JCI KIDS DESERVE A BETTER SCHOOL-ALUM RELATIONSHIP.

PROPOSAL AND PLEA TO BUILD IT!

OUTLINE OF THOUGHTS RE: JARVIS CI ALUMNI OPPORTUNITIES

I Introduction, Background and Sports 4 Jarvis

This is written on behalf of some Jarvis Collegiate Alums from the ‘60s who have been donating to the school’s sports and athletics programs for several years. We’ve staged golf clinics both at the school with the help of the GAO and off site at a local golf course. We have financed and/or arranged for the provision of needed equipment from shoes to nets to uniforms. We lobbied for a new sports field at the school which (we posit) provided some later stage impetus for the long discussed project. It is finally in play.

We make financial donations on a tied aid basis; knowing how our donations are (to be) spent and what they're achieving improves our ability to pitch and retain our donors. We operate informally, although we did create a non profit company to allow us to brand our activities. Our website is www.sports4jarvis.org

We enjoy positive relations with the school PhysEd department staff, but feel a broader base of connection with the school and with third parties would allow much more to be accomplished. Thus, our interest has not been confined to athletics as the following describes.

• During the Pandemic related suspension of athletic activities, we provided funds for food certificates. This was done through an another non profit, the Toronto Foundation for Student Success https://tfss.ca/
• Pre-pandemic, we provided some post secondary curriculum info to the Business and Guidance Departments with the idea of brokering direct connections with College Sports Management programs.
• We struck a short term agreement with Value Village to provide needed athletic shoes
• We held some discussions with the Pathways to Education group but due to our tied aid policy we have not yet found an appropriate way to focus a program on (only) JCI students. https://www.pathwaystoeducation.ca/
• We held discussions with Kids Up Front Toronto in 2018. This non-profit provides free tickets to local (big time) events. We proposed including Jarvis and its students in the program. No one could/would be made available to handle it in the school so the initiative failed at that time. Still a good idea though! https://kidsupfronttoronto.com/
• Pre-pandemic approaches were made to the Pinball Clemons Foundation to determine what partnership opportunities exist. https://www.pinballfoundation.ca/
• We established a working relationship with Golf Ontario but its Golf in Schools program has been dropped causing a re-evaluation of our Golf4Jarvis initiative, including a possible relationship with Golf Canada’s First Tee program.

There is a great opportunity to broaden our assistance to students, now and into the future.  As hinted at above it behooves us to establish and maintain partnerships with external organizations with similar beliefs and goals. Internally, we are pushing the school's administration to support in a meaningful way, the (re) formation/(re) energization of a formal JCI Alumni Association, which would provide a very credible branding opportunity allowing more access to to potential donors and volunteers on a continuing basis...i.e....the every year graduates of the school!

II The Opportunity

Our activities – including those that have fallen short - have underlined for us the potential of a new, energetic, well organized, pan-era, inclusive Alumni Group. If 80 or so old folks can raise a couple of thousand dollars each year and provide time to create new third party partnerships, imagine the power of an all inclusive, all year Alum Group. More dollars, more strategic partners, more mentoring, more career networking, more student job opportunities and a richer student experience overall. Everyone would benefit: the school, students, teachers and parents. The resultant growth and diversification of student programs would strengthen the JCI brand. A vibrant Alum group could help to effectively communicate to an ever wider audience. The stronger and more far reaching the school’s public profile, the more that new students will want to go to Jarvis. The more students, the more the organic growth in programs and funding. And the more colleges and universities will prize JCI graduates.

Seizing these opportunities begs for a Consolidated Alumni Group.

III The Problem: No Co-ordination of Alum activities or School Interface

There is in fact, a Jarvis Collegiate Alumni Association. It has existed in one form or another for many years. It is incorporated as a not for profit company and has a current charitable designation and some cash. It has at times enjoyed the cooperation and support of the school, particularly in its very early years. It has a complex past fraught with internal politics and a languishing, virtually non-existent role in JCI. One dedicated individual alum administers the organization insofar as corporate filings etc. are concerned, but to be clear, the organization is sadly inactive and any relationship with school administration or students seems to have broken down.

Another alum – who was at one time very involved with the formal Association – has continued on his own to create and maintain Jarvis archives, including the digitization of many historical publications. His good work has been undertaken in spare time and he has worked independently. He does however have the support at least of the former JCI Principal and other staff. (The former Principal even referred to him as “the President” of the Alumni Association!).

Yet another individual alum diligently continues to collect bios of Jarvis Grads. He posts them to the web for reference and posterity. Again, he works by and of himself and I am unaware of any involvement with or support from the School.

