Introduction
It is the responsibility and moral imperative of the Thames Valley District School Board to act intentionally to enhance equity, inclusion, and respect for Indigenous peoples and human rights across its vast district, in all its schools, classrooms and communities.
TVDSB’s Equity Action Plan builds on existing legal and policy frameworks that establish the role of school boards in ensuring equitable access to, and enjoyment of educational opportunities. It focuses on working towards the removal of discriminatory barriers to education for Indigenous, Black, and racialized students, students experiencing poverty, students who are new to Canada, who are members of marginalized religious and linguistic communities, students with disabilities or who have special education needs, and students who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+, recognizing the intersectionality between and among these identities.
The plan reflects and affirms TVDSB’s commitment to upholding the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Ontario Human Rights Code, the Education Act, and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It identifies targeted actions based on the criteria outlined in Ontario’s Education Equity Action Plan (2017) and the Ontario Ministry of Education’s Policy/Program Memorandum, Developing and Implementing Equity and Inclusive Education Policies in Ontario Schools (PPM 119).
TVDSB recognizes Indigenous Peoples and the need to create and foster a culturally safe environment for Indigenous students and staff. TVDSB acknowledges its longstanding relationships through Education Service Agreements with the Oneida Nation of the Thames, the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, and the Munsee-Delaware Nation, as well as with urban Indigenous communities. In continuing to develop this plan, TVDSB recognizes the need for ongoing collaboration with the TVDSB Indigenous Education Team and Indigenous communities, families, and students.
Thames Valley demographics continue to change, and as a board we are becoming increasingly diverse. We learned from our student identity survey results that almost every school in Thames Valley has a student who self-identifies as First Nations, Métis, and/or Inuit – approximately 5% of students. About 5% identify as Black, 12% as Muslim, and 15% as racialized. There are more than 250 ethnic and cultural origins, more than 100 languages, and over 50 religions, creeds, and spiritual affiliations represented among students. Approximately 1 in every 5 students in Grades 7-12 identify with a sexual orientation other than heterosexual and about 1 in every 11 students identify as having a disability. The voices of students, families, and community, gathered through extensive consultation and dialogue are the driving force in charting the path forward.
Although we recognize that many of the goals and objectives listed within this strategy are meant to be on-going work, it is the intent that the strategy will be fully implemented by June, 2027.
| Glossary of Terms1 |
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Affinity Groups
Colonialism
CRRP has an institutional dimension, in the values demonstrated by administration and leadership in policy and procedure; a personal dimension, in the mindset of educators who are both self-aware and deeply knowledgeable of their students; and an instructional dimension, in the practices adopted by educators in a culturally responsive classroom.
Culturally Safe Learning Environments
Dominant Group
Human Rights
Oppression/Anti-oppression
Footnotes: 1 If no specific source is provided, the definition represents a synthesis of multiple sources, tailored for the context of this document. 2 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada 3 The Adaway Group ⁴ The Adaway Group ⁵ Ontario Ministry of Education ⁶ Métis Nation of Ontario ⁷ Canadian Race Relations Foundation ⁸ Ontario Human Rights Commission |
Affirming Identities
Goal One:
Affirm and represent the intersectional identities of all students and staff in their academic, employment and social experiences, including those who identify as Indigenous, Black, and racialized; who are experiencing poverty; who are newcomers to Canada; who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+; students and staff who are members of marginalized religious or linguistic communities; students and staff with disabilities and students with special education needs; and children and youth in care.
