TDSB merges grades 4-6 into single 27-student class at west-end alternative school
One of five teachers cut at The Grove Community School after staffing reorganization; parents and MPP say move violates reconciliation commitments.
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One of five teachers at The Grove Community School, an alternative school on Toronto's west end, has been cut following a recent staffing reorganization by the TDSB, forcing grades 4, 5, and 6 to be taught together in a single classroom with 27 students.
The combined class includes students ranging from eight to 11 years old with different educational and behavioural needs. Four of the 27 students are Indigenous, representing nine times the proportion of Indigenous students in Toronto's overall population (the school's Indigenous enrollment is seven per cent; Toronto's is less than one per cent).
Parent Adam Marchese said his son previously attended a class of 8 to 11 students where he received individual attention with math problems. "I don't know how a teacher can manage the needs of 27 different kids with different learning curriculum," Marchese said. His son, Grade 6 student Axel Singh, echoed the concern: "When I was doing a math problem I needed help but I couldn't get any help because so many people needed the teachers help."
Archer Pechawis, another parent, called the merger a violation of the TDSB's commitment to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's calls to action, given the concentration of Indigenous students. Diane Simon, also a parent, criticized the Ford government for asking too much from teachers with limited resources.
Allexa Gilmour, Parkdale High Park MPP, said the province is turning away from students' stated needs.
The TDSB superintendent said the decision will not be reconsidered, citing system-wide implications: separating the 27 students by grade would leave one class with just six students. With 474 elementary schools across the TDSB, the superintendent wrote in a letter to parents, an exception at a fraction of those schools could have "a significant ripple effect on the system" and would require relocating staff from schools where they are needed.
The Grove Community School has a waiting list of families seeking admission and serves 85 students total.
What support or remediation will the TDSB provide to the combined class?
Are other TDSB schools facing similar multi-grade mergers this year?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
How many students are in the combined grades 4-6 class at The Grove Community School?
27 students are taught together in a single classroom, ranging from eight to 11 years old with different educational and behavioural needs.
How many teachers were cut at The Grove Community School?
Five teachers at The Grove Community School were cut following a staffing reorganization by the TDSB.
What proportion of The Grove Community School's students are Indigenous?
Four of the 27 students in the combined class are Indigenous, and the school's overall Indigenous enrollment is seven per cent, compared to less than one per cent across Toronto.
Why did the TDSB superintendent say the decision will not be reconsidered?
The superintendent cited system-wide implications: separating the 27 students by grade would leave one class with just six students, and making exceptions at a fraction of the TDSB's 474 elementary schools could have a significant ripple effect requiring staff relocation.
