Tuesday April 5, 2005 Ward 10 Council Meeting Minutes
In attendance:
Jean Rajotte, Jim Prince, Margot Danard, Caroline Lindberg, Chris Glover, John Benz, Douglas Harris, Ann Perez, Maritza Guzman, Jo Grigsby, Berta Carreco, Georgina Balascas, Kim Wright, MaryJane McNamara, Doreen Grover, Cheryl Howe (host principal- Ogden), Andrew Gowdy (Guest speaker, Planning Dept., TDSB), Lloyd McKell (Guest, Community Services Manager, TDSB), Chris Bolton- Trustee Ward 10, Cassie Bell, Constituency Assistant to Trustee Bolton, Susan Tirimacco
(Apologies in advance for any omissions or errors in this list)
Welcome and introductions by Chair of Ward council and members.
Agenda approval: added 5 minutes for FSL (PART) update and shortened website (www.myward10.ca) update from 15 mins. to 5 mins Moved by Jim Prince, seconded by Margot Danard; approved
Previous Minutes approval: Caroline Lindberg moved to accept March 8/05 Minutes, Margot Danard seconded; approved
Overview of Host School, Ogden Jr. Public School: Principal Cheryl Howe
* Ogden is “small but mighty” ! * 200 students with a large ESL population (87%) * Primarily Asian (Cantonese, Mandarin and Vietnamese speaking) * Ogden has been fortunate to take part in the Board’s EYLP (Early Years Learning Program) for past few years which has meant “Reading Recovery” and Early Literacy teachers; unfortunately just lost this staff, but program was most excellent and most helpful * Currently there are 12.5 staff, next year there will be only 10- loss of 1.5 staff * Ogden is a “green” school, with a composting and re-cycling program—students count and monitor the number of garbage bags they put out each week * Gr.1 and Gr.6 “buddying” occurs in school- leads to very positive atmosphere * JUMP (Junior Undiscovered Math Prodigies) program partnership- 5 or 6 tutors in school two to three times a week; also Law Firm (BLG) members come in and read to primary age students- very enjoyable for everyone involved!Chair Jean Rajotte thanks Cheryl for overview of Ogden and extends thanks on behalf of Ward 10 for hosting this meeting.
Guest Speaker: Andrew Gowdy, TDSB Planning Department
For Andrew’s full “power point” presentation on staffing allocations, Board projections and Ward 10 demographics, please go to Ward 10 website where it will be available for viewing (www.myward10.ca)
(The following are brief notes taken during presentation)
· Question from parent: There are a lot of Senior Board Staff represented on this First slide, but no community, principal or teacher representation- why? Especially when this is to do with staffing allocations in schools?
· There is an awareness of this, but staffing allocations are seen as an administrative function, not a consultative one.
· Elementary panel class size average (ie. over the whole Board) is 24.5 pupils: 1 teacher
· Secondary “ “ 22.0 pupils
· Last year TDSB got $12 million from the MoE (Ministry of Education) which worked out to 161 new teachers
· Liberals want small class sizes from JK-Gr.3 and through Board Staffing committee and new money this worked out\
· “projecting” process takes time, but it also takes time to hire teachers and get them into the classroom
· basic principle of demographics: the larger the geopgraphic area (ie. across the TDSB) being considered for projections, the lower the percentage of error in results, whereas the smaller the area (ie. at the local school level), the larger the number of errors
· JK population is related to pre-school population in the City, which is directly related to number of births (!)- demographics factor in statistical data, but also factor in programs and policies which may have an impact; projection process
· is an art and a science: about 60% data crunching and 40% intuition, local knowledge, current policies and practices etc.
· Note that there is a 1% “holdback” of teachers annually which acts as a ‘protection mechanism’ for the projection process- there will always be errors in projections!
· Question from parent: Didn’t the Board used to use something called “divisors” to establish pupil: teacher ratios?
· Response: Divisors used to be in collective agreements pre-amalgamation, but now divisors are tweaked according to system priorities; the issue now is that we have student-focussed funding which means we start with the number of teachers we can hire with the dollars given and therefore the divisisors ‘self-determine’
· Staffing allocations came out to principals after March Break; secondary schools have a .5 ‘flex’ so they are able to deliver a popular program regardless of enrolment
· Numbers are usually firm by end of September- Board Staffing Committee collects data weekly and does continuous projections- sometimes means a shuffle at the school in late September/October
· Appeal process: if a school wants to appeal a staffing allocation, the parent council should speak to the principal (elementary) and also the superintendent; the superintendent will take the issue to the Executive superintendent who will have appeal addressed at Central (Board) Staffing Committee level.
· Enrolment Trends: 1.49 children per woman: lowest Canadian fertility rates ever at the moment; in Toronto, population is steadily increasing,but age cohorts are not climbing (ie. lots of adults, but not children)
· Toronto is becoming more polarized: gap between rich and poor is expanding and middle class is “out migrating”- going to suburbs
· Largest age cohort for children now is Grade 4 (age 9-10); new student arrivals (which triggers ESL grants) peaked in 2001, there has been a 37% decline in arrivals from 2001-2003
· 43% increase in the number of private schools since 1998; every child who leaves public system and goes to private means a loss of MoE per pupil funding
· official plan for Toronto- wants to see population increase by .5 million people in next 20 years, however, TDSB has seen a decline of 11,000 students at the elementary level in the last 3 years alone!
