info & resources for students

The TCDSB Anonymous Alerts App is available for students to report bullying and safety issues in a quick and secure manner.

The Anonymous Alerts reporting system allows students, parents or staff to anonymously report inappropriate behaviours to school staff. 

The system allows for 1-way or 2-way anonymous encrypted communications between submitters (students, parents or community members) and Administrators and/or school staff. Users of the system have the option to remain anonymous or to reveal their identity when submitting a report.

To send reports through a web browser, visit the Anonymous Alerts website.

The Anonymous Alerts mobile app can be downloaded directly from the Apple and Google Play stores. TCDSB supplies students, parents and community members with a generic username and password activation code. Students select the relevant school name and contact group, and send their message.

To send a report from your phone:

• Download the Anonymous Alerts app for free from the Apple Store or Google Play store.
• Start the App and enter activation code/username: tcdsb (this is the same as your current login name to activate the app.)
• Send important reports to school principal, vice-principal or other designated staff.
• Add a screen shot, photo or video about the incident.

Are you looking for opportunities to volunteer in Toronto? Here is a list of some organizations that have volunteer programs - and one that helps connect you with many organizations looking for volunteers - and support those in our communities:

Toronto Daily Bread Food Bank (started by Sister Mary Tremblay of the Sisters of St Joseph) -  

Daily Bread’s Take Action Project (TAP)  lets secondary students earn their volunteer hours while helping people  experiencing food insecurity in Toronto.  Daily Bread’s onsite Youth Take Action Project (TAP).  TAP program days are on Wednesdays and Fridays, throughout the months of July and  August.  We are located at 191 New Toronto Street in Etobicoke, and the  minimum age requirement is 15 years.  Contact volunteer@dailybread.ca 

Another fun way to support Daily Bread and get high school service hours is to organize a community food drive. For every 25 non-perishable food items you collect for donation to Daily Bread, you’ll earn one volunteer hour!  

Development & Peace -  Caritas Canada (The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace) is a democratic international solidarity movement that supports partners in the Global South. Development and Peace  builds awareness in Canada about the causes of poverty in the world and invites Canadians to participate in actions to bring about change. Many parishes in Toronto have D&P teams - join one today and volunteer.

Toronto Public Library - Teen Councils - Volunteers attend regular monthly meetings with library staff and  offer recommendations on services, spaces, publications, collection  promotion and programs at the library. Volunteers receive leadership training, learn about Toronto Public  Library and encourage other teens to participate in library initiatives.  By completing projects together, volunteers gain leadership and  communication skills and create benefits for other teens. 

LEAF (Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests)  

There  are many ways that you can get involved depending on your skills,  interests and availability. Please note that we only accept volunteers  over the age of 18. Current opportunities include:

Planting and Stewardship Events

• Assist by planting and mulching native trees and shrubs
• Experienced volunteers can assist with training and quality control
• Planting events take place in spring (April - June) and fall (September - October) in York Region and Durham Region

Garden Steward Teams

• Care for our LEAF Learning Garden or one of our Urban Forest Demonstration Gardens, located across Toronto, from April to November
• Tasks may include watering, weeding, litter pick-up and more!
• Attend additional training session and workshops

Other Tasks

• Contribute to our blog and newsletter
• Help capture photographs and video of our great LEAF moments
• Help LEAF staff with administrative tasks

City of Toronto Special Events -  There are many opportunities for the public to get involved with the City of Toronto throughout the year.

Helping Hands - an organization that will help you find a volunteer opportunities connected to something that you're interested in supporting.

Kids Help Phone - text for help at 686868

Catholic Prayer Meditations -  a set of Meditation Practices varying in length in both video and audio formats. These practices are specifically designed to help support well-being, amidst the chaos of the day. 

Meditation Prayer for Catholic Kids - 10 Ways to Get Started

Participaction - get active! Focus better in school, better academic performance, more energy, reduce risks of anxiety and depression, build a strong, healthy body, build self-confidence and it's fun! 

What's Up Walk-in Clinics offers free and immediate mental health counseling for children, youth, young adults and their families - telephone or video session by calling MHTO at 1-866-585-6486 Monday to Friday 9am – 7pm.​ 

ConnexOntario​ provides free and confidential health services information for people experiencing problems with alcohol and drugs, mental illness and/or gambling.

Canadian Mental Health Associat​ion offers mental health and wellness services for Indigenous children and youth.

A Moment For Your Mental Health - TCDSB Student Video 

This video​ was created to provide wellness tips for students. 

