Director's Bulletin
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Validating our Mission/Vision February 20, 2006 Subjects: 1. SAINTS OF THE TORONTO CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD 2. FROM THE BOARD, Administrative and Corporate Services Committee & T Human Resources, Program and Religious Affairs Committee, February 2006 H DIRECTOR’S 3. BOARD OFFICE SUMMER CLOSURES 2006--repeat E 4. PORTUGUESE STUDIES INFORMATION SESSION--repeat BULLETIN 5. SCHOOL ANNIVERSARIES, OFFICIAL OPENINGS & BLESSINGS 2005-2006 th - St. Maria Goretti’s 50 Anniversary 6. EVENT NOTICES In a school community - “Witness for the Prosecution”, Staff Arts--repeat formed by Catholic 7. SHARING OUR GOOD NEWS beliefs and traditions, - Michael Power/St. Joseph High School our Mission is to - Marshall McLuhan Catholic Secondary School educate students - Father Henry Carr Catholic Secondary School to their full potential - Monsignor Percy Johnson Catholic High School - Notre Dame High School - Neil McNeil High School 8. MEMORIALS A Community of Faith 9. BIRTHS AND ADOPTIONS 10. CURRICULUM & ACCOUNTABILITY - Black History Month Resource Material, Library Services--repeat - Collage Conference - Outdoors: The Ultimate Playground and Rainbow Fun With Heart in Charity - TCDSB Track Suit Order Form - Summer Institutes 2006 11. BENEFITS CORNER - Group Benefit Plan – Positive Enrolment--repeat Anchored in Hope 12. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES - Retirement Planning Seminars--repeat 13. APPLICATIONS – FOR IMMEDIATE POSTING POSITION OF RESPONSIBILITY - Autism Support Teacher CUPE LOCAL 1328 - Secretary, Blessed John XXIII - Posting Bid Form--repeat CUPE LOCAL 1328 SBESS - Posting Bid Form--various--repeat - Education Assistant--various & Awards Child and Youth Worker, Our Lady of Victory CUPE LOCAL 1280 - Awards __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Toronto Catholic District School Board, 80 Sheppard Avenue East, Toronto, Ontario, M2N 6E8 Telephone: 416-222-8282 PLEASE ENSURE THAT A COPY OF THE WEEKLY DIRECTOR’S BULLETIN IS MADE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL STAFF #2 3 February 20, 2006 SUBJECT: 1 The Saints of the Toronto Catholic District School Board We Celebrate with the following schools on their Saint/Name-sake Feast Day: February 19 – 25 Cardinal Newman – February 21 You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the World. Matt. 5:13, 14 THE DIRECTOR’S BULLETIN #23 Those who teach will shine like stars for all eternity. Daniel 12:3 February 20, 2006 SUBJECT: 2a FROM THE BOARD Summary of Board Highlights and Decisions _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Wednesday, February 8, 2006 Administrative and Corporate Services Committee Wednesday, February 1, 2006 Human Resources, Program and Religious Affairs Committee ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Board approves amended Sweatshop Free Purchasing Policy The Board approved an amended Sweatshop Free Purchasing Policy (F.P.04) that includes a requirement of full public disclosure and third party monitoring. The Board is entering into a two-year pilot to join with other Catholic boards in Ontario to contract with the Workers’ Rights Consortium to monitor fair labour practices in factories. The cost of this monitoring is not to exceed $10,000 per year. The policy will apply to all apparel, not just school uniforms. The policy in its entirety will be posted on the Board’s website at www.tcdsb.org (see policies). Recommendations regarding transportation funding formula Resulting from the investigation into the death of Allyceea Ennis, a student in Thunder Bay, the Board is requesting that the Ministry of Education take into consideration the Chief Coroner’s recommendations when developing the new transportation funding formula. The recommendation to secure students up to the age of 5 and weighing less than 50 pounds on school buses may prove to be logistically and financially challenging. The Board currently spends $2.3 million more on transportation than it receives from the Ministry for this purpose. The Board is also asking OCSTA to endorse this position. Anaphylaxis Policy S.M.15 approved The Board has approved Policy S.M.15 dealing with Anaphylaxis. It is the policy of TCDSB to create allergen-aware environments in its schools and workplaces. In order to protect the health and safety of students and staff, the TCDSB will develop regulations and administrative procedures which will comply with Sabrina’s Law 2005, S.O.2005 Chapter 7. The policy in its entirety will be posted on the Board’s website at www.tcdsb.org (see policies). TCDSB to consider joint venture projects Joint venture projects at Albion Gardens Public School/St. John Vianney, Whitfield Public