07/30/2020
Schools Will Return in September. Here are all the details:
Ontario just unveiled its plan to reopen schools across the province in September. Here’s what you need to know:
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS:
- Kindergarten to Grade 8 will return to school 5 days a week, province-wide, for a full day (including recess and lunch). No changes to class size.
- Students will be with one cohort for the day.
- Enhanced health & safety protocols will be put in place.
- Recess, Lunch and bathroom breaks will be staggered.
- Specialized teachers (ie: French teachers) will still be able to go into classrooms & teach.
- Non-medical masks will be mandatory for students in Grade 4-12.
Students in Kindergarten to Grade 3 will be encouraged, but not required.
SECONDARY SCHOOLS:
The following school boards will open with an adapted model with class cohorts of 15 students: Toronto, Toronto Catholic, Peel, Dufferin-Peel Catholic, York, York Catholic, Durham, Durham Catholic, Halton, Halton Catholic, Waterloo, Waterloo Catholic, Thames Valley, London District Catholic, Ottawa-Carleton, Ottawa Catholic, Hamilton-Wentworth, Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic, Niagara, Niagara Catholic, Greater Essex Country, Windsor-Essex Catholic, Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est and Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario.
- These students will attend class on alternate days/alternate schedules that will equal 50% of instructional days.
- The remaining school boards will reopen for classes 5 days/week will full attendance as normal. *Public health trends will be monitored & schools will be moved if need me.
- A secondary timetabling methods that encouraging cohorting students as much as possible to limit the number of student-to-student contacts.
SAFETY:
Several measures to be employed to ensure schools are “healthy and safe environments” for staff & students.
- Medical masks will be provided for teachers and all other school staff.
- Additional hand hygiene, cohorting and distancing.
- Visitors will be limited and guests will require pre-registration.
- If a student or staff member is experiencing any COVID-19 symptons, they will be required to stay home.
- Physical distancing will be enforced as much as possible.
- Parents can decide whether their child returns to school in person. - Students will have the option of remote learning, which will be delivered by the school board.
- School boards will be ready to implement adapted & remote learning models if required.
- If any student or staff member develops COVID-19 symptoms, they will be immediately separated from others. Staff & parents will be contacted.
- If anyone tests positive for COVID-19, they won’t be able to return to school until they’re cleared by public health. If you test negative, you can return to school once they’re symptom free for 24 hours.
Schools will be required to immediately report any suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19.
- If students take a school bus, they will have assigned seats and sit people from their household or classroom cohort.
- Windows on school buses will be open (when possible) for extra circulation.
- Buses will be cleaned regularly.