The board has officially recognized the necessity of our proposal to secure the future of the TOPS program at a single site. I am deeply thankful for the patience and resolve shown by everyone involved in this effort. We will now turn our focus toward ensuring the transition is handled …
October 11, 2011
Final supporters
To the TDSB:
We are the students, teachers, alumni, parents, and friends of the TOPS Program at Marc Garneau CI. Our program is a jewel in the TDSB’s crown. TOPS’ international reputation for excellence brings students from throughout the GTA (and beyond) together to learn, grow, and excel in a collaborative learning environment. The program is currently forced to turn away hundreds of qualified applicants every year. MGCI is a great school, but it is severely overcrowded at nearly 140% of capacity. Moving TOPS would alleviate the overcrowding and allow this successful program to thrive.
If you fail to act, TOPS will not survive. The situation at Garneau is quickly becoming untenable. The TDSB’s own planning report indicates that overcrowding is anticipated to remain a problem for at least 10 years. Core TOPS teachers have delayed retirement to mentor the growth of the program, but unless they are certain that the program will expand in 2012 at a single site, they will leave. Every year we are denied the opportunity to grow, more deserving students are denied the opportunity to participate in this remarkable learning experience.
When we approached the Board about this issue several years ago, their response was to start a second program at Bloor Collegiate. Although this program has its own merits, it shares little with the TOPS Program at Garneau. There has been no decrease in the number of qualified students we have been forced to turn away. Attendance at our information sessions continues to grow. Creating satellite programs is not the solution, at least in the short term. Satellite programs do not address either the overcrowding at MGCI or the need to develop future TOPS teachers. Instead, they leave the TDSB with multiple standalone programs that carry the TOPS name, without the cohesion required to maintain consistent standards, or critical mass to facilitate collaboration.
TOPS needs to move to a school where it can grow. Our teachers will then be able to mentor their successors, students’ needs will be met, a strong foundation will pave the way for future success, and TOPS will continue to shine.
The time for action is upon us. We will not sit idly by watching the demise of the program that has changed all of our lives.
We the undersigned urge the TDSB to move TOPS from Marc Garneau to a single centrally accessible site where it can grow and flourish, by September 2012.
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
August 17, 2011
August 14, 2011
Reaching five hundred signatures will provide a clear demonstration of the widespread commitment to preserving the TOPS program. This momentum is helping us communicate the urgency of the overcrowding issue at Marc Garneau to the board. Please consider reaching out to others who value educational excellence so we can arrive at this milestone with even greater strength.
July 7, 2011
The stories shared in the comments illustrate exactly why this program remains so vital to the academic landscape. Behind the scenes we are preparing to present our case to the board with a focus on the long-term viability of the students involved.
June 29, 2011
One hundred people have now attached their names to this request for the future of our program. It is heartening to see this level of interest from those who understand how vital the TOPS environment is for our students.
Reached 100 supporters
June 29, 2011
8 Comments
Garneau is way too packed. Everyone knows it. Just let the program expand somewhere it actually fits.
We need to keep this program alive for the next generation of students. Its a huge loss if they let it go.
My son worked so hard to get into this program and now we hear it might be ruined. Pls fix the space issues!
The overcrowding is just hurting the kids. Give them the room they need to learn.
TOPS is the only reason my daughter stayed engaged with school. DONT LET IT DIE.
omg!!!
I have three daughters who depend on tops!!
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The board has officially recognized the necessity of our proposal to secure the future of the TOPS program at a single site. I am deeply thankful for the patience and resolve shown by everyone involved in this effort. We will now turn our focus toward ensuring the transition is handled …
October 11, 2011
Final supporters
To the TDSB:
We are the students, teachers, alumni, parents, and friends of the TOPS Program at Marc Garneau CI. Our program is a jewel in the TDSB’s crown. TOPS’ international reputation for excellence brings students from throughout the GTA (and beyond) together to learn, grow, and excel in a collaborative learning environment. The program is currently forced to turn away hundreds of qualified applicants every year. MGCI is a great school, but it is severely overcrowded at nearly 140% of capacity. Moving TOPS would alleviate the overcrowding and allow this successful program to thrive.
If you fail to act, TOPS will not survive. The situation at Garneau is quickly becoming untenable. The TDSB’s own planning report indicates that overcrowding is anticipated to remain a problem for at least 10 years. Core TOPS teachers have delayed retirement to mentor the growth of the program, but unless they are certain that the program will expand in 2012 at a single site, they will leave. Every year we are denied the opportunity to grow, more deserving students are denied the opportunity to participate in this remarkable learning experience.
When we approached the Board about this issue several years ago, their response was to start a second program at Bloor Collegiate. Although this program has its own merits, it shares little with the TOPS Program at Garneau. There has been no decrease in the number of qualified students we have been forced to turn away. Attendance at our information sessions continues to grow. Creating satellite programs is not the solution, at least in the short term. Satellite programs do not address either the overcrowding at MGCI or the need to develop future TOPS teachers. Instead, they leave the TDSB with multiple standalone programs that carry the TOPS name, without the cohesion required to maintain consistent standards, or critical mass to facilitate collaboration.
TOPS needs to move to a school where it can grow. Our teachers will then be able to mentor their successors, students’ needs will be met, a strong foundation will pave the way for future success, and TOPS will continue to shine.
The time for action is upon us. We will not sit idly by watching the demise of the program that has changed all of our lives.
We the undersigned urge the TDSB to move TOPS from Marc Garneau to a single centrally accessible site where it can grow and flourish, by September 2012.
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
August 17, 2011
August 14, 2011
Reaching five hundred signatures will provide a clear demonstration of the widespread commitment to preserving the TOPS program. This momentum is helping us communicate the urgency of the overcrowding issue at Marc Garneau to the board. Please consider reaching out to others who value educational excellence so we can arrive at this milestone with even greater strength.
July 7, 2011
The stories shared in the comments illustrate exactly why this program remains so vital to the academic landscape. Behind the scenes we are preparing to present our case to the board with a focus on the long-term viability of the students involved.
June 29, 2011
One hundred people have now attached their names to this request for the future of our program. It is heartening to see this level of interest from those who understand how vital the TOPS environment is for our students.
Reached 100 supporters
June 29, 2011
8 Comments
TOPS need to remain and grow, application need to go through the same admission process. This will make TOPS continue to be competitve.
Garneau is way too packed. Everyone knows it. Just let the program expand somewhere it actually fits.
We need to keep this program alive for the next generation of students. Its a huge loss if they let it go.
My son worked so hard to get into this program and now we hear it might be ruined. Pls fix the space issues!
The overcrowding is just hurting the kids. Give them the room they need to learn.
TOPS is the only reason my daughter stayed engaged with school. DONT LET IT DIE.
omg!!!
I have three daughters who depend on tops!!
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TOPS need to remain and grow, application need to go through the same admission process. This will make TOPS continue to be competitve.