To address that problem, Dr. Christopher Spence, the former B.C. Lions running back and current activist director of education at the Toronto District School Board, stood in front of a classroom of 28 boys at a busy public school on Toronto’s western border and announced his latest plan to increase what he calls “engagement.”

In September, the TDSB will open nine new “elementary academies” inside existing board schools across the city, specializing in vocal music and health and sports, as well as a boys-only and a girls-only school.

“We’re declining,” Dr. Spence conceded, putting the enrolment decrease at about 4,000 students per year. “We want to see what we can do internally differently. We want to retain kids who have been pushed out of schools. We want to broaden the opportunity.”

The academies would follow the provincial curriculum, but include an extra emphasis in their respective areas. Admission would be on a firstcome-first-served basis, with no auditions or qualifications required.

As a backdrop for the announcement, the board chose Humberwood Downs Junior Middle Academy, a 10-year-old school that reflects the ethnic reality of Toronto’s outer suburbs: Of its 1,100 students, just 10 are Caucasian. The parents of many students immigrated from South Asia, which has a tradition of boys-only and girlsonly schools. Even so, the school principal, Beverley Muir, says that was not the main reason she created segregated classes.

“I come here and the middle-school kids are all hormonal, and I asked the question: ‘What do I have to do to have a more focused learning environment?’ ” she says.

This year the school has one Grade 6 class for boys only, and girls-only and boys-only classes in Grade 8.

On Thursday, five Grade 8 girls, wearing their school uniforms (a choice of a vest, golf shirt or sweatshirt in navy blue with the school crest, and blue or black slacks, skinny jeans forbidden) sat in a group of desks in their classroom, preparing to label a world map with statistics on population and literacy rates. The girls, all 13, said they did not choose to be in a single-sex class, but are learning more than they did in Grade 7, when they were in classes with boys, because there is less distraction.

“I think we participate more if we are in an all-girls class,” said Hamdah. “Last year the boys did make fun of girls. They always put you down and tease you.”

“Now, since we got used to an all-girls class, we are more comfortable,” said Alana.

In the boys’ class, André said his teacher, Dion Singh, has kept boys’ attention with a hockey pool (which also helps them with math) and daily physical activity.

Dr. Spence, who wrote two books about the virtues of sexsegregated classrooms, has been working on the boys’ and girls’ academies project for several years.

“I taught a Grade 6 all-boys class at Oakdale Park Middle School, and we had great success,” he says. “This is driven by data. When you look at who we expel, who we suspend, boys are disproportionately represented. Why wouldn’t we scale it up a bit?”

Even as the York Region District School Board earlier this month discussed cancelling its specialized arts program at Baythorn public school – because the audition process raised concerns about inclusivity – Dr. Spence said the TDSB needs to offer a variety of schools.

” When you have 550 schools, they don’t all have to be the same. Sameness is not equal to excellence. I believe the biggest issue isn’t underachievement. It’s disengagement. It is our hope that engagement will increase now.”

THE ACADEMIES

In September 2012, the Toronto District School Board plans to open nine “elementary academies,” each accepting 100 to 150 students, within existing schools across the city.

Sports and Wellness Open to students in Grades K-8, open at Shoreham public school, in the Jane/Finch neighbourhood, at James S. Bell Junior middle school, in Long Branch, and at Carleton Village public school, on St. Clair Avenue West.

Vocal Music Open at Heather Heights public school, off Ellesmere Road in Scarborough, and at Ryerson Community School in Kensington Market.

Health and Wellness “Promoting the development of healthy and active lifestyles” for Grades K-8, open at Donview middle school, near the Don Valley Parkway and York Mills Road, and at Rene Gordon elementary, near Don Mills and York Mills roads.

Girls’ Leadership Academy For Grades 4-6, opens at Highland Heights junior public school, near Finch Avenue and Birchmount Avenue in Scarborough

Boys’ Leadership Academy For Grades 4-6, opens at The Elms junior middle school, north of Highway 401 near Islington Avenue.

» National Post

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“People of this city will not tolerate this assault on children’s programming any more than they were willing to tolerate an assault on libraries,” said longtime trustee and former chair Sheila Ward at a committee meeting Monday night.

Toronto District School Board chair Chris Bolton said it’s important to get “facts and figures out there” so that communities know exactly how and how many kids such cuts will affect.

Under a proposed budget, the city is looking at eliminating programming at seven of the 33 school pools it operates, as well as after-school programming at 12 sites and support for school nutrition programs.

Bolton said the board has requested three spots at this week’s city budget hearings so it may address each issue.

