Attending Eastdale Collegiate in the east end of the city has profoundly impacted Andrea Seeborn's 16-year-old son, Charlie. The small secondary school, serving 114 students, offers both a regular program and a specialized mild intellectual disability program that has become indispensable for local families.
However, there are growing concerns regarding the school's future following a letter sent to parents, indicating that Grade 9 enrollment will be canceled for the upcoming school year due to low student intake numbers.
Seeborn expressed her distress, stating, “I never thought he could take credited courses, but he’s already taken up to Grade 10 in math, which is fantastic.” She emphasized the unique support Charlie receives at Eastdale, which she believes would not be available in a mainstream school. “I just fear for the future of all these children that just won’t have that,” she added.
The letter from Toronto District School Board (TDSB) acting superintendent of Education, Anastasia Poulis, revealed that only four students have registered for Grade 9 next year, with insufficient incoming students for the Mild Intellectual Disability program. Poulis further stated that discussions regarding the next steps for Eastdale will continue, but confirmed that the current provincial moratorium on school closures means the institution will remain open for Grade 10 to 12 students.
Eastdale is the second specialized high school in Toronto to announce a halt to new student enrollments. Parents from Heydon Park have also been informed that Grade 9 and 10 enrollment will not be accepted for the forthcoming school year due to similar low enrollment numbers.
Seeborn and other parents argue that it's premature to make such a significant decision at this point in the school year, noting that now is when interest from prospective students typically increases. “They’ve kind of prematurely said, ‘Oh, we haven’t had any,’ but now is the time of year when intake happens,” she remarked.
Seeborn expressed her worry that many children would struggle to adapt to a mainstream high school environment, specifically mentioning, “I don’t think any of those students could survive in a mainstream high school of 2,000 kids.” She has observed changes within the TDSB since the provincial takeover, leading to her concern about the board's long-term plans for Eastdale. “I mean, you could become very suspicious and say we sit on property that perhaps TDSB wants to use for different purposes or sell off,” Seeborn pointed out.
In response to these developments, parents from the affected school are mobilizing to take action. They are planning meetings with educational leaders and potential protests in the coming months to advocate for their children’s educational needs and the importance of Eastdale Collegiate.