There are also some scholarship funds donated by Alums at a School Reunion dating back many years. There is confusion about responsibility for maintenance of the principal investment and the ongoing award of scholarships.

Sports 4 Jarvis is continuing its efforts as outlined earlier in this paper and on its website www.sports4jarvis.org. But is doing so in isolation from other alum “care givers”. It is the author of this paper and the only active proponent of a Grander Group.

IV The Solution

This document and outreach is another in an attempt to breathe some sense and life into the Alumni Association and make it into an effective organization which can serve the school and students well into the future.

An energized Jarvis Collegiate Alumni Association would have the defacto brand, the mandate and the charitable designation to allow some truly impactful programs to be funded and delivered to JCI students. Under energized management and with the school's support, there is an opportunity to coordinate fundraising and program activities to enable alums to give more back to the school and do so in a sustainable way. Sports4Jarvis could exist in some form "within" the Association. So too, the Jarvis Archives and Alumni Bio projects and efforts would benefit from the expanded resources, awareness and outreach the Association would offer. Administration of the Alumni Scholarship Fund could be positioned to give it maximum impact and more visibility so as to enable its actual growth over time.

The Concept; An effective Alum group could do great things.

It requires:

• a policy decision and endorsement from the School and external stakeholders including Trustees and parents and
• dedicated, ongoing support from school administrative and management staff.
• reorganization of the Association’s board, officers and management
• a reliable way for the Association to reach out to students who have graduated and are graduating every year. These tools would allow the group to grow endemically and constantly identify and engage volunteers and members
• formalized access to student and parent organizations on a regular basis
• a (credit/part credit) program within the business/CO-Op curriculum to allow students to assume some Association staff duties and responsibilities. This would allow the management of the Association to be handled by students on a forever basis. They would be supervised by a business teacher and “report to” the Association's Board for policy matters. Details regarding signing authorities, reporting relationships and “job/assignment” descriptions will need to be established. Particular thought must be given to compliance with federal and provincial laws, reporting and due diligence activities, which are onerous, especially given the organization’s CRA charity designation.
• the creation of an Alum volunteer position that has desk and phone facilities at the school, access to parent and student organizations and a business card, something like: “(Alum/volunteer) Public Relations and Partnerships”

V Recommendations

1. A Strategic Meeting be held at the call of the Principal to discuss Alumni – JCI -TDSB Relations and Possibilities and determine:

“How Can School Alumni Best Be Organized and Tapped to Improve Education and Life Experience for Present and Future JCI Students?”

2. The principal and his staff identify the various stakeholders to participate, who would likely include: the Principal, selected admin staff and teachers (PhysEd, Guidance and Business +?), representatives of Sports 4 Jarvis, the Jarvis Archives Project, The JCI Bios project, the existing Alumni Association, parents and student organizations and likely, reps of the TDSB Superintendent and perhaps the School Trustee.

3. The stakeholders be canvassed for their suggestions for the agenda which at a minimum should include consideration of the views of Sports4Jarvis as outlined in this paper, particularly Sections II III IV and V thereof.

4. Some meaningful action be initiated at the meeting to give life to a meaningful, manageable, grow-able and sustainable Relationship between Alumni and the School to help Jarvis and its student in perpetuity.

5. The TDSB undertake a survey of alumni and community relations programs in both the Public and Private School Systems and develop a Best Practice Template for all TDSB schools.

APPENDING COMMENTS

1. An “in-progress-needing-updating” paper on Fundraising/TDSB School Budgets Drafted by Sports4Jarvis is available . Attached, only to hint at the issues that exist for schools, particularly those in low income areas.

2. A report has recently been released by the People for Education organization. Link to it here:

3. A few extracts from that report are copied below, again, just again to at the reasons we are so interested in improving (Alumni) Give-Backs to JCI and other schools. FYI....

...Steep decline in fundraising may increase inequities in access to extracurricular and school activities Over the last decade, fundraising has come to play an essential role in covering the costs of things like arts enrichment, charitable causes, sports equipment, school nutrition programs, and field trips. Because the costs for these activities must come from school budgets, rather than any provincial funding, many schools now rely on fundraising to augment their budgets. Fundraising in schools was notably lower in 2022-23 compared to the last school year before the pandemic. ...

...”An increasing number of families are asking for support. Some students still have no access to computers in the evening and the school does not have the budget to purchase computers for all students. An increasing number of students are requesting financial support to participate in extracurricular activities as well.” (Secondary school principal, Southwestern Ontario)

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Over the past 10 years, the average amount fundraised per school in both elementary and secondary schools was lowest in 2022-23. Elementary schools raised an average of $7,245 while secondary schools raised an average of $7,666, compared to $11,099 and $18,677 in 2012-13, respectively. The average amount raised in high-income schools was almost three times higher than that raised in low-income schools in 2022-23 ($10,423 compared to $3,757 per school). While schools have historically relied on fundraising to support extracurricular and school activities, many principals expressed sensitivity to the financial hardships being experienced by numerous families and communities.