School/Venerable John Merlini, Castlebar Public School/St. Josaphat and Melody Public School/St. Simon will be included for consideration in the Long Term Accommodation Plan. Development options include two individual detached elementary schools with some shared/join site amenities, semi-detached or linked adjacent elementary schools with a shared child care centre and some joint site amenities and integrated elementary schools with a child care centre and joint site amenities. The Board is embarking on a community information sessions regarding its Long Term Accommodation Plan this spring. Pilot project to explore networking technology for portable classrooms The Board is moving forward with a pilot project at St. Simon Catholic School in an effort to develop a solution for securely providing computers and networking technology for use in portable classrooms. The use of wireless networking technology including workstation software image and user response time is one aspect of this design being tested. A follow-up on the outcomes of this pilot project will be reported to the Board in September 2006. You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the World. Matt. 5:13, 14 THE DIRECTOR’S BULLETIN #23 Those who teach will shine like stars for all eternity. Daniel 12:3 February 20, 2006 SUBJECT: 2b School year calendar for 2006-2007 submitted to Ministry Regulation 304 requires that school boards submit School Year Calendars to the Minister of Education on or before the first day of May. School Boards are required to identify a minimum of 194 school days made up of a minimum of 190 instructional days and a maximum of four professional development days. Secondary schools may designate a maximum of 10 days for examination purposes within the 190 instructional days. The following proposed School Year Calendar will be submitted to the Ministry of Education: Number of school days 194 Number of Professional Activity Days 4 Labour Day September 4, 2006 First instructional day September 5, 2006 Thanksgiving Day October 9, 2006 Christmas Break December 25, 2006 to January 5, 2007 Mid-Winter Break March 12-16, 2007 Good Friday April 6, 2007 Easter Monday April 9, 2007 Victoria Day May 21, 2007 Last Instructional Day June 28, 2007 The Elementary calendar will have two professional activity days for the purpose of conducting Parent-Teacher Conferences. The proposed dates are: December 1, 2006 and March 9, 2007. The Elementary calendar will have two professional activity days to be determined by Superintendency to facilitate one Day of Reflection and one Professional Development Day. Consideration for the selection of these dates may include two significant annual conferences: “When Faith Meets Pedagogy” - October 27, 2006 and “Reading for the Love of It” – February 16, 2007. The Secondary calendar will have three locally determined professional development days and one locally determined Day of Reflection. Consideration for the selection of these days will consider the elementary professional development day calendar. The Secondary calendar will include a maximum of 10 days for examination purposes to be scheduled according to the school’s organization of the instructional program. No instructional days will be scheduled after the end of year examination days. March 2006 Meeting Schedule Human Resources, Program and Religious Affairs Committee Wednesday, March 1, 2006 Administrative and Corporate Services Committee Wednesday, March 8, 2006 Board Wednesday, March 22, 2006 Special Education Advisory Committee Wednesday, March 29, 2006 All meetings begin at 7:00 p.m. at the Catholic Education Centre, 80 Sheppard Avenue East, North York. You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the World. Matt. 5:13, 14 THE DIRECTOR’S BULLETIN #23 Those who teach will shine like stars for all eternity. Daniel 12:3 February 20, 2006 SUBJECT: 3 BOARD OFFICE SUMMER CLOSURES - 2006 THE BOARD’S OFFICES AND OPERATIONS WILL BE CLOSED ON FRIDAY, JUNE 30 (LIEU DAY FOR CANADA DAY, JULY 1) AS WELL AS MONDAY, AUGUST 7 (CIVIC HOLIDAY) FOR ALL EMPLOYEES. In addition to the annual closure of the Board’s administrative and secondary school offices for six (6) Fridays over the months of July and August, the Board will likewise close its administrative offices for the annual two-week period at the end of July and the beginning of August. Employees subject to the two-week closure are expected to schedule their vacations in part as indicated below. EMPLOYEES WHO ARE MEMBERS OF CUPE LOCAL 1280 ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THE FRIDAY AND THE TWO-WEEK SUMMER CLOSURES. Remaining staff will be subject to the closure of schools in accordance with their respective collective agreements. The closure of Board offices