Tag Archives: GEDSB

Greens Say Merging Ontario School Boards Will Better Fund All Students

April 28, 2014 The Silo 1 Comment

"For many years, the GPO has called for the merger of the Catholic and public school boards into one English board and one French board. The cost savings of this merger could fund special education needs, protect communities from school closures, and address persistent human rights concerns. GPO" — “For many years, the GPO has called for the merger of the
Catholic and public school boards into one English board and one
French board. The cost savings of this merger could fund special
education needs, protect communities from school closures, and address
persistent human rights concerns. GPO”

Green Party of Ontario leader Mike Schreiner is calling for the Liberal government to immediately make funds available so that kids with special needs can go to school every day.

“It is unacceptable for the Liberals to fail kids with special needs when the money is there,” said Schreiner. “Right now we are wasting it on duplicate services and empty chairs. If Ontario ended school segregation and merged the public and Catholic boards, we could save more than $1 billion a year.”

According to a study conducted by People for Education, 49% of school principals have asked parents to keep children with special needs at home, mainly staffed. In elementary schools there is only one special education teacher per 37 students with special needs. In high schools the number falls to one for every 74 students.

“I have to say I’m ashamed. How can we be failing these kids in this way?” said Schreiner. “I’m not even sure it’s legal,” he added. The
Education Act requires that children attend school unless they are ill.

For many years, the GPO has called for the merger of the Catholic and public school boards into one English board and one French board. The cost savings of this merger could fund special education needs, protect communities from school closures, and address persistent human rights concerns. For the Silo, Amy Watson. To learn more contact 416-977-7476 Please mention the Silo when contacting.

Politics

Grand Erie Schoolboard innovates with Parenting and Family Literacy Centres

November 28, 2012 The Silo Leave a comment

Brantford ON – Grand Erie is excited to offer, for the first time, two Parenting and Family Literacy Centres (PFLCs) at Major Ballachey and Princess Elizabeth elementary schools in Brantford. These centres are places where parents and children can come to play and learn together, families can be introduced to the school system, and children can prepare for Kindergarten.

“We know that a parent is the child’s first and most important teacher,” said Brenda Blancher, Superintendent of Education. “The Parenting and Family Literacy Centres will help prepare children in these school communities for starting school and encourage families to be a part of their children’s learning.”

PFLCs are programs for parents and children of preschool age – from babies to age six. The program offers play-based learning activities that focus on the development of the child and an early love of reading and math. Children’s early learning and development are supported through play while the foundations are laid for a successful transition to school.

On behalf of the Trustees, Chair Rita Collver said she is pleased the Board will offer two centres serving parents and children in the school communities of Major Ballachey and Princess Elizabeth. Trustees advocated for a Parenting and Family Literacy Centre in Grand Erie since the Government of Ontario introduced the initiative in 2007. “Children and parents will engage in play-based learning activities that include music, story time, reading and counting,” said Collver. “Research shows that early childhood education and parent engagement help improve student achievement once children start attending school.”

The sites will be ready for parents and children early in the new year. There is no pre-registration needed and the centres are free for all families.
For more information about Parenting and Family Literacy Centres, visit the Parent Tab at www.granderie.ca

Politics

Ontario Green Party still championing merging of public and Catholic school boards

May 19, 2012 The Silo 1 Comment

gpoSchoolboardmerger — Green Party of Ontario leader Mike Schreiner is calling on the Liberal government to establish public input on the possibility of a public school and seperate school board merger. Several other provinces including Quebec have already ended the two-tier system of publicly funded schools based on religion.

May 15th Queen’s Park GPO leader Mike Schreiner is calling on the Liberal government to establish a public commission to explore merging the public and Catholic school boards. “The Liberals have a clear choice,” says Schreiner. “Prioritize high-quality education for all kids or protect the entrenched interests that want special funding for one religion at the exclusion of all others.”

With schools facing financial and social pressures, the GPO believes now is the time to engage public discussion on modernizing Ontario’s education system.

The GPO believes inaction is failing our kids. At a time when parents across the province are rallying to prevent school closures, the Toronto District School Board is considering cuts to cafeterias, educators, mental health professionals, and support staff. Further, Catholic Trustees are opposing student efforts to stop bullying with Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) clubs. Ontario can no longer turn a blind eye to wasteful duplication that compromises quality education and fails to protect at-risk youth.

“The Green Party has the courage to confront social and financial realities,” says education critic and Parry Sound-Muskoka candidate Matt Richter. “Greens want to end expensive duplication and promote an equitable education system where every religion is respected, and no religion is privileged.”

Both Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador modernized their outdated denominational school systems in the 1990’s. The days of needing to publicly fund Catholic schools to protect a minority religion from discrimination or assimilation are long past.

The GPO believes there is no longer justification for maintaining a separate school system when we face cuts to essential services. The government has never studied the costs of a separate system. However, the Federation of Urban Neighbourhoods of Ontario estimates savings of $1.3 billion to $1.6 billion.

