Trustee Shelley Laskin Weekly Updates

Saturday, 28 September 2024

Week of September 23, 2024

 

Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah begins this coming week. We wish our Jewish students, staff and community a very Happy Rosh Hashanah. May you all have a happy, healthy and amazing year ahead. 

Morning Drop-Off Routines



Dear families, here are some key points to be aware of during daily morning drop off of students:  

  • Supervision starts at 8:40 am every morning for students in Grades 1-6. At this time, staff will be on duty. Therefore, we encourage families not to drop students off before 8:40am, as there is no guaranteed supervision available.
  • Our playground area will not be supervised by staff before the start of school (i.e., 8:40-8:55am). Therefore, please ensure that you supervise your child(ren) should they wish to use the playscape area during this time. 
  • If your child(ren) are late to be dropped off in the mornings and their class has already gone inside, please do not send your child into the school building on their own to attend class. Instead, we kindly ask that your child(ren) be taken to the main office for a late slip. Given variations in teachers' schedules, some classes may not be in their homeroom classes in the morning, therefore, dropping your child(ren) off in the office will ensure that they safely go to the class they are scheduled to be in for first period (e.g., music, gym, etc.). We thank you for your cooperation and partnership with this, as we all work together to ensure the safety of students at all times. 


Curriculum Night/Meet the Family Night





Our Curriculum Night/Meet the Family Night will take place on Wednesday, October 9th, 2024.  We look forward to seeing our families that evening. Please see below for a breakdown of the evening:

6:30 - 6:50pm - School-wide address by school administration 

7:00 - 7:25pm - Classroom Presentations #1

7:30 - 7:55pm - Classroom Presentations #2

Promoting Respect in Our School Building



Each and every day, TDSB staff in schools and buildings interact with students, parents, guardians, caregivers, and other members of the community. As a school and school board, it is our expectation that staff be treated with kindness, dignity and respect during all interactions, whether in-person or via phone and email. Harassment or disrespectful behaviour of any kind will not be tolerated.

Please remember that respectful behaviour must be maintained during all interactions. We ALL have an important role to play in creating and maintaining respectful working and learning spaces. 

Knitting Club

Mr. Hannah, Mme Haley and Mme Samuel are organizing and starting a knitting club for our junior students, which is expected to begin sometime in the beginning of October. We are asking for donations, if possible, from our community to assist with gathering the necessary materials for this club. We are searching for the following items:

- knitting needles (ideally 5mm 5.5mm, or 6mm)

-yarn (ideally acrylic or wool in either worsted or chunky weight, nothing fuzzy, no chenille, no mohair)

If you are able to donate any of these items, please connect with Mme Haley at Melissa.Haley@tdsb.on.ca

Early Years Screening: Students in SK to Gr. 2

Dear Families, 

The Ministry released Policy/Program Memorandum# 168 which mandates annual early reading screening for all students in Year 2 of Kindergarten through Grade 2. Early reading screening is a process of assessing a student’s foundational reading skills in the early years of school. It involves administering a series of measures to identify students who may be at-risk for reading difficulties. Early reading screening is used to inform educators as they provide instruction and further intervention support to students. 

Please note that a school letter was sent to our families with information about the early reading screening via school messenger. If you have any further questions about the screening, please do not hesitate to contact the school administration or your child's teacher. 

Engaging Students in Critical Conversations (Terry Fox Run, Walk or Roll)

                                                                    



At our school, we engage our students in critical conversations. In Ms. Paras' class this week, students thought critically about accessibility, ableism, and inclusion. Students were asked to think about the inclusion of the word "roll" in our Terry Fox event, which led to critical and rich conversations about inclusion and accessibility. Then, students thought about our own school and analyzed and brainstormed ways our school is accessible to persons with disabilities. Such rich learning in Ms. Paras' class. 

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day on September 30, 2024

September 30 is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Together we recognize the legacy of Canada's residential school system and continue to learn the many truths of these institutions. During Truth and Reconciliation Week, which takes place this year between September 23-27, we encourage schools to participate in events offered by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation. 

Orange Shirt Day, established in 2013 by Phyllis Webstad, recognizes the legacy of the Residential Schools System for First Nations, Métis and Inuit families and communities. By wearing orange, we acknowledge the truths of Residential Schools in Canada, we honour Survivors, and we remember the thousands of children who died, many of them buried in unmarked graves. This year, TDSB and our school will honour Orange Shirt Day on Monday, September 30th. 








 





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Sunday, 22 September 2024

Week of September 16th, 2024

Terry Fox Run/Walk or Roll Event 


Dear Davisville Community,

Terry Fox was an example of courage, determination and perseverance. Our Terry Fox Run/Walk or Roll event will be taking place on Thursday September 26th. We are honoured and excited to take part in this annual tradition that supports cancer research while building school spirit. If possible, please support our student’s fundraising efforts and donate today at: https://schools.terryfox.ca/DavisvillePSToronto #terryfoxschoolrun #nomatterwhat @theterryfoxfoundation

Also, please take a moment to read and review the letter shared below on behalf of our Terry Fox Committee for more specific details regarding our upcoming event:

Davisville JPS-Terry Fox Event Letter


Centering Student Identity 


                               

At Davisville JPS & Spectrum Alternative, we work hard to create a culturally responsive, identity affirming space for all of our students and families. We want to ensure that our resources, materials and our learning environment reflects the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our students and families. In the first few weeks of school, our staff have worked hard to ensure they are centering students' voices and identities.

Here are some "snapshots" of the work being done in our classrooms:

  • In Mr. Brinks and Ms. Abdi's FDK class, the students are learning about the significance of their names. They are also learning how to identify their names and engaging in rich literacy tasks involving the characteristics of their names (e.g., number of letters, number of syllables, etc.). Students have been engaging in kinesthetic activities where they trace their names on paper and salt trays.



  • In Ms. Oelbaum's class, students are learned about the meaning behind their names, created name glyphs, and collected data about themselves and their lived experiences. The data was displayed in a bar graph showing students' similarities and differences.    



  • In Ms. Haley and Ms. Limbada's class (as well as many other classes), they are constructing frayer models on identity. Frayer models help students to unpack and better understand complex vocabulary terms and concepts. *Frayer models are an important instructional strategy that will be used consistently in our school. 



National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day on September 30, 2024


September 30 is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Together, we recognize the legacy of Canada’s residential school system and continue to learn the many truths of these institutions. Orange Shirt Day, established in 2013 by Phyllis Webstad, recognizes the legacy of the Residential Schools System for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit families and communities. By wearing orange, we acknowledge the truths of Residential Schools in Canada, we honour Survivors, and we remember the thousands of children who died, many of them buried in unmarked graves. This year, our school will honour Orange Shirt Day on Monday, September 30th. Please note that more information about this day will be forthcoming shortly.

Steps to Address Parent/Guardian Questions and Concerns

Dear Families,

The TDSB has protocols for sharing your questions and concerns. Below, you will find our board procedure for addressing educational concerns brought forward by parent(s)/guardians.

Please note that in many situations, your child's teacher is the first point of contact, followed by the school administrators (i.e., principal and vice principal), the school superintendent and finally your Trustee. It is important to note that appropriate flexibility will be given in implementing these procedures to suit individual circumstances.


Step 1 - Classroom Teacher

The first place to go about any classroom-related question or concern is your classroom teacher. They can help you with:

Any questions about the classroom
Classroom rules and consequences
Homework and assignments



Step 2 - School Principal

If you would like more information or if you have questions that are beyond the classroom, talk to your school principal. They can help with:

Concerns about an individual school
Student registration
Student schedules
Student suspensions
Report card concerns
Homework and assignments
Code of Conduct
Safety and security
Budget and fundraising
School Council



Step 3 - School Superintendents

Superintendents are responsible for a Network of Schools. They support school staff and can be contacted if you have questions that have not been answered or for help with:

Alternate attendance request
Suspension appeals



Step 4 - Trustees

Trustees are your elected community officials. They are available to help you with the following areas of the TDSB:

Concerns about your community
Ideas and suggestions for the Board
Items on Board Agendas
Board policies under review
Board budget
Collective bargaining


Entry to School for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Elementary schools may be receiving students from the Ontario Autism Program (OAP), or may have students leaving to attend the program. The program is delivered by the Toronto Autism Network (TAN), which consists of six agencies (Geneva Centre, Surrey Place, Lumenus, Strides, SAAAC and Kerry’s Place). This is a six-month, group-based, skill-building program with a focus on preparing young children with ASD who have never attended school to transition to Kindergarten or Grade 1.

