The plan for students to resume class in the fall includes options for school boards to limit classes to 15 students, with kids attending on alternate days or weeks.
ONTARIO - The Province announced their plan to send students back to school in September today.
Premier Doug Ford says they have worked with the Chief Medical Officer of Health, the command table and the experts at Sick Kids to develop guidelines for school boards to open in the fall.
"We will be working with each school board throughout the summer to create a plan that fits best for their communities. The options will include, regular in class learning with public health protocols in place, at home learning or a mix of both with in class sessions capped at 15 students and students attending on alternate days or weeks."
Premier Ford says the virus still remains threat.
"I want to make a few things clear, this virus remains a threat and the health and safety of our children will always remain top of mind but I can assure Minister Lecce and his team are working hard to get you and your family the answers you need. Answers on safety, answers on routine and answers on your child's education. Our plan ensures that whether you live in St. Thomas or Mississauga, Ottawa or Kenora, rural or urban Ontario, school boards will have the flexibility to choose what works for their schools students and teachers."
Ford says they are taking a cautious approach, because the safety of our children is paramount. The Province will keep at home learning available for every child, so if parents do not want to send their kids to school in the fall, they will not have to.
Ontario's plan to safely reopen schools will provide options for parents - to send their children in-class or to enter online learning - with health, safety and well-being at its core. Boards will be asked to plan for the following three scenarios to be implemented in September, depending on the public health situation at the time:
1. Normal school day routine with enhanced public health protocols - Students going to school every day, in classes that reflect standard class size regulations.
2. Modified school day routine - Based on public health advice, an adapted delivery model has been designed to allow for physical distancing and cohorts of students. Under this model, school boards are asked to maintain a limit of 15 students in a typical classroom at one time and adopt timetabling that would allow for students to remain in contact only with their classmates and a single teacher for as much of the school day as possible. This model would require alternate day or alternate week delivery to a segment of the class at one time.
3. At home learning - Should the school closure be extended, or some parents choose not to send their child back to school, school boards need to be prepared to offer remote education. Remote education should be delivered online to the greatest extent possible, including the establishment of minimum expectations for students to have direct contact with their teacher at the same time on a regular basis, also known as synchronous learning. Synchronous learning can be used as part of whole class instruction, in smaller groups of students, and/or in a one-on-one context.
The government is instructing school boards to be prepared with a plan, should it be required, that includes an adapted delivery model, which could include alternate day or alternate week attendance, staggered bell times and recess, and different transportation arrangements, among a variety of other considerations to ensure the safety of students and staff.
Key elements of the safety plan include:
- Guidance for developing health and safety protocols, including the use of personal protective equipment;
- Expectations of an in-class school environment;
- Professional development training for teachers on the new protocols and directions;
- Supports for students with special education needs;
- Enhanced mental health and well-being supports;
- Proposals on how educators and students can move fluidly between in-class and remote learning;
- Guidelines to help schools and boards in their communications with students and parents;
- Guidelines for student transportation systems;
- Expectations for the delivery of curriculum and assessment across subjects and grades;
- Guidance for working with First Nations students, parents and communities;
- Regional options for reopening based on the advice of local public health authorities;
- A checklist to help boards in their reopening planning.
Moreover, the government announced $4 million in net new funding for cleaning, cleaning protocols, and financial support to hire additional custodial staff in September to ensure schools are safe.
School boards have been asked to prepare their own safety plans for the upcoming school year and submit them to the ministry by August 4, 2020. The ministry will be providing all boards with an opportunity to share their draft plans and seek feedback from a formalized table of medical experts that the ministry will be convening.
You can listen to the Premiers statement below:
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