Trustee Pamela Gough
Ward 3, Etobicoke - Lakeshore 5050 Yonge Street, 5th Floor Constituency Assistant: |
|
|
Welcome, and thank you for visiting my Ward web page.Whether you are a student, parent or resident, as your elected representative for the TDSB, it is my role to advocate on your behalf. On the TDSB site, and on this page, you can stay informed on what’s happening at the Board, including policies under review, program updates and discussions around new initiatives to improve student success. James S. Bell Sports and Wellness Academy now accepting registrationsRegistration for James S. Bell Sports and Wellness Academy kicked off on January 17th, providing an exciting new educational opportunity for students in south Etobicoke. Altogether, five new Academies – including Boys’ Leadership, Girls’ Leadership, Sports and Wellness, Health and Wellness and Vocal Music – are slated to open in nine schools across the TDSB this September. At James S. Bell Sports and Wellness Academy, students of all grades will discover a passion for a variety of sports and athletic pursuits, and health and physical activities that lead to a lifelong commitment to healthy active living. Students attending an Academy will be part of a culture that balances academic excellence with a focus on personal leadership, character development and innovation. They will be provided with a dynamic array of learning options to follow their own path to success. There are no specific admission requirements – just interest and passion. For more information about James S. Bell Sports and Wellness Academy call 416-394-7680 or email john.currie@tdsb.on.ca. Online registration is available at the following link: http://www.tdsb.on.ca/_site/ViewItem.asp?siteid=10552&menuid=32033&pageid=27366 Registration will be accepted on a continuing basis until September. Click here for an article from Inside Toronto. |
TDSB Award of Excellence NominationsDo you know a staff person or group achieving amazing results each and every day in the classroom, office or workshop? Are they showing an extraordinary commitment to improving the quality of education in our system? Perhaps they are implementing successful business practices or actively engaging their local community? If so, consider nominating them for a TDSB Excellence Award this year! This year, the Excellence Awards will recognize those individuals or groups who have best advanced the five Strategic Directions of the TDSB and have shown exemplary performance in their roles as Board employees. |
French Catholic Board Withdraws Offer for Alderwood Collegiate SiteAs part of the five year capital plan, the TDSB declared a portion of the site of the former Alderwood Collegiate to be surplus to its needs in August, 2011. In mid-December, the French Catholic Board submitted a conditional offer to the Toronto Lands Corporation (TLC) to buy the property. The offer has since been withdrawn. Since no other public agencies or institutions expressed interest during the mandatory 90-day public circulation period, the site will be offered for sale on the open market by the TLC. A public meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 1 at Lakeshore Collegiate, 7 pm to 8:30 pm. For more information, please contact Donna Jondreau of the TLC at djondreau.tlc@tdsb.on.ca or (416) 393-0632. |
News from the BoardroomAt the Organizational Board meeting of December 1, 2011, the trustees shuffled their portfolios around. I am now Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee for Programs and School Services, as well as being the TDSB representative to City of Toronto Board of Health.In addition, I am on many of the Board’s central committees, including: • Caring and Safe Schools Advisory • Health and Mental Well-Being • Aboriginal Community Advisory • French as a Second Language Advisory • Stewardship of Fine Art I am looking forward to another year of promoting the best interests of the students in the TDSB on these committees. |
Lady Gaga Sends Personal Anti-Bullying MessageIn a video message, Lady Gaga spoke directly to the students at Etobicoke School for the Arts, congratulating them for their anti-bullying campaign and asking them to “treat each other with kindness, love, and to accept everyone..” |
LCI Announces Partnership with Rotman School of Management, U of TOn November 29, 2011, LCI hosted a spectacular showcase of facilities and programs. The highlight of the evening was the announcement of a new program partnership with the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. The program, called the I-Think Integrative Thinking Model, is based on the theory that lies at the heart of the Rotman School’s famous Executive MBA program. The program will provide a framework where trained teachers from both LCI and the Rotman School of Management will guide students to think in the way that top business leaders do, enabling them to tackle the most difficult problems and make better decisions. Click here to see how this kind of integrative thinking is being taught to business leaders around the world. LCI is one of only two high schools in the Toronto area to offer this remarkable learning opportunity. |
