September 8

Principal's Update September 8/2019

Start of Year Online Forms: Almost 70% of our families have completed or started the online forms. (Thank you!) If you haven’t received the email for the online forms, please consider the following:

Do we have the correct email address on file for you? Connect with our office staff to make sure your email address is accurate and active. Once the email is entered into our student system, the parent/guardian will receive the email the following school day.

Did the email go to your partner/spouse/significant other rather than you? Please have both the Primary and Secondary contacts check their inboxes and junk folders. The email will come from TDSB Online Form (noreply@tdsb.on.ca) If none of these solutions work, please email me directly for help.

Watch a YouTube tutorial video about how to complete the online forms.

Eglinton Kiss and Ride starts on Monday: Our Kiss and Ride program starts again tomorrow! The program runs every school day between 8:45 am and 9:00 am on the east side of Brownlow between the school entrance/ramp to the yard. The Kiss and Ride helps on average 20 to 30 parents daily as they drop off their children. That’s a lot of cars not parking or idling on Brownlow Avenue for 10 to 20 minutes each morning.

Our Kiss and Ride is staffed entirely by parent volunteers. These amazing volunteers work in rain, snow or sunshine to support our school community. If you can volunteer, even for one day, please contact Sophie Luxton at sophieluxton@sympatico.ca.

School Council Update: Nominations for Parent Reps for our school council are now open and close. Here’s a copy of the 2019-2020 Nomination Form.

We hope you can join us on October 9, 6:30 to 7:30 pm for our first meeting to elect council representatives and executive positions. You can find more information on the school council page on the Eglinton’s School website.

Trustee Laskin: Shelley Laskin is the TDSB School Trustee for Ward 8, Eglinton - Lawrence and Toronto-St. Paul's and Eglinton is one of her schools. Shelley works tirelessly to provide support to schools and communities in Ward 8. We are fortunate to have such a strong advocate and supporter.

Visit Trustee Laskin’s website.

Sign up for Ward 8 emails from Trustee Laskin.

Email Trustee Laskin.

Follow Trustee Laskin on Twitter.

International Languages Program At Eglinton: The TDSB's International Languages programs are scheduled to happen at Eglinton PS again this school year. This fall classes will be offered at our school for Arabic, Mandarin (simplified), Russian and Serbian. The classes are scheduled for Saturday mornings between 9:00 am and 11:30 am starting on September 21, 2019.

You can register in person at our school on Saturday, September 14, 9:00 am to 11:30 am in the school foyer. You can also register online here.

View the International Languages info flyer for Eglinton.

Learn about Language Instructor Employment opportunities.

Dogs on TDSB/School Property: While our school isn’t favourable to dog walkers, we find that some community members like to bring their dogs onto school property when they visit. Sometimes they bring them into the school and sometimes they tie them up outside the school.

Many people are surprised to learn that City of Toronto By-Laws and TDSB Policy prohibit dogs (leashed or unleashed) being on school property. If you are visiting Eglinton, please don’t bring your dog with you and/or please do not tie your dog to the school’s fences or railings while you are in the building.

School Settlement Worker: North York Community House operates a school settlement program in schools throughout Toronto. Settlement and Education Partnerships in Toronto (SEPT) is a school-based program that helps newcomer students and their families get settled in their school and community. Mehrraz Ahangar is school settlement worker who provides support to our newcomer families. You can connect with Mehrraz by phone (647) 296-8257 or email: mahangar@nych.ca

Learn more about the School Settlement program.

Information from North York Community House.

Curriculum Night: Our 2019 Curriculum Night is scheduled for Thursday, September 19, 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm. We will start the evening in the gym for a few presentations and introductions. After that parents and guardians will join their child’s teacher in their classroom to meet the teacher, get classroom and program information and ask questions. Please keep in mind this evening is not meant for engaging in discussions about individual students. You can connect with your child’s teacher at any other time to discuss concerns or progress.

Pizza Fridays: Our School Council is organizing Pizza Fridays at Eglinton PS this year. The first Pizza Friday is this Friday, September 13. We will send out reminders, but here are the details you need to know: $2 per slice (or 3 slices for $5) cash only and the choices are cheese and pepperoni. Can you volunteer to help with Pizza Lunch on Friday, from 11:30 to 1:00 pm, please let me know and I will connect you with Sallyanne, who is coordinating this. Soon will will be able to use our School Cash online account for Pizza Lunch.

School Cash Online: The Toronto District School Board uses School Cash Online, an easy to use, safe and convenient way for parents/guardians to pay for their children’s school fees, including agendas, yearbooks and class trips. School Cash Online is now available for use at Eglinton PS.. More info is available here.

Extended Summer Vacation?

Will your child's summer vacation will be extended past the first day of school? If so, please email Cathie.Cordner@tdsb.on.ca and Vasiliki.Gioris@tdsb.on.ca so that we are aware of the absence and the expected date of return.

Senior Staffing Changes Due to Budget Decisions: This year’s TDSB budget reductions resulted in a number of changes in the way the Senior Team is organized at the TDSB, including a reduction in the number of Executive Superintendents from 7 to 3. In addition, one Executive Superintendent will oversee Learning Centres 1 and 4, while another will oversee Learning Centres 2 and 3.

Moving forward, Sandy Spyropoulos is the new Executive Superintendent for Learning Centres 1 and 4 (note Ward 8 and Ward 11 schools are in Learning Centre 1) and Brendan Browne is the new Executive Superintendent for Learning Centres 2 and 3. Working closely with Sandy and Brendan will be Associate Directors Kathy Witherow and Colleen Russell-Rawlins — Kathy will oversee Learning Centres 1 and 4, and Colleen will oversee Learning Centres 2 and 3. The Executive Superintendent of Human Rights and Indigenous Education will be Jim Spyropoulos.