· For the rest of Mr. Gowdy’s presentation, please see website and click on, “TDSB Planning Department Presentation to Ward 10 Council Members”
ACTION: Andrew Gowdy will email power point presentation to Cassie Bell to post on website.
Chair Jean Rajotte and Ward 10 Council members thank Mr. Gowdy sincerely for an informative and enjoyable presentation.
Ward 10 Information Sharing Day: Kim Wright
ACTION: Ward council members are asked to take hard copies of the flyer about the event back to their school councils and invite school council members to attend. RSVPs are important!
Please ask your school council members to RSVP on the website at:
www.myward10.ca then go to >>>> rsvp@myward10.ca
ACTION: Cassie and Kim will call ALL Ward 10 schools and tell them about the event.
Chris Bolton’s office will send out e-copies of both the event flyer and the Event Planning Sheet to all Ward 10 school council chairs and principals.
(this last “action” has been done)
Here are the details of the upcoming event one more time:
Ward 10 Information Sharing Day
Tuesday May 3rd @ Central Technical School
725 Bathurst Street (n/e corner of Harbord and Bathurst)
Room 208 (2nd floor)
6:30 – 9:00 Dinner is included
Childcare will be available
FSL Update: Ward 10 PART: Caroline Lindberg FSL CLG representative
* Idea of a Ward 10 representative, as well as a FSL CLG (French as a second language community liaison group) rep. was accepted at last PART meeting * Esther Levin, a Palmerston parent, has volunteered for this role and, as no one at Ward 10 Council also wanted this job, Esther Levin is now formally acclaimed the Ward 10 rep. on the FSL Ward 10 PART—with our gratitude! * Next PART meeting will be April 25th- details will be forwarded and posted on website * The re-establishment of a FS L sub-committee passed at the last PSSC (Program and School Services Committee) meeting and goes to Board on April 13th. If you are interested in FSL issues, a FSL sub-committee is vital to having parent voice heard at the full Board level; if you wish to email your support for a FSL sub-committee, please send your email to David Tomczak (Senior Board Administrator) at:David.tomczak@tdsb.on.ca and please “cc” Trustee Chris Bolton: chris.bolton@tdsb.on.ca
· Caroline Lindberg moves that: “Ward 10 Council endorse the motion by Trustee Chris Bolton to establish a FSL sub-committee which passed at PSSC on March 30, 2005” Seconded by Jim Prince; approved unanimously
Letter of Welcome for Ward 10 school council members: Margot Danard
· Letter will be edited and sent to school councils, along with “Information Sharing Day” flyer and also posted on website- steering committee thanks Margot for having written the letter on behalf of Ward 10 council members
Parent Involvement Policy: Discussion and feedback by Ward 10 Council Members with Lloyd McKell, Manager of Community Services, TDSB
· Feedback on this policy must be ready for June cycle of PSSC
· This consultative process has gone from January 2004 to January 2005- what did Board learn from process? When final draft is ready, even if consultations have been long, the final draft must STILL go back to original group for one last consultation
· There are 9 general policy statements which are now “set” (ie. approved by full Board), but the critical part will be in the “doing” or implementing of this policy
· Question from parent: Ward 10 Council felt it was important that this policy state clearly the importance of having parents involved in school staffing committees, but we don’t see this relfected here- why?
· Response: Staffing Committee involvement is a separate process really, but if this group recommends parent involvement in school staffing committees, then this would be incorporated into the Parent Involvement Policy.
· Question: I feel it is really important that there be space in a school specifically for parents- should that go in here?
· Response: It could.
At this point time had run out and the discussion had to be postponed. A sub-committee was struck which will arrange to meet with Lloyd and continue to give feedback.
ACTION: Jim Prince will organize a “sub-committee” (consisting of: Chris Glover, Jean Rajotte, John Benz and Kim Wright) to meet with Lloyd McKell to continue the dialogue around the Parent Involvement Policy. Note that all feedback must be ready for June cycle of PSSC.
ACTION: Cassie will forward Jim Prince’s response document for posting onto the website.
Website update: Jean Rajotte
* www.myward10.ca has “lift off”, check it out!; it is an interactive site * there is an events calendar, links to other pertinent websites (TDSB, Toronto Parent Network: TPN), People for Education etc.) * there are also “forum” areas for discussion- attendees must register first * previous Ward 10 minutes are posted- content will be increased as manager’s time allowsTrustee Update (at 8:55 pm- therefore very brief!)
* at the Board meeting on April 13th, the Board will establish “Focus Groups” to discuss Board priorities and goals for upcoming year * process for participation on these focus groups will be disclosed after April 13th, but, TIMELINES WILL BE SHORT- look for email from Chris Bolton with further information * likely nominations to get on these focus groups will run for one week only (April 13-22), with the groups themselves operating over two weeks (April 22- May 6)ACTION: All Ward council reps- please advise your school council members of these groups and make sure they are forwarded pertinent information regarding registration etc.
ACTION: Cassie and Kim will ensure this information is made widely available (including on the website) as soon as possible.
Upcoming important event: Lloyd McKell mentioned “Effective School Council” workshops open to school council members. These workshops are being run city wide, but for Ward 10 members the closest meeting is at Bloor Collegiate I. (Bloor and Dufferin) on April 26th beginning at 7pm. For further information, please check the TDSB website at: www.tdsb.on.ca
Next Ward 10 Council Meeting:
Thursday May 12th
Location to be confirmed
ADJOURNED