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Parent Involvement Advisory Committee
Minutes
Date: Tuesday, June 6, 2006
Time: 6:30 – 10:30 p.m.
Present: Margo Cowie, Co-chair (Ward 19); Trustee, Patrick Rutledge, Co-chair; Trustee, Elizabeth Hill (Ward 6); Trustee, Mari Rutka (Ward 12); Saida Sabrie,
(Somali Parents Liaison Coalition); Arlete Cabral (Ward 20); Ken Huang (Ward 20); Simon Reetham-Clayton (Ward 16); Jane Veit (Parents Environmental
Network); Alice Pelegris (Ward 17); Marjolein Winterink (Ward 9); Chris Glover (Ward 10); Christine Brewitt (Ward 12); Annie Katsiris (Ward 13); Ram C.
Ramanathan (Canadian Tamil Parents’ Association); Janet Dabrus (Ward 15); Deborah Horner (Ward 15); Nancy Angevine-Sands (Ward 18); Star Frampton
(Ward 19); Jennifer Robinson (Ward 21); Terry Pruner (Ward 22); Raj Tiwari (Ward 1); Elizabeth Ralph (Ward 1); Judy Gargaro (Ward 3); Laurie Green (Ward
3); Catherine Marjoribanks (Ward 7); Dagmar Grasser (Ward 8); Carolina Garcia, Spanish Speaking Education Network; Nora Seyler (Spanish Speaking
Education Network); Mary Lee Halverson; Pauline Ling; Donna Quan, System Superintendent, Alternative Schools and Programs, Inner City and Safe Schools
(TDSB); Bill McLeod, Central Co-ordinating Principal Safe Schools (TDSB); Michelle Munroe, Central Co-ordinator, Parent and Community Involvement
(TDSB); Lloyd McKell, Executive Officer – Student and Community Equity
Regrets: Karen Conway (Ward 21); Ikram Jaffery (Ward 2); Simon Waldman (Ward 5); Jules Graham-Hood (Ward 2); Anjali Sondhi (Ward 11)
Date: Monday, June 12, 2006 (Continuation – June 6, 2006)
Time: 6:30 – 10:30 p.m.
Present: Margo Cowie, Co-chair (Ward 19); Trustee, Patrick Rutledge, Co-chair; Trustee, Elizabeth Hill (Ward 6); Trustee, Gary Crawford (Ward 18); Trustee,
Josh Matlow (Ward 11); Saida Sabrie (Somali Parents Liaison Coalition); Arlete Cabral (Ward 20); Ken Huang (Ward 20); Jane Veit (Parents Environmental
Network); Alice Pelegris (Ward 17); Marjolein Winterink (Ward 9); Chris Glover (Ward 10); Lucy Patterson (Ward 16); Howard Rosen (Ward 18); Brian Rose
(Ward 6); Christine Brewitt (Ward 12); Annie Katsiris (Ward 13); Doug Hum (Toronto Federation of Chinese Parents); Nancy Angevine-Sands (Ward 18); Star
Frampton (Ward 19); Terry Pruner (Ward 22); Raj Tiwari (Ward 1); Elizabeth Ralph (Ward 1); Judy Gargaro (Ward 3); Laurie Green (Ward 3); Karen Conway
(Ward 21); Ikram Jaffery (Ward 2); Jules Graham-Hood (Ward 2); Anjali Sondhi (Ward 11); Catherine Marjoribanks (Ward 7); Dagmar Grasser (Ward 8); Kate
McMahon (Ward 10); Bev Manchee (Ward 11); Susan Hurlich (Constituency Assistant Ward 6); Mary Lee Halverson; Mary Ann Saint Amour; Carla Kisko,
Comptroller of Budget & Revenue (TDSB); Michelle Munroe, Central Co-ordinator, Parent and Community Involvement (TDSB); Lloyd McKell, Executive
Officer – Student and Community Equity
Regrets: Janet Dabrus (Ward 15); Deborah Horner (Ward 15); Ram C. Ramanathan (Canadian Tamil Parents’ Association)
Date: Thursday, June 29, 2006 (Continuation – June 12, 2006)
Time: 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Present: Margo Cowie, Co-chair (Ward 19); Trustee, Elizabeth Hill (Ward 6); Arlete Cabral (Ward 20); Jane Veit (Parents Environmental Network); Alice
Pelegris (Ward 17); Marjolein Winterink (Ward 9); Chris Glover (Ward 10); Christine Brewitt (Ward 12); Annie Katsiris (Ward 13); Janet Dabrus (Ward 15);
