The optimism and excitement that often accompanies a new school year is overshadowed by great sadness this September. It is with a heavy heart that we inform you about the death of Charles MacKenzie.  Charlie was our beloved caretaker who passed away unexpectedly over the weekend.  He leaves behind his wife and three daughters. We mourn the loss of a key member of our school community

Charlie started his career in 1976 and joined the Glen Ames/Williamson Road team in 2003 where he remained as a dedicated and respected staff member who valued his colleagues and students at both schools.  Charlie looked after our buildings and school grounds, but most importantly, our students, staff, and community.  He will be dearly missed.

This letter is to assure you of our continuing concern and support for all the staff and students. Our students and staff were informed today.  Death is a difficult issue to share with children.  Some of our children knew Charlie better than others and their reactions may be different.  Toronto District School Board (TDSB) staff were at the school today to offer support and counselling and will remain for as long as they are needed. I know you will support your children in every way possible through this difficult time. We encourage families to discuss what happened in whatever way is appropriate for each family.  The following are some guidelines that might assist you in your conversations:

• Allow children to express as much concern and grief as they wish;
• Listen carefully to what your child is saying and respond appropriately;
• Be empathetic. Your child’s grief responses and concerns may be different to those of an adult;
• Remember that grief reactions sometimes last beyond the initial days of the loss.

On behalf of the Glen Ames/Williamson Road community, we have reached out to his family to express our deepest condolences.  At this time, details regarding the funeral have not been confirmed.  Information will be shared with the school community based on the wishes of the family.

Thank you for your support. Please feel free to contact the school if you have any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Mark Duwyn

Principal

Welcome to the 2019-20 school year! Today has been a busy, but successful first day here at the Toronto District School Board as we welcomed new and returning students into our schools for another year of learning and experiences.

To help you throughout the year, we have developed a webpage that will provide you with resources for both parents and students, including homework tips, the school-year calendar, transportation information and updates, and supports for mental health, healthy living and bullying. Here, you will also find ways you can get involved in your child’s education and school life, such as taking part in your local school council, volunteering to coach sports or supervising field trips. Your involvement in your child’s education and school life can contribute to their success.

This year, we are pleased to continue the important work of the Multi-Year Strategic Plan. This plan, and the many action plans that accompany it, will help us provide students with equitable access to programs and resources, and increased opportunities for success.

To join the conversation and keep up-to-date on all the great work that is happening at the TDSB, we encourage you to follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. From board-wide updates to school activities, good news stories and more, our social media accounts are the perfect way to stay informed. And, if you’re looking for more great things happening at the Board, you should check out Trending@TDSB.

Throughout the year, we will also keep you updated via email, webcasts and ward forums.

Health and Physical Education Curriculum: On August 21, the Ministry of Education released the Health and Physical Education (HPE) Curriculum for Grades 1-8. Learn more about the HPE curriculum. A more detailed description of the changes will soon be available. ​​​​​​​

New Student Dress Policy: The TDSB’s new student dress policy is now in effect. The new policy provides students with learning environments that are safe, equitable, welcoming and inclusive and recognizes that decisions about dress reflect individual expression of identity, socio-cultural norms, and economic factors and are personal and important factor’s to a person’s well-being and health.

Vaccination Clinics: Toronto Public Health is implementing an important change in their consent for immunization policy. Starting this year, secondary students aged 14 or older will be able to give informed consent to receive immunizations at TPH clinics hosted in TDSB secondary schools.

Start of Year Forms: School start up forms, such as consent packages, medical information and more, can now be completed online! This new model is easy, simple and secure and will help streamline the process of a number of standard forms as well as save paper and resources.

Student Transportation: Are you a parent/guardian of a child who takes the bus to school? Login or register to access the Transportation Portal to confirm transportation details (e.g. bus stop location, stop times, operator contact information, etc.), and to sign up receive email notifications of bus delays and cancellations. For more information about student transportation, please contact The Toronto Student Transportation Group or your local school.

Changes to French and Gifted Transportation – Grades 9-12: Due to budgetary pressures, the TDSB will no longer be providing tickets/tokens to students in Grades 9-12 in the French Immersion, Extended French and Gifted programs as of September 2019. In cases of financial need where the student was previously eligible (living beyond 4.8 km from their French/Gifted school), schools may continue to provide TTC tickets/tokens. Please contact your school Principal if you require more information.

Revised Policies: On June 19, 2019, the Board approved the following revised policies – the Home Instruction Policy (P060), Excursions Policy (P033) (i.e. field trips) and Workplace Harassment Prevention Policy (P034). To learn more about the documents, including a contact for more information, please visit the individual webpages for each policy. For more policies and procedures, please visit the Policies, Procedures and Forms section of the TDSB website.

Changes to Password Procedure (Staff and Students): As of Aug. 6, 2019, changes to Passwords for Network Access Security (PR573) for all staff and student network accounts came into effect. Highlights of these changes include: All students and most staff will no longer have a maximum password age. This means that passwords will not expire and staff/students will not be forced to change their passwords. To learn more about the procedure, including a contact for more information, please visit the TDSB webpage for the procedure.

Free Menstrual Products to Students: The Toronto District School Board will soon be providing menstrual products free of charge at all of its schools. For more information, please read the news release.

School Zone Safety: Help us keep school zones safe by being alert and slowing down. Learn more about road safety.