Attending Eastdale Collegiate in the city’s east end has been life-changing for Andrea Seeborn’s 16-year-old son, Charlie. The small secondary school has been a pillar for the community, offering its 114 students both a regular program and a mild intellectual disability program that parents have come to rely on.

There are now real fears about the future of the school after a letter was sent to parents notifying them that Grade 9 enrollment will be cancelled for the upcoming school year due to low intake numbers.

“My son, who is chronologically 16, is more like an eight-year-old in his intellectual abilities. Him being at Eastdale has been a world of difference. He has changed so much and grown,” explained Seeborn, who adds she was “gutted” by the news of pausing enrollment.  

“I never thought he could take credited courses, but he’s already taken up to Grade 10 in math, which is fantastic. This wouldn’t have happened in a mainstream school, there just wouldn’t have been that intense support.” 

“I just fear for the future of all these children that just won’t have that.” 

In the letter, Toronto District School Board (TDSB) acting superintendent of Education, Anastasia Poulis, writes, “There are currently only four students registered for Grade 9 next year. There are also not enough incoming Grade 9 students in the Mild Intellectual Disability program.”

But parents argue it’s too early in the year to make this decision.

“It’s right at this moment in the school year that we would get all those interests coming in, so they’ve kind of prematurely said,’Oh, we haven’t had any,’ but now is the time of year when intake happens,” said Seeborn.  

The superintendent goes on to say that discussions about next steps for Eastdale “will be continuing,” adding that the current provincial moratorium on school closures means the school will remain open next year, but will focus on “Grade 10 to 12 students.”

Eastdale is the second specialized high school in Toronto that will no longer accept new students. Heydon Park parents have been notified that Grade 9 and 10 intake will be cancelled for the upcoming school year due to low enrollment.

“I don’t want to fear monger, but I don’t think any of those students could survive in a mainstream high school of 2,000 kids,” said Seeborn, who adds she’s noticed changes at the TDSB since the provincial takeover.

“I just wonder what they have planned for it. I mean, you could become very suspicious and say we sit on property that perhaps TDSB wants to use for different purposes or sell off.” 

CityNews has learned parents whose kids attend the affected school are mobilizing and planning next steps, which will include meeting with education leaders as well as potential protests in the coming months.