December 2021
With case counts remaining relatively stable, I
want to take this opportunity to thank our students, families and staff members
for continuing to adhere to health and safety protocols. Your efforts are
appreciated and important to protecting the health and safety of our school
community members. As we have since the start of the pandemic, the school board
continues to meet regularly with public health and follow their guidance.
Families looking for more information or resources on COVID-19 and our schools,
including health and safety guidelines, frequently asked questions and mental
health resources, please visit www.yrdsb.ca/school-reopening or York Region’s www.york.ca/safeatschool.
In November, we held the school council
forums. I appreciated the opportunity to participate in shared learning with
school council representatives on priority topics including the ABCs of mental
health and actioning anti-racism practices. Thank you to all of the
participants and to all school council members for your partnership. There are
so many valuable ways families help to strengthen our schools and support student
learning and achievement. We value the
partnership that we have with families, and thank you for your ongoing
support.
As partners, we want to support you in
supporting your child’s learning, achievement and well-being. The Family
Resources page on the Board website provides quick access to online tools
such as Google Classroom, School Cash Online, Edsby and more. It also provides
links to information to support you in engaging in your child’s learning -
resources like translation tools, IT support for families and tips on
protecting your child’s privacy online. It also includes links to other
information you may find helpful. Find it at www.yrdsb.ca/familyresources or from the link on the homepage.
Over the past few months, York Region District
School Board has been conducting a review of its Trustee Areas. The boundaries
of the areas that school board trustees represent change over time. The goal of
the Trustee Determination and Distribution Study is to ensure fair and
equitable representation of all public school supporters. Thank you to everyone
who participated in the consultation on the proposed options. The final report
will be presented at the Board of Trustees meeting on February 8. You can find
more information about the study and the recommendations on the Board
website.
The upcoming winter season is a time of
celebration for many, and I want to wish you and your families a happy, healthy
and safe holiday season. I hope that over the winter break, you find time to
rest, relax and rejuvenate and we look forward to welcoming you back in
January.
David Sherman
Trustee – Markham Ward 1, Vaughan Ward 5
