Civil Municipal - April 2024

the TCDSB has many STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics)-designated schools. “The majority of our high schools have that designation and I think that helps make them some of the best-educated students, not only in Canada, but probably the world,” Bisceglia describes. “For this generation of students, it is a science and technology-driven world. Whether they take the college, university, or workplace path, they need to be technology-ready. And again, going back to community partners, at our school, we work with our local community colleges and our partner university, York University.We have guest lecturers coming into the high school, working with our students to learn how to program, design programs, and code.” “These kids are getting hands-on learning as well as theory. They’re getting an elevated experience because they not only have their teachers who are experts in their fields, but they’re getting professors coming in and working with kids in grades 11 and 12, which is pretty remarkable. So, these kids are ultra-prepared for the new reality of the world.” “We’re embracing technology and want to increase its availability to the students in a healthy, learning way,” says Crawford. “Like everyone, we’re preparing to deal with artificial intelligence (AI) and need the resources, training, and upgrading for that. Technology is very important for how the School Board operates and runs on all levels.” “We operate with a multi-year strategic plan – the well-being plan is part of that; the pastoral plan is part of that; the academic plans; the school improvement plans; and the equity and diversity plans are all part of that. And technology makes so many of these things possible and workable in our system. It’s a huge monetary investment.” Recently, the Ministry of Education has mandated students to take at least one technology course to graduate high school. “Its integration into the classroom and the appropriate use of technology in the classroom is a solid focus,” Crawford adds. 283 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 5, ISSUE 04 TORONTO CATHOL IC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD