TDSB Trustee Anu Sriskandarajah
Break now scheduled for April 12-16
The Education Minister announced that March Break was delayed by a month in hopes of reducing community transmission of COVID-19. The break is now scheduled for April 12-16.
Mental Health and Well-Being
The TDSB is committed to providing mental health and well-being support for students, their families and staff. For more information, including resources and coping strategies, please see Mental Health and Well-Being at tdsb.on.ca.
Ontario Budget Consultations
On February 12, the TDSB submitted our funding request as part of Ontario’s Budget Consultations, which highlighted the following key budget areas: Special Education and Mental Health Support; Technology; Pandemic Impacts; Capital Needs; and Education Development Charges.
Director of Education Search Video
Canada’s largest and the most racially and socio-economically diverse school board is looking for its next Director of Education. Learn more about the TDSB and its search here:
Greek Heritage Month
March was Greek Heritage Month at the TDSB. It was an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the many achievements and contributions of Greek Canadians to Canada, and an occasion to mark and enjoy the history of Greek culture.
Addressing Anti-Asian Racism
Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario and TDSB have partnered to develop a resource to empower educators to take action against anti-Asian racism. Called “Addressing Anti-Asian Racism: A Resource for Educators, ” it can be found on the TDSB website.
Black Mental Health Day
On March 1, TDSB recognized Black Mental Health Day. Held on the first Monday of March, this day acknowledges the deeply rooted impact anti-Black racism has on the emotional well-being of Black communities.
Every day, we need to recognize the important role that schools play in discussing how racial trauma impacts the mental health and well-being of our Black students and families. It is through this that we can acknowledge and support meaningful and accessible connections to resources.
Please refer to “Black Mental Health Day” at http://tdsb.on.ca for access to resources that can help with discussion opportunities in the classroom, our schools and our communities.
TCDSB Trustee Garry Tanuan
Addressing systemic racism
As we head into Spring and the promise of warmer weather, let us also celebrate the most sacred time of the year, Easter Sunday on April 4.
Congratulations to the Filipino community on the 500-years anniversary celebration of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines! We’re honoured and especially proud to showcase the talented artwork of over 100 TCDSB students featured in the Philippine Consulate General’s Art Contest. The announcement of the contest winners on March 31 coincided with the anniversary of the first Catholic Mass in the Philippines 1521and a special Mass celebrated in commemoration of the Quincentennial Jubilee of Christianity in the Philippines (QJCP).
Only for this year, March Break has been postponed by one month to the week of April 12 to keep students in the classroom and prevent further community COVID transmission.
The TCDSB is taking immediate steps to address systemic racism across the Board, more specifically anti-Black racism, by implementing positive system changes. A newly formed TCDSB Board Race Relations Committee has been approved and created in a motion by Trustee Garry Tanuan who was elected as Chair of the committee. Director Brendan Browne writes, “We are taking immediate steps to launch our identity-based data collection, which will better equip us to identify and monitor disparities within our school system. This data will inform decisions that change outcomes for black students.” The Equity Department is working to create a Dismantling Anti-Black Racism Strategy (DABR). See more information on the focus group.
See the list of system-wide projects in the 2020-2021 Renewal Plan for each ward.
Latest News and Information:
Visit the Board’s website www.tcdsb.org | Follow @TCDSB on Twitter, @TorontoCatholicDSB on Instagram, and visit Toronto Catholic District School Board on Facebook for frequent updates.
Questions? Contact: Trustee Garry Tanuan 416-512-3408 or 416-222-8282 ext. 2659 (Constituency Officer: Ida Serpe).