Arlington MS to be sold

French Catholic board looks to buy the site
Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier Jan 28)

Arlington MS could be sold to French Catholic school board. Kris Scheuer/Town Crier file photo.

A deal is in the works to sell Arlington Middle School to a French Catholic school board.
Last year the Toronto District School Board voted to sell Arlington, which overlooks Cedarvale Park, and close it this September. The board’s real estate arm, Toronto Lands Corporation is handling the potential sale.
Donna Jondreau, manager of real estate for the Toronto Lands, confirmed the Conseil Scolaire de District Catholique Centre-Sud will vote in a few weeks on whether to buy Arlington MS.
“We should know by mid-March,” Jondreau said Jan. 27.
St. Paul’s public school trustee Shelley Laskin said the deal to sell Arlington will likely be successful.
The French Catholic school board already voted to have its staff negotiate a purchase of the facility, Laskin said.
If the deal goes through, students in grade 7 will continue at Arlington in the 2011-2012 school year for grade 8.

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St. Paul’s trustee debate

Outgoing trustee Matlow hosts all-candidates’ debate
Trustee candidates square off in heated race
By Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier June 4.)

St. Paul's trustee candidates Shelley Laskin, Mike Wiener, Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler, Mark Tishman at debate. Photo by Kris Scheuer.

About 30 parents and educators peppered St. Paul’s school trustee candidates with questions at a June 3 debate hosted by outgoing trustee Josh Matlow.
Matlow’s running for a council seat and five trustee candidates have registered for the wide-open race. Candidates Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler, Shelley Laskin, Mark Tishman and Mike Wiener debated issues raised by parents in the audience at Maurice Cody PS. A fifth registered candidate, Maya Worsoff, wasn’t there because Matlow wasn’t able to find contact information to invite her.

Shelley Laskin trustee candidate

Laskin in most heated trustee race in Toronto
By Kris Scheuer
(Written for Town Crier June 3.)

Photo courtesy of Shelley Laskin.

Former St. Paul’s school trustee Shelley Laskin wants her old job back.
Laskin, who represented the riding from 1997 to 2003, is a candidate in the hotly contested St. Paul’s trustee race.
With incumbent Josh Matlow taking a stab at a council seat, the trustee seat is wide open. Laskin is one of five vying for the spot so far.
“I think it’s an advantage that I’m an experienced trustee,” she said. “The fact I remained involved as a parent and community volunteer allows me the context and perspective.”
She’s served as school council chair at both Hodgson Senior PS and Northern SS and was a three-year representative in trustee Matlow’s ward forum.
“I’m still a known entity through my involvement in schools,” Laskin said.

Davisville school staying open

ARC members recommend 5 schools stay open
Plus Maurice Cody expands, if school board agrees
By Kris Scheuer
(Written March 5 for Town Crier)

There will be no school closures and one local site will even be expanded if the Davisville-Yonge Accommodation Review Committee gets its way.
For months, the committee members have been considering 12 options on how best to accommodate students at four school sites: Davisville, Hodgson, Maurice Cody and Eglinton Public School/Spectrum Alternative Senior School.
The group has now chosen one option with six key recommendations to the Toronto District School Board:
• All four school sites to stay open.
• No change in boundaries to who can be accommodated at a school.
• Spectrum’s grade 7 and 8 mix will not include other grades.
• Maurice Cody will be expanded.
• No programs will be lost at any of the schools.
• Davisville and at Eglinton schools will maintain English and not move to
French only.

St. Paul’s trustee race

Young volunteer Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler a candidate
So far three people vying for the trustee seat in Midtown Toronto
By Kris Scheuer
(Written Feb.25 for Town Crier.)

Candidate Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler.

The race to replace outgoing St. Paul’s school trustee Josh Matlow is starting to heat up.
Matlow is running for city council leaving no incumbent in the school board Ward 11. So far three people have registered as candidates.
The latest to sign up is community volunteer Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler.
“This is going to be a competitive race, so I want to make sure I can talk to as many people in St. Paul’s as I can,” said Chaleff-Freudenthaler. “The only way to do that is to register early.”
He is no stranger to the ward as he has lived here for over 20 years and volunteered for a decade.
If elected, he would like to help implement a broader approach to how schools are used.

Toronto school trustee election candidates

Who is running for Catholic and public school boards
City election attracting both new blood and veterans
By Kris Scheuer
(Updated Oct.25)

 

Etobicoke-Lakeshore Trustee Bruce Davis is not seeking re-election opting to run mayoral candidate George Smitherman's campaign instead.

 

 

Here’s the lowdown on who’s running for the 22-seat TDSB.
Etobicoke North Ward 1. Current trustee John Hastings has registered, so have candidates Andrew Bacchus, Paul Singh and Saadiq Malik.
Etobicoke Centre Ward 2.  Current trustee and former TDSB chair John Campbell is not running here but for council instead. Eight candidates are registered: Wayne Chen, Maya Worsoff, Ron Jaicarran, Chris Glover, John Kapralos, Husein Kirefu, Stephen Thiele and Kaydee Richmond.
Etobicoke Lakeshore Ward 3. Current trustee and TDSB chair Bruce Davis was signed up but withdrew July 2. Five candidates are running: Peter Debrone, Pamela Gough, Margaret McBeath, Andy Kyriakos and Richard Carter.

St. Paul’s school trustee race

Current school board rep Josh Matlow to run for council in 2010
No incumbent so at least 4 contenders consider run for seat
By Kris Scheuer
(Originally written Nov. 6 for Town Crier.)

Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler.

A former school trustee, a young community activist, a pet food mogul and a politically-minded parent are hoping to get a passing grade from the electorate in 2010.
The quartet is musing about running to replace Josh Matlow on the Toronto District School Board. Matlow recently announced he’d be running for city council next year.
Here’s a look at four potential candidates Shelley Laskin, Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler, Jim Walker and Heather Johnston.