CELEBRATE EARTH DAY

Dr.David Suzuki and I at W.L. Mackenzie
for the SWITCH Initiative.



We know how important it is to keep our schools and the City of Toronto clean and shining by not littering, reducing our waste through reusing and recycling household items, and either calling the city to pick-up our hazardous waste e.g. solvents, paints, or dropping them off at transfer stations located throughout the City of Toronto when open to the public.

My schools are committed to keeping their facilities clean and healthy and teaching students about the 3Rs.


If you click the two links on the right-hand side bar SWITCH Initiative @ Mackenzie and the visit of David Suzuki to the high school, you'll read about how the students are working hard to improve our environment by using renewable energies. A perfect way to kick off to Earth Day and to showcase our student achievements.

TUMPANE PUBLIC SCHOOL PARTICIPATES IN BRUSH-A-MANIA

Now that we are in April 2008 when rain season begins and all of the snow has melted away, we are gearing-up for Oral Health Month in Ontario. Tumpane PS students from kindergarten to grade five will be participating in oral hygiene presentations over a one-day period, with Ontario Dental Association member, Raffy Chouljian, D.D.S. and chair of Brush-a-Mania. On Wednesday, April 16, Raffy will instruct the students about how important it is to develop a proper technique when brushing their teeth for up to three minutes, and will ask that each student record their brushing times over the month of April. Upon completion of the program, students will receive a Brush-a-Mania Club Member certificate, stickers and sugarless gum.

Over 150 schools and 60,000 students will be active participants in Brush-a-Mania in 2008!

SAVE OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL POOLS ! TDSB TRUSTEES VOTE TONIGHT

It is critical that we save a majority of our public school pools from closing by the end of the academic year, and the remainder by next summer. I will be urging my colleagues to STOP the closing of these valuable community resources.

I attended a high school with a pool and it was great for physical education classes and developing school spirit through a competitive school swim team. It was also essential for learning safety skills.

I spent many years taking hundreds of campers on canoe trips in northern Ontario . Our trips were safe and enjoyable because these kids had some swim training at their local school or community centre. We were able to swim off our camp sites and in rivers with the knowledge that our campers had enough skills to get themselves back to shore in a safe and confident manner.

I urge you to contact your provincial representative and encourage them to support the local swimming pool. They are not funding this important community resource.

Once again, I will be voting to support TDSB pools and work with all levels of government to ensure this valuable resource has long term secure funding.

James Pasternak

Trustee Ward 5

Toronto District School Board

TRUSTEE JAMES PASTERNAK AT PARENT MEETING DAY, NORTHVIEW SS

My assistant and I were thrilled to have set up a Ward 5 information table for the parents and students passing through the school lobby to chat with their teachers on Thursday, March 27, 2008. Parents looked through our large display of TDSB programs, services and pamphlets about student social issues, which also provided me with the opportunity to field their questions and listen to their concerns. I was pleased to meet and speak with all of you, and I plan to organize more information tables at other school events in the future. Thank you to Principal Sandra Tondat and Vice Principals, Kien Luu and Laura Pagnotta for their hospitality at Northview.

Fisherville JHS and Beverley Heights Middle School were $10,000 MusiCan Grant Winners in 2007

4th ANNUAL WALK NOW FOR AUTISM ONTARIO 2008 -- SUNDAY, JUNE 8, 2008 @ NATHAN PHILLIPS SQUARE, TORONTO

GIDEON SHEPS, CO-CHAIR, WALK NOW FOR AUTISM
ONTARIO 2008



4th ANNUAL
WALK NOW FOR AUTISM ONTARIO 2008
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto

Register today at:
walknowforautism.org/ontario

For more information on how to get involved as a walker or as a volunteer, please call: 1-888-362-6227 or email us at autismspeakscanada@autismspeaks.org