Friday 24 November 2017

Trustee Greetings


In November, about 1,000 students, staff members and community partners came together from across the Board to form a Ring of Peace and stand together against hate, discrimination and intolerance. The student speakers at the event shared meaningful messages about the importance of feeling welcome, valued and respected.

At York Region District School Board, we are committed to listening to the voices of our students and communities. We will continue working with our school communities to ensure our schools provide safe, welcoming and inclusive environments for everyone.

Last month, our annual Quest conference brought together educators from across Ontario, Canada and around the world to share, learn and discuss how to foster well-being in schools. Some of the themes covered included equity and inclusivity, and safe and caring environments. Johnny Lombardi P.S. was one of the schools selected to present how they worked together to build a sense of community to support well being for all.

It was a wonderful opportunity to learn more about some of the positive things happening in our own schools and other districts. In recent months, we have had several international visitors come to our system and schools to learn more about the work in our system to support student achievement and well-being, including Qatar, the Netherlands, Texas and the United Kingdom.

We are pleased to have these opportunities to continue highlighting and sharing the great things happening in our schools thanks to our outstanding students, staff members, families and community partners. Your engagement makes a difference in our schools and I encourage you to continue getting involved in the life of your child’s school.

As we enter the holiday season, I am once again impressed by the generosity of our school communities and our students’ commitment to helping others.

Best wishes to everyone for a safe and happy holiday season and a wonderful start to 2018.

Linda Aversa