| Objective 1: Ensure that learning opportunities, courses, resources, and school and work environments are reflective of student identities, including students from equity-deserving communities. |
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Tasks: Provide learning to support educator engagement in responsive instruction and assessment practices, and support staff from various employee groups in the use of tools and information sources that promote an understanding of each individual's interests, abilities, needs and identity. Use the TVDSB Decision-Making Tool for Resource Selection and the TVDSB Decision-Making Tool for District and School Initiatives when selecting classroom resources and/or planning events to ensure responsiveness to a range of student and staff identities. Update and maintain resources that affirm student and staff identities and provide representation of students and staff from equity-deserving communities, and communities in broader societies (e.g., Diversity Kits, Third Path Toolkit, Promoting Positive Behaviour Toolkit). Offer First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies courses throughout TVDSB secondary schools, ensuring educators are well prepared to teach the courses through ongoing professional learning and support from the Indigenous Education team. Expand the delivery of the “Deconstructing Anti-Black Racism in the Canadian and North American Context” course to all TVDSB secondary schools and support delivery through ongoing professional learning. Ensure schools and other workspaces develop culturally responsive and identity affirming initiatives based on input from students, staff, and community members with relevant lived and living experiences. Provide professional learning related to human rights, equity, anti-racism and anti-oppression and the impacts of colonialism to all TVDSB staff. Key Indicators Student, staff, and community voice and feedback, such as the School Climate Survey and other student, staff, family, and community voice opportunities. Professional learning feedback forms. The use of tools, toolkits, and resources. The availability of culturally relevant learning materials in libraries as tracked on library inventories. The availability of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies courses and the "Deconstructing Anti-Black Racism in the Canadian and North American Context" course throughout TVDSB secondary schools and the number of students enrolled. What this will tell us: The number of professional learning opportunities and available resources provided to support educators’ awareness of student identity, ability and lived as well as living experiences, and how these inform culturally relevant and responsive instruction and assessment. What additional resources and learning opportunities are required to better represent and affirm student and staff identities and diverse identities in broader society. The uptake of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies courses and the "Deconstructing Anti-Black Racism in the Canadian and North American Context" course on a system level, school level and student level, as well as strategies used by school guidance departments regarding the promotion of and access to these courses. |
| Objective 2: Create physical and social environments that affirm the multiple and intersectional identities of students and staff from equity-deserving communities. |
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Tasks: Continue to ensure that students in all TVDSB schools have access to accessible all-gender washrooms and free menstrual products. Develop a document with information and guidance for supporting Indigenous students and families and caregivers, in collaboration with Indigenous students, families, and caregivers, and community representatives. Support use of the TVDSB Compendium of Action for Affirming Black Students and develop a Strategy for Combatting Anti-Black Racism. Support use of the TVDSB Compendium of Action for Affirming 2SLGBTQIA+ Students and Staff. Develop a document with information and guidance for supporting students, families, caregivers, and community representatives, specifically addressing antisemitism and anti-Muslim racism. The board is currently working on anti-hate, anti-Muslim racism, and anti-Black racism strategies. Support schools to identify opportunities for dedicated spaces for Indigenous students in their buildings, with guidance from the Indigenous Education team and input from the Indigenous students and families. TVDSB schools with an Oneida or Ojibwe language program have a dedicated classroom for Oneida or Ojibwe language learners. Support schools to develop initiatives that affirm student identities based on input from staff, students, families, caregivers, and community representatives with relevant lived and living experiences. Ensure Safe and Inclusive Schools Plans and School Improvement and Equity Plans reflect these initiatives. Key Indicators The number of schools with a dedicated space for Indigenous students and dedicated classrooms for Oneida or Ojibwe language programs. The number of schools with all-gender washrooms. The use of equity-related information and guidance documents by administrators, educators, and staff. What this will tell us: The impact of the additional information, guidelines, and plans on the feelings of safety, inclusion and identity affirmation experienced by all students, including those who identify as Indigenous, Black, or from other equity-deserving communities. The additional priority areas to be addressed through the development of information and guidance documents. |
