Toronto District School Board
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Build Strong Relationships and Partnerships within School Communities to Support Student Learning and Well-Being

  • We will strengthen relationships among our students, staff, families and communities to create a culture that supports all students and leads to improved learning and well-being.
  • We will involve parents/guardians in the school improvement process to ensure their voices and perspectives inform our work.
  • We will continue to build both formal and informal community partnerships to support the needs of all students and families.
  • We will continue to create an environment of shared leadership where everyone’s expertise and experience is invited and every voice has influence.

  • Action Plans

    • Community Engagement
      The engagement of a parent or caregiver in their school community has lasting benefits for student achievement and well-being. The Board will be working to improve this engagement by reviewing related policies, supporting school councils, and building strategic partnerships with community groups.

    • Internal Communications
      New tools will be implemented to promote the image of the TDSB internally, particularly through the Board’s intranet site for staff, which will open whenever the log in to their computers. The site will showcase multi-media feature stories about students, schools and staff.

      The Board will also use new software to improve opportunities for online exchange between staff and parents, and for consultations with the public.

    • External Communications
      In order to strengthen people’s connection to their local school and to public education, we will be improving connectivity with the broader community, including between trustees and parents. Efforts will include a retrofit of the boardroom internet broadcast capabilities, enhanced partnerships with community electronic media, and a phased-in roll-out of digital school forms that will improve communication with parents.

    • Open Access to TDSB Data
      The Board is committed to openness and transparency and will develop a new Open Data policy. Under this policy the board will create a website through which it will share new data initiatives and update new information as it becomes available.

    • Issues Management for School and System Leaders
      School leaders need to be equipped to deal with difficult conversations with staff, with the community and sometimes with reporters. The Board will provide issues management and media relations training to all principals and vice principals, and work with them to proactively identify potential issues.

    • Government Relations and City of Toronto Public Education Advocacy
      The Board will meet regularly and stay in close communication with other levels of government, including the City of Toronto the Government of Ontario, regarding matters of interest or concern to public school students and their parents.