1. Mayfest
2. Stop the Itinerant Music Program cuts in the Toronto District School Board
3. Ward 10’s first SPECIAL EDUCATION FORUM
4. TDSB Parent Academy Conference on Saturday May 4th
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1. Spring has sprung and that can only mean one thing…
MAYFEST!!!
SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2013
11AM-3PM
COME AND ENJOY A GREAT FAMILY DAY OUT!
WE NEED YOUR HELP. MANY WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
Volunteer
Volunteer an hour of your time. In order for Mayfest to be a fun, safe, event, we need parent volunteers. Look for the Google Document sign up sheet coming soon. Not sure of your schedule? Not to worry. We will also be rolling out the sign-up board the week before.
We have a few stations in need of help.
- Button-making – Help keep this tradition alive by making these great Mayfest keepsakes.
- Book Sale – Keep our home libraries current by overseeing this sale.
- Jousting – Bring your whistle and help our kids release some tension…safely.
- Fortune Telling – Have you always thought you had a gift (or are good at pretending you do)? Come share it with your community!
- Carnival Games – An oldie but a goodie. Watch kids try their hands at the Kiddie Striker and Troll Toss to name a few. Fun for all ages.
Silent Auction
Get ready for a great Mayfest and a great Silent Auction on May 25. If you are looking for ways to help, here’s a perfect way – donate something to our Mayfest Silent Auction!
- Do you have a service you can offer (lessons, design, legal, home repair, etc.)?
- Tickets to events (sports, shows, airline, etc.)?
- Any unused gifts taking up space in your closet (jewelry, a hand-knit sweater, artwork, electronics, toys…)?
- Extra gift certificates/cards (stores, online sites…)?
- Reward points to acquire something for the auction?
- A weekend at your cottage/ski lodge?
Send an email to Anastasia at anastasia7777@hotmail.com or Meggen at meggenj@yahoo.ca today. We’ll do the rest. Thank you!
Bake Something
Can’t volunteer your time? How about baking a delectable item for the Palmerston Patisserie or a crazy cake for the Cake Walk. Please remember to keep all items nut free.
Gift Baskets
Do you have SWAG collecting dust in your home? Contribute it to our Gift Baskets. The theme for your child’s class will be coming out in the next few weeks.
Book and Rummage Sale
Have you been spring cleaning? Don’t throw it out. Donate it! Your cast offs may be someone’s treasure. Only gently used toys and household items, no clothing. Thanks
Sponsor a station
Mayfest has fixed costs which ensure a great day out. Consider a donation that would cover the costs of a station. No donation is too small!
Please contact us anytime for any and all of the above.
Mayfest Mavens,
Dawn Vrablic dawn_vrablic@yahoo.co.uk
Andrea Franks andyfranks@sympatico.ca
2. From Marta Baziuk and Tatiana Memos School Council Chairs:
The Itinerant Music Instruction program (IMI) of the TDSB, which bring us our band and strings programs, is targeted for drastic cutbacks. Here’s a brief summary www.musiccanada.com/AdvocacyAction.aspx from Music Canada. There is a link on the home page to your TDSB trustee and to an online petition to show support for the IMI program.
TMI consists of enrichment programs (strings, band and steel pan) offered to Grades 5 – 8 and staff development programs. At the April 8, 2013 TDSB Budget Committee meeting, proposed cuts included program hour reductions of 24% for Band, 29% for Strings, 19% for Steel Pan, and 100% for all Staff Development programs. This may result in actual job loss for 55 of 107 itinerant music instructors.
Where we’re at today
A provincial advisory team is working with TDSB senior staff on the budget. The advisory team vets recommendations of the provincial government to the TDSB Board of Trustees. In order to stop cuts to IMI, we need a clear message from the provincial government that they do not support these actions.
There are actions you can take:
1. Sign the online petition
Stop the Itinerant Music Program cuts in the Toronto District School Board
2. Write a letter or send an email addressed to Minister Sandals or Premier Wynne expressing your stand on these issues.
Liz Sandals, Minister of Education
22nd Floor, Mowat Block, 900 Bay Street
Toronto M7A 1L2
Email: lsandals.mpp@liberal.ola.org
3. Ward 10’s first SPECIAL EDUCATION FORUM
Monday, May 13th from 6:30- 8pm
Clinton Street Public school, 460 Manning Ave, Toronto ON
This meeting will feature Special Education Teachers from Clinton’s Gifted and Developmentally Delayed programs and and overal presentation on Special Education at the TDSB as well as student speakers from the Gifted Program at Clinton. Please bring your curiosity and questions. We hope you will join us for this special event.
Please RSVP by Friday, April 5 to Angela Jonsson at angela.jonsson@tdsb.on.ca.
Childcare provided.
Sincerely,
Trustee Chris Bolton
4. Model Schools for Inner Cities is hosting a Parent Academy Conference
Model Schools for Inner Cities is hosting a Parent Academy Conference on Saturday May 4th from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm. At this time, they would like to open registration for all of our TDSB schools. Space is still available so please share details with your school community. Please see below and attached for details regarding the conference and link for online registration.
Go to http://www.palmerstonparents.com/sharons-blog.html for more information and the Parent Flyer.
Palmerston Community Link 