Please read this information sheet on the Entry to School Program.

Professional Activity (PA) Days

As you may be aware, during the school year, school staff participate in a number of Professional Activity (PA) Days. On these dates, students remain at home and schools are open for staff to engage in professional learning. As per Ministry requirements, detailed information about planned activities will be posted to the TDSB public website at least 14 days in advance of each scheduled PA Day during the 2024-25 school year. I encourage you to visit the PA Day web page to learn more and check back throughout the school year.

Note: the first PA Day for the 2024-25 school year in on September 27, 2024. Information is posted on the webpage.

Dogs: Not Allowed on our School Property



Please note that the TDSB enforces a strict policy regarding dogs on its properties. Dogs are generally not permitted on TDSB grounds, with the exception of service animals as defined by the Student Use of Service Animals in Schools Policy (P096) and the Use of Service Animals by the General Public Procedure (PR604). These guidelines are in place to ensure proper management and support for service animals within our schools.




 



































 



































 






























 






















 






 











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Friday, 6 September 2024

Week of September 3, 2024

 


Welcome!!




Dear Davisville JPS/Spectrum Alternative Families,

Welcome to the new school year! If you are returning, welcome back. If you are new to our school, we are glad to have you join our school community. We know that you are going to enjoy being part of this vibrant school community! Parent/caregiver voice is always welcomed at Davisville JPS and Spectrum Alternative. Building strong partnerships between schools, educators and families is key to ensuring the success and well-being of all students. 

Our entire staff has worked very hard to prepare for the new school year and we would like to thank each of them for their time and commitment  over the last few weeks to ensue a safe and successful start for all of our families and students. 

To help keep you all abreast of school and board wide events, we will be releasing a weekly school blog every Sunday. The blog will allow our families to stay informed on school happenings and helps keep our community connected.  In addition to the school blog, Twitter is another platform that will be used to engage and communicate with our families.  

Please follow us on Twitter at @davisville_jps & @SpectrumAltern2


Morning Drop Off

Adult supervision starts at 8:40am every morning for students in Grades 1-6. You will see a staff member walking around in a safety vest if there are issues or concerns that need to be addressed. We encourage families not to drop students off before 8:40am, as there is no guaranteed supervision available.


Punctuality/Late Arrivals

Students are expected to arrive at school on time and line up with their classes. Students arriving late in the morning must enter through the front doors and sign in at the office for a late slip that they will take to their classes. This allows us to maintain adequate attendance of who is in our building.

Drop Off and Pick-Up Routines


Morning drop off and dismissal is a busy time at our school. Here are some key points to be aware of when planning pick up and drop off of students: 

  • Supervision starts at 8:40 am every morning for students in Grades 1-6. At this time, staff will be on duty. Therefore, we encourage families not to drop students off before 8:40am, as there is no guaranteed supervision available.
  • Our playground area will not be supervised by staff before the start of school (i.e., 8:40-8:55am). Therefore, please ensure that you supervise your child(ren) should they wish to use the playscape area during this time. 
  • At dismissal time, we ask for your cooperation and support by ensuring that you pick up your child(ren) as promptly as possible. Our school yard needs to be cleared by 4:00 pm to allow for our after care program to use our yard and access our playscape. Therefore, we kindly ask that families vacate the premises by 4:00pm. 
  • Please note (as per the image above) that families can regain access to our playground at 6:00pm. 


Agendas/Google Classroom

Many of our teachers use agendas with their classes to communicate homework and other important items/events. Others may use Google Classroom. Please ensure that you take a look at your child(ren's) agenda or Google Classroom on a daily basis to check for homework and important updates.

Visitors/Volunteers

If you are a visitor or volunteer to our school, please make sure you sign in at the office and take a visitor/volunteer badge. It is also important to sign out upon your departure and return the visitor/volunteer badge to the office. 


Allergies




Some of our staff and students have severe allergic reactions to certain foods and food products. A very common allergy in our school is a severe reaction to peanuts and nut products. Please remember that Davisville JPS/Spectrum Alternative are allergen aware and allergen-safe schools. For the well-being and safety of students and staff with allergies, please do not send any food items to school which may contain nut products and remind your child(ren) not to exchange/share food with others at school. Please read food labels carefully. 
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Non-Food Items & Special Occasions

Should you wish to celebrate special occasions in the classroom, please only send non-edible treats/non-food items to school to share with other students. There are many alternatives to bringing in food for birthdays and special occasions. Some suggestions for families include stickers, pencils or erasers, donating a book or board game in honour of your child’s birthday to the class.


New Cell Phone Policy 

In alignment with the new Ministry of Education policy memorandum (i.e., PPM128: The Provincial Code of Conduct and School Boards Codes of Conduct), the TDSB has revised its PR585: Board Code of Conduct to reflect the new Ministry direction around cell phone and mobile device use in all Ontario schools. These revisions are designed to restrict the use of all personal mobile devices during instructional time in both elementary and secondary classrooms in order to prevent distraction and maximize learning time.  

Below is a summary of requirements for cell phone/mobile device use, effective September 1, 2024.

All Members of the School Community: All members of the school community (including staff) must not use personal mobile devices during instructional time except under the following circumstances: for educational purposes, for health and medical purposes, to support special education needs.

Students in Grades 6 and Below: Students’ personal mobile devices must be stored out of view and powered off or set to silent mode throughout the full instructional day, except when their use is explicitly permitted by the educator under the circumstances outlined above. If an educator sees a personal mobile device that is not stored out of view, they must require the device be handed in for the instructional day and the device must be placed, by the student, in a storage area in a location designated by the principal.

Students in Grades 7 to 12: Personal mobile devices must be stored out of view and powered off or set to silent mode during instructional time, except when their use is explicitly permitted by the educator under the circumstances outlined above. If the educator sees a personal mobile device that is not stored out of view, they must require the device be handed in for the instructional period and the device must be placed, by the student, in a storage area in a location in the classroom designated by the educator.

Please review the following rules and parameters for cell phone use at our school. Please review and reinforce these expectations with your children. It is important that we work together as we help students learn how to use cell phones in a responsible, respectful and productive way.

Cell Phone Policy at Davisville JPS


  • If cell phones need to be at school, they must be stored in students’ school bags throughout the day and not in their pockets or brought out during class time. The use of cell phones may be permitted during instructional time only under the following circumstances: for educational purposes as directed by the educator in the classroom; for health and medical purposes; to support special education needs 
  • Cell phones are not to be taken to the bathroom: Bathrooms need to be places where students feel safe, and where students feel their privacy is respected. This rule is in place to protect students’ emotional safety in the bathrooms, and to minimize time spent out of class.
  • Cell phone use will not be permitted during non-instructional times on school property including on the school yard during recesses and lunch breaks: If students use their phones during these times, they should be sent to the office and may be asked to check their phone into the office in the morning until the end of the day. We are committed to providing prosocial opportunities for our students throughout the day and work to maintain a safe and respectful learning environment at our school at all times.


Spectrum Alternative Cell Phone Policy

  • If cell phones need to be at school, they must be stored in students’ school lockers throughout the day and not in their pockets or brought out during class time. Cell phones can be great learning tools, but they can also be major distractions. This rule is in place to minimize distracted learning and to ensure a safe learning environment. The use of cell phones may be permitted during instructional time only under the following circumstances: for educational purposes as directed by the educator in the classroom; for health and medical purposes; to support special education needs.
  • Cell phones are not to be taken to the bathroom: Bathrooms need to be places where students feel safe, and where students feel their privacy is respected. Students who have phones are expected to keep them in their lockers. This rule is in place to protect students’ emotional safety in the bathrooms, and to minimize time spent out of class.
  • Cell phone use will not be permitted during non-instructional times on school property including on the school yard during recesses and lunch breaks. We understand that students may need their cell phones before school and after school for safety reasons. However, for a variety of reasons, if students choose to use their phones during inappropriate times (e.g., recess or class time), they will be sent to speak with the Principal/Vice Principal and may be asked to check their phone into the office in the morning until the end of the day. We are committed to providing prosocial opportunities for our students throughout the day and work to maintain a safe and respectful learning environment at our school at all times.

Snack Program




We are hoping to launch our snack program sometime soon. Please stay tuned for further information on this in our next weekly blog. If you interested in helping our school with the snack program, please email VP, Mona Moftakhar: Ramona.Moftakhar@tdsb.on.ca 














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