TDSB Trustee Anu Sriskandarajah
Budget and Staff Allocation
Our 2023-24 Budget Process is currently underway. Every year, this process begins with staff allocation, which is guided by several factors, including student enrolment, collective agreements, class size caps and averages, and the TDSB’s commitment to equity, student achievement and well-being. This year, additional factors, including the elimination of ministry funding provided during the COVID-19 pandemic, have impacted our budget and staff allocation. The Board continues to advocate to the Ministry of Education to provide adequate and sustainable funding to support student achievement and well-being. To find out more, go to tdsb.on.ca and search “Developing the 2023-2424 budget”.
2023-2024 is going to be a challenging budget year. There are structural deficits. The Board is budgeting to spend more money than it receives from the province. For example, additional costs to support student safety. The pandemic had a negative impact on the budget and we have not recovered. For example: decreased enrollment (we receive our funding based on student enrollment); decrease in permit, international student tuition, and continuing education revenues; $70 million costs that were not funded by the Ministry.
This year, a key update is the inclusion of climate action commitments as part of the following budget drivers: Student and Staff Safety, Mental Health and Well-being; Student Success and Engagement; Equitable Access to Learning Opportunities to Serve Our Students; and, Modernization and Accessibility.
Including climate action in several areas reflects the TDSB’s commitment to address the issue of climate change in our schools. These additions were made following important feedback received in the survey and from the Environmental Sustainability Community Advisory Committee.
Multi-Year Strategic Plan Renewal
We are beginning to renew our Multi-Year Strategic Plan and we invite the entire TDSB community to get involved and share your voice. The renewal process will build on the foundation of our current strategic plan and there will be a variety of opportunities to share your thoughts and ideas in the coming months. Please visit tdsb.on.ca/MYSPrenewal to learn more and for ongoing updates.
Elementary Summer School
Looking to build your child’s literacy and numeracy skills? Elementary Summer School registration is now open! The focus of the 2023 Elementary Literacy and Numeracy Summer School Program is to continue student engagement through the month of July. Programs, which are developed by the local summer school principal to reflect the local school focus, are offered in-person to students in Kindergarten to Grade 8, from July 4 to July 28, 2023, in various locations around the city. This year, one remote program will also be available.
TCDSB Trustee Garry Tanuan
For Christians, Eastertime is always viewed as the greatest feast of the liturgical year of Christianity that focuses on celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Springtime symbolizes new beginnings, a time for awakening from the slumber of winter and the eternal hope of renewal. There is no better time than the Lenten season to prepare ourselves mentally and physically for this cycle of renewal.
I wish to take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a most Blessed Easter and continued success!
Outstanding Citation for Consul General
Orontes V. Castro, the current Philippine Consul General of Toronto, completed his tour of duty in Toronto on March 29. He has exemplarily distinguished himself in the Toronto, GTA, and Ontario scene by his countless extra acts of merit, service, and going beyond the normal duties of his post despite the global pandemic. He was personally honored by Premier Doug Ford with a very warm send-off and award at Queen’s Park on March 22.
The TCDSB recognized and cited Consul General Castro for his outstanding leadership and inspiration to all our students, staff and families in our home, school and parish as the first-ever Philippine Consul General (Toronto) to proactively build strong relationships with our Toronto Catholic District School Board community, Toronto Archdiocese and the Vatican by helping us reach deeper into our Catholic faith, strongly supporting heritage awareness in our Filipino youth and for being their role model for the greater common good of the wider diverse community.
We offer our heartfelt gratitude to him as our most vibrant partner in the milestone live and virtual TCDSB Filipino Canadian multi-event celebration of the Quincentennial Jubilee of Christianity in the Philippines; Padayon Art Contest culminating in a Thanksgiving Mass and Awarding ceremony at St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica. His earnest collaboration in making TCDSB the first foreign agency worldwide to recognize and proclaim the historic 500th Anniversary of the Arrival of Christianity in the Philippines is much appreciated.
The Angel Foundation for Learning – Angels Among Us
The Angel Foundation for Learning is a charitable organization that serves the needs of students in the TCDSB. We are excited to see some of the amazing work that is being accomplished by our student leaders who have joined the A-Team (Angel Team) focusing on putting back faith into action by looking for ways to help locally as well as globally.
Become Angels Among Us and help AFL Toronto and others in the community or visit our website angelfoundationforlearning.org/join-the-a-team.
26th Annual Jean Lumb Awards
Calling all Grade 9-12 students who are of Chinese heritage to apply. Eight awards valued at $1,000 are available. The deadline to submit nominations is May 22 at 11:59 p.m.
Upcoming Events: For full info, see: tcdsb.org/events
FAQs: www.tcdsb.org/page/parents
Questions? Contact: Trustee Garry Tanuan 416-512-3408 or 416-222-8282 ext. 2659 (Constituency Officer Ida Serpe).