Trustee Shelley Laskin Weekly Updates

Sunday, 17 December 2023

Week of December 11th, 2023

 

GoFundMe: Support For a Davisville JPS Family After a House Fire

Dear Families,

A Davisville JPS family has been displaced from their home. On November 30th, a fire at their neighbour's, resulted in significant damage to Jasper, Victoria and Phil's home.

Victoria explained, "Our living space is no longer habitable, with water and smoke damage affecting our unit and the entire building. The root causes seem to be faulty wiring or electrical issues, demanding a significant overhaul. Since the fire, the power has been off. Given our landlords' plans to construct a condo on the site, there's uncertainty about whether they'll undertake the necessary renovations to bring it up to code. Hence, we find ourselves essentially homeless." She further detailed the challenges of packing their belongings due to health risks, requiring protective gear like respirators, goggles, gloves, and coveralls to shield against smoke and asbestos hazards. The process has been emotionally draining, marking what Victoria describes as "likely the worst week of my life."

Jasper is in Grade 3 French at Davisville; his family lived just steps away from the school but for now they staying at a local Airbnb. The family is actively searching for a new residence, acknowledging the difficulty of the process in the current market and the heightened stress it brings. Exhausted and grieving the loss of their home, where Jasper spent his formative years, they've endured significant losses, including items damaged by smoke. Most of their clothes, toys, books and furniture (anything that is porous /covered in fabric) is ruined, including all of Jasper's cherished stuffed animals, some dating back to his infancy.

In response to the family's challenges, and with the consent of Victoria and Phil, fellow parents of Jasper's classmates have initiated this GoFundMe campaign. The aim is to assist them in the rebuilding process, as there are numerous expenses not covered by insurance that they must contend with. Your support will go a long way in helping them recover from this unfortunate situation.

https://gofund.me/d6c2f10a


Winter Concert



Dear families,

Students have been working really hard in preparation for the Winter Concert and they are excited to perform for families on Tuesday, December 19th at 6:30 p.m. If your child is performing that evening, please have them at school by 6:15 p.m. in their designated classroom. There will be a Bake Sale that evening starting at 6:00 p.m., so come early and have a sweet treat.

Spectrum Art Café!


                 



The staff and students of Spectrum Alternative held an Art Café this past week! The event afforded students with the opportunity to showcase their talent, creative expressions and artwork. The event also helped foster students' creativity, teamwork skills, task management, and self-confidence. By integrating creativity into education, the art café offered a unique opportunity for students to refine their artistic skills and explore their creative potential. We would like to extend our appreciation to Ms. McKenzie, Ms. Daly, Mr. Kaufman and Ms. Zou for all their efforts in planning for this event. The event was a huge success and the perfect culmination of students' dedication and creativity skills. We would also like to extend our appreciation to school council and all the families who supported this event. It truly was a concerted effort and the success of the event depended on a team of various stakeholders. Thank you! 

Virtual Ward Forum - February 1, 2024

Please join Trustee, Shelley Laskin and Superintendents Felsen, Howard & Pividor, for Ward 8 PIAC and FSLCAC Elections at 6:30 followed by a conversation on Numeracy and Literacy in our classrooms. Register here.   

Winter Weather and Student Transportation

Source: Trustee Shelley Laskin's Weekly Updates   


From time to time, it may be necessary to cancel student transportation, classes and/or programs because of severe weather. On rare occasions, severe weather makes it necessary to close schools, administrative offices, or sites.

With approximately 236,000 students in 583 schools, any decision to cancel buses, classes and/or programs or to close sites can have a significant impact on thousands of families across Toronto. This decision is not taken lightly. When schools remain open on days with inclement weather, parents/ guardians/caregivers make the final decision on whether to send their children to school and they can keep children home from school if they so choose.

Should a cancellation or closure be necessary, information will be posted on the TDSB web site and TDSB social media at 6 a.m. Visit the website to learn about Snow/Cold Weather and the Procedure for Severe Weather.


Literacy Strategy Consultation

Source: Trustee Shelley Laskin's Weekly Updates   
  
     

TDSB is developing a Kindergarten to Grade 12 Literacy Strategy which will set the direction, priorities, and goals for learning and teaching literacy over the next three years. And we want to hear from you! All TDSB parents/ guardians/ caregivers are encouraged to share feedback anonymously through the online Literacy Strategy Consultation survey. The survey will remain open until Monday, December 18, 2023.

















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