PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
We are pleased to share that Tommy Douglas SS has had a very successful start to Semester 2. Our students have returned focused and engaged, and our staff continue to provide high-quality learning experiences that support both achievement and well-being.
One of our key school goals this year is improving student attendance. Research consistently shows a strong correlation between regular attendance, arriving on time for class, and improved academic performance. When students are present and punctual, they are better able to engage in instruction, participate in discussions, complete learning tasks, and build positive relationships with their peers and teachers. Quite simply, Attendance Matters —Everyday counts.
As a school community, we are intentionally concentrating on strengthening attendance habits across all grades. We are reinforcing the message with students that being on time and present for every class is essential to their success, both now and in the future.
Families play a critical role in supporting strong attendance habits. You can help by:
- Establishing consistent morning and evening routines.
- Encouraging your child to prepare school materials the night before.
- Monitoring attendance with your student’s teacher on Teach-Assist
- Reinforcing the importance of arriving on time for every class, not just the first period.
- Communicating with the school if there are concerns or barriers impacting attendance.
Together, we can continue to build a culture where students understand that showing up, every day and on time, is a key part of achieving their goals.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership and support.
Artificial Intelligence Guidelines
As technology like Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes part of everyday life, we’re working to ensure students understand how to use these tools in ways that are safe, responsible and helpful for learning.
We are taking an approach by grade level:
- In Kindergarten to Grade 6, students will learn about AI - what it is, how it works and how to think critically about it. They will not use AI chatbot tools.
- In Grades 7-12, students will have access to Board-approved enterprise AI tools beginning February 17, 2026. These approved tools, including Google Gemini, meet strict security and privacy standards and are education-licenced accounts.. These tools do not use student data to train AI models and provide a safe, controlled environment for learning.
York Region District School Board has developed guidelines for educators and students to support the effective, safe and responsible use of AI to support student learning. Students will learn about the importance of critical thinking, academic integrity and privacy and safety practices when using AI.
We encourage families to review these guidelines with their child(ren). For more information, please visit the AI pages on the Board website.
Information for Families on Grade 9 Health & Physical Education Anti-Sex Trafficking Lessons
We are continuing our learning in Health and Physical Education topics related to Personal Safety and Injury Prevention. We will spend some time learning about sex trafficking. This learning is directly connected to the curriculum in the Personal Safety and Injury Prevention strand and supports the Ministry of Education’s Keeping Students Safe: Policy Framework for School Board Anti-Sex Trafficking Protocols (Policy and Program Memorandum 166).
Sex trafficking is one of the fastest-growing crimes worldwide. It is predatory and damaging to victims, survivors, their families and communities. Sex trafficking is a form of sexual exploitation and is a crime in Canada. It can include recruiting, harbouring, transporting, obtaining or providing a person for the purpose of sex. The average age of recruitment into sex trafficking in Canada is 13 years old. Sex trafficking is a form of human trafficking. More information can be found on this Government of Canada site.
All School Boards in Ontario are required to have an anti-sex trafficking protocol. YRDSB has developed a protocol to respond to disclosures and suspected cases of sex trafficking so teachers and administrators can support students. The lessons in Grade 9 Health and Physical Education will help to educate and empower students about how to protect themselves from being exploited or potentially sex trafficked. Awareness is an important part of prevention and helps to protect young people. Our school is connected to social workers, psychologists/ psychological associates, and child and youth workers who can support individual students' learning as needed.
Action by schools, families and community partners will help to prevent, identify and recognize sex trafficking so we can ensure appropriate interventions are in place to keep youth safe.
For more information, including how to connect with a Community Partner for support, please see the YRDSB page on Anti-Sex Trafficking.
Understanding and Navigating the Education System - Families of YRDSB Black Students Monthly Virtual Information Session on Monday, March 9, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm.
Families, parents, and caregivers, please join us for our monthly virtual meeting, where families with Black children come together to learn about resources and upcoming programs for Black students in both elementary and secondary schools. Please see our flyer for more information and the registration link.