Information Re: Weather-Related Cancellations/Closures
We have received a number of questions from members of our school communities about how the TDSB makes the decision to cancel buses and/or close all schools and we wanted to provide some important information that will explain the process.
A number of factors are taken into consideration when deciding on the cancellation of school buses, programs and/or closure of schools. The decision to cancel buses is not typically made due to unsafe road conditions, but because we want to avoid having students wait for unusually long periods of time in inclement weather for a bus or remain on that bus for hours due to weather-related traffic delays.
It’s also important to keep in mind that, unlike other school boards across the Greater Toronto Area, a vast majority of TDSB students — more than 90 percent — do not use school buses. That means, if school buses are cancelled, it is still possible for students to get to school by walking, public transit or other means — although it may be slower than normal. We do understand, however, that for our congregated sites or where we bus all students to the school, the majority of students are affected. On Wednesday, February 6, school buses were cancelled, however approximately 170,000 students attended school despite the inclement weather.
Further, since different areas within the Greater Toronto Area have different weather patterns and geography, the decision made for one school board will differ from another. For example, recently the public and Catholic school boards in Toronto, York and Durham remained open, while other boards, including Peel, were closed.
As we hope you can appreciate, the decision concerning whether to keep schools open or closed has a major impact on the lives of many families in Toronto. Those families depend on us to provide educational opportunities for their children each and every day.
Should all schools be closed, it causes significant hardship for many families. For a number of them, there are no other options readily available for their children. The decision to keep schools open allows families who are able, to keep their children at home, but also provides another option for families, who are not able to do the same. As always, we emphasize that parents/guardians make the final decision about whether to send their children to school. The TDSB supports whatever decisions parents/guardians make on days of severe weather. With regards to staff, we also understand that some may have difficulty in making it into work, or may experience delays. In those cases, we understand and encourage staff to speak with their Principal/Manager as there are Miscellaneous Days that may be applied depending on the circumstances.
February is African Heritage Month at the TDSB
February is African Heritage Month at the Toronto District School Board and we’re proud to recognize the experiences, contributions and achievements of African Canadians. This year’s theme is Out of many we are one: Across differences our commonalities uplift our African heritage, culture and people.
Throughout the month of February, we will highlight the many contributions that the African Canadian community has made by offering several educational opportunities to our students, staff and the TDSB community. These opportunities include students attending the Know Your Worth: Black Youth Empowerment Conference which is a joint collaboration with the TDSB and the Black Law Students’ Association at York University; visiting the Royal Ontario Museum; learning about coding at Apple Stores and visiting the Ibada Market Place exhibit. Further, a parent session is being organized by the Parent and Community Engagement Office on How to Speak to Your Children About Racism. Learn more at
www.tdsb.on.ca.
Upcoming events:
February 13: How to speak to your children about racism
February 28: Know Your Worth: Black Student Empowerment Conference
February: Royal Ontario Museum Elementary Day "Of Africa" Tours
February-April: STEM Coding at Apple Stores
March 27: Ibada Marketplace at Lawrence Heights MS
February is Chinese Heritage Month at the TDSB
The Toronto District School Board is proud to recognize Chinese Heritage Month during the month of February and the theme this year is “Year of the Pig: Happy, Easy Going, Honest, Trusting, Sincere, Optimistic & Sociable.”
During this month, we celebrate the energetic culture and traditions of the Chinese community with students, staff and community members of the Toronto District School Board and the City of Toronto.
Chinese community is integral to the growth and success of the City of Toronto and Canada. Members of the Chinese community represent approximately 10 percent of the total GTA population and form its second largest visible minority group. Canadians remember and appreciate the Chinese workers who helped build the Canadian Pacific Railway that united our country.
Chinese-Canadians recognize Lunar New Year on Tuesday, February 5, 2019. Lunar New Year is also known as the Spring Festival and begins with the first moon of the lunar calendar and ends on the first full moon of the lunar calendar 15 days later!
They Built their First Real Six-String
An innovative new interdisciplinary course has been a smash hit at Yorkdale SS. Two teachers--one music, one wood-working-- joined together to develop and offer a “Guitar-Making” course to a class of students enrolled in the school’s EdVance program last quadmester. Students had an opportunity to handcraft their own guitars from a kit, adding their own creative flair to the design and aesthetic. Once the guitars were made, students learned how to play them. At conclusion, they get to keep the guitars that they have built themselves.
Principal Eric Dallin provided teachers Jon Goold and Greg Morrell the resources and support to make the project happen. “Attendance in the program was near-perfect,” said Principal Eric Dallin. “The students have been so engaged in every aspect!” The first offering was so successful that the team plans to run the program again to support student achievement and engagement.
The EdVance program is geared to 18 to 20 year-olds and offers a specialized, intensive, and highly personal quadmestered setting for students who are new to Canada, and those looking for a fresh start or looking to upgrade for post-secondary goals.
Let’s Talk: Mental Health and Well-Being
Dunlace PS has a Kindness Club. Newtonbrook SS has a Mental Health Committee. At Lambton-Kingsway JMS, staff connect about improving student engagement. At George B. Little PS, the youth wellness committee have created a wellness mural to raise awareness about emotions and the right to express them.
These are just some of the ways schools are focusing on student mental health and well-being.
Good mental health and well-being are central to student success. It includes our emotions, our thoughts and feelings, our ability to solve problems and overcome difficulties, our social connections, and our understanding of the world around us. Students feel a greater sense of well-being when they are engaged and feel that they belong. They feel safe and included.