| Objective 3: Provide opportunities for students who are Indigenous, Black, and from other equity-deserving communities to connect to support well-being and achievement. |
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Tasks: Continue to support the established Indigenous Student Leadership Council. Encourage schools to organize and support affinity groups for students from equity-deserving communities, such as Black Student Associations, Gay-Straight Alliances/Queer-Straight Alliances, Indigenous Student Associations, Jewish Student Associations, Muslim Student Associations, etc. Offer conference opportunities for students who are from equity-deserving communities to connect in ways that celebrate and affirm their identities. Maintain a Student Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee that is representative of diverse student identities to consult on student-related policies, programs, and initiatives. Continue to support the Indigenous student senators and Indigenous student trustee at the Student Advisory Council. Provide opportunities for students to connect in order to network and celebrate identities. Key Indicators Student participation in associations, alliances, conferences, and advisory committees. Student voice feedback from association, alliance, conference, and committee participants. Feedback from staff advisors for networks and student alliances. What this will tell us: The number of student alliance groups, associations, and leadership opportunities for students who are Indigenous, Black and from other equity-deserving communities. Student feedback on whether initiatives represent diverse identities, intersectionality, equity, and the degree to which initiatives lead to engagement. What is going well for students who are Indigenous, Black and from other equity-deserving communities, as well as how these students continue to be underserved. |
Staff Capacity
Goal Two:
Increase staff capacity to apply anti-racist and equitable practices to remove disproportionalities and disparities in outcomes for students who identify as Indigenous, Black, and racialized; who are experiencing poverty; who are newcomers to Canada; who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+; students who are members of marginalized religious or linguistic communities; students with disabilities and special education needs; and children and youth in care.
| Objective 1: Increase staff capacity to understand colonialism, human rights, equity, anti-racism, anti-oppression, and anti-colonial strategies. |
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Tasks: Continue to offer professional learning for all employees and trustees in the areas of colonialism, human rights, equity, anti-oppression, anti-racism, and Culturally Relevant and Responsive Pedagogy (CRRP). Provide professional learning to administrators and educators in CRRP, cultural safety, cultural humility, trauma-sensitive approaches, and restorative practices. Offer professional learning for system resources (e.g., educator resource guides, compendiums of action, Guidelines for the Non-use of Racial and Other Slurs and Epithets) to support understanding of equity, anti-oppression, anti-racism, and CRRP. Collaborate with employee labour groups to prioritize learning related to Indigenous Peoples, equity, human rights, anti-racism, and anti-oppression for all new Thames Valley employees. Provide mandatory professional learning related to Indigenous Peoples, equity, human rights, anti-racism, and anti-oppression for all new Thames Valley employees. Key Indicators The number of professional learning opportunities related to Indigenous Peoples, equity, human rights, anti-racism, and anti-oppression being offered to staff across the system. Professional learning feedback forms. The use of tools, toolkits, and resources through feedback forms. The application of CRRP, trauma-sensitive practices, and restorative approaches through information gathered related to suspensions and attendance. The participation of educators in professional learning related to Indigenous Peoples, equity, human rights, anti-racism, and anti-oppression in the New Teacher Induction Program. What this will tell us: Levels of engagement in professional learning opportunities that support the effective implementation of strategies related to Indigenous Peoples, human rights, equity, anti-racism, anti-oppression, and anti-colonialism. Opportunities to further support staff related to the implementation of learning related to Indigenous Peoples, equity, human rights, anti-racism, and anti-oppression. |
| Objective 2: Identify, understand, and work to close gaps in student outcomes for Indigenous and Black students, and students from other equity-deserving communities. |
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Tasks: Increase staff capacity to address disproportionalities and disparities in outcomes for students who are Indigenous, Black and from other equity-deserving communities. Administer student demographic surveys to collect identity-based data about the students in TVDSB. Analyze student demographic data to identify and address disparities in outcomes, on a school and system level. Build staff capacity to locate and utilize student demographic data and understand the gaps in outcomes of students from equity-deserving communities through professional learning opportunities. Support Safe and Inclusive Schools Plan and School Improvement and Equity Plan teams to identify, understand, and make decisions based on data related to disparities for students from equity-deserving communities. Identify strengths and successes evidenced by student demographic data to ensure continued support for best practices. Identify, analyze, and address the strengths and gaps identified in the data of self-identified Indigenous students. Develop a comprehensive learning plan for staff that builds their knowledge about Indigenous Peoples. Key Indicators Student and family participation in the student demographic survey. Professional learning feedback forms. What this will tell us: What the student outcome gaps are, and which students are experiencing these gaps. How data is being utilized to address disproportionate outcomes for students who are Indigenous, Black, and from equity-deserving communities. |
| Objective 3: Staff across the system implement practices that prioritize cultural humility to address disproportionalities for students who are from equity-deserving communities. |
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Tasks: Continue to prioritize Grade 9 de-streamed Math and English to eliminate the disparities and disproportionate outcomes of students who are Indigenous, Black, and from equity-deserving communities. Continue to develop professional learning, resources, and system supports to successfully implement de-streamed Grade 9 Math across schools in TVDSB. Provide professional learning related to Bias-free Progressive Discipline and Restorative Practices to address the disparity and disproportionality of suspensions received by students who are Indigenous, Black, and from equity-deserving communities. Provide professional learning to all staff on intersectionality and the lived and living experiences of students from diverse backgrounds. Key Indicators Feedback from Grade 9 de-streamed Math and English courses. Grade 9 achievement data and grade 10 course selections. Professional learning attendance and feedback forms. Suspension data for students who are Indigenous, Black, and from equity-deserving communities. What this will tell us: The supports required by students and families to make informed decisions related to pathway choices. What resources/supports administrators and educators need to implement Culturally Relevant and Responsive Pedagogy when planning, delivering, and assessing Grade 9 de-streamed Math and English. The rate of suspensions for students who are Indigenous, Black, and from equity-deserving communities. |
Connectedness
Goal Three:
Build purposeful and collaborative relationships with students, staff, caregivers, and community partners that promote equity and create communities of belonging for students and staff who identify as Indigenous, Black, and racialized; who are experiencing poverty; who are newcomers to Canada; who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+; students who are members of marginalized religious and/or linguistic communities; students with disabilities and special education needs; and children and youth in care.
| Objective 1: Intentionally develop collaborative relationships with students, staff, families, and caregivers through community engagement opportunities. |
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Tasks: Continue to collaborate with the Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee and the Student Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee to amplify community voice and diverse perspectives on the development of system-wide initiatives to promote equity. Provide professional learning to administrators, educators, and staff about equitable approaches to parent, family, and caregiver engagement. Share the Essential Conditions for Learning with educators and administrators to support the use of restorative approaches that prioritize relationships and repair when engaging families and caregivers in progressive discipline conversations. Provide professional learning on restorative approaches to staff that focuses on relationships and repair. Key Indicators Participation, engagement, and feedback from Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee members. Professional learning attendance and feedback forms. The use of and feedback on engagement tools, toolkits and resources related to community engagement, restorative approaches, and the Essential Conditions of Learning.⁹
⁹ See Community Engagement: What We Heard in the Appendix. What this will tell us: Relationships and trust are strengthened amongst the Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee members to support further collaboration. Opportunities for further learning and sharing within the Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee. Successful strategies are utilized for supporting students and families from Indigenous, Black, and equity-deserving communities. |
| Objective 2: Develop and provide equitable and inclusive opportunities for staff to engage in networks of support and well-being. |
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Tasks: Continue to provide opportunities for equity-deserving staff members to connect and network through the establishment of affinity groups. Key Indicators The number of affinity groups established to represent staff from equity-deserving communities and number of staff participants. The number of meetings held by affinity groups. The feedback from affinity group members. What this will tell us: Feelings of staff from equity-deserving groups when engaging in staff affinity groups. Increase in engagement among members of staff affinity groups. Degree to which relationships with equity-deserving staff members have been strengthened. |
Representation
Goal Four:
Cultivate a TVDSB workforce and foster leadership that is reflective of the diversity of students across the Thames Valley District School Board and the broader community.
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Objective 1: Diversify applicants for TVDSB staff positions. |
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Tasks: Continue to implement an equitable recruitment strategy to increase representation of staff from equity-deserving communities at all levels of the organization. Enhance existing community connections to identify new opportunities for outreach and recruitment activities in underrepresented communities. Participate in job fairs and other recruitment activities to intentionally attract applicants with underrepresented identities and backgrounds. Expand and diversify the TVDSB workforce by advertising on websites and social media with an intentional focus on underrepresented communities. Collect and analyze voluntary identity data from all new TVDSB employees. Key Indicators The number of staff hired, retained, and promoted representing equity-deserving groups from staff census and new hire data. The number of outreach and recruitment activities held in underrepresented communities. What this will tell us: The representation of staff from equity-deserving communities at all levels of the organization will increase. Community connections to support recruitment of underrepresented communities will increase. |
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Objective 2: Ensure equitable access to employment by removing barriers and biases in the hiring process. |
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Tasks: Review employment assessment guidelines, scoring rubrics, and other documentation requirements in the selection process to identify gaps in consistency and transparency. Create assessment tools to support diversity and equity in staff hiring. Expand bias-aware training program to all individuals involved in the hiring process. Ensure shortlisting and selection decisions are made by at least two hiring committee members. Key Indicators The regular reviews of job competitions. The existence of assessment guidelines, scoring rubrics, and other documentation to support transparent decision-making in the hiring process. The number of participants in bias-aware training. What this will tell us: The degree to which candidates experience a consistent and transparent hiring process. Staff involved in hiring will have tools and strategies to acknowledge and examine personal bias and its impact. |
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Objective 3: Develop equitable promotional practices and procedures to increase staff diversity in leadership roles. |
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Tasks: Review Vice Principal and Principal application packages and interview questions to ensure that all candidates are required to provide evidence of equity work in their current role. Review hiring and onboarding practices with new external Vice Principals and Principals to understand their experiences and identify any barriers in the process. Ensure that leadership opportunities are provided to all employees and employee groups, including those from underrepresented communities, through the Lead program. Key Indicators The frequency of review of application and interview questions. The number of successful Vice Principal and Principal candidates from equity-deserving communities. The identified gaps in hiring and onboarding process. The staff census data to measure staff diversity in leadership roles. What this will tell us: The representation of staff from equity-deserving communities in leadership roles. Identified hiring gaps and barriers. Representation of underrepresented staff aspiring to be leaders in TVDSB. |
Securing Responsibility
Goal Five:
Prioritize Indigenous Peoples, human rights, anti-oppression and equity in all structures, policies, practices, and decision-making.
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Objective 1: Build staff understanding of principles of Indigenous Peoples, human rights, anti-racism, anti-oppression, and equity as outlined in plans, policies, practices, and guidelines. |
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Tasks: Provide professional learning and resources to all staff in the areas of Indigenous Peoples, human rights, equity, anti-oppression, anti-racism, and Culturally Relevant and Responsive Pedagogy. Develop accountability measures so that equity and anti-racism is a job-embedded expectation across roles. Key Indicators The professional learning feedback forms. The number of times that the process for human rights complaints is used. The trends in complaints and support requests related to the implementation of plans, policies, practices, guidelines. The development of policies and guidelines related to Human Rights in schools and classrooms. What this will tell us: Staff capacity to respond to issues related to equity, human rights, Indigenous Peoples, anti-oppression, and anti-racism. Learning opportunities provided respond to gaps in staff learning. |
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Objective 2: Embed human rights principles, practices to uphold Indigenous Peoples, anti-racism, anti-oppression strategies, and equity practices in all system and school-level planning, classroom practices, guidelines, and policies. |
