As we prepare for the 2020-2021 school year, one thing is certain, this school year will not likely resemble anything that we have seen before. Our focus will remain on the safe transportation of students to and from school, notwithstanding the environment that surrounds us. […]

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Wednesday August 26, 2020

As we approach the new school year, we are working hard with the Ministry of Education and the Local Health Units to adequately prepare for the safe reopening of our schools. Building a safe, effective learning experience with new parameters for our students who come with diverse learning needs and identities is a key priority. Given the complex nature of the planning required and the focus on keeping students safe, we are planning a staggered start for our schools this year.

As health guidelines and information continue to be shared with schools, we are staggering the first day of school for students to give our staff time to familiarize themselves with new policies and ensure proper implementation to avoid making mistakes once students return. This means that different grades will return to school on different days (see chart below). A staggered response is essential for students to have the space and flexibility to practice their new routines and familiarize themselves with how to safely move around the school without every other student doing so simultaneously.
We understand that there are urgent requests for normalcy and a simple return to the old status quo. However, to ensure our community is as prepared and confident as possible, we ask for patience and support during this year’s reopening. We are all eager to see our students back in the classroom and reconnect with their friends and peers, but we must take extra steps to prioritize everyone’s health and well-being.

Staggered Entry Start Schedule

We appreciate that you have many questions and are looking for as much information as possible to help you plan for the upcoming school year. We have been working all summer on plans for the safe return of your child(ren) to school and are committed to making continual revisions as the Covid-19 situation evolves.

COVID-19 return to school safely 

August 11, 2020

Dear Parents/Guardians:

As we awaited the Ministry of Education announcement outlining the provincial plans to return students to school, the Near North District School Board maintained vigilance in creating plans that would align with Ministry and more importantly with our vision of student achievement and success for your children. We thank you for your patience as all schoolboards across the province align their plans to the shifting landscape of Covid-19. We thank you also for your responses to enrollment surveys that helped us to keep your needs in mind as we navigated the ministry directives.

The July 30 Ministry of Education (MOE) announcement has designated the NNDSB as a board that will engage in the full reopening of all publicly funded secondary and elementary schools five days a week all day. The NNDSB has developed plans that meet the requirements as set out by the ministry reopening plan that must now be revised with the most recent announcement to ensure that we are doing our utmost to provide the best of learning while providing a safe and healthy school environment for students, teachers and staff, and safeguarding our community.

Please know that we will leave no stone unturned as we ensure that these plans meet the recently announced expectations of the ministry and more importantly the safe return of students and staff to our schools. You will be informed the moment the plan is solidified.

In the mean-time you will be receiving an information sheet via school messenger, providing answers to the key questions that you may have. This information will also be posted on the NNDSB website at www.nearnorthschools.ca.

Please understand that in order to keep your children safe and secure and to ensure their success and well-being we must stay current with emerging information. Rest assured we have a thorough and extensive plan prepared that is constantly updated based on the latest Ministry, Provincial Government and local and Provincial Health Authority updates.

We are ready to support your children’s success. We look forward to seeing you and your children in September.

August 5, 2020

Dear Parents/Guardians,

On July 30, 2020 the Ministry of Education (MOE) unveiled their plans to return students to school safely in September. The NNDSB is identified as a non-designated school board. Therefore, with guidance from public health officials the MOE outlined the following guidelines:

• The full reopening of all publicly funded secondary and elementary schools five days a week;
• Ensuring families have a choice for in-class or online learning, and the latitude to change that decision throughout the year, and;

• Providing a safe and healthy school environment for students, teachers and staff, and safeguarding the broader communities in which they live.

The NNDSB continues to work diligently to develop our plans for the safest and most effective return for students and staff.  This includes consultation with our local health unit, the Ministry of Education, our community stakeholders and parents/guardians.  The intent of our reopening plan is to remain vigilant to ensure safety while endeavouring to support all students and families with learning opportunities that best suit each circumstance.

A survey was sent through email last week to request information of families regarding their child/children’s return to school preferences.  The purpose of the survey is to gather initial data regarding students’ return to school and transportation requirements.  At this time, the information will be used for board level planning purposes.  The NNDSB is committed to supporting the learning needs of all students’ and families with a safe re-opening.  If you did not receive an email please follow the link below to access the survey.

https://forms.office.com/FormsPro/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=sKPKifIHuUa3UOlzFotsTrKBO_IFcRhCnCgBO0otPJ9UMFlVS003N1U2TkVRUkdZSThXOVFGMVhJRC4u

The NNDSB will continue to update our website with the most up-to-date information.  Please continue to monitor our website at www.nearnorthschools.ca.  For more specific information regarding your child/children’s return to school please contact your school principal.

Dear Parents –

I hope you and your families are continuing to stay healthy and strong as the province continues to fight against the COVID-19 virus.

It has been just over four months since I first wrote to you after the government’s decision to close schools and protect the lives of students, families, and the communities where they live and work.  A lot has changed in these past four months.  However, the one constant is the united effort of parents, students, and families to keep our communities and province safe.

…

Please click here for full message to parents from the Honourable Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education

I am pleased to share this update as part of our commitment to ongoing communication with stakeholders, including our parent community.

For those that were able to attend, we wish to once again thank you for taking the time to meet with the Joint School Council at their meeting recently held at West Ferris Secondary School. A reminder that the next Joint School Council meeting is scheduled at Chippewa Monday, March 2, 2020 at 6:30 pm (in the school library).  This meeting is open to all community members should you wish to attend.

The course selection process at each of the three high schools involved in the 3-2 Consolidation is almost completed.  In addition, school leaders have met with students at our intermediate feeder schools of Fricker, Phelps, and M.T. Davidson to ensure that they are aware of the educational opportunities available in our system. While the process began in early December and is almost complete, it is important to note that it is a fluid process that will continue until the beginning of the new school year in September 2020.

Further to the above programming progress, the NNDSB Board of Trustees have allocated funds to begin renovations to classrooms and facilities necessary to accommodate the programming and enrollment changes for September 2020.

Moving forward staff will be focusing on the following:

• Preparing transition activities for students as they move from their current schools into either Chippewa or West Ferris.
• Ensuring that students with special education needs remain a priority.
• Timetabling schools based on student course selection.
• Staffing based on student needs and school program selection.

The success of our students through the delivery of equitable and inclusive high-quality education remains a priority. The innovative programs being offered at Chippewa and West Ferris are a key component of this mandate and we welcome any questions or concerns that you may have in terms of meeting the needs of our students.   Please continue to contact your school with anything that may assist you as we work through this process.   It is imperative that this initiative maintains a student-based focus. Ongoing feedback and communication is a key component of this.

We will provide further information as we move through this transition period.  Thank you for your continued support.

Craig Myles
Director of Education