In this issue:

Local news and updates:

• PIAC news from PIAC representative Felicia Seto-Lau
• Ward 3 specialty programs: admissions information
• ESA Winter Craft Fair and Silent Auction November 17 2018
• Sir Adam Beck Winter Bazaar November 24 2018

News and updates from TDSB's Education Centre:

• Legalization of cannabis: How does it affect schools?
• TDSB dress code policy being updated
• Parent Reaching Out grants "paused" by Ministry of Education
• Early French Immersion: registration for next year now open
• TDSB parent's guide to sex ed (Health and Physical Education) curriculum

Read the full newsletter here!

• November 1, 2018 at Etobicoke CI (86 Montogmery Road) - 7:00pm - 8:00pm
• November 7, 2018 Virtual Information Evening  www.tdsb.on.ca - 7:00pm - 8:00pm

To find out more details and all the meeting locations, click here.

Welcome back to the new school year! I hope you and your family had an enjoyable summer and your child is settling in well to the routines of school. A special welcome to all new parents who are joining this e-newsletter for the first time. 

I hold frequent ward-wide meetings on topics of interest to parents. Don't miss the first meeting, on October 2 at 7 pm at Karen Kain School of the Arts. The topic is timely: with the provincial government releasing a controversial rewrite of the 1998 Health and Physical Education curriculum, and many parents confused, I will host an update on how human development (sex ed) will be taught in TDSB schools. Details below. 

As your elected school board trustee for TDSB, my role is to advocate for you and your child, and to represent the needs and interests of all students and parents in the TDSB. Please visit my websitefor lots of good information on local education matters. 

Your involvement with your child's education is important. There are many ways to get involved. Explore the TDSB Ward 3 Essential School Community Resource Guide that local parents created to share their tips. The TDSB's award-winning website is also a wealth of information. Check out the Parent Resources website for homework tips, the school year calendar, and supports for mental health, healthy living, and bullying. 

For years, I have advocated for safer roads in school zones so that students can walk and cycle safely to school, thereby experiencing many health and resiliency benefits. Because of motions that I have made and successfully received support for, road safety and active transportation is now on the radar screen of the TDSB as never before. More information is below.

In this issue:

Local news and updates:

• Town Hall on Sex Ed October 2 2018 at KKSA
• Norseman Jr. Middle School: Construction Update
• Norseman Fall Fair September 29 2018: Castlebar location
• David Hornell JS Adopt a School Program with Indigo
• Playground revitalizations Lanor, Islington and Twentieth

News and updates from TDSB's Education Centre:

• Road Safety and Active Transportation: October is I-Walk Month in TDSB
• TDSB and City expanding Vision Zero measures in school zones
• EQAO results
• Save the Date: Parents Make a Difference Conference -November 17 2018

Read the full newsletter here!

This is a special issue of the newsletter. The provincial government has made many announcements recently, some of which are going to affect both the governance and the curriculum of our TDSB system. I am following these closely and continue to work on your behalf during the summer break. Here's a quick summary.

Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum

Changes to ward boundaries in the TDSB

Read the newsletter here!

At the August 1st Special Finance, Budget and Enrolment Committee meeting, the board approved the vendor contracts for the Norseman JMS Addition and Renovation project. You can read the Norseman construction approval report here. 

I pleased to see that this is moving ahead on schedule and construction is on track to begin August 2018. 

On Wednesday, February 7th, schools all across TDSB celebrated Winter Walk Day.  At Karen Kain School of the Arts on Berl Avenue, school staff met students at Royal York subway station and walked 2.6 km in a snowstorm to get to school. Here are some pictures from this very wintery day. Looks like everyone had a lot of fun! Thanks to the staff and students at KKSA for their whole-hearted endorsement of the joys of winter walking.

KAREN KAIN SCHOOL OF THE ARTS CELEBRATES WINTER-WALK DAY - FEBRUARY 7th, 2018

“We had so much fun at the Winter Walk to School on Wednesday!  It was a great way to make new friends in different grades and bond with our classmates.  Since we didn’t use cars or public transit, we got good exercise and got to school without polluting the air.  Congratulations to everyone who showed up.  Thanks for showing the world how we can make a change!”

