TIP OF THE WEEK

Aug 23 - Handling Stress
"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."

-- Thomas Edison

This emphasizes that failure is a part of the process and not an end in itself.
* Parents should focus more on effort; results will eventually follow. *

Parkview P.S.

William Armstrong P.S.

Wismer P.S.

Reesor Park P.S>

Unionville Meadows P.S.

Ramer Woods P.S.

James Robinson P.S.

Christine Calanchie For Trustee
York Region District School Board
Wards 3 and 4

Bur Oak S.S.

Franklin Street P.S.

Markham District S.S.

Edward T. Crowe P.S.

William Berczy P.S.

Central Park P.S.

Fred Varley P.S.

Unionville P.S.

Bill Crothers S.S.

Roy H. Crosby P.S.

Markville S.S.

Why You Vot Counts

Click to register to Vote now! 立即點擊做選民登記！https://www.electionsmarkham.ca/en/voting/register-to-vote/

Why Your Vote Counts

Voting Dates: October 16-26, 2026

ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES - You have the power to decide on the quality of life you want for future generations.

NOT VOTING IS GIVING UP YOUR VOICE - If you don’t vote, someone else will make the decision for you.

VOTING IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CHANGE - Support the candidates who can help your community, province, and even Canada for the greater good.

THE COMMUNITY DEPENDS ON YOU - Our communities are made up of friends, loved ones, neighbours, and children. Some may not know how important voting is. Make the decision to vote for yourself and those around you.

Vote for the future of the children of York Region

Issues and Resolutions

Administrative Chaos
Staffing Shortages
Student Issues
Technology Gaps
Parents - want to be buddies, not parents

1. School Boards in Ontario are experiencing weak governance, financial mismanagement and sketchy decision-making. This has led to some school boards going under provincial supervision.

2. This points not only to teachers but also assistants and office staff; this creates burnout and reduces student support

3. This covers a lot - from loss of extracurriculars, social isolation, classroom behaviour, child's growth and development and more attention for special needs students.

4. All schools are struggling with the adoption of AI - it is everywhere!

5. Allow children to make mistakes and figure out how to do things by themselves. Helping is good - doing projects for them is not!

1. Define clear roles for trustees and senior leadership; place limits on discretionary expenses with stronger auditing.

2. Competitive recruitment and retention of staff may be accomplished with a minor increase in funding; allow teachers, assistants and staff to relocate to schools closer to home so they don't spend hours a day commuting.

3. Ensure activities offered are those desired by student body (times are changing and what 'was' may no longer be 'cool'; don't wait for students to join, invite vulnerable or disengaged students to become members; address unacceptable behaviour privately and immediately and engage parents; teachers have to regain some of the authority that has been stripped away from them; strengthen parent school communication to reduce conflict and placement options for special needs from full inclusion in general education classes with resource support, to partial integration where students spend part of the day in specialized settings, to substantially separate environments for those requiring intensive, specialized instruction.

4. Use this new technology to reduce teacher workload, performing recurring tasks such as communications, analyzing data freeing up time to attend to pressing student issues; extend STEAM and offering high school students career paths they might not have thought about.

5. Children need a stable authority figure; blurring the lines can cause confusion about who is in charge and children may not take disciplinary actions seriously if they view the parent as an equal peer. It also can prevent children from learning to handle consequences and develop resilience. Life is hard, really hard, and it is better to learn this early when the consequences are not as grave as they will be when they become adults. It is the parent's role to prepare their children to face future unpleasant situations.

Four years ago, many promises were made to the students and parents of York Region that improvements would be made for the betterment of all. Looking back over these past four years, can we honestly say that anything has changed? For the better....or have things even gotten worse!

Back to th Basics

Makham Wards

Back to the Basics

Voting Dates: October 16-26, 2026

I have seen many words bandied about concerning the values and priorities of being a School Trustee. They include:

Transparency
Fiscal Responsibility
Quality Education
Programming for Special Needs Students
New Efficiencies
Address Mental Health Issues

These are all good goals but they repeat themselves year after year. Has any progress been made in any of these areas.....or are the same words used every 4 years to get votes?

It is time to Get Back To The Basics!!!

Children go to school for one main reason - that is To Learn. Learn how to read, write, perform mathematical calculations. We want to teach them about what went on in the past and involve them in what is going on in the present.