Hello to Heydon Park Secondary School Community and Supporters,

Thank you very much for all your support to help save Heydon Park! Your support is deeply felt and appreciated by so many people!

Please read on for a few facts from the school community and recent events to support Heydon Park and raise awareness of this important issue.

A FEW FACTS:

TDSB claims only 9 grade 9 students were enrolled for September 2025, when there were precisely 12 grade 9 students enrolled. 

The TDSB claims that Heydon Park’s yearly enrolment has declined. The enrolment numbers at Heydon Park demonstrate an increase in enrolment for the last 3 years:

June 2017 - 155

June 2018 - 144

June 2019 - 138

June 2020 - 119

June 2021 - 101

June 2022 - 106

June 2023 - 104

June 2024 - 127

June 2025 - 134

-There would have been 136 students enrolled for September 2025 if the 12 Grade 9 students previously admitted were allowed to attend Heydon Park. Historical Heydon Park enrolment data shows that additional enrolments for all grades occur during the school year. Student enrolment numbers would have likely increased further by June 2026.

-The earlier decline in enrolment, was a reality throughout TDSB schools and was not unique to Heydon Park.

-Among the 12 new grade nine students, 4 students have an MID identification. TDSB had decided not to allow new MID admissions to Heydon Park for September 2025, and therefore, Heydon Park enrolled these 4 students in the academic pathway, based on equity and inclusion.

-Heydon Park did not receive a single IPRC admission request since September 2024 (IPRC is part of the high school admission process for students with special educational needs). It appears IPRC requests to Heydon Park were manipulated or blocked. 

-Typically, enrolments take place in schools for a September start. Unique to Heydon Park, it enrols many new students throughout the whole school year. June enrolment numbers are presented above for this reason. (i.e., a student is going to another school and it is not working out, they enrol at Heydon Park.)

-In February 2025, TDSB announced its decision to cancel transportation services to all new students starting school in September 2025. Students who currently have transportation will continue to receive it. Transportation is crucial for Heydon Park’s population due to the economic and social challenges students and their families experience. Heydon Park students come from all over the city.

-Heydon Park is small student centered school, a safe-haven to many young women, transgendered and non-binary students with special educational needs. Students from both program pathways, MID and Academic, have experienced in-school and out-of-school traumas (i.e., bullying, assault).  Heydon Park students are part of the most vulnerable student population (i.e., vulnerable to sexual assault/human trafficking and vulnerable to "falling through the education system's cracks").

-Heydon Park provides a safe, inclusive and affirming environment where students succeed academically and develop confidence, independence and strong sense of acceptance and belonging.

-Heydon Park works with Victims Services, CYTS and Toronto Police Services and also offers the Best Buddies Program and the Caring Adult Program to provide support and education on healthy relationships and safety life skills.

-Heydon Park students are aged 14 to 21, and they take courses in all grades. (i.e., grade 12 students take courses from grade nine to twelve). The elimination of grade nine courses reduces important course options for many students.

-At HP, true inclusion is understood and practiced: all students, regardless of program, have access to every class, club, and opportunity. All staff and administration work together tirelessly as a team to create a nurturing environment and build strong partnerships with community organizations/local businesses, despite insufficient/limited resources.

RECENT EVENTS to campaign to SAVE HEYDON PARK:

-A petition on change.org was created on June 11th and has since collected over 3200 signatures, and some have included supportive comments and videos. Please continue to pass on the link: Save Heydon Park School for students with special educational needs

-The Student-Led Walk-Out on Monday, June 16th, at 10:30 am had a great turnout! Students were brave, expressed their strong feelings about their school, Heydon Park and the TDSB’s decision to restrict any new grade 9 enrolment for Fall 2025. The students seemed to feel empowered to make themselves heard as a unified group and as individuals during their media interviews.
So many parents and caregivers participated as well, supporting in solidarity, bearing witness to the student’s protest and making their voices heard too!
MPP Jessica Bell, TDSB Trustee Williams and Jennifer Chan attended and heard the students’ message of how much they love and need their school.
So many news outlets were present to hear those voices, calling out the TDSB and informing the city’s and province’s larger communities about what is happening at Heydon Park. 
In solidarity, in person and behind the scenes, we all came together to try and save Heydon Park. 

-In March 2025, Heydon Park School Council Member presented concerns and questions to the TDSB’s Finance, Budget and Enrolment Committee about the board’s MID student enrolment projections and not having made any admission offers to MID students to enrol at Heydon Park.

-Several interviews have been done and aired with students, parents, School Council Members, as well as disability-related organizations in the last few weeks with several media outlets: Toronto Today, CBC, Radio Canada, CTV, Toronto Star, etc.

Let’s keep raising awareness about Heydon Park and its safe, inclusive, effective experiential, hands-on learning model for students with special educational needs.

Thank you again for your support and your attention to this important issue. THANK YOU!

In solidarity,

Heydon Park Parents/Caregivers Campaign Members