TDSB Trustee Anu Sriskandarajah
I hope you and your family had an enjoyable and safe summer. As we embark on a new school year, I am filled with anticipation and excitement for the opportunities and growth that lie ahead for TDSB students and communities.
As the elected public school board trustee for our community, my role is to advocate for you and your child and represent the needs of students and families in the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). I am extremely proud of the progress we have made in strengthening student achievement, fostering a sense of belonging, and spreading joy throughout our schools and community.
This past school year, we tackled several critical issues, including cell phone use in schools, social media, and academic achievement. These initiatives are at the heart of our commitment to creating productive and supportive learning environments for all students.
Despite the financial challenges we’ve faced in recent years, we continue to maintain important supports for students while advocating for the ministry to provide the necessary and sustainable support and adjustments for the TDSB to deliver the highest quality education.
I am thrilled to share the recently launched 2024-28 Multi-Year Strategic Plan (MYSP), which was developed through extensive collaboration and focuses on high achievement, student well-being, and accountability. We are committed to excellence and addressing the unique needs of each student. Engaging parents, guardians, caregivers, and community partners remains an important part of our strategy in the coming years.
We are also developing a new Cell Phone/Mobile Device Use in Schools Policy, aimed at enhancing student success, belonging, and well-being. A pre-consultation was conducted earlier this spring to gather feedback from school and community partners, ensuring the policy will meet legislative requirements and align with best practices.
To ensure you and your child have a great year ahead, I invite you to explore our website tdsb.on.ca for information about the school year calendar, transportation, ways to get involved, as well as helpful resources for the upcoming school year.
Hope everyone has a great 2024-2025 academic year. I am here to support you every step of the way, ensuring a successful and rewarding educational journey for your child.
Chair of Director Search
It is my great pleasure to share that I have been selected to be the chair of the director search committee for the Board. It was announced in the spring that our current director has submitted her resignation. We are currently undertaking the process of hiring a new director.
The Board of Trustees under the Education Act only hires one employee, the Director of Education. This is the most senior position in the Board, akin to a CEO in the private sector. The Director of Education oversees a $3.5 billion budget, 42,000 employees, and 583 schools! Directors are typically hired every five years.
I hope to help deliver a director who will lead our school board in the right direction.
New Program at Mowat
I am proud to share that Mowat C.I. will be getting a Math, Science and Technology (MST) program starting this September. There are only 12 high schools (out of almost 70) across the TDSB to have the program and we are very fortunate to be one of the schools. This comes after years of advocating for more specialized programs in Scarborough!
As a part of the program, students will be required to take seven mandatory courses. Upon completion of the courses, students will receive an MST certification at graduation.