Lakeshore Collegiate launches new Amazing Inside CampaignHave you taken a look at Lakeshore Collegiate lately? LCI is about to launch a new campaign called Amazing Inside, which will showcase its unsurpassed arts and sports facilities. Lakeshore has some of the hottest arts and technology programs in the province, including the CyberARTS program, which combines art, graphic design and digital media. A marriage of art and modern design technology, CyberARTS is a multidisciplinary project-driven program offered at only six schools in the TDSB. For students who get involved in CyberARTS, it’s much more than just an art class every day. It means participating in a program that views the entire secondary curriculum through the double lens of art and technology. LCI’s CyberARTS MacIntosh computer lab was featured on CTV News in early October. To find out more about CyberARTS, click here. That’s not all. Lakeshore has a wide range of programs, including a drama partnership with the University of Toronto that give students opportunities to earn early credits at one of the top universities in Canada. Lakeshore Collegiate also has amazing athletic facilities on a campus that includes a multi-pad hockey arena and the Toronto District School Board’s newest artificial turf football/soccer fields, which is soon going to be available for all season use by the school and the community through the construction of an inflatable dome. Take an inside look at LCI with this new video: http://tdsbstreamvip.tdsb.on.ca/tdsb/campaigns/lci/lakeshoreci.wmv |
James S. Bell transforms into Sports and Wellness AcademyOn November 16, 2011, the TDSB board of trustees confirmed that James S. Bell Junior Middle School, in south Etobicoke, will become a Sports and Wellness Academy as of September 2012. A focus on healthy active living will permeate the entire school, from kindergarten to grade 8. Admission is open to all. |
News for School Councils about Nutrition GuidelinesOne of the information sessions at the People for Education Conference on Saturday November 5th provided resources for School Councils and parents about the guidelines to be followed when providing items for bake sales in the school. The Ministry of Education has published a cook book called Bake It Up that fulfills the guidelines. It can be found at the following link: http://http://www.nutritionrc.ca/resources/pdfs/nrc_bake-it-up.pdf |
Healthy Schools Recognition ProgramThe Healthy Schools Recognition Program promotes and celebrates healthy behaviours and practices in Ontario's schools. Schools pledge to take on a healthy activity in their school – and receive recognition for it. Schools can start a new activity or build on an existing one. The Premier and the Minister of Education will recognize participating schools with a certificate and pennant. A list of participating schools will also be posted on the Ministry of Education's website. For more information about the Healthy Schools Recognition Program, please click here. |
Mats Sundin Comes to James S. Bell to Promote Fitness Program
On October 27th, I attended the launch of a fitness program, called Shape Up, at James S. Bell Jr. Middle School and met former Maple Leaf Captain, Mats Sundin. As part of the TDSB’s Fit for Life initiative, the program is sponsored by Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment. It uses professional sports to create healthy, active living opportunities for children and youth in Grades 1 to 8. Teachers can register at www.mlseshapeup.com for free daily physical activity (DPA) and health and physical education resources such as sport themed DPA circuits and classroom support materials. |  |
Community meeting held re the sale of a portion of former Alderwood Collegiate site - October 18, 2011On October 18, 2011, I held a public meeting to receive community input on the sale of a portion of the site of the former Alderwood Collegiate. This portion of land was declared to be surplus to the needs of the TDSB earlier this year and is being put up for sale through the Toronto Lands Corporation. |
Community Meeting Concerning Construction of the Tournament Field and Dome at Lakeshore CI - October 13, 2011In June 2010, the TDSB approved the construction, installation and operation of an artificial turf tournament field and seasonal dome at Lakeshore CI through a partnership agreement with Nustadia Recreation Inc. |
