Looks to improve communication, increase public space

SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEE Josh Matlow has announced his intention to run for city council in the 2010 municipal election.

The St.Paul’s trustee said he decided to run because he feels the culture of city politics in Toronto needs a change.

“Many people in our community and Toronto as a whole are not happy with how thoughtless the debates seem to be at the school board and City Hall,” Matlow said. “It’s squabbling rather than responsible decision making.”

Matlow said that, when it comes to Ward 22, community consultation on local development projects needs to be improved. Matlow also said that more public spaces for the community to come together need to be created.

Incumbent Michael Walker has not confirmed whether or not he will run again in November 2010.

“Coun. Walker is currently undecided but is leaning heavily toward running,” said Chris Sellors,Walker’s executive assistant. Sellors did not say when Walker will make his decision.

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by Louise Brown, TORONTO STAR

With more than 100 half-empty schools and 20,000 fewer students expected in the next five years, the Toronto District School Board will launch an immediate review of schools in eight neighbourhoods, with a view to closing some as early as September 2011.

The reviews involve 35 schools and one unused site. They will begin in November with the forming of committees of staff, parents and community members.

At a meeting Wednesday night, trustees approved the list of schools proposed by new director of education Chris Spence, without debate.

"The debate will come when the committees start their discussion in the community, but overall I think parents understand that we can't keep going with the status quo, if we want more resources and more repairs and more staff," said Trustee Josh Matlow.

If that recent headline rung a bell, it's no wonder. Officials have been trying for what seems like forever to close under-populated Toronto schools. Though around 100 of the city's 550 schools are half empty – a scandalous waste of space and resources – the Toronto District School Board has managed to close only one or two in recent years. Nobody wants to take on the legions of parents who invariably fight to save the dear old local school, no matter how shabby.

But now, at last, there is a real chance of progress on this hoariest of school-board issues – a rival of the endless school-pools debate for its Groundhog Day repetitiveness. The board has a dynamic new education director, Chris Spence, who successfully closed underused schools in his last post as director in Hamilton. The board's articulate chairman, John Campbell, is speaking out persuasively on the need to close some schools. So is one of its most vigorous trustees, Josh Matlow, who is leading an effort to roll out a series of committees to consult residents in reluctant neighbourhoods.

Follows close on heels of all-boys schools announcement

By JENNY YUEN, TORONTO SUN

They're separating the boys from the girls.

After much heated debate over the possibility of boys-only schools earlier this week, Toronto public schools might be getting a girls-only mentoring program, according to a Twitter post from Chris Spence, Toronto District School Board's education director.

by Erin DeCoste, National Post

A student protest at Northern Secondary School today may have had the opposite effect of what was intended: many students said they supported the school board’s police program, and only a fraction of the school’s population protested.

by Don Peat, Toronto Sun

Toronto Police and Toronto public school board security staff are expected at Northern Secondary School today for a student-led protest against cops in schools.