staff; and for students and parents, changing classes may be difficult. Students will be supported as they transition through these classroom changes to ensure a successful and rewarding school year. Thank you in advance for your patience and cooperation. You will hear directly from your school’s Principal if reorganization is required. If you have any questions or concerns, please speak with your Principal.

Start-of-Year Forms Can Now Be Completed Online

The TDSB has now created electronic versions of the common forms that need to be filled out at the beginning of the school year.

How does it work? An email would have automatically been sent to the parent/guardian that is the primary or secondary contact with an email address on file with the school. The email will come from TDSB Online Form (noreply@tdsb.on.ca) and will take you to a secure site to complete and submit your child’s forms

What forms can I complete online?

The forms available online now, include:

Am I required to complete an online form? Completing the form online streamlines the process not only for parents/guardians, but it also helps save resources in schools. While you’re not required to complete it online, we hope as many parents/guardians as possible use this opportunity.

I received a paper copy and an online copy. Which one should I complete? The online copy is preferred.

How safe is it to submit this information online? The tool TDSB selected for the online forms, Permission Click, has undergone a detailed security assessment by our IT Services staff. TDSB is confident Permission Click is a safe and secure method for completing online forms. The Toronto District School Board privacy obligations originate from the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA), which permits the Toronto District School Board to collect, use and disclose personal information necessary for the purposes of planning, administering, and delivering its educational programs and services. Under its regulations, MFIPPA requires the Toronto District School Board to ensure that reasonable measures are in place to prevent unauthorized access to the records are defined, documented and put in place, taking into account the nature of the records to be protected.

I have multiple children in the TDSB; will I receive more than one link?

Yes. Please complete a form for each child.

I didn’t receive the link! How do I get it?

Start with your school office to make sure your email address is accurate and active. Once the email is entered into our student system, the parent/guardian will receive the email the following school day.

Changes Coming to TDSB French Programs

At the June 2019 Board meeting, recommendations to change the Intensive French-as-a-Second Language (FSL) programs in the TDSB were passed. These changes include the

phasing out of the Grade 7 Entry Extended French program, a transition from Junior Extended French (Grade 4 Entry) to Middle French Immersion (Grade 4 Entry) as well as a shift in entry point for the Early French Immersion from Senior Kindergarten to Junior Kindergarten entry. Please find below a timeline of these changes as well as some frequently asked questions specific to each program change.

French as a Second Language Program Phasing Out Timeline & Question and Answer.

The above list of Qs & As will continue to be updated so if you have additional questions to be answered, please let me know.

A few things to note - access to transportation for French Immersion/Extended French in K-8 is currently being reviewed and due to budget decisions, may not be provided for all beginning September 2020. We will continue to update as soon as information becomes available. The Core French action plan will be presented at the fall board meeting that will serve to strengthen the existing Core French program. And while admission to the Early French Immersion (SK entry)/Junior Extended French (Grade 4 entry) program is guaranteed at the entry points to all on time applicants, admission to a specific school is not guaranteed if the school reaches capacity. For more information, please click here. 

by Carla Garbas, OPSBA

This fall, more than 9,000 schools and 1 million students are expected to take part in Student Vote Canada 2019 coinciding with the October federal election. Student Vote is an authentic learning program that provides elementary and high school students with the opportunity to experience the voting process firsthand and practice the habits of active and informed citizenship. Student Vote is a program of CIVIX. Elections Canada has engaged CIVIX to deliver Student Vote for the 2019 federal election. Register here 

Participating students will learn about government and the electoral process, and research the issues, candidates and parties through classroom activities, family discussion and media consumption. In the culminating activity, students will cast ballots for the local candidates running in their riding. The results are shared with the media for broadcast and publication following the close of polls. Student Vote Canada 2019 is targeted at grades 4 to 12 and materials are available in English and French. Registered schools will receive educational resources, posters, riding maps, ballots and ballot boxes at no cost. Learn more by visiting www.studentvote.ca/canada or calling toll free: 1-866-488-8775.

