Tune In YRDSB

In this insightful episode of the podcast, host Jenni Kilgour, Transition Navigator with YRDSB, sits down with two university students and YRDSB alumni, Daniel and Thalia, to discuss the realities of transitioning from high school to post-secondary education with a disability. Both guests share their personal journeys, offering an invaluable road-map for students navigating academic accommodations, specialized campus resources, transit systems, and independent life skills.*A transcript for this episode can be accessed directly here,https://docs.google.com/document/d/1U01TPkBA3RvQRUVP1QZSGN6rhQZOPHHLVl2aU34r4q8/edit?usp=drive_link

In this second episode of our two-part series for Museum Month, Tune In YRDSB goes live on location to Mulock Secondary School. We follow the York Region District School Board Museum and Archives team as they bring history to life on the road, operating as a true "museum without walls" for a Grade 10 Canadian history class.The episode centres on the interactive program "York Region and the World Wars," where students dive into hands-on learning through six unique inquiry stations. Listeners will hear students analyze wartime bias and propaganda in local newspapers from 1941, examine the structural details of a Royal Canadian Air Force bomber jacket, and discover the historical significance of the No. 2 Construction Battalion, Canada’s largest segregated Black battalion.You’ll also hear profound reflections from the high school students on why primary sources matter. They discuss how firsthand evidence prevents history from being altered, how reading local letters connects them to the real people who walked their neighbourhood streets, and how historical thinking concepts apply to the modern media they consume today.Finally, the museum team highlights their responsive curriculum work and community partnerships, including the award-winning Standing in the Doorway exhibit on Chinese-Canadian history and their upcoming development of local Indigenous history programs.

In this episode of Tune In YRDSB, we are celebrating Museum Month by stepping back in time to the YRDSB Museum and Archives, a historic one-room schoolhouse.Joined by Museum Curator Rebekah Mitchell and Education Programmer Christina Blake, as well as Grade 3 students and staff from Kettle Lakes Public School, we explore the history of public education in our region. We discuss how the museum uses inquiry-based learning to help students make connections between the past and present through continuity and change.You’ll also hear first-hand accounts from students as they experience life in a 19th-century classroom. From practicing cursive on slates and examining pendulum clocks to discussing the challenges of life without running water, the students share what they’ve discovered about how people lived, learned, and played in the past.Tune in to experience a day at the Heritage Schoolhouse and learn how museums help preserve our community fabric and memories.

In this episode of Tune In YRDSB, we’re talking about the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and mental health — exploring how students are interacting with AI tools and what it means for their well-being.Joined by Paula Vicente, YRDSB’s Assistant Coordinator of Mental Health, and student leaders from the Youth SPACE Student Advisory team, explore the pros and cons of turning to AI for mental health support. They discuss the realities of "AI hallucinations," the risks of bias and misinformation, and the importance of remembering that AI is a tool, not a replacement for human connection.You’ll also hear practical strategies for navigating AI safely using the YRDSB's E.V.E.R.Y. method (Evaluate, Verify, Edit, Revise, You), alongside reliable, human-centered resources where students can find genuine support, such as Kids Help Phone and School Mental Health Ontario.Tune in to learn how to critically evaluate AI and where to build a trusted circle of support when you need it most.Resources:310-COPE (1-855-310-2673)Kids Help Phone (1-800-668-6868)Black Youth Helpline (1-833-294-8650)Hope for Wellness (1-855-242-3310)Naseeha (1-866-627-3342)LGBT Youthline (1-800-268-9688)The Trevor Project (1-866-488-7386)No Problem Too Big or Too SmallMy Circle of Support