Week of January 22nd, 2024

 

Davisville JPS Family Skate Night  Dear Families, School Council has planned a Family Skate Night for our school community. What a wonderful way to continue the momentum of building upon school community spirit. Please see below for the details regarding this event: Date: Friday, February 2 from 5:30-7 PM Location: Davisville Family Skate Night returns to Hodgson! Please join us for an evening of fun involving music, hot chocolate and skating! Lates and Absences Dear Families, We continue to have many students coming late in the mornings and being absent. Please note that regular attendance at school is an important factor in every student’s academic success. We encourage all of our students to develop this important habit. It is also important to be on time for school to avoid disrupting the class. When a student is late, he/she is expected to report to the office. Students leaving the school during the day, for any reason, or at lunch are required to sign out in the school office. Parents/caregivers wishing to pick up children at school early for appointments etc. must complete our Student Pick Up Form (see below). We will do our best to ensure that your child is down in the office ready for pick up at the requested time. Davisville/Spectrum Student Pick Up Form Virtual Learning This is a reminder that the TDSB will continue to offer Virtual Learning for the 2024-2025 school year. Students who are currently enrolled in virtual learning (from Kindergarten to Grade 11) will automatically be enrolled in virtual learning for 2024-2025, unless they complete the Return to In-Person form. Students who are currently learning In-Person who would like virtual learning next year, may apply through the Out-of-Area Admission process. For more information, please see: https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Find-your/School/Out-of-Area-Admissions. The process closes on Wednesday, January 31. 17th Annual Parent Involvement Advisory Committee (PIAC) Conference This year’s PIAC conference is dedicated to empowering School Councils through leadership, support, and advocacy. Join PIAC for a day of insightful discussions, collaborative learning, and celebration of the crucial role School Councils play in the success of schools, children, and community. Date: Saturday, February 3, 2024 Time: 10 am - 3 pm Venue: Earl Haig Secondary School To join us, please register here. ABC’s of Literacy Workshop This session for parents, caregivers and families, will provide an overview of the revised Ontario Language Curriculum, Grades 1-8. In addition, key strategies for nurturing literacy lives both at school and home will be shared with attendees. This session is aligned with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) focus to embed the intentional teaching of foundational reading skills into rich learning experiences that build upon children’s strengths, interests, passions, lived experiences and identities. Date: January 29, 2024 Time: 6:30 - 7:15 p.m. Location: Virtual Registration link: bit.ly/abcliteracy

Week of January 15th, 2024

Virtual Ward Forum - February 1, 2024 (6:30-7:00 PIAC Election / 7:00-8:30 Discussion on Literacy & Numeracy)

Source: Shelley Laskin's Weekly Updates

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.

Election for PIAC and FSLCAC Representatives: We will be electing Ward 8 Co-Representatives for both TDSB Parent Involvement Advisory Committee (PIAC) and French as a Second Language Community Advisory Committee (FSLCAC).

Parents/Caregivers interested in becoming PIAC & FSLCAC Representatives must complete the Nomination Form for Ward 8 PIAC and/or FSLCAC or https://forms.gle/6GMd4FPoKcG4UiGf8. No nominations will be taken from the floor at the meeting. The deadline to submit the Nomination Form is: Monday January 22, 2024 at 12 noon. A list of candidates and their bios will be posted on Thursday January 25 , 2023 on the Trustee's page at: https://www.tdsb.on.ca/Ward8.

If you are interested in participating for this election and vote, you must complete Ward 8 Voter Form https://forms.gle/TD7sKaVegqQr1jzs6.

17th Annual Parent Involvement Advisory Committee (PIAC) Conference

This year’s PIAC conference is dedicated to empowering School Councils through leadership, support, and advocacy. Join PIAC for a day of insightful discussions, collaborative learning, and celebration of the crucial role that School Councils play in the success of schools, children, and the community.

Date: Saturday, February 3, 2024

Time: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Venue: Earl Haig Secondary School

To join us, please register here.

If you have any questions, please contact central Co-ordinator, Michelle Munroe.

Online Interpreter Training Program

The Parent/Caregiver Engagement Office is excited to offer the Online Interpreter Training program again. We will be offering the opportunity to 85 TDSB parents/caregivers to receive online interpreter training in TDSB's most requested languages! 

Are you a parent/caregiver with a child registered in the TDSB who:
-has full proficiency in English and another language (i.e., Pashto, Farsi, Roma, Ukrainian);
-is interested in being trained as an interpreter to work with the TDSB;
-is comfortable with virtual/online learning;
-has access to a computer, and the internet and has, at minimum, intermediate computer fluency;
-has a recording device, headphones, and dictionaries (hard copy and/or online).

TDSB is the largest school board in Canada and one of the most diverse. 23% of our students were born outside of Canada and there are over 120 languages spoken by TDSB students and their parents/caregivers. Research also identifies communication between the home and the school as essential to student success. Ensuring equitable engagement opportunities for our multi-lingual parents/caregivers, while maximizing their language assets, will enable the TDSB to improve communication between parents/caregivers and the school/Board.

Please join us on January 25, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. Please see the attached flyer for more details.

flyer 

Thai Ponal

During Tamil Heritage Month, is the harvest festival of Thai Pongal, a multi-day Hindu harvest festival celebrated by Tamils. It is observed in the month of Thai according to the Tamil solar calendar. This year it begins on January 15. To all celebrating பொங்கல் கவிதைகள் Happy Pongal!

