Ward 21 Trustee Newsletter 2007

In This Edition

• Message from your Trustee
• Celebrating 30 years of International Languages and Black Culture programs
• A new generation of great green facilities
• Trustee hosts annual Malvern youth forum
• Happy 50th birthday North Agincourt
• Students spell s-u-c-c-e-s-s

Message from your Trustee

Dear Scarborough–Rouge River Residents,

Scarborough-Rouge River is a vibrant and diverse community, home to 143,103 residents (2006 Census) including a school-aged population of over 17,000-the second highest in the city. The Toronto District School Board operates 31 elementary and 5 secondary schools in Ward 21, which at 60 km2 is the largest riding in Toronto.

In December, I was appointed by the Board to the City of Toronto's Children's Services Advisory Committee, which has worked on developing a 10-year plan to expand children's services and support the 'Best Generation Yet'. It is vital that we give our children the attention they need, especially in the early years when it matters the most.

At the TDSB, I am a member of the Administration, Finance and Accountability Committee, which deals with the Board's financial matters. In June, the TDSB approved a $2.349 billion budget that preserved important services and programs including the Model Inner City Schools initiative, which supports children in some of Toronto's neediest neighbourhoods.

The Board has also agreed to review its English as a Second Language programs, a decision that I strongly supported. TDSB staff will present a report by November to examine current ESL programs, staffing and related expenditures, as well as to provide recommendations for improvement based on research and best practices.

Meanwhile, the Province is carrying out its own review of how Boards are meeting the needs of ESL students. What must also be examined are the historical funding gaps the TDSB continues to face. Expenditures such as utilities are not fully funded by the Province, thus forcing the Board to use nearly half of its ESL grant to pay for other operational expenses.

At the last Ward 21 Council meeting in June, I invited Carla Kisko, TDSB's Executive Superintendent of Business Services, to discuss the budget process and how school boards are funded. Ward 21 Council meetings are open to all community members, and as always, I welcome your input and suggestions.

Sincerely,

Shaun Chen
Trustee, Ward 21

Celebrating 30 years of International Languages and Black Culture programs

Grey Owl Public School in Ward 21 is home to the first and only Black Culture program in Scarborough

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Toronto District School Board's successful International Languages and Black Culture elementary programs, which are delivered to over 30,000 students across the city in 52 languages.

"Inclusive curriculum reflecting the needs of a diverse student population is one of the most important kinds of education we provide," says Trustee Shaun Chen.

On May 7, Trustee Chen celebrated Scarborough's first and only Black Culture program by joining instructor Murphy Browne and her students at Grey Owl Public School for a lesson in Swahili.

"The children were thrilled that Mr. Chen came with treats!" says Browne. "Every day in our African Heritage class is a treat because students learn histories and languages they would not otherwise learn in the regular program," says Browne.

Priscilla Yu was involved with the International Languages program for 10 years starting in 1978. She is now Principal of Agnes Macphail Public School, where evening classes in Cantonese and Tamil are taught every Tuesday.

"Happy memories flood over me every time I pass by the International Languages classes in my school and see the children learning to value their language and culture as they become part of the mosaic that makes Canada such a unique country," says Yu.

Offered to all elementary students, the program provides children an opportunity to celebrate cultures and teaches them an additional language of their choice, often the native language of their parents.

At White Haven Public School, students in the Cantonese program performed a traditional lion dance to attract good luck to the Chinese New Year at a February 27 ceremony attended by Trustee Chen as well as parents and community members.

"My parents taught me the importance of welcoming the Chinese New Year for peace and prosperity so I thank you for sharing in this wonderful tradition," he said.

On June 2, Trustee Chen joined over 2,500 community members at the Scarborough Civic Centre to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the International Languages and Black Culture elementary programs. A lively and colourful program featured a fashion show, folk dances, martial arts, storytelling and puppet shows.

"We are proud to acknowledge the significance of international languages and black culture in our communities," says Gerry Connelly, TDSB's Director of Education. "The program reaffirms our commitment to celebrating our diverse cultures, languages and communities."

A new generation of great green facilities

Thomas L. Wells Public School is Canada's first LEED Silver-certified school, part of 'a new generation of high performance green schools,' says trustee

The role each one of us can play in supporting environmental sustainability is an issue on everybody's mind these days. When it comes to being green, the Toronto District School Board has a dual responsibility-not only in what students are taught, but also in how the Board operates.

