Free Skate and food drive at Chesswood Arena on Thanksgiving

Please join us for a family free pleasure skate at Chesswood Arena at 4000 Chesswood Drive at 4:00 PM on Thanksgiving Monday October 11 at 4:00 PM. We are tring to gather food items for the North York Harvest Food bank so please bring along non-perishable food items. Hope to see you there!

School Board passes motion that creates special education parent facilitator/advocate position

It has taken several months but my motion that was supported by the Special Education Advisory Committee in June passed full board on September 7. This motion directs staff to work towards creating an arm's length Parent Advocate at the TDSB. This position will help parents understand and decide what special education programs are available at the school board and which might be best for their son or daughter. Currently there is some confusion among parents about what programs are available and which match various exceptionalities. I will keep you informed as the process moves forward.

The Barbados High Commissioner visits Beverley Heights MS to hear about Future Aces

H. E. Edward Evelyn Greaves, GCM made a visit to Ward 5's Beverley Heights Middle School on June 11. Mr. Greaves wanted to learn more about the success of the school's Future Aces program. The entire school came out to welcome the High Commissioner. The school has had one success after another over the last three years.

The Future Aces philosophy is based on the belief that positive attention contributes to and reinforces a person's self-esteem. Future Aces focuses on the positive rather than the negative, by recognizing and encouraging attitudes and actions that are desirable and constructive. Founder Herb Carnegie says that "being a Future Ace means being a good person with feeling in your heart."

In the picture above, the High Commissioner is third from the right.

Improving Special Education in Ontario

In an effort to bring real change to the delivery of special education in Ontario I brought two motions to the Special Education Advisory Committee on Monday night. In one motion, we are asking TDSB Director Chris Spence to ask the Minister of Education and other school boards to support a Special Enquiry into the funding and delivery of special education programs in Ontario. There certainly is a long way to go. The second motion asks the TDSB to hire a special education parent facilitator to help families navigate the complex programs and options in special education. These motions will come before the Board of Trustees at our June, 2010 meeting.

Plans are underway to bring new community hub to York Centre.

The TDSB Ward 5 and city Ward 10 have been short of community space for sometime. Numerous groups providing valuable programs and services have had a tough time finding adequate space. At the same time, the Bathurst-Finch area needs strong supports in health care and healthy living. I have been working for three years to correct this program. Now we are one step closer. A TDSB land parcel near Bathurst and Finch on the Northview Heights site has been declared surplus so a new community hub can be built by New Heights Community Health Centre. It is not part of the current field on that corner. Once built, the facility will provide employment and co-op opportunities for students, public space for use, and social and medical support services. The site will have a tree-lined walkway and other “green enhancements” to improve the public space. The cost of the project is partially covered by the federal and provincial governments and the United Way.

Toronto Lands Corporation Continues to show Leadership and Fiscal Responsibility

In 2008, I was among TDSB trustees who voted to establish the Toronto Lands Corporation. This is an arms-length entity that is responsible for the management, leasing, sales and redevelopment of TDSB surplus properties. The TLC also helped the TDSB save many of its swimming pools. I joined the board in spring, 2009. My colleagues include former Toronto Mayor David Crombie, Dino Chiesa, Jane Pepino, Annie Kidder, Hugh Heron, Jane Marshall and Trustees Bruce Davis, Chris Bolton and John Campbell. As of January 2010, the TLC has sold $38.7 million in surplus property and is receiving annual rental revenues of about $11 million. The TLC is a model of fiscal responsibility and is a great example of what public entities can do to reduce the burden of taxpayers.