The GPO encourages Premier McGuinty to follow his own advice: “If we’re going to bring about more improvement in publicly-funded schools, it is regressive to contemplate segregating our children according to their faith,” McGuinty said. “I want our kids to continue coming together.”

The GPO supports a unified public education system with French and English school boards that prioritize helping all our diverse students meet their full potential.

For The Silo by Jaymini Bhikha (O) 416-977-7476 (C) 416-275-8573 jbhikha@gpo.ca
Green Party of Ontario PO Box 1132 Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8 Canada

Politics

Grand Erie school board offers speaker session on LGBTQ perspectives and allies in education

May 16, 2012 The Silo Leave a comment

Grand Erie District School Board is proud to offer an Equity Speaker Series to its staff as part of our ongoing commitment, education and awareness related to Safe and Inclusive Schools. Previous Equity Speaker Series have included such topics as Dignity and Socio-Economic Status, Human Rights—Religion, Disability and Competing Interests, Race and Culture, and tomorrow’s session celebrates LGBTQ Perspectives & Allies in Education. We’ve had a wonderful response from our staff to attend this session and we are pleased to invite members of the media to attend.

Please join us for an in-depth panel discussion from speakers who will share their personal journey and expertise from the perspective of the LGBTQ community. Hosted on the International Day Against Homophobia, learn how this topic will create an awareness that equity for all supports student learning.

inclusivelearninggedsb — Equity and Inclusive Education is about making sure that students, parents, and members of the school community are welcomed and respected and that every student is supported and inspired to succeed in a culture of high expectations for learning. Shawn McKillop

Guest panelists include Marco Felvus (Child and Youth Worker), Deirdre Pike (Social Planner/Positive Space Trainer), Kevin Raymond (Parent), and Helen Victoros (Teacher).

Date: Thursday, May 17, 2012 Time: 4:30 pm – 7:30 pm Location: Joseph Brant Learning Centre, 347 Erie Avenue, Brantford

Equity and Inclusive Education is about making sure that students, parents, and members of the school community are welcomed and respected and that every student is supported and inspired to succeed in a culture of high expectations for learning. For more information on Equity and Inclusive Education, please visit http://www.granderie.ca/SCHOOLS/EquityandInclusiveEducation.aspx

Supplemental– http://www.homophobiaday.org/

Politics

Green Party of Ontario offers ‘big ticket savings’ Budget eg: One School System

March 26, 2012 The Silo 2 Comments

gpobudgetreleaseoneschoolsystem — Though some provinces provide a variation of funding to independent, religious schools, Ontario is the only province to exclusively fund a Catholic school system for its students.

“Ontario’s financial future is at risk, and Premier McGuinty lacks the will to make the hard, long-term decisions we need,” says GPO Finance critic Kevin O’Donnell. “He’s already passed over obvious, big ticket savings. In contrast, our budget priorities don’t shy away from the realities facing Ontarians.”

The GPO believes eliminating the deficit requires challenging the status quo in the province’s biggest budget categories: education, energy, health care, and bringing our tax system into the 21st century.
ONE SCHOOL SYSTEM: The GPO believes there is a better solution than laying off thousands of critical classroom aids and blocking students who need a fifth year to get help. The Liberal government should do the obvious — eliminate massive and costly duplication by merging the best of the Catholic and public school systems into a one French/English public system. The result benefits everyone –a high quality, financially responsible, and equitable education system.

STOP BORROWING BILLIONS TO SUBSIDIZE WASTEFUL ENERGY CONSUMPTION: Ontario cannot afford to borrow $1.2 billion to subsidize pollution and electricity bills with the misleadingly named ‘Clean Energy Benefit’. Instead, we should help lower-income families with the rising cost of living by raising the Ontario Child Benefit as planned at a much lower cost of $90 million. It makes more sense to help businesses and households save money by increasing energy efficiency — a strategy that’s cheaper, stimulates job creation and ultimately boosts government revenue. The government must not cave in to the NDP/Conservative HST Coalition that would borrow more money to subsidize pollution.

INVEST IN ILLNESS PREVENTION: Ontario’s current “sick care” system focused predominantly on hospital treatment is unsustainable. We need to invest more in illness prevention within home and community care settings. This budget must commit at least .5% of healthcare spending to prevention, raise taxes on cigarettes and commit 2% of the transportation budget to infrastructure for human powered mobility — serving both our community health and environmental objectives.

EFFICIENT AND FAIR TAX REFORM: The GPO calls for the elimination of unsustainable corporate tax cuts and a commitment to forming a public commission on the reform and modernization of Ontario’s tax system. We support a tax system that generates the funds necessary for required public services while creating jobs that enrich our natural wealth and our communities.

“It’s time for politicians to stop punting problems to our kids,” says GPO leader Mike Schreiner. “Now is the time to put politics aside and tackle head on these big ticket items in order to balance the books efficiently and fairly.”

CONTACT: Jaymini Bhikha Cell: 416-275-8573 Office: 416-977-7476 jbhikha@gpo.ca
Green Party of Ontario PO Box 1132 Toronto, ON M4Y 2T8 Canada

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