Middle French Immersion (Grade 4 Entry) Application Deadline

For families interested in the system-wide French Immersion Program, we offer an online process to apply for Middle French Immersion (begins in Grade 4). To apply for September 2024, applications must be completed online between January 8 and February 2, 2024. Families with an older sibling currently in a Middle French Immersion program are still required to complete an online application for the new student. For more information, please visit: Middle French Immersion or the Application Process. Interested families can apply via the Application Link.

Out-of-Area Admissions

Online applications for Out-of-Area Admissions now available! Students can access schools outside of the school designated to serve their home address. Acceptance is subject to space availability and transportation is the responsibility of the applicant. Learn more about the Random Selection Priorities and Virtual Learning Q&A. The Elementary application window is from January 8 to 31, 2024 and the Secondary application window is from January 8 to 26, 2024. 

High Performing Athlete Program Application

The application for the High Performing Athlete Program is now available online for student athletes who wish to apply for admission in February or September 2024. Visit the website to learn more, including eligibility requirements. The application deadline is January 31, 2024. https://www.tdsb.on.ca/High-School/Going-to-High-School/High-Performing-Athletes

Elementary Alternative Schools Online Application

The TDSB offers a wide range of elementary alternative schools. The application process is managed centrally and the online application form for September 2024 admission is now open. The deadline to submit an application is Wednesday, January 31, 2024 at 4 p.m. For questions or additional support, contact the school directly or EAS.Application@tdsb.on.ca

For more information about Alternative Schools in the TDSB, please visit https://www.tdsb.on.ca/alternativeschools
To view the Secondary School Open Houses and Information Sessions, please visit https://www.tdsb.on.ca/High-School/Going-to-High-School/Open-Houses-and-Information-Nights
For more information about transitioning from Grade 8 to 9 in the TDSB, please visit https://www.tdsb.on.ca/High-School/Going-to-High-School/Beyond-8
For Grade 8 to Grade 9 Transitions Information Session Recording, please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkIsivNdcPM

Week of January 8th, 2024

Welcome Back

Dear Families,

Welcome back! We hope that each of you had wonderful winter break and enjoyed special time with family and friends. It has been a joy seeing staff and students return to school with renewed enthusiasm and vigor. As we head into this next stretch of the school year, we wish all of our students the best as they set new goals, accomplish new tasks and bring out the best in themselves. 

Land Acknowledgment: Going Beyond a Script

This past week, students in Ms. Johnson's class deepened their understanding of the Land Acknowledgement. Students acknowledged ancestral lands, learned about the importance of reconciliation and discussed the ongoing impact of colonization on Indigenous peoples and lands. As students have learned, the Land Acknowledgement is more that just a statement. It is an expression of gratitude, understanding, reconciliation and acknowledgement. In addition to Ms. Johnson's class, all other classes at both Davisville and Spectrum are dedicated to making our Land Acknowledgement more meaningful and an expression of our recognition for the lands that we are visiting as well as our show of gratitude to Indigenous peoples. 

Holocaust Survivor Shares His Story at Spectrum

This past week, Holocaust survivor, Elly Gotz, shared his experiences and story of survival with us and educated our Spectrum students about the Holocaust. Thank you, Elly, for reminding us of the dangers of hate, racism and antisemitism. Exploring the Holocaust and educating our students about it reaffirmed the need for continued conversations about antisemitism and the need for us all to collectively disrupt and combat antisemitism and stand against hate in all forms. Elly has inspired us all by his courage, resiliency and strength. 

Middle French Immersion (Grade 4 Entry) 

Source: TDSB Website

Application Deadline - For families interested in the system-wide French Immersion Program, we offer an online process to apply for Middle French Immersion (begins in Grade 4). To apply for September 2024, applications must be completed online between January 8 and February 2, 2024. Families with an older sibling currently in a Middle French Immersion program are still required to complete an online application for the new student. For more information, please visit: Middle French Immersion or the Application Process. Interested families can apply via the Application Link.

Tamil Heritage Month

Source: TDSB Website

Tamil Heritage Month is proudly recognized during January at the TDSB. This year, the theme is Our Memories, Our Truths, Our Paths Forward: A Mosaic of Tamil Identity. The theme is a reminder to pause and reflect on our memories and narratives, to consider how they shape us individually, and to look at ways that we can come together to honour and celebrate our individuality while moving forward with our collective humanity in mind. To learn more, visit the Tamil heritage month webpage

17th Annual Parent Involvement Advisory Committee (PIAC) Conference

Source: TDSB Website

The 17th Annual PIAC Conference is on Saturday, February 3, 2024 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Earl Haig Secondary School. The PIAC Conference is a unique opportunity to deepen understanding of the educational landscape, connect with fellow parents/guardians/caregivers and staff, and contribute to the continued success of our community. More information: www.torontopiac.com/whats-happening/conferences and review our conference flyer.

Salat in Secret

Source: TDSB Website

 Love and Belonging in Community Spaces - The Islamic Heritage Month Committee, in partnership with the Equity, Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression Department, is offering students (Grades K-8), families, and staff the opportunity to attend the virtual session of Salat in Secret: Love and Belonging in Community Spaces. The community session is available Monday, January 29, 2024 from 1 - 2 p.m. Sessions commemorate the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia. To register, sign up via myPATH. Spots are limited.