Nancy Angevine-Sands (Ward 18); Jennifer Robinson (Ward 21); Terry Pruner (Ward 22); Raj Tiwari (Ward 1); Elizabeth Ralph (Ward 1); Judy Gargaro (Ward
3); Catherine Marjoribanks (Ward 7); Dagmar Grasser (Ward 8); Karen Conway (Ward 21); Brian Rose (Ward 6); Manju Chandan (Ward 4); Anjali Sondhi
(Ward 11); Mary Lee Halverson; Mary Ann Saint Amour; Peter Saint Amour; Michelle Munroe, Central Co-ordinator, Parent and Community Involvement
(TDSB); Lloyd McKell, Executive Officer – Student and Community Equity
Regrets: Star Frampton (Ward 19); Bev Manchee (Ward 11); Jules Graham-Hood (Ward3); Charryn Hopkins (Ward 13); Deborah Horner (Ward 15); Howard
Rosen (Ward 18); Lucy Patterson (Ward 16); Ken Huang (Ward 20); Ram C. Ramanathan (Canada Tamil Parents’ Association)
Recorder: Leslie Fox
Item Information/Discussion Action/Recommendation
Call to Order • The meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m.
Approval of Agenda/ • The agenda was approved with changes. • To be posted on website
Confirmation of Minutes • The minutes were approved with changes.
Business Arising • Addressed through members’ reports.
Workgroup Reports
Imagine Student Success • Denise Martins, Lead Principal for Student Success, provided a report to PIAC on the
status of initiatives through Imagine Student Success – under the Pathways portfolio.
• Grades 7 – 12 students participated in appreciative inquiry with teachers and
other staff. In May 2005 there was a summit held to celebrate the findings of
the inquiry.
• There is a sub-group of students working with trustees so the students can have
a direct voice.
• Virtual meetings were held to accommodate all participants.
• Students to be partnered up with mentors to encourage learning.
• Ministry of Education transition session for students in Grades 8 to 9 was to be
attended – this initiative may be expanded.
• Flexible scheduling for secondary school students e.g. later start time as an
option to encourage attendance at school.
• Professional development for teachers was held in the four subject areas.
• Student Success sub-group to
• Interview data from the surveys and research is on the Future Strategies
meet on Tuesday, June 13 at
website.
1 Civic Centre Court.
• Great involvement from all stakeholders.
• Potential for a student conference in Dec 2006.
• An exit survey of Grade 12 students will be conducted to find out what their
comments are, which was developed by Sue Rowan, a retired Superintendent of
Education.
• If any questions please contact Denise Martins – denise.martins@tdsb.on.ca.
Student Activity Fees • Jennifer Robinson, Judy Gargaro, Student Trustee - Doug Sarro reported on Student
Activity Fees.
• Parent consultation on the student activity fees is the only outstanding item.
• Chris Usih, Central Co-ordinating Principal is overseeing the Student Activity Fees.
• Hoping for implementation in 2007/08 school year.
• Principals are being asked to release a budget summary at the beginning of each
school year.
• Consultations are to be done by quadrant – with two members of PIAC for each
quadrant.
Item Information/Discussion Action/Recommendation
• Donna Quan, System Superintendent, Bill McLeod, Central Co-ordinating Principal
Safe Schools and Trustee, Mari Rutka presented information on the Safe and Compassionate
Schools Working Group.
• One of the recommendations was to have a change to the Youth Criminal
Justice Act – which was not brought forward to the Government.
• The “Grid of Consequences” has been changed to the “Chart of
Consequences” and is in the schools now.
• Professional development has been delivered to staff on items such as
mitigating circumstances and harassment of a student and the retaliation of
that student.
• A series of nine pamphlets will be created: code of behaviour for the students,
then bullying and how parents and schools can support their kids, special
education, progressive discipline, suspensions and expulsions, trespass and
denial of access, emergency procedures. The pamphlets are to be translated in
the ten most used languages in the city.
• The pamphlets will be ready for distribution in the fall of 2006 and will be
posted on the TDSB Web for ease of access.
• For information contact Trustee, Mari Rutka at mari.rutka@tdsb.on.ca, or Donna
Quan at donna.quan@tdsb.on.ca and/or Bill McLeod at bill.mcleod@tdsb.on.ca.
• Arlete Cabral to inform Margo Cowie of intention to join Student Success Sub-group.
Memberships 2006-07
• Student Activity Fee sub-group existing members to continue.
• Marjolein Winterink to continue as Safe Schools resource lead and Terry Pruner to
join group.
Trustee Report • Trustee, Patrick Rutledge updated PIAC on the TDSB budget process. Recommendation No. 1
• Decision of the Board to figure out how to balance the budget or continue in a PIAC ask trustees to not make
deficit. any further program, service or
• There’s a potential that if the deficit isn’t fixed the government will step in and staff cuts until the provincial
re-instate Supervision. government redress its funding
• The report tries to show the unique areas that are serviced by the TDSB. The deficits in the areas of salaries,
Minister of Education is aware of the difficulty and promises to address the maintenance, operations and
funding formula. utilities. (Vote: for - 9; against -
• Administration, Finance & Accountability Committee met with the Minister of 3; abstain - 5). (C.Glover, D.
Education on June 5 and a report will come with the commitments of the Horner).
Minister.
• The “Road Map” talks of the budget/funding gaps and was created to assist in • Judy Gargaro to distribute to
decision making. The information is based on staff input and more detailed members a ward by ward
information can be obtained from individual trustees at their ward meetings. summary of what’s at risk
• The deficit projections for 2006/07 school year are $85 million. The with the budget cuts.
Item Information/Discussion Action/Recommendation
recommendation in the report is to spread the cuts over a four-year period.
• Non-funded programs will be the first to be cut. These programs include
Outdoor Education Centres, pools and parenting centres.
• The Board is seeking partnerships with external organizations and certain
areas of the government to continue these programs.
• On June 12 the grants from the Ministry of Education will be released. The
Board is asking the Ministry for transition money so that we can gradually
prioritize the cuts needed.
• Other Provinces’ schools are funded by more than one Ministry, e.g., Ministry
of Health to fund nutrition programs and the Ministry of Social Services to fund
Parenting Centres.
• The following motion was put forward for discussion:
“That PIAC ask trustees to not make any further program, service or staff cuts
until the provincial government redress its funding deficits in the areas of salaries,
maintenance, operations and utilities.” (C. Glover).
• There was considerable discussion around the appropriateness of considering the
motion at this time. Several members felt that they did not have sufficient preparation • Carla Kisko, Comptroller of
or background information on the budget issue to provide an informed vote. Others Budget and Revenue to be
felt that their school and ward councils have not yet discussed the issue, and therefore invited to explain the budget
they did not feel that they could reflect the opinion of their group fairly or accurately. process on June 12, 2006.
Others felt that there was an urgency to this because the Board was currently involved
in budget discussions during the month of June. The matter however was put to a
vote.
Recess/Adjournment • Motion to recess carried at 9:50 p.m.
Next Meeting: Monday, June 12, 2006 at 6:30 p.m. – Cafeteria, 5050 Yonge Street
Item Information/Discussion Action/Recommendation
Call to Order • The meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m.
Approval of Agenda • Continuation of June 6 agenda approved.