Update on October 11th Special Education Ward ForumOn Tuesday October 11, 2011, Trustee Chris Glover and I hosted a Joint Ward Meeting at Islington Junior Middle School to discuss special education. Dr. Carolyn Lennox, Chief of Psychological Services for the SW family of schools, presented an overview of the psychological assessment process. Judit Sastre, a Literacy Coach in our area, made a presentation on the Empowered Reading Program developed by The Hospital for Sick Children for struggling readers in the early grades. The presentations were followed by a report from the Parent Involvement Advisory Committee (PIAC) by Nora Green and a report on the Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) by Phillip Sargent. A number of parents at the forum expressed an interest in participating in the TDSB's Professional Support Services Review, which is a survey of the front line professional services at the TDSB that support students with special needs. I encourage participation. This survey is open to all and is available at the following link: https://secure.tdsb.on.ca/survey/PSSReview.asp
|
TDSB Health HubGood health is a holistic concept that involves everything from emotional and mental wellbeing to eating a balanced, nutritious diet to living an active lifestyle. When it comes to learning, good health is one of the most important factors for success in school. The TDSB Health Hub is a comprehensive on-line health resource for all members of the TDSB community. In May 2011, we celebrated Children's Mental Health Week with a preview of the Mental Wellbeing section. Future sections will include information on special education, gender and sexuality, nutrition and healthy eating, and much much more! |
Information about School CouncilsAt the TDSB, school councils are an excellent way for parents to get involved in their child’s education. Every TDSB school has an elected school council. Your school council is an important forum for involving all members of the school community in matters that affect the education of students. The school council is made up of an elected committee of parents, staff and student representatives, appointed community members, the principal, and a general membership which includes all parent of children attending the school. The school council advises the principal and the Board on a variety of issues and activities relating to student achievement, curriculum goals and priorities, school budget priorities, school safety, renovation plans, after school activities, and criteria for selection of new principals. More information about School Councils can be found here. |
Information about the Parent Involvement Advisory Committee (PIAC)Recognizing the importance of parent involvement in our schools, the Ontario Ministry of Education, in its 2005 Parent Involvement Advisory Policy, mandated the creation of Parent Involvement Committees in each school board across the province "to provide parent advice and to support parent engagement." The mandate of the TDSB's Parent Involvement Advisory Committee is: To advise the Board on matters related to parent and community involvement, and to provide feedback to the Board on educational matters of broad community interest. In February, 2011, The TDSB Parent Involvement Advisory Committee (PIAC) launched a very informative web site. Click here to find out more about PIAC and how this group of engaged parents can help you to be more involved with your child's education. Ward 3 is looking for a new PIAC representative. If you are interested in this position, please contact Trustee Gough's Constituency Assistant Debbie Wagdin at Debbie.Wagdin@tdsb.on.ca. More information about PIAC can be found here. |
Saving for your child's post-secondary education: Heard about the Canada Learning Bond?I encourage all families to think ahead to the time when their children will be leaving the public education system and starting out in the world. When today's children reach early adulthood, they are going to be entering a competitive job market where they will need either community college or university credentials to get a foothold into their careers. Research shows that having even a small amount of money set aside for their future education by parents or guardians gives children a strong message of encouragement and can help set them on a pathway to post-secondary education leading to successful careers.
Start planning for your child's post-secondary education as early as possible to get a head start on this important phase of your child's life. The Government of Canada has a number of programs set up to help families save for post-secondary education. You can do this regardless of your income level. Low income families have a unique opportunity to obtain education savings money from the federal government: the Canada Learning Bond. Check out this website to see if your family qualifies: http://www.canlearn.ca/eng/saving/clb/index.shtml
Canada Education Savings Grants are also available to every family, regardless of income level. In this program, the federal government makes a yearly contribution to your child's Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP). These are easy to set up and provide a number of options to save for your child's education. Here's a link for more information:
|
Here are some useful links to get you started:• TDSB News• Find Your Local School • Register for Kindergarten • Child Care • French Immersion • Secondary School Programs • Board Meetings • Board Policies • Budget • School Safety |
Can't find what you're looking for? |