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Accommodation review schools begin school improvement process

December 2010: Across the city, local community design teams at 22 schools are meeting with assigned architects to talk about how they want to see their school expanded and improved.

These meetings are the result of six accommodation reviews held earlier in the year to reduce surplus student places. Schools that will soon be receiving students from closing schools are being spruced up and expanded to welcome their new occupants.

Members of school design communities include school council chairs, principals, teachers and community representatives. Some schools must be ready to accept their new students by next fall, so they have to move fast.

Building upgrades vary from school to school. They include things like new classroom additions, open-concept classroom suites, wireless internet access, fresh paint and flooring and grounds refreshing.

The local community design teams play a key role in helping TDSB staff plan the transitions between closing and receiving schools. Each team works with their architect to develop and adapt the new designs to local needs, working within approved budgets.

More information on the accommodation review process is available at www.tdsb.on.ca/brighterfutures.

Board completes eight accommodation reviews

July 2010: On June 23, 2010, the Board of Trustees voted to close eight under-used schools and convert 14 K-Grade 6 schools located near them to K-Grade 8 schools.

These decisions were made to reduce surplus student places, so funds can be diverted back into classrooms and program improvements supporting student achievement.

Achievement Gap Task Force draft report ready for circulation

June 2010: Early in 2010, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) approved Director Chris Spence’s Vision of Hope with its focus on improvements on three key areas: student achievement; parent and community engagement; and financial stability. As part of that vision, he asked staff to examine the underlying causes of lower achievement rates among some groups of TDSB students, and to propose directions for addressing that gap.

Pilot Parent Academy Draws Enthusiastic Crowd

May 2010: One Saturday in mid-May, more than 200 parents of north-west-Toronto TDSB students went back to school. Why? They wanted to boost their children’s success at school by building links between their homes, schools and community.

The name of the conference, held at Westview Centennial Secondary School in partnership with York University education experts, TDSB teachers and administration staff, was Parents and School—Making Connections.