Dear Parents, Guardians, and Students,

I hope you and your loved ones are keeping safe. I want to first thank our students and their families for their cooperation, resilience, and patience as we prepared to return to school after months of school closures. As we navigate through all the uncertainty, I want to also thank our principals, vice-principals, office staff, teachers, support staff, and caretaking staff who have been working endlessly to ensure a safe return for our students.

This has been the most challenging start to a new school year. 42% of students in our ward are attending school in person, while 51% of students in our ward are attending virtual school. As a result, many of our students were impacted by the complexities of virtual school. Throughout the past weeks, we have been working with students and their families to connect them to their teachers and support their transition back to school. As we prepare for the months ahead, please continue to stay connected to your principals, as we do anticipate more changes to take place. Our TDSB website is also a great resource to learn about the latest changes. As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please feel free to call or email me.

As the weather gets colder, please continue to wear a mask, practice social distancing, and wash your hands regularly.

Sincerely,

Yalini Rajakulasingam

Phone: (416) 395-8787

Email: yalini.rajakulasingam@tdsb.on.ca

Twitter: @YaliniR_Ward21

Instagram: @YaliniRajakulasingam

Facebook: @YaliniRWard21

Appropriate

Halloween Costumes-#MyCultureIsNotACostume

For many, Halloween is an exciting time of the year. However, for people whose cultures are appropriated, it can be a problematic time. When we reduce a culture to a costume, we remove its cultural significance and meaning. Dressing up as another culture, race or ethnicity, as a way to look scary or funny, only reinforces stereotypes. Please be mindful of the costumes you may choose to wear. Have a safe and fa-boo-lous Halloween!

Demographics of Students (as of September 30, 2020)

The following charts outline the demographics of students enrolled in virtual school and in-person school. This does not include October 13th enrollment data.

COVID-19 Confirmed Cases in Schools

The Toronto District School Board is committed to providing up to date information about confirmed cases of COVID-19 in schools (students and staff). This information is easily accessible by visiting https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Return-to-School/COVID-19-Advisories. Please note that all schools where there is a confirmed case of COVID-19 will receive a letter from Toronto Public Health to inform them about the possible exposure.

Learning Centre 3 Virtual Elementary School Contact Information

Grades K-1: Contact Principal Zorina Alli at Zorina.Alli@tdsb.on.ca

Grades 2-4: Contact Principal Phyllis Jackson at Phyllis.Jackson@tdsb.on.ca

Grades 5-8: Contact Principal Laura Slater at Laura.Slater@tdsb.on.ca

Centrally Assigned Principal: David Hawker-Budlovsky

Phone: 416-396-2000

Email: TDSBVirtualElementarySchoolLC3@tdsb.on.ca

Information for High School Students

Exam Days for 2020-2021 School Year

Given the exceptional circumstances this year and the complexities of running exams in both a virtual and in-person setting, the TDSB has chosen to cancel exams for quadmesters 1 and 2 and final marks will be based on coursework and in-class end of quadmester assessment of learning. Further information will follow for the remaining quads, pending current local health and safety guidelines.

Community Involvement Graduation Requirements

For students graduating in the 2020-2021 school year, the Ministry of Education is reducing the 40-hour community involvement graduation requirement to a minimum of 20 hours. Students may consider virtual volunteering, such as connecting with seniors, organizing virtual fundraising events, and facilitating discussions with newcomer youth.

Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT)

For students who are otherwise eligible to graduate before February 2021, but have not yet met the literacy requirement, Principals have the discretion to directly enroll students in the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OSSLC). For students graduating in June 2021, the Ministry currently plans to proceed with the graduation requirement and students may satisfy the literacy graduation requirement as per regular practice.

October is Islamic Heritage Month

At the Toronto District School Board, Islamic Heritage Month is proudly recognized during

October. Recognizing Islamic Heritage Month in Ontario will provide all Ontarians, both today and in future generations, with an opportunity to reflect, celebrate and learn about the rich and longstanding Islamic history in the Province and the diverse roles and contributions of Muslim people in communities across Ontario. This new understanding will in turn help combat anti-Islamic sentiment.

October is Somali Heritage Month

Since June 2016, the TDSB has had the privilege to recognize Somali Heritage Month. The TDSB affirms our commitment to celebrating Somali Heritage Month and encourages students and staff to take this opportunity to learn about the history, heritage, and diversity of the Somali community. There are many Somalians who immigrated to Canada and continue to educate others in their traditions within their new environment. Music has always been an integral part of Somali tradition, and one well-known Somali-Canadian artist who has been sharing his love of songs on the world stage is Keinan Abdi Warsame (K'naan).

Community Corner

The Covid-19 Helpline provides information about health & safety during COVID-19, details on the reopening process, government benefits, and support services available to communities in English, Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Bangla, and Punjabi. All recorded information is available on the helpline 24/7 and live Intake Specialists are available on a set schedule every week.

The Helpline went live in early September and is accessible at 647-846-2233.

TAIBU Community Health Centre is providing a series of workshops to support and empower the Black community during the Pandemic. Please see the poster for details.

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Appropriate

Halloween Costumes-#MyCultureIsNotACostume

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