Isabella G., Georgia F. & Lila M.J. - 6B

On Wednesday, January 17th I will be bringing the following motion to the Program and School Services Committee meeting for consideration. I hope that our board can continue to encourage active transportation initiatives throughout the entire school year.   

Motion in Support of Active Transportation to School and Back in Winter

Whereas, the Toronto District School Board has had a Charter for Active, Safe and Sustainable Transportation since 2013; and

Whereas, research shows that walking and cycling to school is the healthiest way for children to get to school, allowing them to arrive at school having had some of the 60 minutes of exercise that children and youth need daily, supporting increased health, mental health, self-reliance and focus, and putting in place lifelong habits that thwart obesity and chronic diseases in later life; and

Whereas, being active outside in Canadian winters is important for child and youth health. As a life skill, students need to know how to dress for severely cold weather, and how to keep themselves protected from frostbite, hypothermia and other cold weather hazards; and

Whereas, the first Wednesday in February is widely celebrated in Canada as Winter Walk Day, with many resources being available to help schools to plan and promote winter walking to school on this day (as for example, Safe Routes to School Canada’s webpage http://www.saferoutestoschool.ca/winter-walk-day/ ):

Therefore, be it resolved:

(a) That the first Wednesday in February be declared as Winter Walk to School Day and recognized as an official day of significance in the Toronto District School Board;

(b) That the Director develop a communications campaign to encourage all schools to participate in Winter Walk to School Day;

(c) That the Director develop a plan to encourage and support active transportation to and from school during the winter months, to include:

(i) ensuring that all school sidewalks, pathways and cycle racks are cleared of snow and ice well in advance of school opening and closing times after snowfalls,

(ii) making sure that all students and their parents are aware of how to dress for outdoor activity in the cold, and encouraging weather- appropriate clothing be worn to school,

(iii) working with parents to promote the health benefits of students walking and cycling to school in all weather conditions, as long as students are dressed appropriately,

(iv) debunking the misconception that children and youth should be driven to school during cold weather for safety reasons, and instead encouraging active safe and sustainable transportation to school as a first choice in all weather.

Both the City of Toronto and the provincial government have recently announced funding to support student health and well-being by encouraging walking and cycling to school. It's well known that getting to school actively (called active transportation) is the healthiest way for students. Concern about road safety is a common fear that parents who want their children to walk or cycle to school express to me and I've been working hard to address this worry.

On the first day of school, Mayor Tory unveiled a city-sponsored program to improve the safety of children walking to school, part of the City's $80M Vision Zero Road Safety Plan. The program, operating in partnership with the TDSB, will designate School Safety Zones at specific schools, featuring signs with flashing beacons, school zone pavement markings, "Watch Your Speed" driver feedback signs, and other mechanisms designed to slow down traffic and make drivers more aware of pedestrian safety. Ask your local councillor for details. The new Guide to Safer Streets will help you work with City Hall to advocate for better school zone safety.  

This is the highest number of Ecoschools yet in ward 3, with a whopping 13 Etobicoke Lakeshore schools being certified as EcoSchools. Several schools such as Seventh Street JS and Sir Adam Beck JS going from having no status last year to Gold this year. Second Street JMS has remarkably gone from zero to Platinum in just four years, and Islington JMS has done the same. Karen Kain School of the Arts has attained Platinum for four years running, and is the top EcoSchool achiever overall, followed closely by Wedgwood JS which slipped to Gold this year after three consecutive years at Platinum designation. All schools that have been certified are to be commended for their commitment to environmental action.

At the end of last year, I initiated an Eco-Schools award for those schools in Ward 3 who qualified for Eco-Schools status during the school year. This year, another 13 schools qualified, including Second Street JMS, who has already put the money from the award to good use! I was happy to join them on June 12th, as they planted straw bale gardens for student, staff and the community to enjoy!

