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School at SickKids
SickKids has partnered with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) since 1892 as an Education and Community Partnership Program, providing schooling to students who require education outside of the regular class system in a specialized setting.
Toronto District School Board Teachers
The TDSB teachers are a group of elementary and secondary teachers who work with the patients receiving medical care at SickKids to support their learning needs and goals. School is available to all inpatients at the hospital, as well as patients who visit during the day on a regular basis for treatment such as dialysis or day treatment in the Haematology/Oncology Clinic.
What we do
- Provide education to patients at SickKids with funding provided by the Ministry of Education
- Offer educational instruction to patients from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12.
- Provide education to students enrolled in a French school board
- Teach one-to-one at the patient’s bedside for 30 to 60 minutes per day
- Schedule bedside instruction around a child’s medical schedule
- Teach in day-program school as part of a clinical program for patients
- Teach the curriculum offered at patients home schools using similar books and resources, even if patient attends a school under a different school board
- Provide a report card for patients who have been hospitalized at SickKids for most of the school term
- Offer support to patients who have a short stay at SickKids to support the patient’s home school curriculum
- Follow the calendar school year for teaching (September to June)
- Elementary and Secondary teachers attend team meetings outside of SickKids on alternate Wednesday afternoons
Make a referral
Hospital staff and parents can make a referral for a patient to attend school. The Educational Support for Students in Hospital Form is available by clicking on the Referral Form button below or can be picked up at the Family Centre.
Submit the completed form either to the nurse on the unit where patient is staying or place in the drop box labeled TDSB Forms outside Room M207, by the Family Centre. Call 416-813-7903 for assistance to complete forms, if required.
Once we receive the form and a teacher has been identified, the teacher will contact the patient and family to arrange a date and times for instruction.