Show your Support for Emergency Motion on Outdoor Learning Spaces at TDSB
An exciting new TDSB emergency motion calling for the “Use of Outdoor Spaces for Instructional Learning” is being tabled this week.
We need your support. Please email your trustees and encourage them to vote in favour of this motion. Then, ask 10 outdoor enthusiasts to do the same in their wards. Let’s show community support for this Equity-based pilot.
Two school board trustees, Jennifer Story and Michelle Aarts, will be tabling an emergency motion at a TDSB meeting on November 10, 2020. If the Trustees vote to allow this motion, it will then be debated and voted on, the next day, at the November 11 meeting.
This proposed motion directs the Director of Education to develop and implement a plan to support and encourage schools to use outdoor spaces for instructional time throughout the day. This program will be modeled on the Outdoor Play and Learning model that was successfully implemented at some TDSB schools. The motion asks the TDSB to run a pilot program in 24 schools across the TDSB with staff reporting back in February or March 2021.
In addition, the motion also directs the TDSB to provide consistent and clear messaging to all schools to remove barriers and to support the use of temporary, low-cost and volunteer-led approaches to the use of outdoor learning spaces. (read full proposed motion below).
We are very close to a major success, which would not have been possible without all the support from parents and community members like you.
But we need your help one more time. Please reach out to trustees to ask them to vote to allow this motion to be heard, and then, to vote in support of the motion.
Here is a template. Please personalize and send to your Trustee. Email, and then please share with 10 friends.
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Subject: Support for TDSB Outdoor Motion: “Use of Outdoor Spaces for Instructional Time”
Dear Trustee _________
I am writing to you today to express my support for the motion called “Use of Outdoor Spaces for Instructional Time” that is being tabled at the November 10 Committee of the Whole meeting.
I am happy to see this motion being introduced, which calls for an Equity-based Outdoor Learning Pilot and the removal of barriers to volunteer-led initiatives. I feel strongly that this is the right direction for the TDSB and the entire city of Toronto.
I urge you to support this motion so that the TDSB can continue to support the physical and mental well-being of our students and teachers.
Signed,
___________
Ward _______
FIND YOUR WARD AND YOUR TRUSTEE HERE:
WARD 1 Harpreet Gill Harpreet.Gill@tdsb.on.ca
WARD 2 Dan MacLean Dan.MacLean@tdsb.on.ca
WARD 3 Patrick Nunziata Patrick.Nunziata@tdsb.on.ca
WARD 4 Christopher Mammoliti Christopher.Mammoliti@tdsb.on.ca
WARD 5 Alexandra Lulka Alexandra.Lulka@tdsb.on.ca
WARD 6 Chris Tonks Chris.Tonks@tdsb.on.ca
WARD 7 Robin Pilkey Robin.Pilkey@tdsb.on.ca
WARD 8 Shelley Laskin Shelley.Laskin@tdsb.on.ca
WARD 9 Stephanie Donaldson Stephanie.Donaldson@tdsb.on.ca
WARD 10 Chris Moise Chris.Moise@tdsb.on.ca
WARD 11 Rachel Chernos Lin Rachel.ChernosLin@tdsb.on.ca
WARD 12 Alexander Brown Alexander.Brown@tdsb.on.ca
WARD 13 James Li James.Li@tdsb.on.ca
WARD 14 Trixie Doyle Trixie.Doyle@tdsb.on.ca
WARD 15 Jennifer Story Jennifer.Story@tdsb.on.ca
WARD 16 Michelle Aarts Michelle.Aarts@tdsb.on.ca
WARD 17 David Smith David.Smith4@tdsb.on.ca
WARD 18 Parthi Kandavel Parthi.Kandavel@tdsb.on.ca
WARD 19 Zakir Patel Zakir.Patel@tdsb.on.ca
WARD 20 Manna Wong Manna.Wong@tdsb.on.ca
WARD 21 Yalini Rajakulasingam Yalini.Rajakulasingam@tdsb.on.ca
WARD 22 Anu Sriskandarajah Anu.Sriskandarajah@tdsb.on.ca
FULL PROPOSED EMERGENCY MOTION
Written Notice of Motion for Consideration as Emergency Business (Trustees Story and Aarts)
From: Denise Joseph-Dowers, Manager, Board Services, Governance and Board Services
In accordance with the Board’s bylaws, emergency business is defined as:
a situation, or the threat of a situation, adversely affecting health, safety and/or well-being, or resulting in significant legal risk or financial damage or loss, which by its nature and seriousness requires an immediate response.
Further,
5.12.7 A matter not on the agenda or directly related to matters arising from discussion cannot be introduced by a trustee at a Board or Committee meeting, or after the notice of agenda has been circulated to members, unless the item qualifies as emergency business and is confirmed by a two-thirds majority vote of the members present.
Use of Outdoor Spaces for Instructional Time
Trustees Story and Aarts have submitted the following as a matter of urgency and for consideration as emergency business;
Therefore, be it resolved:
A. That the following matter be deemed as emergency business; and, if approved (requires a two-thirds majority vote of the members present to be considered);
B. That the following be considered:
Whereas, outdoor play and learning has been shown to help mitigate the risk of COVID-19 infection as well as support healthy child development; [1]
and
Whereas, outdoor play offers critical opportunities for learning, development and well-being; [2]
and
Whereas, access to open outdoor spaces while adhering to public health guidance (e.g., physical distancing, careful and regular hand-washing) has been recommended by Toronto Public Health, [3] is important to help maintain both physical and mental health, and is one of the best ways Canadians can increase their defence [4] against COVID-19; [5]
and
Whereas, during times of crisis, children benefit from play as a means to explore their emotions as well as to make sense of and cope with environmental anxiety, and through this process, develop resilience and build self-confidence to help them navigate life’s challenges; [6]
and
Whereas the TDSB has prioritized outdoor learning as part of the 2020 Return to School plans;
Therefore, be it resolved:
(a) That the Director develop and implement a plan for encouraging and supporting schools to use outdoor spaces for instructional time throughout the day:
(b) That the plan at Part (a):
(i) be based on approaches used in the Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL)
program successfully piloted at TDSB schools;
(ii) include support for an initial group of up to 24 schools (6 per Learning Centre) as soon as possible, using an equity lens to determine which schools will be eligible;
(iii) include consistent and clear messaging to all schools that helps to remove barriers and supports the use of temporary, low-cost and volunteer-led ap-
proaches to the use of outdoor learning spaces;
(iv) include collaboration between the Sustainability Office and Outdoor Education in supporting schools with this work;
(c ) The Director provide an update in the February-March 2021 cycle of meetings.
___________
[1] https://www.outdoorplaycanada.ca/should-i-go-outside-in-the-covid-19-era/
[2] Source: Position Statement on Active Outdoor Play Agenda Page 5 Committee of the Whole (Special Meeting) November 10, 2020
[3] (https://www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-reopening-recovery-rebuild/covid-19-reopening-guidelines-for-businesses-organizations/covid-19-guidance-elementary-secondary-schools/ )
[4] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1471489216300479
[5] https://www.outdoorplaycanada.ca/pandemic-play-child-centred-policy-in-a-global-crisis/
[6] http://www.ipacanada.org/covid-19/statement-play-in-the-time-of-covid-19/
