School Library Tours –
Toronto District School Board renovations
Wednesday February 1 / 9:00-12:00
Meeting in the MTCC lobby at 255 Front Street at 9:0am, February 1. Bus leaves at 9:15am.
Tour is open to registered OLA Super Conference attendees.
Cost is $35, space is very limited. Purchase your ticket at the time of conference registration. Stand-by space will be first come, first served on February 1.
Harbord Collegiate Institute
Tour host: Teacher-Librarian Gina Thurston
Built in 1892, this secondary school is located in downtown Toronto close to the University of Toronto’s St. George Campus. Harbord Collegiate has a tradition of academic excellence. The library is a busy hub with an active teaching program. Under new leadership it has recently been revitalized, through a process of downsizing the print collection, to open more learning spaces with flexible seating that incorporates both collaborative and quiet spaces and greater access to technology. Harbord has a current enrolment of 1100 students and a staff of over 95. More than one-third of Harbord’s teachers and support staff speak multiple languages, reflecting Toronto’s rich diversity. Harbord is the only school in the TDSB designated an International Languages School offering many languages as well as French immersion.
Elia Middle School (grades 6-8)
Tour host: Natalie Brylynska
Located in high needs neighbourhood in northwest Toronto, Elia Middle School is part of the Model Schools for Inner City Program supporting 150+ schools within seven inner city neighbourhoods where many students live in poverty. The library at Elia has been transformed through Principal leadership accessing TDSB design support, to bring the library learning commons vision to life. The library incorporates bright airy space with colour, flexible seating, mobile technology and a clear focus on inquiry in the library program. The school is part of a STEM project to excite passion for science, technology, engineering and mathematics in students at the stage they start making career choices. This is reflected in library programming.