Mental Health & Awareness Week May 7 - 11

Mental Health & Awareness Week 

Mental health impacts us all. Just as we all have physical health, we all have mental health. Our mental well-being includes our emotions, our thoughts and feelings, our ability to solve problems and overcome difficulties, our social connections, and our understanding of the world around us.At school, feeling safe, engaged and included all contribute to having a positive sense of well-being. Students need our collective support to be healthy individuals and the relationship that students have with each other and adults is an important part of that. 

At Eastdale, students and staff are planning daily activities (see below) to help support and bring awareness for our school community.

In a lead up to Mental Health Week, students from Mr. Laufer's English class haven worked with the Eastdale TV episodes created by Ms. Johnston's class in Semester one and will be leading a screening and discussion with homeroom classes on Tuesday May 1 or Wednesday May 2, focused on one of the three topics:  Racism, Homo/Trans phobia and Sexual Harassment.Students worked hard to create these resources.  The video episodes are approximately 9-10 minutes length and students have prepared discussion questions and will lead the discussions.  These presentations are also part of the presenting students' independent projects for their English credits.

Work Connections Job Fair

On May 2nd, senior Eastdale students were excited to learn about employment opportunities including onsite job interviews at 'Work Connections Job Fair' at the Ontario Science Centre and to meet John Tory, Mayor of Toronto. Thanks to Ms. Brentel for taking the students and providing ongoing support as these students make their transitions to the workplace.

Student Links Initiative @ Eastdale

Eastdale was happy to welcome representatives from Community Living Ontario’s Student Links initiative on Thursday April 26^th who met with students from Mr. De Abreu’s class.  Student Links is an initiative designed to support High School Students between the ages of 14-21, who have an intellectual disability, build on current interests and hobbies, while gaining experience from an expert or mentor in their field of interest.  Natalie and Jennifer from Community Living Ontario provided a brief presentation and fielded questions from our students.  More information is available through Guidance, or through their website.  Natalie and Jennifer will also be in attendance at our next Transitions information evening for parents and guardians on Wednesday May 30^th, from 6 to 8 p.m. here at Eastdale. 

Kudos to Mr. Perry for facilitating this opportunity for our students and school community!

Spring Newsletter 2018

Click here to view our spring school newsletter. A black & white hard copy will be sent home with mid-term report cards on Friday, April 27th. Congratulations to all students and their accomplishments and thanks to all staff for providing great opportunities / activities for students over the past several months!

Eastdale TV Goes Live! In Partnership with Regent Park Focus

Eastdale TV Goes Live! In Partnership with Regent Park Focus, by M. Johnston

A big thanks to Regent Park Focus and Eastdale students from the grade 9 and 10 English class who worked hard to create three videos that had to do with countering racism, sexual harassment and homo/transphobia. The students created scripts, worked the cameras, worked as a director or as a host and helped in the sound room.  The students were very engaged in the process.  

The final published videos are now live (click here or below)!   

Special thanks to the staff Dimitrije Martinovic & Adonis Huggins, Media Production Coordinators at Regent Park Focus, the TDSB’s Gender-Based Violence Prevention Program, Mr. Perry and Mr. Servos for all of their support with the project.

International Day of Pink @ Eastdale

We are so proud of Eastdale students' video about 'How Pink Shirt Day Began' https://youtu.be/9uOYToc0ljY. We will not tolerate bullying anywhere!

Bullying is a major problem in our schools, workplaces, homes, and over the Internet. Each year, on Pink T-Shirt Day, we encourage everyone to wear something pink to symbolize that we as a society will not tolerate bullying anywhere. A short video was created by Ms. Johnston's drama class. In addition, the questions below helped guide classroom discussions:

What are different forms of bullying?

What are examples of each type of bullying?

What are ways we can support people who are being bullied?

What are ways we can get support if we are being bullied?

Why do we wear pink today?  

A lesson in Civics by MPP Julie Dabrusin

Mr. Maniccia’s class had the great pleasure of having Julie Dabrusin (Member of Toronto-Danforth) visit the Grade 10 “Career Studies/Civics” class.  Ms. Dabrusin shared her experiences and knowledge working for the Government.  Topics included Parliament, the Senate, House of Commons, and building partnerships in the community.  Students had the opportunity to ask questions to make personal connections to their own career path.