Teen Mental Health: Grade 9-12 

Mental Health Literacy offers teens some good insight into student mental health, through interesting video clips, graphics, and information. 

MindShift Mobile (free) App from BC Anxiety​​ is an app designed to help teens and young adults cope with anxiety.

CAMH Video “Promoting Mental Health: Finding a Shared Language” 

This video​ helps us understand what is meant by Mental Health vs. Mental Illness and the steps we can all take to improve our mental health and well-being.

LGBTQ Youth Resources Website - supports the experiences of youth (29 and under) across Ontario. They provide anonymous peer support and referrals, train youth to provide support to other youth and provide resources so youth can make informed decisions. 

Tip Sheet for Students in a Virtual Environment.

Online learning tips​ for students to support student safety in a virtual environment.

Waterloo University Math and Computer Science resources for grades 7 and up: https://www.cemc.uwaterloo.ca/contests/preparation.html

Prodigy Game- an interactive online math  program that builds basic math skills and student confidence

KhanAcademy - free online math resource and tools for all ages

SOS Math -  developers of this site have been helping high school students achieve  greater results in mathematics since 1995. They have received numerous  awards for their work and continue to provide a site that lends  assistance in all areas of math. 

Math.com -  Math.com has everything needed  for a website that assists students with help in high school math. This  site is easy to navigate with a drop-down menu on the side that contains  choices for every subject of mathematics studied on a high school  level.  

AAA Math - math website that features a comprehensive set of interactive arithmetic lessons for JK to grade 8 students. Unlimited practice is  available on each topic which allows a thorough mastery of the concept.

Coolmath - cool math games and puzzles, clear math lessons, fractals,  geometry, tessellations and more for JK to grade 8 students,

Math Goodies - a free math help portal for grade 1 to 8 students that features interactive lessons, worksheets and homework help (as endorsed by the TCDSB)

Number Nut - math website that offers an introduction to mathematics and topics for students of all ages

Purple Math - math website for grade 4 to 8 students that contains practical algebra lessons demonstrating useful techniques and pointing out common errors. Lessons are written with the struggling student in mind,

Mathway -  a free algebra calculator with step-by-step explanations.  

TVO Education -  an effective way to help your child explore learning that aligns with the Ontario curriculum, from Kindergarten to Grade 12. 

RazKids - a guided reading program with interactive ebooks, downloadable books, and reading quizzes.

Khan Academy - English Language Arts up to grade 9 and general English tools

Quill.org -  a non-profit, provides free literacy activities that build reading comprehension, writing, and language skills for elementary,  middle, and high school students. 

Progressive  Phonics - can all-one-reading program that is easy, fun and totally free to teach SK to Grade 3 students to read and write in just a few minutes a day with worksheets and activity sheets for each book.

Shmoop - study guides of classic books

Toronto Public  Library KidSpace  (provides online help for homework assignments and studying (information is arranged by the Ontario curriculum courses and strands and includes  extensive list of resources) and has links for tell-a-story,  ready-a-story, hear-a-story, tumblebooks, ask a question, do a word puzzle  or find a great book)

Vocabulary Spelling City! (teaches spelling and vocabulary for students of all ages; students can  study and learn their word list using vocabulary and spelling learning  through games and printable worksheets)

ESL Lounge - Organized by level, this website has about 25 reading comprehension exercises per  level where you read a short text and then answer some comprehension  questions. I would suggest giving yourself a time limit when doing these  exercises to also increase reading speed. After you’ve answered the  questions, take some time to look up any new words.

Write and Improve - developed by the University of Cambridge, this website for students who are looking to improve their  writing, especially in terms of grammar and spelling. There are a  variety of prompts according to level that you respond to and are given  immediate feedback. A good tool for improving your  writing.

TVO Education -  an effective way to help your child explore learning that aligns with the Ontario curriculum, from Kindergarten to Grade 12. 

How Stuff Works  -  The site uses illustrations, charts, and graphs to explain the detailed  workings of everything from light bulbs to weather phenomena, space  craft to submarines, nuclear fission to how ice cubes melt.  

Science Toys -  Students can make things ranging from a steamboat to a solar-powered  marshmallow roaster. The projects are best for grade 6 to 12.

Science News -   educates students on science-related topics in the news. News items—such  as the decline of the population of honeybees and how forensic science  is used to solve crimes—are explained with students in mind 

Jet Propulsion Laboratory -  STEM learning built off of NASA data and real space missions.

National Geographic Kids

TVO Education -  an effective way to help your child explore learning that aligns with the Ontario curriculum, from Kindergarten to Grade 12.