Students need our collective support to be healthy individuals and, the relationship that students have with each other and adults is an important part of that. Every student needs peers and a caring adult they can connect with, feel accepted by and talk to when dealing with life’s challenges. And, research tells us that as students age, their emotional well-being declines.
Students’ voices need to be at the centre of the discussion about how to improve their well-being. When students and parents become involved in this process they are more likely to develop of a sense of agency, build positive relationships and connections with staff as they become active participants in their own schooling experiences.
TDSB staff are committed to providing welcoming, safe and inclusive learning environments where every student feels they belong. We are working hard to strengthen the adult-student connection and make meaningful decisions that support student achievement and well-being.
Portrait of Canadian Olympic Champion Penny Oleksiak Unveiled
During the 2016 Olympic Games, Penny Oleksiak became the first Canadian to win four medals in the same Summer Games and the country's youngest Olympic champion. She won gold in the 100m freestyle, silver in the 100m butterfly, two bronze medals in the women's freestyle relays, and Canadian hearts everywhere. At the time, Oleksiak was also enrolled as a student at
Monarch Park Collegiate Institute. Now, a signed portrait of the swimming superstar graces the area just outside the pool at her former high school.
The watercolour portrait was painted by Canadian artist
Jeffrey Sprang, and depicts Oleksiak in her Team Canada jacket sporting her four medals from Rio 2016. It was officially unveiled at a special event at the east-end high school. “This portrait of
Penny Oleksiak is a wonderful reminder of her extraordinary achievement,” said Monarch Park Collegiate Principal Virginia Pang. “Penny’s impact as an Olympic champion is profound and far reaching, and her influence as a role model continues to be felt by our students and by Canadians all across the country.”
Sprang’s art has supported education in Canada and around the world. In June 1990, he met Nelson Mandela at Central Technical School which led to a limited-edition print in support of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund Canada. His work has also supported the literacy development charity, One World Schoolhouse Foundation.
One hundred limited-edition, numbered prints of Sprang's latest portrait are signed by both the artist and the young, inspiring swimmer. Available for sale for $200 each, all proceeds will support swim programs at selected TDSB schools. To purchase a print, please call TDSB Museum and Archives at 416-397-3680.
Parents as Partners Conference 2019
This all-inclusive conference is organized by TDSB parents for TDSB parents, guardians and caregivers. Participate in workshops, network with parents and community agencies and learn new strategies to support your child’s success.
Registration opens mid-February. Register early as there is limited space in each workshop.
When: Saturday, March 30
Where: Beanfield Centre (formerly named Allstream Centre) 105 Princes' Blvd, Toronto
2019-20 Budget
Each year, TDSB Trustees and staff work together to pass a balanced budget that best supports the achievement and well-being of all students. The TDSB’s annual operating budget is approximately $3.4 billion and we are committed to using these resources responsibly and effectively.
Key discussions regarding the annual budget are scheduled for our Finance, Budget and Enrolment Committee (FBEC). Below you will find links to the proposed Committee Schedule, Timelines and Milestones. FBEC’s budget meetings are open to the public and take place in the Toronto District School Board Boardroom. Please note that these budget discussions will be videotaped and posted to our public website for those who may not be able to attend meetings in person but wish to review those meetings. We will be posting a link to those recorded meetings following the first meeting on Wednesday, January 23rd.
Learn more about the TDSB’s 2019-20 Operating Budget:
Adult High Schools – 2019 Adult Census
From February 25-28, 2019, students from the TDSB’s five adult high schools will be able to make their voices heard through the 2019 Adult Student Census. The Census results will help inform adult education programming and planning across the TDSB and support the province in developing evidence-based policies for adult students. The TDSB’s adult high schools support students in achieving their academic goals, applying to post-secondary education, and entering chosen career fields.
www.adultschoolstoronto.ca.
Adult ESL
Gaining proficiency in English is a critical skill for newcomers to our city, especially for many parents of children in our schools to connect with the community. Every year, over 18,000 adults benefit from the TDSB’s English as a Second Language classes in 75 locations across the city. We offer free ESL classes to adults who are residents of Canada. We also offer classes for visitors on a fee per hour basis. Registration is ongoing. Visit
www.ESLToronto.ca for more information.
Learn4Life
Registration for the Spring 2019 term starts February 13, 2019 with classes starting March 30, 2019. Learn4Life offers general interest courses to anyone over 18 who want to learn a new skill, meet new people in their community, or take up an interesting hobby. Interested in learning how to weld? How about learning Spanish for your upcoming trip? Our courses include Art, Fitness, Languages, Business, Handiwork, Food and Sports. Visit
www.learn4life.ca for more information.
Kindergarten Registration Begins in February!
Registration for all TDSB Kindergarten programs begins in February. We look forward to welcoming you and your child at our school in September!
To attend Junior Kindergarten in September, children must turn four-years-old by December 31. To register for Senior Kindergarten, children must be five-years-old by December 31. You may choose to register in person at the school or begin the process online.
February 18 is a Statutory Holiday
There will be no classes on Monday, February 18th to reflect the province-wide statutory holiday called Family Day. The holiday occurs on the third Monday in February of each year for the purpose of emphasizing and celebrating the importance of families taking time to be together.
Because teachers are involved in professional learning on Friday, February 15 for the Board-wide Professional Activity Day, students will not be attending school on Friday, February 15 and Monday, February 18 which is the statutory holiday - Family Day.
Visit the TDSB public web site at
www.tdsb.on.ca to view the school year calendar.
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