Peel District School Board is seeking community input in updating its equity policy.

“In the Peel board, we understand that equity and excellence go hand-in-hand,” says Tony Pontes, director of education. “One of the core goals in our strategic plan is to achieve equity for students and staff—to provide equity of access and opportunity for students and staff to learn, work and develop in an environment that is nurturing, engaging, respectful and inclusive."

The Ontario Ministry of Education has released an equity and inclusive education strategy for Ontario. To guide school boards in implementing this vision, the ministry has issued a policy/program memorandum about developing and implementing equity and inclusive education policies in Ontario schools.

In the Peel board’s action plan to respond to the Ministry strategy and policy memo, as well as the board’s organizational goal, the board is consulting widely with parents and the community to review and revise its equity policy, Policy 54—Antiracism and Ethnocultural Equity. The updated policy will become the guide for all of our implementation activities.

Parents and community members are invited to help the board shape its equity policy and implementation plans by providing input and feedback:

• Complete an online consultation survey by visiting the Peel board website—see “Help us shape the vision of equity and inclusive education in the Peel board” in the Spotlight section of the home page. The survey can also be printed out and returned by mail or fax.
• Phone 905-890-1010/1-800-668-1146 ext. 2809 to receive a copy of the consultation survey mailed or faxed.

The schools are Blessed Trinity in Mississauga, which closed in June 2009, and Mother Mary Ward in Brampton, which is scheduled to close in June 2010. The board has decided to retain a third school closed as a result of the Pupil Accommodation Review (St. James in Mississauga) and is considering board-related uses for this facility. A fourth school, St. Mary in Port Credit, has been closed for a number of years and is currently being leased as a day care facility. The board will retain this property and continue to lease it for child care purposes.

There are three steps outlined in legislation regarding the disposal of properties by a school board:

Families can register children born in 2006 for kindergarten from Feb. 8 to 19

Parents can register children born in 2006 for kindergarten between Feb. 8 to 19. At registration, parents will receive a Stepping into Kindergarten package of tips and activities to help prepare their child for school. Registration dates for each school are available at www.peelschools.org by clicking on 'Kindergarten Registration' from the home page, or by calling the school.

"We know that starting school is a big step for children, and for parents too," says Pat Stellick, co-ordinating principal, elementary. "That's why we provide parents with our Stepping into Kindergarten package when they come to registration. The package contains information about the kindergarten program, an activity booklet with tips and games parents and children can do together to prepare, and information about resources in community. The idea is to make the transition smooth—and exciting—for our families."

Parents whose children will start grade 1 or grade 7 in September 2010, one option to consider is the Peel District School Board's French immersion and extended French programs.

There is a new registration process this year. The deadline to register for either program for the 2010-11 school year is Friday, Jan. 29 at 4 p.m. Registrants after that date will be put on a waiting list. Interested parents will register directly at the school their child would attend.

To find the French immersion or extended French school for their area, parents can visit the board website, www.peelschools.org, and go to “French immersion” in the “Schools” section, or call the Peel board, 905-890-1010/1-800-668-1146 ext. 2212.

The French immersion program starts in grade 1. More than 20 per cent of first graders in the Peel board are enrolled in this popular program. The board has added five new French immersion schools for 2010-11, to keep pace with demand for the program. Extended French starts in grade 7.