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Message From Our Trustee

As we approach the end of the 2024-2025 school year, I want to take this opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments, hard work and commitment of students, staff and families. As I have visited schools, attended events and heard from families, I continue to be proud of the dedication to public education and student achievement and well-being I see.

I want to wish my sincere congratulations to all of the graduates and proud families. This is an exciting time and I hope you enjoy this celebration of all of your hard work, perseverance and accomplishments. Whether you are moving on to secondary school, the workplace or post-secondary pathways, we wish you all the very best in this next exciting chapter of your journey.

We had an opportunity in April to celebrate the achievements of 20 students at our annual Celebrating Student Success/Human Rights Ambassadors Awards event. It was a wonderful reminder of how much our students are capable of. While success and achievement looked different for each student, we saw a common theme of determination and care. Students demonstrated a real commitment to lifting up those around them. I see that everywhere in our system as I visit schools. It makes me so proud to see the ways our students are already shaping the future for the better.

Each month in the Boardroom, we also had the opportunity to recognize the achievements of staff and students through the Applause awards. Congratulations to all of the award recipients.

These awards capture a sampling of the incredible work happening around York Region District School Board and the successes we see students achieving.

These successes we have seen this school year would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of staff across the system, and I want to thank you for all that you do each and every day. I also want to recognize the contributions that have been made by school councils, volunteers and families. Your work to enhance family engagement and strengthen public education has a noticeable difference in our schools and in the achievement and well-being of students.

This is a very busy time of year and I wish all of the students the best as you work on projects and prepare for upcoming exams. I hope you also enjoy the celebrations that occur at this time of year, and as we celebrate another successful school year.

Robert Kolosowski

Richmond Hill Wards 1, 2 and 4

Dear families,

I hope that you and your loved ones are healthy and well. 2020 has been a challenging year in so many ways, and the global pandemic has affected individuals and families in different ways.

I want to reassure you that we continue to work closely with York Region Public Health and to prioritize the health and well-being of our students, staff members and families. It continues to be important that we adhere to the health and safety measures in place to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. You can learn more about what schools are doing at www.yrdsb.ca/school-reopening.

While we have seen cases in some of our schools, we continue to work with public health to respond quickly, identify cohorts that need to self-isolate as a precautionary measure and take all appropriate measures. I want to thank all of our students, families and staff members for their diligence in adhering to the public health recommendations and health and safety measures in place in our schools.

One of our priorities in our Multi-Year Strategic Plan is to foster well-being and mental health. As a result of the pandemic, many of us are facing changes and new challenges that can take a toll on our mental health. It is more important than ever that we check in on one another and practice self-care. There are mental health resources for students and families on our Board website that address the unique nature of our current situation. You can also find information about our Mental Health and Addiction Strategy and the work we are doing in schools to promote positive mental health and provide support for students.

While there are challenges, we also continue to have so many reasons to feel positive. Our students continue to impress us with their kindness, creativity, innovation, resilience, courage and perseverance. Visit us on YouTube at YRDSBMedia to see just some of these stories.

In the coming weeks and months, many of our students and families will be celebrating days of significance and holidays, and I wish you all the very best for the season. While we may be celebrating a little differently this year, on behalf of the Board of Trustees, I hope everyone has a safe and happy winter break and we look forward to welcoming students back into our in-person and virtual schools in January.

To find contact information for the local trustee of your home school, please visit the Board website at www.yrdsb.ca.

Simon Cui

Trustee – Markham Wards 4 and 5