Register for Walk to School Day

October is International Walk to School Month. Although we encourage students to walk/wheel to school every day that they can, on October 2nd, students, families and staff are encouraged to join schools across the country in celebrating International Walk to School Day (IWALK/IWHEEL), a day that celebrates all forms of active transportation including walking, cycling, scootering and/or travelling using a mobility device. Please register here. Share your IWALK/IWHEEL event with us by tweeting @EcoSchoolsTDSB and @TDSB using the hashtag #walktoschool or #biketoschool.

Reminders


Ontario Universities' Fair 2019

Sep 27 - 29, 2019 - 10 am - 5 pm daily - Metro Toronto Convention Centre - Free admission

The largest educational fair in North America, where students and their parents may speak with representatives from each Ontario university about programs, campus life and anything else that may help them make a decision about which Ontario university to choose - click here for more information https://www.ontariouniversitiesfair.ca/



Ontario College Information Fair

Oct 23 - 24, 2019 Enercare Centre

"The international educational trade fair." The Ontario College Information Fair provides the attendees with the opportunity to learn about careers available and which college programs will best prepare them for those careers, find out about unique programs that can only be offered at Ontario colleges, hear about campus life, housing, and student services, and find out how to pay for the colleges.



2020 Prime Minister's Awards Now Open

This program honours innovative and outstanding elementary and secondary school teachers and early childhood educators who are helping prepare Canadian youth for the challenges of tomorrow. Looking for inspiration? Check out previous teaching and early childhood education award recipients. 2020 nomination packages are now available at www.pma.gc.ca. The nomination deadline is January 14, 2020.

The 2019-2020 school year at the TDSB begins on Tuesday, September 3, 2019 following the Labour Day long weekend. For more information about important dates and holidays for the upcoming school year, please refer to the 2019-20 School Year Calendar.

The official school year calendar for the Toronto District School Board runs from September 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020, inclusive.

* The last day of class for elementary students is June 25, 2020

* The last day of class for secondary (full year) students is June 23, 2020

* The last day of class for secondary (semestered) students is June 23, 2020

PA Days & Statutory Holidays

* Board-wide PA Day October 11, 2019

* Thanksgiving October 14, 2019

* Board-wide PA Day November 15, 2019

* Board-wide PA Day December 6, 2019

* Winter Break December 23, 2019 to January 3, 2020 (inclusive)

* Last day of school is December 20, 2019

* School resumes January 6, 2020

* Elementary PA Day January 17, 2020

* Secondary PA Day (Semestered Schools only) January 30, 2020

* Board-wide PA Day February 14, 2020

* Family Day February 17, 2020

* March Break March 16 to 20, 2020

* Good Friday April 10, 2020

* Easter Monday April 13, 2020

* Victoria Day May 18, 2020

* Elementary School PA Day June 5, 2020

* Secondary School PA Day (Full Year Schools only) June 24, 2020

* Secondary School PA Day June 25, 2020

* Board-wide PA Day June 26, 2020

* Rosh Hashanah begins sunset of Sunday, September 29, 2019 and ends nightfall of Tuesday, October 1, 2019

* Yom Kippur begins sunset of Tuesday, October 8, 2019 and ends nightfall of Wednesday, October 9, 2019

* Hanukkah begins sunset of Sunday, December 22, 2019 and ends nightfall of Monday, December 30, 2019

* Passover begins sunset of Wednesday, April 8, 2020 and ends nightfall of Thursday, April 16, 2020

* Ramadan 2020 will begin in the evening of Thursday, April 23, 2020 and ends in the evening of Saturday, May 23, 2020 (dates may vary)

* Eid al-Fitr 2020 will begin in the evening of Saturday, May 23, 2020

EQAO

Gr. 9 Math: 1st Semester: January 13-24, 2020

Gr. 9 Math: 2nd Semester: June 2-15, 2020

OSSLT: March 31, 2020

Primary/Junior EQAO: May 19-June 1, 2020

Also please note Days of Significance - click for the complete list 2019-2020 You may also find this Days of Significance Resource Guide helpful.