At a recent Program and School Services Committee Meeting, I put forward a motion asking for the establishment of a Traffic Safety Task Force. This was partially in response to the death of a 6 years old TDSB student who was killed by a vehicle while walking home from school. I am happy to say that at the May 24th Board meeting, my fellow trustees and I unanimously approved this motion, and we will now be working together with the city toward the next steps. TDSB Chair, Robin Pilkey, will soon meet with Mayor John Tory to discuss the formation of the task force.  

My fellow Trustees and I often get many phone calls during the school year from concerned parents and neighbours, who complain about traffic safety around schools, especially during drop off and pick up times. This task force will work to make the streets surrounding our schools safer for pedestrians and drivers alike.

Read the full motion here.

On the evening of March 25th, I was happy to participate in the Earth Hour Hike at Centennial Park. The walk was organized by Our Place Initiative, and the group was led by Matthew Siwiec and Jonathan Robertson. We were joined by children, parents and other community members - even my dog, Chelsea, was able to participate!

On Wednesday, March 8th, I had the pleasure of attending the Lakeshore Area Multi-service Project Community Health Centre's (LAMP CHC) International Women's Day Luncheon, held at the Mimico Cruising Club. 

I was joined by my assistant, Christy Heath, as well as the 5 students from Lakeshore Collegiate Institute, whom I sponsored to attend the luncheon. We enjoyed a great afternoon in the company of some great women, including guest speaker Mary O'Connell, award winning documentary producer of CBC's "Ideas".   

The theme for the event was #BeBoldForChange, and all proceeds will go towards supporting LAMP CHC programs, helping serve the local community, including students from LCI. 

On March 2nd, Daniel Castaldo from the TDSB's Planning Department gave a special presentation at my ward council meeting involving the board's Long-Term Program & Accommodation Strategy for Etobicoke-Lakeshore. 

The minutes from the meeting will be posted shortly on the ward council side bar page, but in the meanwhile, Daniel has shared the slides from his presentation for those who are interested. 

In February 2017, TDSB researchers presented results of a new study that tracked children's academic success through time, from Kindergarten until school leaving in Grade 12.  Since 1998, TDSB teachers have used the Early Development Instrument (EDI), an assessment tool that assesses young children's ability to meet age-appropriate developmental expectations. Longitudinal tracking of the first EDI cohorts shows that on average, children who show vulnerability in one or more EDI domains in kindergarten continue to struggle to meet provincial expectations throughout their school careers, and experience lower than average success in post-secondary acceptance. Month of birth has an impact on school readiness in that children born later in the year (Oct-Dec) show higher rates of vulnerability in 2 or more domains compared to those born earlier in the year. Early interventions, such as pre-school participation in Family Literacy Centres or being in schools supported by the Model Schools for the Inner City program, has a positive effect on child development.

Every year, The Learning Partnership’s Outstanding Principals program recognizes the unique and vital contribution of Principals in publicly funded schools. Nominated by parents, colleagues and community members, and chosen by a national selection committee, 40 Principals from across Canada are being celebrated for demonstrating innovation, having an entrepreneurial spirit and for employing creativity in finding solutions and opportunities.

I am proud to announce that Craig Howe from École John English Junior Middle School is one of two TDSB principals chosen for the honour this year. Craig and Principal Monday Gala from C.W. Jefferys Collegiate Institute join this year's class of principals who are being inducted into the prestigious ranks of the National Academy of Canada’s Outstanding Principals. The Principals will be awarded for their accomplishments at the annual Canada’s Outstanding Principals gala on February 28^th, 2017.

Join me in congratulating Craig and all the Outstanding Principals of 2017!

Pictured (left to right): TDSB Director John Malloy, TDSB Chair Robin Pilkey, Principal Craig Howe, Trustee Pamela Gough, Superintendent Sandra Tondat

"How can I find out more about education funding in Ontario?"

Please see below for a link to a Ministry of Education Funding Technical Paper that offers an excellent glimpse into the many factors involved in funding schools boards in Ontario.

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/funding/1415/Technical14_15.pdf.