December 23, 2020

Dear NNDSB Parents/Guardians,

Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced on Monday that a province-wide shut down will begin on December 26th. This means both elementary and secondary schools will be closed to students, with the expectation of “in-class” learning resuming on January 11th.

Schools will be closed to students except for high needs special needs students. Students in special education classrooms as identified through the IPRC process and are currently placed in alternative programs in system classrooms will be able to continue to access face-to-face programming in their schools commencing on January 5th. Educators will reach out to the families of these students on January 4th to make the necessary arrangements.

Near North students will continue to be provided with remote learning opportunities from their educators starting January 4th, 2021. Your child’s teacher will be in contact on January 4 regarding the need for technology requests.

During this time, access to schools will only be permitted through the school’s principal for urgent circumstances.

Please refer to our Near North Passport to Learning website which offers a variety of resources and tools that cover a range of grades and subjects that may be helpful for students and parents during this time. Resources will continue to be updated and expanded upon on an ongoing basis.

Click here to access our Near North Passport to Learning website: https://www.nearnorthschools.ca/learning-at-home/

The Ministry of Education recently announced the launch of two new portals, TVO Learn and TFOIDÉLLO, apprendre à la maison, which provide supports for students learning remotely by accessing additional educational resources developed by Ontario certified teachers.

In addition, secondary students can continue to access TVO’s Independent Learning Centre (ILC) Open House and Portes ouvertes pour les cours TVO ILC in French-language, which provide access to 144 Grade 9 to 12 courses. These ILC resources are designed to provide flexible learning opportunities to help students keep up with their learning or deepen their understanding of a specific subject.

Student Transportation

Because both elementary and secondary students will be learning remotely the first week in January, no student transportation services will occur January 4-8, 2021. Once elementary ​and secondary schools resume in-class instruction ​scheduled on January 11, 2021, student transportation services will resume.

Child Care Centres in Schools

The ministry has directed us ​to continue to provide access to ​our childcare centres located within school sites and recreational and skill-building programs when those programs are ​permitted to operate.

Regular updates will be posted to NNDSB’s website: nearnorthschools.ca. As always, check with your school(s) principal.

NNDSB thanks you for your continued understanding as we navigate this storm together. As new information becomes available, we will share those with you.

Stay safe and enjoy the rest of your holidays.

Jay Aspin                                                                                                         Craig Myles

Chair of the Board                                                                                          Director of Education

December 22, 2020

The Ontario Government has expanded the Support for Learners program to include secondary school-aged students and have extended the deadline to apply.

For families whose child is 12 years old or younger or 21 and younger with special needs

This program is available to parents if their child is attending a publicly funded, private, First Nation operated or federally operated school (either in-person or online), is homeschooled, is enrolled in child care, or is at home.

Support for Learners funding is intended to assist parents with costs incurred during the second wave of COVID-19 for the 2020-2021 school year. Eligible parents or guardians will receive a one-time payment of:

• $200 for each child up to age 12
• $250 for each child or youth up to age 21 years with special needs

Parents or guardians, who are residents of Ontario, with eligible children will need to submit a new application for each child. To find out more information or to apply parents will visit Ontario.ca/SupportforLearners.

The application process will now close on February 8, 2021.

For families of students 13 years of age or older

Starting January 11, 2021, families of students 13 years of age and older will be able to apply for the Support for Learners program.

Parents or guardians will receive a one-time payment of $200 per eligible student to help offset education expenses. Support will be available for those who attend a public or private school or who are homeschooled.

• $200 for each child
• $250 for each child or youth up to age 21 years with special needs

Parents or guardians, who are residents of Ontario, with eligible children will need to submit a new application for each child. To find out more information or to apply parents will visit Ontario.ca/SupportforLearners.

The application process closes on February 8, 2021.

This investment is in addition to the initial $378 million investment the government provided in Ontario’s Action Plan: Responding to COVID‑19, released in March 2020, which assisted parents while Ontario schools and childcare centres were closed during the first wave of the COVID‑19 pandemic.

Dear NNDSB Family,

With the holidays upon us and 2020 drawing to a close, we are immensely proud of the work that is being done to improve the opportunities for all students in Near North District School Board. As you well know, this has been an unprecedented year. We learned social distancing, developed home/work routines, implemented Zoom and Team meetings. We are repeatedly washing our hands, and we wear masks to protect family members, peers, and strangers.

But through this collective experience, we’re all discovering a new strength. Community values are shining through in meaningful ways. We are responsible for making sure almost 10,000 students get to school, are safe and nurtured during school hours, and make it back to their families. The bright and passionate people that make up the NNDSB community are what make this possible.

On behalf of our Board, we acknowledge the strength in our team, who are constantly innovating because we know we are entrusted with the most valuable of human resources: the future.

