Dear families,
As we enter into the second half of the school year, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone and acknowledge all of the hard work by staff members, students and their families.
While students and families are awaiting and reviewing report cards, we know students who will be in secondary school next year are also in the middle of course selection, and exploring the multitude of courses, programs and opportunities that are open to them. We are proud of the variety of options available to our students that enable them to build transferable skills, explore their interests and gain valuable experiences and are creating tools that will help build their awareness about the options they can experience in YRDSB.
February is Black History Month, and I know there are lots of great things happening in our schools and communities to reflect on and celebrate the contributions and legacies of Black Canadians. While we recognize the importance of embedding this work throughout the year as part of our ongoing commitment to Dismantling Anti-Black Racism, we have an opportunity in February to spotlight the stories that have played an integral role in our country and communities. I want to thank our Board’s Centre for Black Student Excellence for the events and opportunities they have planned for staff, students and families this month - and beyond, and for their ongoing work to support the implementation of the Dismantling Anti-Black Racism Strategy. We will also once again be lifting up Black Voices within our community, and you can hear those voices on our Instagram @yrdsb.schools.
As we recognize history and heritage months throughout the school year, we have been working to create space for conversations with students, staff and community members sharing more about their identities and the work that we can do as a school board to create identity-affirming learning and working environments. I encourage you to listen to these podcast episodes. There are important messages being shared about taking the time to get to know one another, to develop our understanding of the rich cultures and heritages represented in YRDSB, and to understand some of the challenges and barriers they face so we can work to better address them. There will be more to come throughout the school year.
As we go into the Family Day weekend, I want to once again thank all staff members and families for all that you do each day to deliver the very best that we can to all students, families and colleagues. I continue to be proud of the work that I see taking place in our schools, workplaces and communities, and I hope everyone has an opportunity to relax, recharge and enjoy time with family and friends this coming weekend.
Sincerely,
Bill Cober
Director of Education