Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021
A letter to families as we begin the new school year.
The challenges of COVID-19 have tested our resolve, caused us to pause and consider our safety in a world that we previously felt sure of. It tested our well-being and caused us to reflect and consider what is important. At NNDSB, the safety and well-being of our students and staff is of the utmost importance to us.
As we move into the 2021-2022 school year, we continue our commitment to putting your children’s well-being first. Our caring educators are waiting to welcome your children into engaging learning environments where they can learn and thrive.
Steve Goodier said, “Those who overcome great challenges will be changed, and often in unexpected ways. For our struggles enter our lives as unwelcome guests, but they bring valuable gifts. And once the pain subsides, the gifts remain. These gifts are life’s true treasures, bought at great price, but they cannot be acquired in any other way.”
The last 18 months have also given us the gifts of resilience and flexibility. We have discovered new ways of learning in a virtual world and ventured outside to learn from the earth. Our teachers have engaged in professional development to learn new technologies and experiential modes of learning to support your children in meaningful ways. Our students and staff have shown great spirit and commitment to learning.
For those students who have struggled with regular attendance, we want you to know that we are here to help you with a fresh start. We are all in this together.
NNDSB teams are providing professional development for educators so that they are equipped to support students as they re-enter the school environment or to continue to learn virtually.
We would like to acknowledge the strength and perseverance of NNDSB staff and students and the onerous responsibilities of NNDSB parents who have coped with double duties and faced this extraordinary year with us as we worked together to wrap your children in a network of support. The 2021-2022 NNDSB Reopening Guidance Plan can be found on the board website along with COVID updates and a new “quick find” Reopening Plan Q and A section.
The challenges of a COVID-19 environment remain, so we continue to be flexible and committed to doing our best for the NNDSB community. We continue to encourage you to access the board website for the most up-to-date information.
Hope is a powerful thing. It inspires us to do what we thought was impossible and reach the goals we felt were out of reach. It helps us carry on during difficult times. Our hope for, and commitment to, a successful year for all students and staff endures.
We wish everyone a smooth transition to the new school year.
Jay Aspin Craig Myles
Chair of the Board Director of Education
