About

This web-based inventory was created primarily as a resource for service providers who work with newcomer families.

It is intended to help settlement workers and other frontline professionals support their clients in understanding the education system and making informed decisions about their learning.

Among the many transitions that newcomer families make as they settle in Canada is the adjustment to a new school and a new educational system. Learning new day-to-day routines, making sense of the roles of teachers and principals, understanding how students’ progress is tracked and reported, or when and why students get homework are just some of the things that newcomer parents need to learn when they enrol their children in school.

Beyond initial registration, the process of integrating into a school community and becoming engaged in children’s learning requires support from settlement workers, teachers, school administrators, school councils and community workers. Community agencies can also help parents develop the capacity to advocate on behalf of their children by helping them understand and navigate the education system.

Settlement workers and other frontline professionals who work with newcomer families can play a role in supporting parents’ involvement in the school community and their children’s learning in a number of ways:

1. By providing newcomer parents with information about the education system in Ontario and in Toronto;

2. By referring newcomer parents to workshops and orientation sessions about the school system and the benefits of involvement in their children’s learning;

3. By referring newcomer children and youth to programs that will support and encourage their learning.

4. By referring newcomer parents to online information and printed resources that will help them understand the school system and ways to get involved in their children’s school;

5. By hosting guest speakers and workshops at your agency or school, which are specifically geared towards newcomer parents and families.

We encourage you to explore the online inventory listings to learn more about the range of programs and resources available to newcomer families in Toronto, as well as the resources and supports for frontline professionals who work with them.