Highlights from the Board Room – April 23

Presentations

Director’s recognition for innovation and leadership

The Director’s Recognition for Innovation and Leadership Award celebrates individuals in Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB) who have combined the characteristics of innovation and leadership to improve our system and advance the strategic direction goals of improving student learning and achievement, and fostering student and staff well-being. The award is presented by the director of education, Wes Hahn, at each TLDSB Public Meeting of the Board. Hahn introduced this month’s recipients:

Community partner, Brittany Taylor, has brought Indigenous teachings to the primary and junior level classes at Langton Public School (LPS), alongside teachers Terra Macey and Leah Ryrie. Taylor’s teachings on the Anishinaabe Understandings of “The Way of the Good Life” makes connections with the social studies curriculum. Macey and Ryrie have taken the lead on this programming at LPS.

Having this programming at LPS has improved the knowledge for staff in understanding language use and the reasons for gifting tobacco and smudging. Additionally, within a year and a half of Taylor’s visits, many of the students who identify as Indigenous have been proudly sharing their experiences and knowledge, which wasn’t happening before.

Director’s report

Director of education, Wes Hahn, spoke about how the system continues to act on the goals of the 2022-2027 Strategic Plan, and about how the goals of the plan are reflective of our entire community. Hahn noted that student success means many different pathways for students and that TLDSB continues to focus on the development of the whole student – their academics, as well as social well-being. Among many things, Hahn noted that student achievement is directly linked to effective classroom practices, and thus, include job-embedded professional development, which is an important factor and continues across the system.

In addition to the Director’s report, superintendents of learning, Paul Goldring, Jay MacJanet, and Kim Williams all gave updates to trustees on curriculum areas within their portfolios.

2024 Board meeting schedule

Board meetings are open to the public to attend at the host location in-person. For viewing, the meetings are live-streamed and the link is made available on the tldsb.ca website on the day of the meeting.