Itinerant music programs are on the chopping block

The Toronto District School Board is slashing the Itinerant Music Program ( Band, Strings,  Vocal, Recorder, Steel Pan Drums) before the Trustees are informed or able to vote on this drastic change of policy. 

To save a small portion of their budget, they are planning to drastically reduce the quality of music education for students by laying off the expert music educators. It's outrageous and shortsighted. Study and after study show the benefits of music to our development, our ability to learn, and our quality of life.

Earl Beatty uses these programs each year, and we will miss them terribly if they are taken away!

It only takes a minute to sign the petition below, and your support will make a difference. 

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/841/524/940/stop-the-itinerant-music-program-cuts-in-the-toronto-district-school-board/

Please share with all your parent friends in the TDSB!

News From Sheila Cary-Meagher's Office

Sheila Cary-Meagher's office ha shared the below information about upcoming events and happens in the TDSB. Please read below for a summary of the notices.


1. Parent Representative Participation Sought for Vice-Principal Interviews


TDSB includes a Parent Representative on Vice-Principal Interview Committees (this is for teachers applying to become VPs). The Parent Involvement Advisory Committee feels that parent voices in these interviews are important in building good relationships with administrators early on and in reflecting the importance of parent/community involvement/partnerships as integral components of a school administrator's responsibilities.

The Process and Interview Training Session is scheduled for Tuesday, February 5, 2013 at 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm at 5050 Yonge in the Boardroom. (Attendance is mandatory in order to participate as a Parent Representative on a VP Interview Team)

Principal/Vice-Principal interview dates are currently scheduled for Tues. Feb. 26, Thurs. Feb. 28, and Tues. Mar. 5, 2013. The interview day begins with a team caucus at 8:00 am and the last interview of the day will commence no later than 3:30 pm.

All interviews are held at 1 Civic Centre Court (Burnhamthorpe and Hwy #427).

·  hold all dates until interview date is determined 

·  interview teams and alternates will be informed by e-mail at least 1 week prior to the interview e

· you will likely not be scheduled for more than one day and all applicants may not be required

If you would like to participate in these interviews, please complete the Expression of Interest and return it to Joyce Harrison either by email to joyce.harrison@tdsb.on.ca, or by fax 416-397-3679, no later than January 25, 2013.
If you cannot participate on any of these P/VP interview dates, but are interested in being involved in future, please still complete the form below and come to the Training Session.

2. Sheila has asked that we share this open letter from TDSB Chair Chris Bolton to Minister of Education Laurel Broten.

TDSB launches consultations on the future needs of K-12 students

The Toronto District School Board has just launched a series of consultations to address future needs of TDSB students in Kindergarten to Grade 12.

Read the details below is this message quoted from the TDSB announcement email:

These consultations are an opportunity to contribute to the future of our students in our schools. The conversations will ensure our future plans are based on the programs that best support our students as we develop a plan to guide us into the future. Simply put, we need the right programs in the right spaces in the right places.

We know how important it is to have the right opportunities and supports in place to prepare students for the future as they transition from TDSB schools to future learning choices, careers and life as responsible, caring citizens in our democratic society.

Over the course of the next few weeks we will be consulting at SuperCouncil Meetings, Quad Dialogues, FOS Focus Groups, 4 City Wide Forums, Ward Councils as requested, FOS Meetings, TSAA Executive Meeting, Employee Group Executive Meetings, and Senior Team Council. Community members will also have the opportunity to participate online by filling out a survey or participating in a virtual consultation session. 

We want to begin by starting an open, inclusive dialogue around how we can bridge today’s education with the future needs of schools and learning. The dates and times for the city wide consultations are below. All meetings are from 7 – 9 pm.

Tuesday, November 6
Sir John A Macdonald CI, 2300 Pharmacy Ave, Scarborough, ON

Wednesday, November 7 Danforth Collegiate and Technical Institute, 800 Greenwood Ave, Toronto, ON

Thursday, November 8 Bloor Collegiate Institute, 1141 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON

Monday, November 12 Emery Collegiate Institute, 3395 Weston Rd, North York, ON

Monday, November 19 Virtual Consultation (TDSB Live) at www.tdsb.on.ca

TDSB Budget: May 14, 2009 7pm - 9pm

Have your say!

May 14, 2009 7pm - 9pm
Bickford Center Auditorium
777 Bloor Street West @ Christie

Click the flyer to read the details.

Parent Engagement and Community Partnerships information sessions

The Parent and Community Involvement Office staff will be delivering a series of Parent Engagement and Community Partnerships information sessions during the month of April.

These sessions will enable parents to get information on:
• Getting Involved in their Child’s Education;
• School Council (Regulation 612/613);
• Volunteering in Schools;
• School Council Budgets/Funding/ Insurance; and
• Parent Protocol for Dealing with Parent Concerns

The sessions are scheduled on:

Tuesday April 21, 2009
Jarvis Collegiate,Library
495 Jarvis Street (Yonge & Bloor)
6:30 p.m. - Light Refreshments, 7:00 p.m. - Session

Thursday April 23, 2009
Richview Collegiate, Library
1738 Islington Avenue (Islington @ Eglinton)
6:30 p.m. - Light Refreshments, 7:00 p.m. - Session

Tuesday April 28, 2009
Downsview SS, Library
7 Hawksdale Road (Keele & Wilson)
6:30 p.m. - Light Refreshments, 7:00 p.m. - Session

See the attached flyer for more details.
Steve Travers
Principal
Earl Beatty Jr. & Sr.P.S.

Ethnocultural Network Meeting March 31st, 5050 Yonge Street, Ground Floor, TDSB Cafeteria, 6:30pm to 9:00pm

Are you concerned about your child’s performance at school? Would you like your children to be successful in school but need more information as a parent or caregiver?

Please come and attend a meeting of the Ethnocultural Community Network, a liaison group with the Toronto District School Board

Tuesday, March 31, 2009
5050 Yonge Street, Ground Floor, TDSB Cafeteria
6:30pm to 9:00pm
A light dinner and refreshments will be served at 6:30pm.
Meeting will start at 7:00pm sharp

School Councils - Strengthening Parent-School Partnerships

Workshop for School Council Members, Vice-Principals and Principals

Presented by TDSB Parent Involvement Advisory Committee (PIAC)

Through the sharing of experiences, these workshops are designed to provide information and strategies for all school councils whether experienced or inexperienced on how to strengthen existing parent-school partnerships.

Thursday, November 6, 2008 York Mills Collegiate Institute Library 490 York Mills Road (York Mills Road @ Bayview)

• Light Refreshments will be served at 6:30 p.m. Sessions commence at 7:00 p.m.

• All interested participants are encouraged to pre-register for the session of their choice. To register, please call 416-395-5040 OR email piac@tel.tdsb.on.ca.

• Interpretation and child-minding is available for registered participants. Please call 416-397-3529 or email outreach@tdsb.on.ca to register for these services.

Please ensure your name and the location of you will be attending is indicated when registering.

Action needed to Save School Pools!

February 25th and March 5th are two key dates in the struggle to save up to 78 school pools.

Our pools were provided by our taxes. We must once again convince the various levels of government (whose funding all come from our taxes) that we will not let them take this valuable community resource away. Here’s what to do:

Before Feb 25th

Tell the Toronto District School Board to work with the City and Province to keep our local pools open.
Send your comments to our school trustee, Sheila Cary-Meagher:
sheila.cary-meagher@tdsb.on.ca
Copy: TDSB Chair, John Campbell: john.campbell@tdsb.on.ca
Operations and Facilities Committee Chair, Mari Rutka: mari.rutka@tdsb.on.ca
City of Toronto Budget committee: clerk@toronto.ca
City Councillor, Beaches-East York, Ward 31, Janet Davis: councillor_davis@toronto.ca

Before March 5th

Tell Education Minister Kathleen Wynne that our pools are a vital part of the school and community, and deserve her support: minister.edu@ontario.ca
Copy councillor_davis@toronto.ca & local MPP for East York,
Michael Prue: mprue-qp@ndp.on.ca

Ask for support from your city councillor: www.toronto.ca/councilors

Click here to go to the Campaign for Public Education website for more info.