September 22, 2024

On Wednesday, September 18, 2024, we learned that students from 15 TDSB schools attended a field trip to the Grassy Narrows River Run, a community event organized in support of the Grassy Narrows First Nation and their efforts to address mercury contamination impacting their community. I became deeply upset and angered by what I saw on social media and in emails sent to me from parents/caregivers expressing serious concerns that they were not fully informed about what their children would experience. And frankly, the reports of what children experienced before, during and after the River Run are deeply disturbing.

Field trips are arranged by teachers who create their own curriculum plan for their students or join in with already organized events such as a particular play or speaker. They are required to submit their plans for the field trip which is then approved by the principal and a senior educational officer. The field trip plan includes the curricular relevancy as well as safety issues while away from the school. Parents are given a brief explanation of the trip and asked to sign a form of permission. Most go off without a hitch. In every instance field trips must occur within policies as determined by the Board of Trustees. P033 is the Board’s Excursion Policy. PR511 is the staff Operational Procedure that supports the implementation of the Excursions Policy. Below are quotes from the Operational Procedure.

"Inclusion, as per the Excursions Policy (P033), refers to ensuring that appropriate cultural backgrounds are considered of all students (e.g., reflecting different ways of knowing and being) when planning and carrying out excursions and excursion related activities at TDSB. Excursions and excursion related activities should be welcoming, safe, engaging, and appropriate to the age, maturity. 

Informed Consent refers to the Parent’s/Guardian’s consent/permission given after all reasonable efforts have been made to fully explain the excursion or the activity and any reasonably foreseeable risks associated with that excursion or activity."

As reported to me, the parent of an 8-year old child wrote that her child came home with a sticker that read “Zionism Kills”;  Jewish and other students who expressed discomfort hearing antisemitic and anti-Zionists slogans "From Turtle Island to Palestine, occupation is a crime." were told they would ”get over it”; children were told to wear blue shirts signifying they were “colonizers”… and more. This is not the learning experience that was anticipated by this field trip. Somehow a trip to learn what happened at Grassy Narrows and the environmental impact on the Indigenous people who live there turned into a situation where there was Pro-Palestinian chanting and antisemitic rhetoric. How did this situation happen?

I have so many questions that require answers… among them are the following:

As you may know, included in the role of the Trustee is to set and monitor policy. As your Trustee I have asked the Board to call a special public meeting so that the public and the Trustees understand what went wrong with the some of the excursions and so the Trustees can determine those accountable, mitigate any harm caused by the event and alter policy if necessary. The Chair has committed to scheduling a special meeting this week. (Staff are checking for quorum for Wednesday, September 25, from 7-9pm). The date and time will be confirmed tomorrow. (Please note the agenda for the special meeting called for Tuesday at noon is dealing with other matters and is completely unrelated to the Grassy Narrows River Run).

Neethan Shan, Acting Chair added comments onto a statement by Louise Sirisko, Acting Director posted on the TDSB website. It is important to clarify the Board is not objecting to diverse voices.... we are objecting to the fact that the focus changed in some of the schools, what parents/caregivers were told was going to happen didn't (observe Grassy Narrows voices vs participate in a rally), and having teachers and students march and chant pro-Palestinian slogans in a Board sanctioned excursion goes against Board policy and harms students - the Board has to provide a safe space for all students.

If your child attended the Grassy Narrows River Run, please discuss any concerns you have with your teacher/principal and/or superintendent and if you feel you are not experiencing the support you need, please contact me. I will do my best to get the answers we all deserve and to hold staff accountable.

September 30 is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Together we recognize the legacy of Canada's residential school system and continue to learn the many truths of these institutions. During Truth and Reconciliation Week, which takes place this year between September 23-27, we encourage schools to participate in events offered by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.

Orange Shirt Day, established in 2013 by Phyllis Webstad, recognizes the legacy of the Residential Schools System for First Nations, Métis and Inuit families and communities. By wearing orange, we acknowledge the truths of Residential Schools in Canada, we honour Survivors, and we remember the thousands of children who died, many of them buried in unmarked graves. 

This year, TDSB will honour Orange Shirt Day on Monday, September 30th. Please see the Urban Indigenous Education Centre's (UIEC) K-12 Orange Shirt Day Resources and a poster for distribution.

The Toronto District School Board is committed to developing opportunities for our wider school community to connect and engage in conversations about education issues. Meetings will be broadcasted live to the public. Click here at the start time to view - https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Leadership/Boardroom/Live-Webcast-of-Meetings.