...”We have a small school with a lower socio-economic make-up. We know many of our families struggled to make ends meet during COVID—many lost their income. We tried not to pressure parents for fundraising this year.” (Elementary school principal, Greater Toronto Area).

...”We did not fundraise the last two years due to COVID-19. Most of my families are financially challenged and I feel that fundraising poses undue stress on these families because they feel obligated to participate by purchasing items, even though they are not required to do so.” (Elementary school principal, Northern Ontario)

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Participating in extracurricular activities has an impact on learning, health, and screen-time A quality public education includes access to extracurricular activities Participation in school activities and extracurriculars benefits students in several ways, across various stages of education and life. A breadth of research indicates that extracurricular activities such as sports, arts, clubs, and community programs can positively affect students’ mental and emotional well-being, including decreased symptoms of anxiety and depression, improved self concept and confidence, stronger feelings of connectedness and belonging, and higher levels of life satisfaction.5 A study of 28,000 middle school students in British Columbia also found that students who engaged in extracurricular activities were significantly less likely to engage in the excessive use of screen-based activities, a factor associated with poor mental and physical health.

Students who participate in extracurricular activities also gain skills and competencies beyond the basics such as thinking creatively and critically, collaborating, communicating effectively, and developing a sense of self and society – which are essential to navigating the rapidly changing world we live in..There is also evidence to indicate that students’ participation in extracurricular activities is associated with greater educational engagement, higher rates of high school completion, increased academic success, and employability.

ADDENDUM TO ALUM GROUP PROPOSAL from SPORTS4JARVIS

PRINCIPLES AND BENEFITS TO BE DISCUSSED AND FURTHER DEVELOPED

This is an addendum to a Proposal to Organize, Formalize and Operate an Organization of Jarvis Collegiate Alumni. Originally submitted to JCI by Brian B. Caldwell, Principal Partner, Sports 4 Jarvis, in May 2022.

That paper put forward the notion that an organized, well run Organization of JCI Alumni Group “... would have the defacto brand, the mandate and the charitable designation to allow some truly impactful programs to be funded and delivered to JCI students. Under energized management and with the school's support, there is an opportunity to coordinate fundraising and program activities to enable alums to give more back to the school and do so in a sustainable way”.

The web site for Agincourt CI has a front page reference of interest under the heading “Alumni and Parent Councils”. It states:

“... Agincourt Collegiate enjoys an ongoing and supportive relationship with the Agincourt C. I. Alumni Association... the Alumni provide several generous scholarships to graduates attending post-secondary institutions. Our partnership with parents includes a Traditional School Council, Chinese Parents Council and a Music Parents Council. We are also fortunate to have a supportive community network which offers students coop and volunteer opportunities.”

Jarvis should be able to say this and much, much more about its Alumni and Community relations. That there are financial and mentoring opportunities is undeniable.

All elementary and secondary schools in the TDSB are provided operational funds based on enrolment and special programs. Every school augments those Board funds through school and student fundraising. The Ministry of Education’s Guidelines to govern school based fundraising is instructive. Excerpts follow:

“...These activities are conducted under the guidance of the school principal, in accordance with school board policies and with advice and input from the school community. Finally, it is important that fundraising has a designated purpose and that the proceeds be used for the intended purpose.

...Fundraising is any activity, permitted under a school board’s policy, to raise money or other resources, that is approved by the school principal, in consultation with, and upon the advice of the school council, and/or a school fundraising organization operating in the name of the school, and for which the school provides the administrative processes for collection. Such activities may take place on or off school property.

Examples of Acceptable Uses of Fundraising Proceeds:

  Assistance fund (for example, a fund serving a charitable purpose to benefit students, such as providing payment for the cost of a field trip for students who cannot afford it)

 Supplies, equipment or services which complement items funded by provincial grants (for example, extracurricular band equipment, audio-visual equipment)

 Field trips or other excursions (for example, in-province, out-of-province, or trips abroad)

 Guest speakers or presentations

 Ceremonies, awards, plaques, trophies or prizes for students

 Scholarships or bursaries

 Extracurricular activities and events (for example, travel and entry fees for sports competitions, school team uniforms, school band, choir, clubs)

 School yard improvement projects (for example, playground equipment, shade structures, gardens, outdoor skating rink)

 Upgrades to sporting facilities such as running tracks, installation of artificial turf and scoreboards

 Support for activities that are unique to the denominational or cultural character of the school...”

