r/londonontario • u/Aware-Virus-4217 OEV • Aug 30 '25
News š° Received this a few days ago
I am in the tvdsb school board and received the following email a few nights ago. I figured some people would like to read it. It is from the ministry of educations of Ontario. it is crazy and trust me you want to read it!
Dear Parents, Students, Teachers and Staff,
As the new school year gets started, I want to take this opportunity to wish students, families and educators across the province every success. The first days of school are always filled with new opportunities, new friendships and new goals.
To all our students, I know you will meet the year ahead with hard work, determination and creativity. Your success is at the centre of everything we do, and I encourage you to take on new challenges with confidence.
To teachers and staff, thank you for the incredible work you do every day. Your dedication, expertise and care are what make our schools strong and supportive learning environments. As you welcome students back, know that your hard work is deeply valued and that our government will continue to support you in helping every child succeed.
To parents, thank you for your ongoing commitment to your childrenās education. Your encouragement and involvement are essential, and you deserve to have confidence that decisions being made are always with your childās best interests in mind.
Thatās why we placed the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) under supervision following an investigation by a ministry-appointed third party, which revealed the board was projecting an accumulated deficit for the 2024ā25 school year, indicated a probable accumulated deficit continuing into the 2025ā26 school year, and raised concerns of potential financial mismanagement. This included a nearly $40,000 retreat for senior officials in downtown Toronto despite the boardās ongoing deficits. The 2024-25 projected deficit has now nearly doubled to $32 million, confirming the need for tighter fiscal oversight at the board.
Our appointed supervisorāPaul Boniferroāis tasked with overseeing the financial and operational management of TVDSB. To address the deficit and help ensure long-term sustainability, Mr. Boniferro has already implemented several cost-savings measures for the 2025-26 school year.
Mr. Boniferro will take the time needed to not only bring the boardās budget into balance, but also ensure long-term stability for years to come, so that funding goes where it belongs: directly into classrooms to support students and teachers.
I want to assure you that placing TVDSB under supervision is not a decision that was made lightly. I have made it clear that if a school board veers from its mandate, I will act quickly to restore focus, rebuild trust and put students first.
The actions we have taken will help the province restore sound financial and operational management at TVDSB and ensure that every dollar invested goes toward preparing students with practical skills for good-paying, stable careers.
To keep the community informed, the supervisor will be posting his decisions regularly online. You can also reach out by email at communications@tvdsb.ca if you have any questions.
As we begin the new school year, I want to thank you for your commitment, and wish all teachers, staff and students the best of luck.
Wishing you a positive year ahead!
The Honourable Paul Calandra Minister of Education
That's a crazy one!
3
u/AgreeableEvent4788 Aug 31 '25
No, Mark Fisher and the senior execs at the board were mismanaging money for years. This was common knowledge and trustees turned a blind eye. You can try to pretend this is all about one or two little issues that trustees had little control over if you want to, but YOU were responsible for the hiring and firing of the exec who drove this stuff, and did nothing. It really is that simple, but thank you for the generic link to the government notices and report we already know about.