Highlights from the Board Room – September 23, 2025

Presentations

Director’s update

Director of education, Wes Hahn, started off his update by welcoming Kim Horrigan as the new executive officer of Facility Services, Transportation Services, and Capital Innovation. He then went on to share that the 2025-2026 school year start-up has gone well across Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB), and how great it is to have schools filled with students on their academic journey.

Hahn noted that he will be seeking parent/guardian voice through future meetings to be scheduled with school council chairs, as well as further opportunities by way of a new online engagement platform that is launching soon.

Now in the fourth year of the TLDSB 2022-2027 Strategic Plan, Hahn shared that he is looking forward to greater success in many areas of the plan, particularly in the area of equitable outcomes for all which is a system-wide focus this year.

Summer learning update

Elementary

Superintendent of learning, Jay MacJanet, responsible for Kindergarten to Grade 8 Curriculum Services, presented trustees with an update on the elementary summer learning that took place this past summer. TLDSB offered a three-week program for students in senior kindergarten to Grade 2 which focused on literacy and numeracy at the following elementary schools: Archie Stouffer Public School, Huntsville Public School, Langton Public School, Leslie Frost Public School, Monck Public School, and Muskoka Beechgrove Public School. MacJanet noted that there was an increase in enrolment this year with 168 students who participated.

Secondary

Superintendent of learning, Kim Williams, responsible for Technology Services, Pathways, and Experiential Learning highlighted the summer cooperative education program that saw 221 secondary students enrolled – a 13 percent increase from last year.

Williams also shared that 700 students participated in summer school credits through the Ontario E-Learning Consortium (OeLC). These students participated in a variety of courses and were supported by a TLDSB principal and student success counselor.

Mental health

Superintendent of learning, Tanya Fraser, responsible for Mental Health Services and Safe Schools presented information on voluntary educator training/professional development opportunities that took place this summer. More than 150 educators participated in learning on the topics of social emotion learning, poverty, and suscide awareness.

Fraser also shared information about an initiative that took place called Mental Health Mondays, which was regular weekly counseling support for students, and was provided in each region of the Board.

Special education

Superintendent of learning, Nikki Train, responsible for Special Education Services shared opportunities that took place this summer for Special Education students through LearnStyle. Fourteen students enrolled in the online coding and social skills courses, which was for neurodivergent students in Grades 4 to 10.

Train mentioned that many elementary and secondary schools provided transition support for students with special needs and their families, as well as Behavioural Management System (BMS) Training for administrators, educational assistants, Special Education resources teachers, department heads, and system class teachers. System class teachers also received training focused on integration, inclusion, and independence.

Attendance Pilot Project update

Fraser presented trustees with the findings from the 2024-2025 Attendance Pilot Project. The update shared that five schools participated in the pilot, which led to key findings on the barriers to attending school and best practices for teachers, administrators, and mental health staff for the promotion and support of positive school attendance. The results of the pilot will be used to assist all schools in TLDSB in employing best practices and strategies related to student attendance.

2025 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.