Two of TDSB's newest schools, Thomas L. Wells Public School and soon-to-open Brookside Public School, both in Ward 21, demonstrate the Board's commitment to green construction for new buildings.

"We are building a new generation of high performance green schools and the results are astounding," says Trustee Shaun Chen. Energy use at Thomas L. Wells is 40% less when compared to a similar structure of standard design.

Opened in 2005, the school is the first and only in Canada to receive LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification. On May 26, Trustee Chen opened the school as one of 21 green buildings showcased in Doors Open Toronto, which attracted 417 visitors to the school from across the city and beyond.

"A key commitment we've made is to assist the TDSB in becoming Canada's leading education institution in environmental stewardship," says Sheila Penny, TDSB's Executive Superintendent of Facility Services.

Given its size, the TDSB has a significant environmental impact. Initiatives like energy conservation and waste minimization can make a huge difference when they happen daily at more than 600 sites.

The TDSB's annual Energy Management Master Plan also initiates design measures in existing buildings to reduce energy consumption, saving millions of dollars in the last few years. Between 2002 and 2005, gas consumption dropped by 7.8% while electricity use declined by 5.3%, adding up to combined savings of about $5 million.

Another initiative aims to develop a renewable energy strategy for the Board's over 600 sites. "If we partner with the Catholic Board, they have 250 sites-that's almost 1000 sites embedded in the hearts of residential communities," says Penny.

The highly ambitious plan involves establishing a renewable energy grid across the city, but the current technology will not offer savings in less than 30 years, which Penny readily admits is too long. She plans to test the industry every 6 to 9 months, inviting renewable strategy proposals to see if they support the Board's financial objectives.

Another important piece of the puzzle is building and retrofitting sustainable schools. With many TDSB schools reaching middle age–95% of school buildings are at least 20 years old while 37% are over 50 years old–estimates of current renewal costs are as high as $1.4 billion.

Trustee hosts annual Malvern youth forum

This year marked the 7th annual Malvern-area youth forum, "Dare to Care: Respect for Self, Family and Community," held on June 2 at Lester B. Pearson Collegiate Institute in the heart of Malvern.

Jody Schmidt, Malvern Family Resource Centre's Youth Manager, co-ordinated the event, which featured workshops, performances and pick-up basketball.

Trustee Shaun Chensaid he was honoured to host this year's conference. "Malvern is a strong community with talented youth who deserve every opportunity for success," he told delegates.

It is vital to build strong community partnerships with youth-serving agencies like MFRC," says Trustee Chen, who also spoke at Malvern Community Coalition's annual "Malvern in Motion" conference on June 9, also at Pearson.

Happy 50th birthday North Agincourt

Trustee Shaun Chen was on hand to help cut the cake at North Agincourt Junior Public School's 50th anniversary celebration held on April 28. He urged all 800 community attendees to continue to be involved.

"We know from research and experience that parental and community involvement is a key factor to student success," said Trustee Chen. "I invite all of you to continue to be involved as neighbours, parents, alumni and volunteers."

Opened in 1957, North Agincourt is situated on a park and ravine cul-de-sac amid a largely single family home community based in the old village of Agincourt. The school is a place of learning for 350 students from junior kindergarten through to grade 6. Approximately half of the students are enrolled in French Immersion and Extended French programs.

Students spell s-u-c-c-e-s-s

Regional spelling bees show kids the fun in learning vocabulary and language basics

Trustee Shaun Chen joined Ward 21 students as they took part in three regional Spelling Bee of Canada competitions held in March and April. He commended participants for their hard work and courage to speak on stage.

"I remember when I was in grade 4 competing at the Scarborough Speech Arts, it was just utterly nerve-wracking, so you should all be proud of yourselves," he said to the crowd of anxious students as well as parents and onlookers at Woodside Square on April 14.

"Thank you to the Spelling Bee of Canada and its founder Julie Spence for promoting literacy and empowering our students to develop self confidence and communication skills," he said.

Ward 21 regional champions include: Umaiyahl Nageswaran, 7, and Kajan Gnanasegeran, 10, from the Scarborough North regional held on April 14; 10-year-old Abina Premachandran from the Scarborough South regional held on March 31; and Basma Islam, 7,Gireesh Balachandran, 11, and Adi Govindaraja, 12, from the NE4 Family of Schools regional held on March 24.

All winners move on to compete at the Spelling Bee of Canada Championship in Thornhill, Ontario. For more information, please contact the Spelling Bee of Canada at (416) 746-0072.