Business Arising • There were no Business Arising items.
PIAC decision of June 6 on • Lloyd McKell, Executive Officer – Student and Community Equity referred members Recommendation No. 1
TDSB budget. to a memo he sent earlier to members which summarised the reactions to the PIAC That the June 6 motion on budget
vote of June 6 regarding the budget item. He indicated that as a result of the feedback to be referred to a special
received most of which expressed dissatisfaction with the process surrounding the meeting of PIAC prior to a
vote, he recommended that the decision of the June 6 meeting be revisited to allow for decision of the Board on its
a more informed discussion. current budget situation ( for -16;
• It was suggested that notice of motions on key items should be given at least two against-5; abstain- 1)
Item Information/Discussion Action/Recommendation
weeks in advance and circulated via e-mail in order to allow for proper consideration
by members and their stakeholder groups. Recommendation No. 2
• Margo Cowie advised that all confirmed agendas are posted to the public website two A sub-committee be established
weeks prior to PIAC meetings, the protocol is to make changes to the agenda at the to develop committee procedures
meeting. The Conflict of Interest and Guiding Principles documents need to be re- including the roles of members
visited. and trustees (including voting
rights); status of observers; voting
procedures; and rules for the
conduct of meetings.
Staff Presentation on • Carla Kisko presented the following information on the Board’s budget situation to
TDSB Budgetary Situation PIAC.
• The Ministry of Education released the grant information to the Board today.
• In the 2005/06 school year there was a $14 million deficit already built-in, right
now it is $17 million and this deficit has been covered off by one-time funding.
• There was success in addressing the funding formula the issue of teacher prep
time was re-visited and funding was increased by 10 minutes, however teacher
salary differential still needs to be addressed. There have been improvements to
the capital funding and the model by per pupil funding will be transferred to a
school-based component, which is funding for 1 principal and 1 vice-principal
per school. There are still large challenges and more information will be
provided as soon as the formulas are provided.
• The grant announcement reduced the employee benefit allocation from 12% to
11.1%.
• Literacy and numeracy, broadening choices and programming are still priority
as well as safety, capacity staff (professional development), expanding
community partnerships, at-risk students in Grades 7 to 8, and primary class
size initiative is moving forward.
• The provincial framework has implemented the increase in prep time for
elementary teachers to 200 minutes per day this means more teachers.
Specialist teachers have been put in place this is linked to more prep time –
smaller schools are only getting funding for part of their student head count.
• The province picked up $175 million last year for facility improvements and will
do so this year.
• Most boards are going through an enrolment decline, which shrinks the revenue
base while retaining the same number of ageing buildings and resources.
• Creative ways to save money needs to be established, e.g. elimination of
duplicate services within departments, consolidate programs and schools
because of the declining number of students and alternate funding sources, e.g.,
City of Toronto Parks and Recreation as funding source for pools.
• There is a mid-year budget review process in July and another one in
Item Information/Discussion Action/Recommendation
November, this year in it is August and October 31.
• The Ministry of Education has committed to funding parental involvement piece.
• Depending on the size of the Ward and the influx of immigrants who need
support and ESL programs, ESL programs will be moved and expanded to
accommodate the new students to the country.
• Finance staff will be willing to come back to talk with PIAC on the budgetary issues.
Recess/Adjournment • Motion to recess carried at 10:35 p.m.
Next Meeting: Thursday, June 29, 2006 at 6:30 p.m. – Committee Room A, 5050 Yonge Street
Item Information/Discussion Action/Recommendation
Call to Order • Meeting called to order at 7:05 p.m.
Approval of Agenda • Continuation of the June 12 agenda approved.
Business Arising • There were no Business Arising items.
Resource Group Reports
• Guiding Principles • Catherine Marjoribanks reported on Guiding Principles. The Conflict of Interest
document still needs to be amended because it is too restricting, considering the
diversity of constituency. The Board’s legal staff and David Tomczak to review the
document to ensure support from the TDSB.
