TNCDSB Re-opening Plan
TNCDSB schools will reopen with conventional in-person delivery of teaching and instruction, with enhanced health and safety protocols.
TNCDSB students in Kindergarten through Grade 8 will attend school five days per week, with 300 minutes of instruction per day, remaining cohorted for the full day, including recess and lunch. Cohorted classes will stay together (approximately 50 students could be placed in an outside cohort). Students can expect to see changes in the timing of recesses, lunches, and bathroom breaks as they are staggered to support cohorting. Specialized teachers, like French teachers and Native Language teachers, will still be able to go into classrooms to provide the full breadth of programming for students. Students will also be able to leave their classrooms to receive additional supports, but direct and indirect contacts in schools for students should be limited to approximately 50 students.
School boards will provide the full range of elementary curriculum, including the new Grades 1-8 Mathematics curriculum.
Please refer to the Ontario Ministry of Education's webpage for more information and the commonly asked School COVID-19 Questions:
https://www.ontario.ca/page/guide-reopening-ontarios-schools#section-2
http://www.tncdsb.on.ca/Documents/NWHU%20COVID-19%20QA%20for%20Schools.pdf
Message from the Director of Education
Dear Parents/Guardians,
It has certainly been a challenging and uncertain time as we grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic. I know that students and families look forward to the return to school in the fall and while that may still hold true there are many questions that you have. The following document is an overview of what to expect in your child's school this fall and how we will continue to work with you to support your child(ren) as we navigate this pandemic.
It is my hope that you find this information useful as you make a decision to send your child to school in the fall or to continue with distance learning.
The development of our TNCDSB school reopening plans have been made through consultation with the Northwestern Health Unit, the Ministry of Education, input from various stakeholders in our organization and through support from guidelines published from the Province's overall COVID-19 response table.
They were also informed through a reopening board committee that included our union partners, mental health staff, senior staff, Special Education staff as well as other key internal partners. This plan was also shared with a team from the Ministry of Education who provided insight and feedback from them.
The health and safety of every person continues to be the most important piece during this time and we will adapt our plans as needed using the most up to date evidence and advice from our Ministries.
At the beginning of our school year all staff including occasional teachers and support staff will be trained on best practices and protocols to ensure the safety of everyone in a school setting. We know that the return to school will look different but we remain committed to providing a safe and meaningful learning environment for every student.
While this plan details guidelines and protocols for the safe return to school, it is important to note that things may change again or present additional challenges. Throughout this ongoing uncertainty, we appreciate your understanding and flexibility as we adapt these models as needed, to ensure the safety of students, staff and families. Please also note that these guidelines may be modified to meet the distinctive needs of individual schools.
As always, I appreciate your patience and support during this challenging time.
God Bless,
Brendan Hyatt
Click on the links below to learn more about our return-to-school plans in the following areas:
