Minutes of the Ward 10 council, January 19, 2005
Draft Minutes
Ward 10 Council Meeting
Wednesday January 19, 2005
@ Charles G. Fraser Jr. P.S.
In attendance:
Karin Jensen (Palmerston), Maryel Milesh, Phyllis Goodfellow, Suzi Hubler (Givins Shaw), Jean Rajotte (Essex), Trish Quenneville (Waterfront), Jo Grigsby (Horizon), John Benz (Givins Shaw), Mary Holmes (Palmerston), May Tam (Orde), Rita Kappor, Sherine Burgher (Charles G. Fraser), Margot Danard (Delta), Karen Woolridge, Jennifer Lunergan (Hawthorne), Jo Bacon (Clinton), Kapri Rabin (Clinton), Valerie McDonald (Heydon Park), Alice Peter (Palmerston), Jill Magen-Lich(?)Palmerston, Colette Snyder (OOPS), Sandra VanderNaat (Palmerston), Mary Pellegrine (Palmerston), Douglas Harris (Hawthorne), Olga Cancellaro (Palmerston), Cathy Mallove (Charles G. Fraser), Fiona Martins (Regal Road), Sarah Garner (Palmerston), Maritza Guzman (Ogden), Jim Prince (Dewson/King Edward), Superintendent Georgina Balascas, Maria Alviani (Principal, Charles G. Fraser), Chris Bolton (Trustee for Ward 10) (Please excuse any spelling errors- the sign-in list was difficult to read!)
1) Introductions
2) Overview of Charles G. Fraser by Maria Alviani, Principal:
- school has 330 students from many different cultures including Chinese (both Mandarin and Cantonese speaking) and Portuguese
- International Languages program with many children who study languages different than their mother tongue; school day runs 9am until 4 pm with many “after 4” programs as well to help support families who work long hours
- school is excellent “hub” of community and has programs which include: daycare, parenting centre, adult ESL classes etc.; this school is more than just a place to learn
- December event is very popular- turkey dinner for WHOLE school (daycare families, adult learners, students, former students and student teachers etc.)- this past year fed 450 people in 15 minutes!
- school has many special education students, too; Gr.3/6 EQAO testing short changes both ESL and special education students (any student who doesn’t write EQAO receives a zero)- students are doing well, but published ratings don’t reflect this
3) Chair and council members thanked Maria Alviani for generously hosting our meeting both in Dec. and Jan. Agenda approved (motion to approve by Cathy Mallove, seconded by Margot Danard)
- Dec/04 Minutes approved (motion to approve John Benz, seconded by Jean Rajotte)
4) Announcements/Business Arising:
PCN (Parent Community Network) has an upcoming meeting next week; PCN brings together 2 voting representatives from each of the 22 wards across the city to discuss and provide feedback on issues of importance throughout the system; Ward 10 does not have any reps yet (Jim Prince is acting as a ‘cyber’ rep, but can’t attend meetings); meetings are at 5050 Yonge (Board offices) usually on a specified Monday night every other month or so. Please contact Jim Prince or Chris Bolton if you would be willing to take on this key role for ward council
Chris_Bolton@rogers.com jim.prince@opg.com
- April 8/9th: Conference for Ontario School Councils, “Ideas and Inspiration”: 2 day registration package $80.00; presented by the Ontario School Advocate magazine; Questions or information: 1-866-922-0212 or email: info@schooladvocate.ca Website: www.schooladvocate.ca
5)Ward 10 Information Sharing Meeting: Jim Prince
- in previous years Ward 10 Council was place to share ideas about local school activities (programs, fairs, community events, fundraising plans etc.), but more recently meetings have had to focus on more political issues as cutbacks swept through board; some ward council members would like to get back to more local level work- helping new or struggling school councils get started, info. sharing etc.
- a few years ago a general Ward Council meeting was held at Dewson- both ward council and local school community members were invited; info. tables and networking opportunities, plus basic school council info.; Jim suggests Ward 10 does this again before year end
PROPOSED DATE: Tuesday April 5th
ACTION: Jim will make draft agenda for proposed general Ward 10 meeting and send it around to steering committee for discussion; steering committee will also propose location and time
Chair Jean Rajotte offers to distribute notices for meeting
5) Parent, Student and Community Involvement Report (TDSB):
- Jim Prince brought forward revised “Parent, Student and Community Involvement” report (PSCI) presented by staff at the Program and School Service Committee on Tues.Jan. 11/05 where it was deferred till May 2005; Jim pointed out that 1998 existing parent involvement policy was not at all bad-at least had been prescriptive about school and ward councils and PCN
- under supervision and with some new senior staff in place there had been a decision to review the 1998 policy- in 2004 Board put motion forward to this effect last year and this report is result
- Jim has prepared a response to the report (see attached), but wants interested Ward 10 Council members to meet and discuss- important for council to take a strong stand on this issue and send a ward 10 response to senior staff and PSSC members
- Chris Bolton adds that report is now slated to go out to all school councils to be vetted- back in time for May cycle of PSSC; also, Chris held a meeting last Thurs. for parents who support I.L. (international languages) programs or who are part of cultural group—over 90 people attended representing groups across the city! These groups have now gone back to their constituents to discuss how they would like to be involved at Board level
- Val McDonald adds that parent involvement is a timely issue- Minister of Education is holding province wide consultations called “Parent Voice in Education”- the Toronto consultation is slated for FEBRUARY 15th (this date and location to be confirmed); there are several models of parent involvement to choose from at these consultations
ACTION: Jim’s “response” paper will be emailed to all Ward 10 Council members for feedback in time for next ward council meeting where motions and recommendations can be made (PLEASE SEE ATTACHED DOC)
*Note: If you are interested in participating in a “parent involvement” discussion, please email Cassie Bell (constituency assistant) to have your name forwarded to discussion group. cassiebell@sympatico.ca
6) Trustee Report: Chris Bolton
- Chris announces new alternative high school- “Year Round Alternative” school located at Bathurst and Lawrence; school is meant to support students who need to recover credits with maximum supports (ie. students may be living on their own and holding down a job etc.) such as a child and youth worker and guidance counsellor; school will literally operate ‘year round’ allowing students more flexibility around their work schedules; this initiative is being partly supported by Ministry of Education; school slated to open Feb.7th-look for announcement on TDSB website (www.tdsb.on.ca)
- Reading Clinic review: concern that all “literacy” programs, especially Reading Clinic programs are under review for possible consolidation; it is important that the Board have feedback on this issue
- a large group of people came out to meeting tonight to discuss and organize around this issue; they will set up a communications process to ensure trustees are lobbied on this issue if it comes up at Board and to try and ensure that all parent councils are aware of the issue and are kept informed as to the Board’s plans regarding the review of the Reading Clinics
ACTION: All Ward 10 Council members to take this issue back to their school councils for discussion and feedback; if members wish to be involved in effort to preserve these clinics, please contact Chris Bolton or Cassie Bell and we will forward your name to person co-ordinating this effort (chris_bolton@rogers.com; cassiebell@sympatico.ca)
ACTION: Budget surplus issue:
- one parent raised concern of parent input in board budget consultations (June/04) not being reflected in recent list of “budget priorities”
- Therefore: Mary Holmes (Palmerston), Douglas Harris (Hawthorne), Jean Rajotte (Essex) and Chris Bolton will either meet or email to discuss “budget priorities” list and bring forward to next Ward 10 Council meeting for discussion; Other parents from ward 10 should also feel free to email this group their feedback on this issue (chris_bolton@rogers.com)
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Guest Speaker: Dave Rowan, Exec. Superintendent of Special Education
-quick overview of Special Education in TDSB followed by Q & A
ACTION : Ward 10 Council to discuss possibility of setting up “special education sub-committee” of ward council at next meeting
- there are 35,000 children under special ed. ‘umbrella’ at moment
- 2000 spec. ed teachers and 2000 educational assistants and CYW (child and youth workers)
- all 567 TDSB schools have kids who need some sort of special support
- can mean a small class with intensive focus or something as broad as monitoring a secondary school student for “success”
- spec. ed staff oversee “IPRC” process (identification placement review committee) which is a legal process, means formal identification of student’s learning (or other) disability
- I.E.P = individual education plan- used to outline strengths and needs of child
- once these reviews have been done, there are two main types of supports available:
- system is not perfect, but department tries their best to help each and every child with special needs
- Funding: all Ministry of Education funding dedicated to special education must be used for spec. ed by school boards
- “I.S.A.” (intensive support amount) is equivalent to about half the funding
- “I.S.A. 2” is equivalent to approx. to other half; this claim generates about $12, 000 per student and goes to the TDSB, not directly to student- Board feels this way they can better meet the needs of more students
- spec. ed per pupil amount which pays for each student in system- TDSB has declining enrolment which is a serious funding issue for Board at moment
- there is also a “I.S.A.4” which goes to “Section 20” programs- TDSB deals with 38 agencies and 62 sites for adolescent care and treatment
- most other boards have gone to fully inclusionary system ie) special needs students are placed in a regular Gr.3 class
- TDSB agrees with inclusionary/ local school placement in theory, but also has many self-contained classes for children who do better in those environments
- parent/Board relationships have suffered as many kids were placed in a particular class/school and then were not reviewed often enough to allow return to local school
- in 1998 MoE passed a regulation stating that student goes where parent wants him/her to go- Board is not to get into conflict with parent- this has proven difficult with high needs kids- TDSB has worked to provide choices for student
Q: Are there still backlogs in assessments for spec. ed. Students?
A: Yes, the backlog is real- about 2500 students on list for assessment; we have just learned that spec. ed department can use $1 million of budget surplus to help address this issue; all schools refer students in different ways- it is helpful if school prioritize students with needs- principals, staff and parents need to work together
Q: What is the process if I think my child has special needs and the principal ‘stonewalls’ my request for assessment?
A: If principal is not helping, call superintendent and ‘problem solve’- communication is very important; child can have I.E.P. done at local school if parents are agreeable
Q:What is the process if a child is thought to have special needs?
A: 1. Speak with principal 2. Spec. ed staff should be brough in asap to consult with parents, teacher and principal 3. Issues which are not successfully dealt with or are complicated should be taken to “supervising principal of special education” available in each quadrant 4. Serious or ongoing issues should be brought to Exec. Super’s attention (Dave Rowan)
- there is an information pamphlet for parents regarding spec. ed services, but they are not in every school –Dave promises to take this back to his department and see if they can be circulated through the system— info. is also on TDSB website (www.tdsb.on.ca)
Q: Why do children at alternative schools not have access to spec. ed services?
A: Traditionally alternative schools were seen as optional programs, a “choice” parents had; therefore, with finite funds for spec. ed, those students who chose to attend alternative schools were told they would be unable to access spec. ed services, but would have to return to their local school for delivery; this issue has been raised before and has been reviewed and is being reviewed again this year; there is a slim possibility that funding will be found for alternative school students; Dave promises to take this issue back to the Board and discuss
(ACTION: Dave suggest parents interested in this issue email him to remind him to do this!)
Q: Is it possible for high schools to be more ‘up front’ about which supports and programs they can really offer for special needs secondary students to make transition to high school from elementary school (where kids are relatively well supported) less gruelling? It is encumbent upon TDSB to let parents know what true choices there are for these kids.
A: Gaining credits for sec. school special needs students is a real problem- EQAO is a huge obstacle for them- 50-70% would not pass and Pathways can dilute already good programs for these students- need to keep them in mind when designing programs…
Meeting had to close (9:30 pm!), but Chair Jean Rajotte thanked Dave Rowan for coming to speak to us- most informative
ACTION: Cathy Mallove will report on “Community Resource Model” at next Ward 10 Council Meeting.
NEXT MEETING:
Wednesday February 15, 2005 from 7-9 pm at Givins/Shaw Jr. School, 49 Givins St. (pending confirmation with principal)
ADJOURNED