163 Toronto elementary schools to lose teachers in upcoming shuffle

Dozens of Toronto elementary schools will lose one or more teachers in the coming weeks as the Toronto District School Board shuffles teachers to match enrollment.

The shuffle is more significant than usual this year because enrollment estimates from the spring are less accurate because many more students than usual are staying home because of the pandemic.

According to a statement from the TDSB, 161 schools will lose a single teacher, 97 schools will lose two teachers, 36 schools will lose three teachers, 21 schools will lose four teachers, and nine schools will lose more than four teachers.

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Many of the shuffled teachers will move to virtual learning, so that permanent TDSB teachers will replace some of the 800 casual/temporary teaching positions hired for virtual school earlier in the year.

The reorganization means some in-person students will have a different teacher, and some classes will be merged to create split grades. The shuffle also means students’ cohorts may change.

The TDSB says families will receive communication directly from their child’s school if their teacher is changing. The changes will be starting the week of October 13.