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Tasks: Prioritize principles of Indigenous Peoples, equity, inclusion, and human rights in all TVDSB policies and procedures under review. Develop, in consultation with relevant duty holders, new policies and procedures to guide equitable practices in all workspaces and in community. Create a consistent process for human rights complaints from students, families, caregivers, and staff. Provide system-wide direction and support on human rights issues in schools and classrooms (e.g., prohibition of the use of racial and other slurs and epithets). Develop a consistent process for responding to classroom practices that cause harm or create negative experiences for students that supports staff understanding of culturally safe learning environments. Develop a system document/guideline to support the use of cultural safety that includes professional learning for staff and support in communication of wrongdoing to students and families. Effectively communicate TVDSB Human Rights complaints process to students, staff, parents, and caregivers. Key Indicators The number of policies and procedures reviewed through the Equity and Inclusive Education Policy Review Committee process. The number of existing policies and procedures adapted and created to support goals related to equity and inclusion. School Improvement and Equity Plans to ensure equity-focused monitors and measures. What this will tell us: How effective available tools are for guiding the conduct and practice of staff in relation to equity and human rights. Whether the expectations for the conduct and practice of all TVDSB employees and community partners are clear and transparent. |
Appendix
Community Engagement: What We Heard
Purpose
Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) is committed to creating equitable and inclusive schools. As part of this commitment, TVDSB organized a series of community engagement sessions during the 2022-2023 school year that provided opportunities for community members to build relationships and share their input and experiences in TVDSB. Results from each session have been summarized in individual reports. This report is a summary of all results across these engagement sessions.
Data Collection
Members of equity-deserving groups including the Muslim community, 2SLGBTQIA+ community, Black community, Sikh community, Jewish community and Low German Mennonite community were invited to attend individual engagement sessions. The purpose of these voluntary sessions was to make connections, enjoy a meal together and gather feedback from community members. Participants in the sessions gave consent for staff at TVDSB to record notes on conversations that took place. The following discussion questions were used to frame the conversations during each engagement session:
- What has gone well this year?
- What has your child or what have you been most excited about this school year as a learner?
- Are you as a parent/caregiver involved in your school? If yes, please describe your involvement. If not, how can your school support you to feel welcome to engage?
- What additional things can your school do to affirm _________ identities?
- Are there events taking place in the __________ community that you would like to see school or board representatives attend, if possible?
- How can your school support your child’s mental health and well-being?
- What are your hopes and dreams for your child or for yourself as a learner in TVDSB?
- Do you have any additional ideas for how we can work together and/or is there anything else you would like to share at this time?
Common Themes We Heard Across Engagement Sessions
It is important to recognize that differences in experiences, supports, and hopes for the future exist both within and between communities. Some of these differences are provided in the individual summaries that have been produced based on the sessions with each individual community. However, many common experiences also exist across equity-deserving communities. The sections below provide an overview of the themes that were identified across all or most communities who participated in the engagements.
Representation and visibility. Community members from all communities who participated in the engagement sessions reported a need for more representation and visibility in their child’s school. Some communities specified that seeing staff in the school who reflect the diverse student population is important. Documenting and acknowledging dates of significance, displaying flags, posters, and other such materials celebrating different communities was also mentioned.
Discrimination and racism. Another experience that was heard across all communities was the occurrence of discrimination and racism. Students are experiencing discrimination and being bullied in Thames Valley schools, and families feel there are often no consequences, or insufficient consequences. Families want their children to feel safe and included.
Education and professional learning. Community members reported that students and staff at TVDSB schools would benefit from more learning about diverse backgrounds, cultures and living experiences. Education on topics surrounding inclusivity would benefit both students and staff and serve to combat ignorance and promote diversity and inclusion.
Culturally responsive assessment and instruction. Schools have made efforts to acknowledge various cultures and celebrations, however, there are still communities who do not feel included in the classroom. Several communities want to see culturally relevant and affirming topics integrated into the curriculum. Accommodations related to community needs are appreciated and should be expanded.
Family engagement. Parents and caregivers value opportunities to be involved at the school. A stronger emphasis on engaging families (e.g., by improving and increasing communication) would be appreciated. These community engagement sessions are ongoing. During the 2023-24 school year, TVDSB also had the opportunity to connect with the Chinese community, Hindu community, First Nations communities, Métis community, and Inuit community.
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