Trustee Anu Sriskandarajah
Lawsuit Against Social Media You may have seen that last week, the TDSB, together with the Toronto Catholic District School Board, Peel District School Board and Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, announced a lawsuit against tech giants Meta Platforms Inc. (Facebook and Instagram), Snap Inc. (Snapchat), and ByteDance Ltd. (TikTok) for disruption to the students’ education. I invite you to learn more about the lawsuit here. tdsb.on.ca/home/ctl/Details/mid/43823/itemid/267
Parent’s Guide to Education System This initiative is part of the government’s recent efforts to increase transparency and accountability in our school system. The full guide can be found at Ontario.ca/educationguide.
Latin-America History Month In April, we celebrated Latin-America History Month. This year’s theme was Weaving Our Legacies: Returning to Our Collective Path | Enlazar Nuestres Legados: Volver a Nuestre Camino Colectivo.
Sikh Heritage Month This year’s Sikh Heritage Month was also during the month of April. The theme was Chardi Kala (The Positive and Uplifted State of Mind). Chardi Kala is a state of mind that radiates positive energy, optimistic attitude, strong confidence, and virtuosity.
TDSB Summer Programs The TDSB offers a rich variety of summer programs. For more information on them, please see below:
Elementary
Elementary Summer School
tdsb.on.ca/About-Us/Innovation/Elementary-Summer-School
Special Education and Inclusion Summer Program
tdsb.on.ca/Learning-Equity-and-Well-Being/Special-Education-and-Inclusion/Special-Education-and-Inclusion-Summer-Program
Summer Music & Art Camps
tdsb.on.ca/About-Us/Innovation/Summer-Programs/TDSB-Music-Camps
Secondary
Continuing Education Secondary Credit
https://schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca/conedsecondarycreditprogram/Summer-School
e-Summer School Program
https://schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca/elearning/e-Summer-Program
International Youth Summer Program
tdsb.on.ca/About-Us/Innovation/Summer-ESL-Program
High Water Levels Create Risks The first hint of warming weather and the promise of spring thaw can bring extreme danger to the shores and surfaces of streams, rivers, ponds and lakes, according to Toronto and Region Conservation. As warmer temperatures arrive, stream banks become increasingly slippery and unstable, and the potential for flooding and ice jamming is high. I encourage you to speak to your children about staying safe by avoiding stream banks, ponds and lakes during this time of year.
TCDSB Trustee Garry Tanuan
Each May at the TCDSB, we celebrate the Virtue of Compassion. It is the month of Mother Mary, a timeless role model to all women. I want to take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a happy Mother’s Day on May 12.
St. Joseph Parish of Highland Creek
This year marks 170 years of St. Joseph’s Church serving the communities of West Hill and surrounding areas, including the following Catholic schools: St. Brendan, St. Dominic Savio, St. Jean de Brebeuf, and Cardinal Leger.
One of the oldest churches in Toronto, St Joseph’s was established in 1854. For a walk down memory lane, visit stjosephstoronto.org/our-parish/a-walk-down-history to read more about the history of St Joseph’s.
Special Milestone Events
March 10: Celebration of Holy Mass by Archbishop Francis Leo at 11 a.m. with reception at noon.
March 19: Celebration of St Joseph’s Feast Mass at 7:30 p.m.
May 19: Feast of Pentecost – Celebration of the Feast Mass at 11 a.m. followed by reception.
June 23: Anniversary Extravaganza – Mass at 11 a.m. followed by family fun outdoor celebration.
November 16: Anniversary Gala Dinner Dance.
St. Barnabas Catholic School’s 50th
Congratulations on the 50th anniversary of St. Barnabas Catholic School. Details of this event: Tuesday, June 11 from 7 to 8 p.m Mass at St. Barnabas Catholic Church, and from 8 to 9 p.m. Reception at St. Barnabas Catholic School
St. Ignatius de Loyola Catholic School’s 50th
Congratulations to St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic School as the school celebrates its 50th anniversary on June 6. With a tradition of growth, academic excellence and commitment, the school community lives up to the teachings and ideals of St. Ignatius.
Budget Consultation 2023-2024
The Ministry of Education requires school boards to submit a balanced budget by June 30 each year. On April 3, the Board held a Virtual Town Hall for stakeholders. The meeting provided an overview of the budget process and allowed participants the opportunity to ask questions. For more information about it, see tcdsb.org/page/community-engagement
FAQs? tcdsb.org/page/parents
Contact: Trustee Garry Tanuan 416-512-3408 or 416-222-8282 ext. 2660