• Judy Gargaro to be added to the Guiding Principles sub-committee membership for
2006/07 to be Catherine Marjoribanks – Lead, Nancy Angevine-Sands, Karen
Conway, Terry Pruner, Elizabeth Ralph, and Judy Gargaro.
• Communications • Karen Conway reported on the Communications sub-committee. Jessica MacRae, • PIAC pamphlet final draft to be
Media Specialist, John Caldarone, Communications Officer and Michelle Munroe, shared electronically with PIAC
Central Co-ordinator met with the Communication sub-committee to discuss the PIAC prior to finalization.
web page and a pamphlet to be created.
• The possibility of email accounts being created for PIAC and school councils is being
explored. Email accounts are held for 10-month periods. Maintenance of accounts
will be handled by IT staff with the creation of new accounts for councils every new
school year. Each account will be password accessible and passwords will be given to
delegate of the school council.
• Marjolein Winterink reported on the School Council sub-committee.
• School Council • Peer support for school councils to be established and to facilitate knowledge of the
school council manual.
• School council training will commence in fall of 2006 for PIAC members and will be
offered again in the spring of 2007. Registration is required because of logistics – • School Council Workshop
Item Information/Discussion Action/Recommendation
food, parking, childcare and is a key to how the workshops will be delivered. registration deadline extended to
• Roles and boundaries to be explained at the workshops offered by PIAC to foster July 31, 2006, with electronic
confidence in the functioning of the school council. Reg. 612 calls for each school registration to be made available.
council to have constitutions and by-laws, what needs to be determined is what type of
constitution and by-law is required for each school/community. Certificates will be
presented upon completion of the training.
• Best Practices • Margo Cowie reported on the Best Practices sub-committee for Charryn Hopkins. The
group hasn’t had an opportunity to meet, however, is following through with gaining
access to the on-line research database – Education Resources Information Centre
(ERIC).
• Research • Membership to Future Strategies for PIAC members to use as a research tool should be
available in October 2006. Future Strategies maintains the information compiled. This
is currently being used by Student Success and will allow PIAC to do research.
• PIAC Budget • Margo Cowie reported on the PIAC budget and provided a draft breakdown developed
by the Resource group, with Michelle Munroe and Lloyd McKell. A more complete
breakdown of the budget to be created.
• Most items on the breakdown are on-line with the costing estimates: Communications,
brochures, badges and business cards, school council training, best practices is to be
broken out more fully based on criteria established, research is going to be less than
estimated and the PIAC launch is complete. • Leadership day will be held on
• “Leadership Day” with Appreciative Inquiry, has to be planned. MPP Kathleen Wynn Saturday, September 9 at Civic
and the Director of Education will be invited as guest speakers. Binders to be Centre – 5100 Yonge Street,
provided to the members of PIAC, with an Equity document and communications Gold Room from 7:00 a.m. to
materials. 5:00 p.m.
• PIAC brochure to go out with school council packages. Name badges to be created for • Working Group for the summer
PIAC members. to be established to help
• PIAC agreed on the draft PIAC budget. organize “Leadership Day”.
Working Group: Margo Cowie,
Raj Tiwari and Michelle
• Members must have children currently enrolled in the system.
PIAC Membership 06/07 Munroe. Margo Cowie will
• Parents Environmental Network will assign a new member
communicate with absent
• Brian Rose will continue as Ward 6 representative until a new representative has been
members to find more
elected.
participants.
• Resource sub-committee membership to remain the same.
Resource Membership
• School Council sub-committee membership to remain the same with Mary Ann Saint
Amour to be added.
• Process sub-committee to be established and to meet during summer.
Item Information/Discussion Action/Recommendation
Executive Committee • Executive committee of PIAC to be established after first meeting in September. It
was suggested that the sub-committee leads nominate delegates to be the Executive
committee and to meet as an agenda setting committee and prior to regular PIAC
meetings.
