Support specialized programs & schools made possible by optional attendance!

I am absolutely opposed to the removal of optional attendance. Specialized programs in the ability to make choices of where to attend school is one of the greatest assets of the TDSB.

hahahah

My daughter would not then have access to a school like Rosedale, a school that has opened her eyes to music, dance, art and theatre but also a culture of acceptance, diversity and engagement which is almost unfathomable in a high school setting. We absolutely need the ability to choose what is right for our children and have the diversity in various school to provide choice.

Specialized programs are needed

As the parent of a child diagnosed with dyslexia and identified through the IPRC process has having a learning disability, schools such as Rosedale Heights School of the Arts, provide a learning environment for kids who do not fit the cookie cutter model student. If not for schools such as this, I wonder how many students would fail to graduate high school?? There is nothing equitable within the education system, so why target specialized schools?! Isn't the mandate of the Ontario education system to provide all students, regardless of their circumstances, the proper learning environment?? To that end, why have gifted and LD classes at all? Doesn't seem "equitable" to provide these students with a different learning environment. Leave specialized programs alone until you have figured out how to actually educate the masses!!!!!

Schools like RHSA are essential not only for the specialized programs offered but also for the learning environment in which they are taught. If equity is the goal, lets continue to support safe learning environments that foster creativity and diversity. RHSA and other specialized programs allow students that see the world differently an environment where other like minded people can grow academically, and socially together. Programs like those offered at RHSA should be celebrated, encouraged, and funded accordingly.

Optional attendance is important to the health of our schools. We should strive to improve the quality of pour schools; Not punish children by talking away their right to choose education that works for them.

Specialized program and optional attendance work hand in hand to provide our students with access to educational choices that may not be available to them. It is a shame that this task force will even, at first, consider eliminating these programs. Please reconsider to keep optional attendance which is in my opinion a key part of why specialize program should continue to exist. Don't erode our educational system. Strengthen it!

Lowering the quality or phasing out specialized schools and programs is a violation of the ministry of educations Policy and Program Requirements.

I completely support optional attendance as it gives parents the ability to access the right programs for their children and ensure they are fully engaged in the education.

I completely support optional attendance as it gives parents the ability to access the right programs for their children and ensure they are fully engaged in the education.

I am a grade nine that would like to pursue musical arts as well as having a normal education. I think this program would help me reach this goal.

This is amazing and I hope you reach your goal

It is evident that certain children need different environments to learn. Why is it then okay to take away a learning environment that will challenge children more so they can get the most out of their education?

Optional Attendance opened the door for a great deal of elements of my education that greatly benefited me and I don't want students younger than me to miss out on invaluable opportunities of their own.

I like keep IB. It good for smart student.

I do not agree with the idea of cancelling gift program and putting gifted kids in regular class. This will be a disaster not only to the gifted kids and teachers，but also，if not more，to normal kids. Gifted kids are very likely to bacome trouble makers in regular classes. This is a common sense. This is the original reason for the gifted program. Gifted kids will get bored in regular classes. For a kid in elementary school，it is not realistic to expect him to sit silently to listen to the teacher repeating things which are ‘stupidly simple’ to him (kids' own word). Most likely，he will use his "gift" to do silly things to attract other kids' attention，or to ask silly questions just to make the class less boring... . You can imagine the result. The class are distracted. The teacher has to spend time to keep the class to listen to her.... Nobody is able to learn anything well in this environment!

Children are the future. Our children need the opportunities to become more competitive global-wise. Specialized programs are few of the many ways to encourage children's thinking and learning. We need to improve/increase access to the specialized programs, and should not cut back on them.

Being in a specialized program has helped my 2e kid so much. Please do not take these programs away!

This is backwards thinking. You are going to take away any ambition from all levels. Why on earth would you remove specialised programs tailored to different learning styles?what message is this sending to our children? Taking away these programs will hold back students`potential. Education is about enrichment and encouraging the individual not making everybody the same. What is needed is more access to these programs. The real issue with these programs is getting into them because of limited space. Seems to me the direction to go would be to increase space in these programs. This seems more about cost cutting than solving the actual problem.