That the ability of a school and its student-parent community to raise funds will vary, school by school is a tautology. The size of the student population is one variable. More kids = more money as a general thesis. More important though is the impact of a school’s student and parent community demographics. The more well- to- do financially the community, the more it’s ability to raise money. And in this regard, there are wide, wide variations among TDSB schools. The findings of a study by People for Education based on surveys of 1,244 elementary and secondary schools were contained in its March 2018 report commented:

“...Among secondary schools, the top 5% of fundraising schools raised as much as the bottom 81% combined, with some schools reporting raising $150,000.
From their comments on the surveys, it is clear that principals are acutely aware of such variations and their consequences.

Most secondary schools offer a wide variety of extracurricular activities and sports programs, and most of these programs have costs associated with them that are not covered by school budgets.

Many secondary schools rely on student fees to cover the cost of enrichment activities. In 2018, 87% of secondary schools report charging student activity fees. While the average activity fee is $46 per student per year, schools report fees ranging from $2 to $300 per year....

....Athletic fees can be much higher than activity fees, with some secondary schools charging up to $1200. Eighty percent of secondary schools report charging athletic fees in 2018, and the average fee is $94.

... enrichment experiences help students develop skills and competencies they might not get from classroom learning alone (Upitis, 2014). However, our survey results show that principals often rely on fundraising and fees to provide these learning experiences, and schools with higher rates of poverty, where fundraising is lower, may not be able to provide the same level of enrichment as their wealthier counterparts.

Students at high-poverty schools may be facing a triple disadvantage:

• Many may be starting school with a “competency gap.”
• The schools they are entering are likely to raise less money, and therefore are less able to provide the resources and enriched learning opportunities that can help close that gap.
• Their families may not be able to provide these opportunities outside of school.

And therein lies the wicked problem of fundraising.

Parents want to provide the best opportunities for their children. But if the system is to provide every child with an equitable chance for success, it is vital that all students – not just those whose parents can afford it – have access to the programs, resources, and activities that build vital competencies for long-term success.

Good Theory! But What’s been Going on at TDSB High Schools?

The TDSB does report what it calls: “Non Board Revenue”, “Non Board External Charities Revenue”, School Council Revenue” and “Donations Deposited into Board Accounts”. It performs some analysis which which allows a comparison of each school’s success in fundraising. Sports4Jarvis, the People for Education organization and others suggest that measures the ability of a school to “add social, artistic, cultural and athletic value to its students. And that makes the overall educational experience of each school better - or less - than it could be. And that’s the point.

A Closer Look

Sports4Jarvis has looked at fundraising data supplied by the TDSB for all TDSB schools, - elementary and secondary - within the Board’s jurisdiction. We summarily chose 11 Toronto High Schools which can be thought of as JCI “competitors”, on the field and to some extent, for students. It should be noted that there are significant differences in amounts raised over the 3 year period examined, 2018/19; 2019/20 and 2020/21, most likely attributable to the pandemic close down of schools and extra curricular activities.

As seen in the following Tables, #1. 2018/10; #2. 2019/20; #3. 2020/21 and #4, 2020/21, Jarvis ranks near the bottom for fundraising in each of the years reported. 

 The Board also presents a calculation of Total Non Board Revenue per FTE (Full Time Entrants (= students?). The table for our 12 school sample for the 2020/21 Period (only) appears to the left. (Ed Note: The sorting anomaly re: Danforth is a tech glitch).

  Conclusions

1. Jarvis Collegiate raises less money than comparable TDSB High Schools.

The best performing school raised $975,000 over three years and received

$68, 432 in donations to the school made through the TDSB

2. Jarvis receives less in donations than most other comparable High Schools

3. Jarvis raises less per student than most other comparable High Schools.

4. There is a significant opportunity for Jarvis to improve its external fundraising and therefore add programming value to JCI students

5. More to follow BBC.



FootNotes

1. School-generated funds are funds that are raised and collected in the school or broader community in the name of the school by school councils or other school or parent administered groups.3 These funds are administered by the school principal, and are raised or collected from sources other than the school board’s operating and capital budgets

2. School generated funds is a broad category which includes not only fundraising for school purposes, but also all funds that are collected and paid out through school accounts to support a variety of programs such as payments to charities or other third parties (e.g. tour operators, and hot lunch programs)

References

https://www.hcialumni.org/ 2019 postings

https://schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca/riverdale/Alumni

https://www.facebo ok.com/groups/178627425697/?ref=group_header

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2227170573/

https://schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca/northtoronto/Alumni

https://ntci.on.ca/foundation/

https://www.tdsb.on.ca/MOSS/asp_apps/school_landing_page/pdfs/web/4106_4pageLayout.pdf