To submit a delegation request (written for the Trustees to read or oral to present to Trustees) for a Board Committee (delegations are not accepted for Board meetings), please see here - https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Leadership/Boardroom/Delegations and email delegates@tdsb.on.ca. If your request is approved, further details will be provided to you via email. 

Full Agenda and Reports for meetings are available here - click on the appropriate meeting https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Leadership/Boardroom/Agenda-Minutes

Wednesday, September 25, 2024 – Program and School Services Committee - 4:30pm - Boardroom, 5050 Yonge St - Agenda

TENTATIVE - Wednesday, September 25, 2024 – Special Board from 7-9pm to consider an excursion matter - Boardroom, 5050 Yonge St -TBC Monday

Among the reports being discussed at this week's PSSC is the TDSB's Literacy Strategy, 2024-2028. 

The TDSB Literacy Strategy (2024-2028), which acknowledges every student's right to literacy proficiency and commits to realizing its Vision of the Literate Learner. The evolving social and economic contexts within which students learn and live require proficiency across different forms of literacy (multi-literacies).  

There are several important factors that have contributed to the development of the TDSB Literacy Strategy, including Global, National, Provincial, and local TDSB research and Achievement data.  

The TDSB Literacy Strategy includes a Framework that identifies the Goals, Key Actions and Key Monitoring Indicators related to the Learner, Educator, and Learning Environment. Detailed implementation plans based on the Framework are in development to support implementation of the TDSB Literacy Strategy. 

The report includes literacy data, goals, key actions and monitoring indicators and next steps. I urge you to read the full report.

After Trustees raised concerns, staff have further revised two sections in PR666 Community Use of Schools. The changes are under Section 6.1 (g), related to the 16 hours of caretaking services for schools, and Section 6.11, in terms of granting an exemption to PO95 Restrictions on Alcohol, Drug and Tobacco Use Policy for school-sponsored events such as fundraising events where all attendees will be 19 years of age and older may be considered for an exemption. The revised sections are provided below and have been updated on the Procedure webpage, for PR666.

Section  6.1 (g) Procedure

Schools that require weekend permits for special events are encouraged to submit their online requests providing a minimum of three months in advance. For school activities involving current students that require extra caretaking support during the weekday or take place on Saturdays, a total of 16 hours of caretaking services per site per school year shall be provided at no cost to the school. Student-related permits held by the school principal can draw on the caretaking services provided under a community permit in the school at no cost to the school if the school event is held at the same time as the community event.

Section 6.11 Alcohol

Possession and consumption of alcohol in school buildings and on school grounds is prohibited. Exceptions will not be granted for community use clients, tenants in operating buildings and/or business partners to serve alcohol. However, exceptions may be granted for some school-sponsored events only and are subject to the criteria outlined in the Restrictions on Alcohol, Drug and Tobacco Use Policy (P095), Community Use of Board Facilities Policy (P011) and Appendix D.

Examples of events for which an exemption may be granted, include but are not limited to include school anniversaries (e.g., 25th Anniversary); staff and/or trustee retirements; fundraising events where all attendees will be 19 years of age and older; and, other unique opportunities that may be approved by a Learning Centre Executive Superintendent.

If the school principal supports pursuing an alcohol exemption for a school sponsored event, they then must obtain approval from the Associate Director, Modernization and Strategic Resource Alignment or designated Learning Centre Executive Superintendent by completing the Alcohol Permission Form (Internal) (Form 666D).

The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is committed to open and inclusive policy decision-making and values community input and participation through consultation. Consultation is a two-way communication process between the Board and external participants, including students and their parents/guardians, school councils, advisory committees, community members, different levels of government, service agencies, professional organizations and union partners. The objective of consultation is to gather public input regarding options, alternative courses of action, as well as to identify unintended effects for various participants and to find solutions. 

We are about to initiate public consultation on the Personal Mobile Device Use in Schools Policy. The consultation is expected to open after the October 9 meeting of the Board of Trustees. Please stay tuned. For more information on the policy development and consultation timeline, please see the: Personal Mobile Device Use in Schools Policy Development Report.

If you have any questions related to the development and consultation of the Policy, please feel free to contact us at: mobiledevicepolicy@tdsb.on.ca

Survey: Equipping students with life skills

As announced in May, the Ministry of Education has launched consultations with students, parents, job creators, educators and other stakeholders on the practical life skills students will need to build a strong foundation for future success through modernized home economics education.

Closing date: October 1, 2024

The consultation is now open and available online until October 1, 2024 at 5pm and the survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. This PDF contains the survey questions should you wish to preview and discuss the questions prior to submitting responses and/or submit one response via the online survey link on behalf of your organization, if preferred.  

Following the motion that Trustees unanimously approved the motion moved by me and Trustee Alexandra Lulka Rotman at our meeting on August 28, 2024 titled Requesting Support to Deal With Incidents of Hate and Geopolitical Tensions, letters have recently been sent by the Director and Chair with the requests to the Minister of Education and the Ontario College of Teachers. Click on the links below. We hope to hear soon.

Advocacy Letters

Letter to the Ontario College of Teachers' Professional Advisories Pertaining to Mental Health, Bullying, and the Use of Electronic and Social Media

Please note we heard back from the OCT - "We have been developing a Professional Advisory focussed on addressing hate and discrimination. All advisories are based on extensive research and input from Ontario Certified Teachers, education system partners, community groups and subject matter experts. Teachers, parents and students from different boards are also part of the process, including those from TDSB. The advisory is scheduled to launch in early 2025, with engagement planned throughout the year."

They also noted they will be revising their professional and ethical standards through collaborative feedback in the coming months.

Addressing Hate and Geopolitical Tensions within Ontario's Schools

Please note we are still awaiting a response from the Ministry.

As I repeat in every update, the TDSB collects data through the Bias and Hate (RBH) Portal, and the increase in antisemitic incidents is also being experienced in our schools - on my website I have excerpted from all our public reports on the data - TDSB Public Reports with RBH Portal Data 2018-2023. Principals and Superintendents are being reminded of their responsibilities in documenting incidents and educating against them. All students and staff - all students and staff - must be safe in our schools and free from discrimination, harassment and hate. 

You can read more on TDSB's Combating Hate and Racism Strategy on our website. It is important that there is accurate information about Board updates and decisions as they relate to combating hate and racism. Questions and Answers have been prepared to provide additional information - should you have any additional questions, please email me. 

If you are a staff or a student or a parent/caregiver, and you are a victim of/or witnessing an incident of racism, bias, or hate in our schools, please report it to the school's principal, who has a duty to investigate all incidents. Each time an incident takes place in a school, it is to be recorded in the portal I previously referenced which then begins a system response. We have a responsibility to educate against hate. For more information, please visit the webpage for Reporting an Incident of Hate or Discrimination Involving or Impacting Students. If you experience it, or witness it, report it. Please. If you are concerned your complaint is not being taken seriously after you follow the Parent Concern Protocol, please let me know.

Complaints regarding social media postings should be sent directly to the TDSB's Human Rights Office at humanrightsoffice@tdsb.on.ca. The intake process is being centralized in the Human Rights Office to ensure for consistency of process.

If you witness something inside the community, report any allegations of hate-motivated crimes to police for investigation at 416-808-2222 or 9-1-1 in an emergency. The Police state they will not tolerate any intimidation, harassment, or hate-motivated behaviour aimed at specific communities. You can also call 1-800-222-TIPS to Crime Stoppers anonymously.

Please remember TDSB's Mental Health and Well Being Professional Support Staff (PSS) are here to support your mental health and well-being and to help you navigate the tools and resources you may need. Please see resources on their website.

As you may be aware, during the school year, school staff participate in a number of Professional Activity (PA) Days. On these dates, students remain at home and schools are open for staff to engage in professional learning. As per Ministry requirements, detailed information about planned activities will be posted to the TDSB public website at least 14 days in advance of each scheduled PA Day during the 2024-25 school year. I encourage you to visit the PA Day web page to learn more and check back throughout the school year. 

Note: the first PA Day for the 2024-25 school year is this week on September 27, 2024. Information is posted on the webpage. 

Please ensure you check for Days of Significance before scheduling student and community events - as the TDSB is currently reviewing ours - for 2024-25, the TDSB will only publish a Faith/Creed-Based Holy Days Calendar and an Indigenous Days of Significance Calendar. For now, please check the Multi-Faith calendar available online https://multifaithcalendar.org/cal/index.php.

I have been communicating issues we have been having with dogs on school property with every update. Now, as part of our ongoing efforts to maintain a safe and welcoming environment on TDSB properties, we would like to update you on the policies and new reporting procedures related to dogs on school grounds.

