P.I.N.K.

Principals Message

Welcome to February 2023! What a wonderful Canadian Winter we are experiencing – lots of snow and a mixture of temperatures. The students at KKSA have been enjoying lunch recesses.  There are typically three games of soccer happening, one at each grade level.  There are also one or two intense games of basketball. Many of the extracurricular and leadership activities have started up this winter and students are taking advantage of the opportunities being offered. 

At the end of January, we welcomed Alpha Rhythm Roots to KKSA. The founder of Alpha Rhythm Roots, Alpha, is from Guinea, West Africa.  In collaboration with percussionists Walter MacLean, the musicians presented an interactive presentation that held the attention of the students.  The activities concluded with the culmination of a dance off judged by the audience.  Mr. Wire and Mr Gambercort captured the attention of our audience.  One grade 8 and one grade 6 student were our top student performers.  They will be working as student principal and vice principal in the month of March.  

Dance N Culture lead the students in a Hip Hop Workshop at the beginning of February.  The students had a great time showing off their style.  February 27th and 28th, Dance N Culture will be back to lead an Asian Inspired Dance workshop for the whole school.  Stay tuned for photos of this in our next PINK.

February is certainly a time of celebrations, reflections and learning or unlearning of past and current practices. This month TDSB has launched the Black History Month theme for 2023 as Black Joy.  At KKSA we are committed to preparing our students to meet the challenges of a changing society by facilitating and fostering their intellectual, emotional, social and physical development in a safe inclusive learning environment. Our goal is to: Inspire and enlighten students to see Black Excellence as the norm and not an exceptionality. We welcome your input and I engage with students regularly.  

February is also recognized as Chinese Heritage Month.  TDSB’s Chinese Heritage Month is proudly recognized in February each year.  This year, two significant events will be highlighted to mark Chinese Heritage Month.  The Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is one of the most significant holidays for Chinese communities around the world.  The date is selected by the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar and the celebration lasts 16 days.  This year marks the Year of the Rabbit, which began on Sunday, January 22, 2023.  At TDSB, the theme Year of the Rabbit:  Kind, Generous, and Harmonious is being celebrated.  This year, the Chinese Heritage Committee selected a second theme: Honouring a Legacy of Conviction and Fortitude to mark the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Immigration Act of 1923 (known as the Chinese Exclusion Act). This Act restricted all people of Chinese descent from immigrating into Canada for 24 years with only 15 Chinese immigrants allowed entry into Canada from 1923 to 1946.  Parliament officially repealed the act on May 14, 1947 and in 2006, the Government of Canada issued an official apology to Chinese Canadians.  The discriminatory impact of the Chinese Immigration Act of 1923, the progress made afterward despite it, and excerpts of the Government of Canada’s official apology are highlighted in the PowerPoint presentation.

STAFFING CHANGES 

Unfortunately Ms. Papsin (our most recent French Occasional Teacher) is no longer working with us at KKSA.  I am trying to secure a consistent replacement to support student programming.  Although following the steps to ensure that there is a qualified supply teacher, this is not always possible.  A job has been posted and I am optimistic that we can hire someone that can assume this role.  Most recently, someone had committed to coming in for this current week but then their plans changed.  

Consistency is key in supporting the progress of our students and I recognize that French is an area where many students are experiencing gaps in their education due to program interruptions during Covid.  I am working with our staffing supports and have advised our Superintendent of Education.  

I will keep families apprised of the changes as we move forward. I am thankful to the staff at KKSA for their dedication to their students and the work they are doing to support during this time of transition.  Currently our students are receiving grade appropriate programming with the support of planning from qualified staff.  I remain optimistic that there can be some resolution to this matter in the near future.  

Thank you for your understanding and please reach out directly to seek clarification.