Dear TLDSB parents/guardians and staff,
Over the past few months, I have had the pleasure of meeting with many school council chairs, and have additional meetings scheduled throughout February and March. During these meetings, I have been provided with insights from the parent/guardian lens into how things are going at the school, including what is working well and what can be improved upon.
One common topic that comes up regularly during these meetings, which has been surprising, is arrival and dismissal routines. Increasingly, at many schools across the Board, there is a trend of students being dropped off late and/or picked up early – often simply to avoid the drop-off/pick-up line at the beginning or end of the school day.
We know that life happens. Mornings are busy and after-school activities are important. I also understand that pre-scheduled appointments or illnesses require exemptions, but there are multiple students arriving late and being signed out early every day out of convenience.
This trend is concerning because it interrupts the individual student’s class time, impacts learning for their peers, disrupts the operations of the school office, and burdens our incredible secretaries. All students need to be in class for the duration of the school day.
Foundations formed during the elementary and secondary years contribute greatly to the habits and structures that will benefit students throughout their lives. Please ensure your child(ren) is participating in the entire school day – this will make a positive impact on their development and academic progress as well as assist in ensuring that class time for all students is not regularly interrupted.
In order to help to reduce morning and afternoon vehicle congestion at all schools, we encourage students who are assigned a bus to access transportation services as often as possible, rather than driving to and from school.
Need support with attendance?
At all TLDSB schools, staff are deeply committed to the well-being and success of every student. If you need help with supporting your child(ren)’s attendance, reach out to your child(ren)’s teacher, a guidance counselor, principal, or another caring individual at the school – they are all ready to help.
Attendance on inclement weather days
A reminder that schools are open on inclement weather days when transportation is cancelled.
If students can make it to and from school safely, staff are in schools and ready to support learning. This may look like receiving reading support, completing assignments, and/or receiving extra assistance in subject areas that the student is finding challenging. We especially encourage secondary students to take advantage of these days as they are opportunities to access extra support and resources through their teachers.
We know these days can be challenging and thank you, parents/guardians, for supporting your child(ren) in ensuring learning remains a priority.
Sincerely,
Wes Hahn
Director of education
Trillium Lakelands District School Board