The TDSB enforces a strict policy regarding dogs on its properties. Dogs are generally not permitted on TDSB grounds, with the exception of service animals as defined by the Student Use of Service Animals in Schools Policy (P096) and the Use of Service Animals by the General Public Procedure (PR604). These guidelines are in place to ensure proper management and support for service animals within our schools.

New Reporting Process for Dogs Off-Leash

To effectively address incidents of dogs being off-leash on school properties, a new reporting process has been established through the City of Toronto’s 311 service. Community members can report such incidents either by phone or online:

Phone Reporting: Call 311 to report dogs off-leash on school property

Online Reporting: Visit the City of Toronto Service Request or Feedback webpage.

Mental Health & Well-Being Parent Partnership Committee

Monday, September 23 ⋅ 6:30 – 8:00pm Monthly on the fourth Monday, until Jun 25, 2025

This Mental Health & Well-being Parent Partnership Committee was developed for parents to have voice and involvement in enhancing student mental health and well-being.

The committee provides a voice for Parent/Guardian & Caregivers to identify and articulate mental health and well-being needs, resources and supports that would benefit parents/guardians of the TDSB. The committee is also responsible for advising on modes of communication in how information about mental health and well being can best be provided to parents/guardians. 

All parents/guardians & caregivers are welcome to attend. This committee primary goals are to support positive School climates, centering caring relationships, and supporting Identity Affirming  partnerships in our school communities, to support student wellness.

Be a Tutor for Stars for Scholarly Youth

Want to support underserved youth pursue their purpose in academics and extracurriculars?

Get involved!

This is your chance to earn volunteer hours and serve your community.

Sign up at:

https://forms.gle/6npPWoWZCB7s5sN4A

Questions? Contact us:

@starsfsyuoft starsforscholarlyyouth.com uoft.tutor@starsforscholarlyyouth.com

Aga Khan Museum Marks 10th Anniversary with Exhilarating In-Person Experiences, Expanded Online Offerings, and a Site-Wide Festival

The Aga Khan Museum proudly announces a monumental year of exciting programs and digital experiences celebrating a decade of impact and achievement.

With an exceptional lineup of exhibitions, events, and innovative digital offerings, the Museum invites visitors to explore its inspiring journey of fostering connections through intercultural dialogue.

For more information, please click here.

Saliva Testing Program (from their website)

The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) offers saliva test kits, also known as Spit-kits, to symptomatic students and staff to test for influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and COVID-19 in select schools across the Toronto Area. 

The program began in September 2020 to test to COVID-19 in Toronto schools. For the 2024–25 school year, the program will expand to include testing for influenza and RSV, in addition to COVID-19. 

Right now there are between 8 and 11 TDSB schools participating. If other schools are interested in taking part, they can contact school.salivatesting@sickkids.ca.

Learn more about the program
Informational webinars will be held weekly on Monday and Wednesday at 12 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. for staff, students and their families/guardians to attend starting Monday, Sep. 16 until Wednesday, Oct. 2.

City of Toronto Climate Action Grants for TDSB schools

Do you need funding for a climate action project that will benefit your school community? Grants of up to $1,000 are available to support projects that involve student groups. Eligible projects include energy conservation, sustainable transportation, waste reduction, environmental education, local foods, learning gardens and much more! 

City and school board staff are here to help guide you through the grant process. Contact us to discuss your ideas! Starting September 16, submit your request for funding online. Learn more.

City of Toronto PollinateTO Grants for TDSB Schools

The City of Toronto is very excited to announce that PollinateTO grant applications are now open for online submission until October 21, 2024, 11:59 PM.

Grants of up to $5,000 are available to support community-led projects that create or expand pollinator habitat on public and private lands in Toronto. School groups looking to initiate schoolyard greening projects through the creation of pollinator habitat and rain gardens are encouraged to apply.

Learn more about the program, eligibility, past projects and application details at www.toronto.ca/PollinateTO. Important Dates:

TDSB Special Education Department Family Sessions
Drop-In Q & A with Occupational Therapy/Physiotherapy Staff

Parent/Guardian/Caregiver Drop-Ins and Q & A with Occupational Therapy/Physiotherapy Staff - Receive general OT/PT strategies for your child(ren)
Chat with other parents/caregivers; Ask questions.