Several trustees at Monday’s committee meeting said more must be done to urge the city to reconsider. Trustees were urged to reach out to local councillors — especially seven councillors whom they didn’t name whose votes they feel can be swayed.

Should the city go ahead with cuts, it puts the board in a difficult situation, Bolton said.

“With the pools in particular, their budget starts April 1 and ours starts Sept. 1. We are going to have a gap of at least three months.”

However, he said the verdict isn’t yet in, citing Mayor Rob Ford’s support for recreation programs, particularly football, in schools.

Given Ford’s stated commitment to youth programs, Bolton is hopeful they will be spared. “These are not the kinds of (cuts) he would believe in.”

The final city budget will not be voted on until the new year.

» Toronto Star

Bolton, who has served as trustee for Ward 10 (Trinity-Spadina) since 2003, said his re-election signalled that he and the board clearly had the interests of the students in mind.

“I am honoured and humbled that my colleagues on the Toronto District School Board have chosen me to lead them for another year,” he said in a release. “I believe that, by giving me a second term as chair, the board is signalling our collective determination to keep the needs of students and their families at the centre of every decision we make.”

Bolton, who is an advocate of equity and inclusion, vowed to continue to be a strong advocate for that cause.

“Real learning doesn’t happen in isolation,” said Bolton. “It happens when schools collaborate with families, communities, government and business. That synergy creates a climate of support and inspiration for young people, and we all benefit from that.”

The trustees also appointed Shaun Chen vice-chairman. Chen, who has represented Scarborough-Rouge River since 2006, is a PhD student at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto.

» Read article on CTV

Mayor Rob Ford says pools in public schools should not be the city’s responsibility. He says the school board should fund them.

The new proposed budget also calls for the draining of two outdoor pools and five wading pools.

A report lays out which facilities are in danger: Bedford Park, Frankland Community Centre, Gordon A. Brown, Hillcrest Community Centre, Runnymede Collegiate, Duke of Connaught and Sir Wilfrid Laurier.

The report also state plans to close 10 arenas during off peak hours and suggests the “ceasing of operations at High Park Zoo and “far enough farm” at Centre Island.

» Read it on Global News

Students cheered and clapped when a personal video from Lady Gaga was shown at an anti-bullying assembly at Etobicoke School of the Arts on Friday. Up until then, students had no idea she had recorded a message and thank you to them.

Student council president Jacques St. Pierre had to keep a poker face since October, after receiving an email from Lady Gaga’s staff with a link to the video. He decided to keep it a surprise until the assembly.

“I’ve seen it over 300 times,” gushed St. Pierre, a huge fan of the mega pop star, in an interview before the Friday event.

In August, the Grade 12 student wrote to several celebrities — including talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, singer Katy Perry and Tim Gunn from Project Runway — hoping a message from one of them would have a big impact on students as the school launched an anti-bullying campaign.

“Sometimes schools talk about bullying but never make changes,” he said. “I thought if I could get someone as influential as Lady Gaga to speak to students, that would make a change.”

Lady Gaga has been an outspoken anti-bullying crusader in the U.S., outraged over the recent suicide of a gay Buffalo teen who had been targeted. She has been lobbying U.S. politicians — including President Barack Obama — to have bullying made illegal.

Etobicoke School of the Arts students are trying to combat homophobia, racism, sexism and body image issues through performance and plan to take their message to other schools in the Toronto District School Board, said St. Pierre.

On Friday, students took a pledge to “make it better” — an extension of the “it gets better” campaign.

St. Pierre, 17, was bullied in elementary school by students who called him a fag for being interested in theatre and drama.

However, he said his high school has been “amazing and accepting.”

But there’s still work to be done; comments like “don’t be a fag” or “that’s so gay” are still common among teens. And, earlier this year, a private webpage was set up where fellow students posted anonymous comments about one another.

In his letter to Lady Gaga, St. Pierre told her who he is and about the school’s campaign.

“And then I talked about why it would be amazing to hear from her.”

In the video, Lady Gaga says hello to St. Pierre, the school and “talks about how proud she is” of their efforts.

She also implores students to “treat each other with kindness, love, and to accept everyone . . . and that she’s doing her best to make bullying a hate crime.”

She then sends her love and tells them to have a “wonderful day at school and to love each other.”

The video, which runs about one minute, 15 seconds, was the edge of glory for St. Pierre.

“When I showed it to the student council, they all cheered and screamed and freaked out . . . she’s talking directly to (students).”

http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1092467–lady-gaga-s-personal-anti-bullying-message-to-etobicoke-school

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