September 2024
Welcome to the start of the 2024-2025 school year. We are so pleased to welcome all of our new and returning students and families to a new school year.
How Trustees Help
As school board trustees, we have a number of roles and responsibilities, including setting policies and budget and advocating for quality public education. My responsibilities also include communicating with the public. I will continue to keep you informed throughout the school year through these regular newsletters. You can also reach out to me directly. Learn more about how we can help and how you can reach me if you have any questions or concerns.
Our Priorities as a School Board
Our top priority is to maintain a clear focus on student achievement and well-being. As part of this priority, we are rolling out new restrictions on the use of social media in the classroom. September, 2027 has been set as the expected opening date for a new secondary school in Oak Ridges. We are working with the provincial government to expand capacity at existing schools and build new elementary schools. Our school board has also announced that we are re-establishing our relationship with the York Regional Police by bringing back joint programs that improve school safety and teach students about topics such as road safety, online safety and drug safety.
A New School Year
The start of a new school year is a time of transition - whether your child is starting elementary or secondary school for the first time, entering a new program, moving to a new school or beginning a new grade. Please feel free to reach out to your child’s teachers or the school to speak about your child’s transition and the supports that are available.
We also recognize that transitions can take place throughout September. Elementary schools may be required to adjust some classes due to enrollment changes and class size restrictions. In secondary school, schools may also see timetable requests and adjustments in the first few weeks. These are occurrences that happen each fall and schools do their best to be responsive and to minimize the effects of any changes on students.
Partnerships with Families
I wish you and your family all the very best for a safe, successful and enjoyable 2024-2025 school year, and look forward to communicating with you in the months ahead.
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