Welcome to Humbercrest Public School, Toronto, Safe Arrival # 416-394-2374

Virtual School FI: A Different Solution Required

What would you do if you woke up one morning and your child’s teacher wasn’t there anymore? No message from the virtual school principal, the school board or other warning; the teacher your child had spent two months bonding with simply wasn’t there. This is what happened to many parents on the morning of Monday, November 2, when their child logged in to the TDSB’s virtual school.

Over the Halloween weekend, the TDSB began implementing what they hoped would be a solution to the shortage of French language teachers: for 92 classes teachers were reassigned to team teaching arrangements. This meant that many students had no school on Monday, November 2. On Tuesday, November 3, they were introduced to two new teachers, one for English and another for French. For some students in Grade 3 and Grade 4 French Immersion, this means they are being dropped to only 50% French instruction while their in-person peers are receiving 100% and 80% respectively French instruction. Some 800 students are having their education discounted. The bonds they built with teachers during a global pandemic are being upended.

This is not a viable solution.

We are lobbying to have this decision reversed and a better solution found. Concerned parents are contacting the TDSB, government and other decision-makers. Some parents spoke to the TDSB as Delegates at the November 10, TDSB Committee of the Whole meeting, pleading for help.

Please take a minute to read a summary of the issue and consider voicing your opinion on Facebook, Twitter (@tdsb), or in an email to your School Trustee and MPP.

Please use the following hashtags: #educationmatters #Virtual #education #covid19 #tdsb #onpoli #wellness #equality.

Thank you for your support of our students!

Sincerely,

The Humbercrest PS School Advisory Committee Executive

School Advisory Council Bylaws

2020-21 School Advisory Council
(previously called Parent Council)

As previously circulated by e-mail, the first School Advisory Council (SAC) meeting will take place THIS TUESDAY Tuesday, October 6, 2020, from 6:30- 8:30 pm via Zoom.

  • Humbercrest PS parents/guardians of both “in-class” and “virtual” students are eligible to attend the meeting
  • Click here to review the Agenda for the first meeting
  • Click here to review the Minutes from our last meeting in January 2020

MEMBERS-AT-LARGE – required by Tuesday at 6:30 pm

2020-2021 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

  • Six self-nominations forms were received online by last Tuesday’s deadline
  • As there are six positions to fill, no vote is required
  • The following incumbents will be acclaimed at the first meeting:
    • Heather Sinclair and Kristen Juschkewitsch as Council Co-chairs
    • Tammy Cruji as Secretary
    • Jim Witty as Treasurer
    • Laurie Lyle and Greg Schneider as Communications Co-Leads.

ZOOM MEETING DETAILS

  • You do not need a Zoom account to join the meeting; you can join using the browser on your computer, cell phone or tablet
  • Our SAC Zoom account will permit 100 participants
  • To join the Zoom meeting, click on the following link:
    https://zoom.us/j/97874767761?pwd=N1MzNXJzR1JpRnROSC9vN0w5RjJ2dz09
  • Meeting ID: 978 7476 7761, Passcode: SAC
  • A call-in option is not available at this time

ZOOM MEETING GUIDELINES

  • Once you join the meeting, please ensure your screen name is your first and last name so we can account for all participants and take accurate attendance
  • You are not required to have your video on, just your full name in the display
  • The Zoom meeting host and moderated will be Laurie Lyle, Communications for Humbercrest SAC
  • For our first meeting, all participants except the Executive committee, Principal and Vice-Principal will be muted throughout the meeting to minimize distractions
  • If you have questions, please submit them in advance, by Tuesday, October 6 at 12:00 noon to:
  • We’ve allocated time in our agenda to address pre-registered questions
  • Should you have a question during the meeting, please send it in the Zoom CHAT; Laurie will receive the chat message and communicate your query, time permitting
  • If a vote is required, please raise your hand on the screen

FEEDBACK
Our goal is to run an organized, informative meeting — communicating effectively in a timely manner. Of course, we welcome your feedback to improve where required. Feel free to share constructive points of consideration to the emails to council co-chairs [email protected] or [email protected] following the meeting.  As per usual, meeting minutes will be circulated by email and posted at humbercrestcouncil.ca

Talent Show: Friday, February 28

We are very excited to feature our talented students this Friday at this annual SoFun event!  Thank you to parent volunteers Johanna Weaver and Melissa Venton and thier team of volunteers for making it happen! Thanks also to the Tech Team at school for helping set-up equipment.

Performance Schedule:

  • Grades 1-3 will perform in the gym starting at 9:30 am
  • Grades 4-8 will perform in the gym starting at 10:30 am

Students not performing make up the audience.  Parents of participants are also welcome to watch but please remember you MUST sign-in at the office before proceeding to the gym.  There is a lot of snow forecast for Friday so if you drive, be sure to park in a legal spot to avoid causing traffic congestion or impacting snow clearing.  Thank you!  Any questions regarding your child’s participation, please contact Melissa.