If you require translation services or have any questions or concerns, please email:
Learning Centre 1 - Rhanda Craig: rhanda.craig@tdsb.on.ca and Leslie Hopkins: leslie.hopkins@tdsb.on.ca Learning Centre 2 - Anna Lin: anna.lin@tdsb.on.ca and Andrea Wiltsie: andrea.wiltsie@tdsb.on.ca
October 15, 2024
November 19, 2024
December 17, 2024
January 21, 2025
February 18, 2025
March 18, 2025
April 15, 2025
May 20, 2025
June 2025

Get the link here Sensory and Motor team parent/guardian/caregiver VOH flyer

TDSB Speech and Language Pathologists in collaboration with Donna Cardoza invite you to Let's Talk, Read, and Write 
Parents/Caregivers of Grade 1 students, Ontario has a new Language Curriculum.  Come and learn how you can help your child develop early reading, writing and talking skills.  Register for ALL 5 Sessions on Tuesdays from 6:30pm-7:30pm - Register here.

Sep 24 - Let's Play with Sounds
Oct 8 - From Sounds to Words
Oct 15 - Let's Read
Oct 29 - Let's Write
Nov 12 - Let's Keep Learning

MusiCounts

Applications for 2025 School Music Funding Programs are now open! Get up to $20,000 in instruments & resources through the MusiCounts Band Aid Program or MusiCounts Slaight Family Foundation Innovation Fund. Final deadline is Dec 3, 2024 - Apply here.

Congratulations to TDSB school communities on receiving a 2024 MusiCounts grant - Alexander Stirling PS, George Peck PS, Hodgson MS, Jarvis CI, John McCrae PS, Pape Avenue PS and Winchester Jr/Sr PS.

Since 1997, the MusiCounts Band Aid Program has been providing under-resourced schools with grants to keep school music programs alive. 

Save the date for the 2024-2025 Virtual Parents and Caregivers as Partners Conference (PCasP) taking place on Saturday, November 16, 2024! 

This year's theme is: "Journey to Joy, Wellness, and Wholeness."

Join us to explore Equity and Truth and Reconciliation, break down barriers, and build inclusive communities. Learn from experts and discover how every student, parent/guardian/caregiver can experience joy, wellness, and wholeness in education. Registration details will follow soon.

We are inviting you to submit proposals for virtual workshops, micro-sessions, and panel presentations. The PCasP will run from 10:00 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.  We are welcoming submissions from school districts, universities, schools, School Councils, administrators, educators, community organizations, researchers, and parents/guardians/caregivers.

To apply as a presenter, please complete the application form no later than, October 1, 2024.

Continuing Education Programming

Did you know the TDSB offers Continuing Education Programming in our communities?

Explore learning opportunities available for children, families, adults, and visitors at the TDSB this fall:

International Languages Elementary & African Heritage Program, Secondary Credit Night School, Learn4Life - Adult General Interest Programs and Adult ESL.

Learn4Life!

Registration for Learn4Life's Fall 2024 term is NOW OPEN! Hundreds of courses available in categories like art, crafts, dance, fitness, food, languages, music, self development and more. Try something new this fall!

Register now ▶ http://learn4life.ca

Please Note - A minimum number of registrants is required to open a class. The Toronto District School Board has the right to make the final decision to open or close a class or to revise the fee structure.

Model Parliament for High School Students

The High School Model Parliament program at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario is designed for civic-minded Ontario students in grades 10 to 12, who are interested in current events and provincial issues. This unique experience brings together students from across the province for a three-day Model Parliament Program in Toronto.

Students will have the opportunity to play the role of a Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) and learn how parliament works through a series of workshops and presentations. They will meet key figures in Ontario’s Parliament as they forge new friendships with like-minded students. Applications will be accepted from August 7 to October 6, 2024.

The upcoming Model Parliament dates are February 19 to February 21, 2025 (onsite in Toronto). The virtual component of the program starts in November 2024. The first mandatory virtual meeting will take place on November 7, 2024.

For more information, click on https://www.ola.org/en/visit-learn/programs/model-parliament-high-school-students.

If you should you ever see any suspicious activity around school buildings after school hours, please contact 311, Toronto Police Services Dispatch at 416-808-2222, or the TDSB’s 24-hour Call Centre at 416-395-4620.

If you or a family member is in crisis, please contact Kids Help Phone:1-800-668-6868 or get support right now by texting CONNECT to 686868.

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