Throughout the summer, assignments were confirmed for System Superintendents and School Superintendents. The following are the 3 System Superintendents:

System Superintendent of Continuing Education: Uton Robinson
System Superintendent of Special Education and Inclusion: Angela Nardi-Addesa
System Superintendent of Equity, Anti-Racism, Anti-Oppression and Early Years: Jacqueline Spence

With the retirement of Superintendent Marguerite Campbell, and with Diana Panagiotopoulos returning to her former role as a Centrally Assigned Principal due to the reduction in Superintendents, we welcome John Chasty and Curtis Ennis - they will join Andrew Howard as the School Superintendents supporting Ward 8 while Andrew Howard and John Chasty will serve Ward 11.

Secondary Class Size Update: The government communicated on August 22, 2019 that secondary class size averages for the upcoming school year are moving from 22 to 22.5 at the provincial level. The additional .5 is the expected increase to the funded average class size due to attrition and enrollment growth across the province.

Please note there will be no additional funding provided and the government still plans on moving the secondary class size average to 28 over the next few years according to Ministry officials. The Minister indicated however, that this could change through the bargaining process.

In the end, the Ministry of Education’s August 22 announcement does not change anything for the 2019-2020 school year and no significant staffing changes or timetable changes will be required. As we announced in May, as a result of provincial changes to secondary class size averages from 22 to 28 over the next four years, secondary schools in Toronto have already had to make difficult decisions about what courses or supports they can no longer offer beginning this September. For the 2019-2020 school year (Year 1) TDSB average goes from 21.7 to 23.6. This is an increase in average class size of 1.9 in the first year of this four year process. This new class size average allows us to continue to be compliant with our current Collective Agreement class size provisions as we move towards a class size average of 28 as per direction from the Ministry of Education. For more details, read the TDSB’s News Release:

Impact of Class Size Average Increase: Secondary Course Selection (May, 17, 2019)

Resources for Parents: School can be an exciting and overwhelming time – for both parents and students. Here are some resources posted on TDSB website to help you have a great year.

Visit the TDSB’s Resources For Parents webpage.

The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8: Health and Physical Education, 2019: Last year, when the Ministry of Education pulled back on the 2015 curriculum and mandated boards follow the 2010 re-issued Health and Physical Education Curriculum (HPEC), the TDSB prepared a guide for parents to help understand the changes. Within the guide we stated Parents are the primary educators of their children with respect to learning about values, appropriate behaviour, and ethnocultural, spiritual, and personal beliefs and traditions, and they act as significant role models for their children. It is therefore important for schools and parents to work together to ensure that home and school provide a mutually supportive framework for young people’s education.

The TDSB will continue to use current, credible, evidence based information combined with a respect for individual rights within a democratic, pluralistic society as part of the Board’s obligation of ensuring principles of safety, access, human rights, equity, acceptance, health and well-being.

The new document is 320 pages and replaces The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8: Health and Physical Education, Interim Edition, re-issued in 2018. Beginning in September 2019, all health and physical education programs for Grades 1 to 8 will be based on the expectations outlined in this document.

Learn about Ontario’s 2019 elementary Health and Physical Education curriculum.

TDSB staff are analyzing the revised curriculum document and will be preparing a revised guide for parents. But initial reaction is that the revised curriculum matches closely to the 2015 curriculum including the sexual health aspects. The Minister has stated that the new curriculum positions Ontario as a leader in education on bullying, concussions and mental health and sees inclusion and respect for differences as being at the core of this new (old) curriculum.

School Year Calendar 2019-2020: The 2019-2020 school year at the TDSB begins on Tuesday, September 3, 2019 following the Labour Day long weekend. For more information about important dates and holidays for the upcoming school year, please refer to the TDSB’s 2019-2020 School Year Calendar webpage.

The official school year calendar for the Toronto District School Board runs from September 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020, inclusive.

First day of classes for all students is September 3, 2019
The last day of class for elementary students is June 25, 2020
The last day of class for secondary (full year) students is June 23, 2020
The last day of class for secondary (semestered) students is June 23, 2020

PA Days & Statutory Holidays

Labour Day September 2, 2019
Board-wide PA Day October 11, 2019
Thanksgiving October 14, 2019
Board-wide PA Day November 15, 2019
Board-wide PA Day December 6, 2019
Winter Break December 23, 2019 to January 3, 2020 (inclusive)
Last day of school is December 20, 2019
School resumes January 6, 2020
Elementary PA Day January 17, 2020
Secondary PA Day (Semestered Schools only) January 30, 2020
Board-wide PA Day February 14, 2020
Family Day February 17, 2020
March Break March 16 to 20, 2020
Good Friday April 10, 2020
Easter Monday April 13, 2020
Victoria Day May 18, 2020
Elementary School PA Day June 5, 2020
Secondary School PA Day (Full Year Schools only) June 24, 2020
Secondary School PA Day June 25, 2020
Board-wide PA Day June 26, 2020

EQAO

Gr. 9 Math: 1st Semester: January 13-24, 2020
Gr. 9 Math: 2nd Semester: June 2-15, 2020
OSSLT: March 31, 2020
Primary/Junior EQAO: May 19-June 1, 2020

A Week (or two) At A Glance

(Visit our school’s Google Calendar.)

Sept 12: CECC Welcome Party, 6:00 pm

Sept. 19: Curriculum Night, 6:30 pm

Sept. 26: Good Citizen Assembly, 9:00 am

Sept. 26: Terry Fox Walk, 1:00 pm

Sept. 30 to Oct 10: Grade 3 CCAT assessment

Oct. 9 : School Council voting meeting, 6:30 pm

Oct. 11: PA Day (no school)

Oct. 18: Photo Day