Secondary (TBD) • Secondary/elementary sub-committees to be established for discussions on an ad hoc
basis.
Parent and Community
Involvement Office Report • Lloyd McKell, Executive Officer – Student and Community Equity provided an Recommendation No. 2
Parent Concern Protocol overview of the Parent Concern Protocol, a procedural document for staff and trustees. That PIAC strike a committee in the
It was suggested that a companion document be created for parents. fall charged with developing a user-
• The companion document could be an addendum to the Parent Concern Protocol, in a friendly document to complement
frequently asked questions or checklist format, is to be the parents’ perspective and the Parent Concern Protocol.
used only as a framework. To be included in the student agenda. This companion
document would be a tool for helping parents work with the school and school board • Parent Concern Protocol sub-
on their issues of concern and would deal more specifically with the practical issues of committee to consist of Alice
conflict resolution between home and school. Peligris, Catherine Marjoribanks,
Anjali Sondhi, Mary Lee
• Preparation for the Principal workshops in the fall is underway. Once a draft agenda is Halverson, Mary Ann Saint
Principal Workshops created it will be brought to PIAC for review. The workshops will be in tandem with Amour and Howard Rosen to be
the Equity departments’ in-servicing for the new administrators. the lead.
• A request to add an item to the Workshop that the Principals go into the community
prior to the start of school to establish a relationship with the community and find out • Organizations and school
the needs for the school year. councils that received funding to
• There is a Principal document/guideline, which is aimed at new Principals to deal with be posted on web site.
communities.
• Michelle Munroe gave an update on the draft Protocol Handbook, which is a document
Protocol Handbook aimed at how to advise the Board. It could be a useful document to bring to the school
council work group. Feedback and input requested on the document.
• An update on the Ministry of Education Special Outreach Grant was provided. The Recommendation No. 3
Grant Proposal Report grant was broken into three separate areas: one amount to PIAC for $47,000.00; one to That PIAC meet with the
school councils each receiving $500.00 and one to the Board for community outreach representatives of the Ontario
projects in the amount of $195,000. Sixty-seven organizations including community Ministry of Education responsible
groups and school councils received funding. There will be some one to work with for the recent Parent Involvement
these groups to ensure the money is spent and used the way it is intended to be. grants in order to request that grants
• The grant money needs to be spent by August 31, 2006, a reporting template will be be renewed for the 2006/07 school
sent to the Board by the Ministry so that reporting on how the money was spent can be year and to request that PIAC be
involved in discussions establishing
Item Information/Discussion Action/Recommendation
submitted to the Ministry of Education by September 30, 2006. The report will be more appropriate time frames for the
shared with PIAC in September. grants.
• Ministry of Education has committed to annual Parent Involvement funding for
District School Board.
• Further funding for Special Outreach projects is being looked at, requesting that Marie-
France LaFort to attend “Leadership Day” on September 9.
• A PIAC policy poster and a reminder document on school council elections were sent
to all schools.
Members Items • In Ward 1 a retired student from North Albion CI received the Sir John A. MacDonald
award, Michael Adam for creative writing.
• In Ward 1 a North Albion CI student donated $400,000.00 for mentoring, advocacy,
financial and social structures. The donation is for all grade 9 students, and will carry
them through to grade 12, they will also receive $1,000.00 for college/university fees.
Funding is for 2005/06 and 2006/07 school years.
• Parent Environmental Network has issued a document on the safe storage and disposal
of toxic chemicals in the schools. An annual inspection of schools to be established.
Next Meeting • Tuesday, September 26, 2006 and Thursday, November 2, 2006.
Other Business • Special meeting of PIAC to discuss the TDSB budget was established for August 15,
2006 at 5050 Yonge Street.
• Lloyd McKell provided an update on the Draft Student Demographic Survey and will
come back to PIAC with another update in the fall.
• PIAC Evaluation to be completed and returned June 29.
Adjournment • 9:35 p.m.
Next Meeting: September 21, 2006 – Boardroom, 5050 Yonge Street
