The Thames Valley District School today (Monday) released the following information to assist students, parents and guardians to prepare for a return to learning in September.
All secondary and elementary schools will re-open for in-person learning in September with these updates:
- Elementary and Secondary schools will provide daily In-Person Learning for the full duration of the school day (five instructional hours).
- Secondary students will follow a 20-week Modified Semester Model and will take a total of four courses over each semester – alternating two courses one week, then two other courses for the next week.
- The use of shared spaces such as libraries, computer labs, cafeterias and cubbies/lockers will be permitted.
- School assemblies, clubs, activities, sports teams, and extra-curriculars may resume where possible, and with some restrictions.
- Music programs will be permitted (including singing and wind instruments) with distancing and cohorting.
- Nutrition programs and non-instructional food events, such as pizza days, will be permitted and will commence in schools later this Fall.
To ensure Thames Valley schools continue to be safe places to learn and work, many of the same health and safety protocols as last school year will remain in place:
- Hand hygiene and mask wearing continue to be among the most important protective strategies against the transmission of COVID-19.
- We will continue to follow many of the cleaning and disinfection protocols that were established last year, including supplying all classrooms with disinfection products and cleaning high touch points thoroughly on a regular basis.
- Students must not go to school if they have symptoms, feel sick or are unwell. Daily screening of all students will be required prior to attending school – or using school transportation.
Masking
All students (Kindergarten to Grade 12+) in Thames Valley will be required to wear masks indoors in school, including in hallways and during classes, as well as on school vehicles. This aligns with the provincial direction and the TVDSB motion of the Board of Trustees in August 2020. Masks may be temporarily removed indoors to eat and drink, and while outdoors for recess.
Ventilation
Thames Valley classrooms and learning spaces are served by a variety of air handling systems. All systems are working well and checked regularly. In some cases, portable HEPA units have been deployed to support the ventilation system. Portable HEPA units will be used in all Kindergarten classrooms across Thames Valley.
More information about ventilation will be provided in the coming days and will be posted to the following link: www.tvdsb.ca/ventilation
Vaccination
At this time, the Ontario government does not require students, staff or visitors to be vaccinated to enter school property. However, Public Health officials have indicated that vaccination is an important tool to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. We will continue to work collaboratively with local public health units to support vaccination opportunities for students and families in our school district.
Virtual Learning
While Thames Valley continues to focus on In-Person Learning as the preferred model for students, Virtual Learning continues to be an option for this school year.
Elementary students engaged in Virtual Learning for 2021-2022 will be provided with 300 minutes of instruction and learning. Please note the following:
- Physical Education and Dance will not be offered.
- Students will use Brightspace as a digital learning platform with Google Meet as the synchronous (live) meeting format.
- Kindergarten students will receive a minimum of 180 minutes of synchronous (live) instruction each day, while Grade 1-8 students will receive 225 minutes of synchronous (live) instruction each day. Attendance will be monitored throughout the day.
Secondary students engaged in Virtual Learning will be provided with 300 minutes of instruction and learning. Please note the following:
- Students will follow a 20-week Modified Semester Model and will take a total of four courses over each semester – alternating two courses one week, then two other courses for the next week.
- Students will use Brightspace as a digital learning platform with Google Meet as the synchronous (live) meeting format.
- Students will have a minimum of 225 live, online (synchronous) minutes of instruction with regular attendance practices in place.
- Specialized programs such as: International Baccalaureate (IB), Aviation, Specialized High Skills Major and Environmental Leadership will not be offered.
- Courses such as Dance, Music, Technology, Cooperative Education will not be offered.
Mental Health and Well-Being Supports
As we prepare for the start of the new school year, we look forward to welcoming our learners back into warm learning environments where relationships are prioritized. We will continue to prioritize mental health and well-being as a key condition for learning and flourishing.
To support families for the transition back to school, we have created the August edition of the Together in the Valley Infographic. This document and many other resources can be found on our TVDSB Mental Health & Well-Being website.
Stay up to date
More detailed information on Return to Learn 2021-22 will be posted to TVDSB’s website in the coming days. More information about the province’s return to school plan is available at the following link: COVID-19: Health, Safety and Operational Guidance for Schools (2001-2022).