As the Chair of the Board and the Director of Education, together we extend our very best wishes for the holiday season and a sincere appreciation to our staff and school community. Please continue to stay safe and healthy while you enjoy time with family and friends.

The following tips are from Children’s Mental Health Ontario.

We know that many parents are going to be working overtime this year to find new ways to recreate the holidays to not lose the magic of the season. We know you want to keep the sparkle in your kids’ eyes, to keep them engaged and connected. With the support of our network of child and youth mental health experts, we have rounded up some tips and ideas to help your family support your child’s mental health and manage the holidays in a pandemic.

Prioritize mental health in the holidays

Even in a typical year, the holidays can be an especially challenging time of year for many families. Expectations of the holidays can be hard on children– and, let’s face it, it’s not ‘the happiest time’ for all of us. When you prioritize your or your child’s mental wellness, you can focus on what works for your family. As a parent, consider the things that feel realistic for you to do and then offer those choices to kids/youth to pick from. So many of us struggle with saying no over the holidays – perhaps this year, you will feel confident about not over-committing your schedule and slowing things down; and that’s ok! Also, keep in mind that having time to connect with each other is important, but so, too, is having space for everyone to have their own personal time.

Plan Early

Routines and predictability are often beneficial (within reason) for children and youth with mental health challenges. It’s a good time to start having conversations with children about what the holidays may look like so that they understand things will be different this year and they know what to expect. This also allows them to be a part of the new planning process. What is important to them? Is there something new they would like to try? Planning early also gives us time to let other relatives or friends know in advance to manage their expectations, too. Also, consider connecting with the parents of your children’s friend to arrange days before or after the holidays for playdates, either virtually or in-person/outdoors, depending on local public health advice. This can include coming up with a list of outdoor winter activities.

Focus on What’s in Your Control

While we are all doing our part to manage the pandemic, so much of what is happening in the province – and the world – is out of our control right now. This is a good time to focus on the things that are in your control. When it comes to traditions of the holiday season, consider how you can incorporate the traditions, or at least parts of those traditions, that are most important to your family. What are some of the things your family can do to bring a little holiday magic into your home? It could be a simple thing like baking cookies, preparing a special family recipe, or planning for a holiday nature walk as a way to get outdoors and move. If seeing family is important to you, consider the ways you can do that, for example, setting up Zoom while your different households have a special meal. It won’t be the same, but that doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy it.

Managing Disappointment

For a lot of us, we are going to need to accept that the holidays just won’t be what they usually are. That will be disappointing for a lot of children (and parents!) It’s important to acknowledge that disappointment, especially for children. Give kids a safe space to share their feelings and be heard; let them know this is hard for you, too. Reminding your kids – and yourself – that this is a temporary measure in a very unusual time may make it all feel a little less daunting

 

Supporting children through grief.

The holidays can be especially hard for families who are grieving. Remembering your loved one, telling stories, and laughing about good times together are all ok to do, and can provide comfort to your child. You might work together to come up with ideas for memorializing your loved one over the holiday. Remember that it’s okay for your child/youth to feel upset as there have been a lot of different types of loss this year.

 

Take Care of You

The holidays can be a stressful and anxious time for parents, too. Make sure that you are eating, sleeping and enjoying the holidays as well. Maintain healthy boundaries. Take time when you need it, don’t feel guilty saying no when you need to. Do what is best for you and your family. Consider planning a day where the family could play a game or watch a movie together. But don’t forget to have some scheduled time where kids can play games and parents can take some time out as well.

 

Don’t Underestimate Your Family’s Resilience

Resilience is about bouncing back from challenges, rather than not having any challenges at all. Look back on your year. What are some of the things you and your family have done to get through this? What is working? What doesn’t work? How have you changed as a parent? Your kids are watching you model behaviour and your resilience is teaching them. Notice what works for your family –  and remember that this will look different for each family.

Dear Near North Families,   

We would like to acknowledge the dedication our staff, students, and families have demonstrated to ensure a safe and successful return to school this fall. Your commitment to learning has been visible – both virtually, at home and in the classroom.  

While our region has experienced relatively low levels of COVID-19 transmission, we acknowledge that conditions are evolving across the province and we need to be prepared for all scenarios – including the possibility of individual classes, schools or the system moving to remote learning for a period of time.   

While we anticipate a return to “in-class” learning on January 4th, we are taking actions to minimize any potential disruption to learning in the New Year.  As a reminder, we have encouraged students and staff to take home any materials that they may require for remote learning before they leave school for the holiday. Our district has gathered information to identify student access to technology for learning at home. We will continue to respond to families’ needs and support access to at-home learning tools and resources in the event of any remote learning period. 

Thank you,
Near North District School Board