TVDSB Message to Parents as Students are Being Told to Prepare for an Extended Holiday

Thursday, 17 December 2020 14:41

The TVDSB has sent a message to parents, after students were told to bring home everything on Friday and be prepared for the possibility of an extended holiday.

OXFORD COUNTY - The Thames Valley District School Board is prepared to move to online learning next year, if schools do close after the holidays.

You can read the letter they have sent home to parents after getting direction from the Minister of Education today:

As we prepare for the winter break, the Minister of Education has recommended that school boards encourage students and staff to take home any materials that they may require for remote learning before they leave school for the holiday period. This includes personal items, learning materials and assigned technology.

At this time, there has been no direction to close schools or move to remote learning after the winter break. A decision to close schools or move from in-person to remote learning would be made by the Ministry of Education or local Public Health teams. We will inform families through a SchoolMessenger notification should a change in our learning models be required.

If in-person changes to remote learning in the new year, our team will be prepared to deploy technology based on identified needs.

Enhanced public health measures

The health and safety of our students and staff remain a priority. Our public health partners, Middlesex-London Health Unit and Southwestern Public Health have updated and shared new quarantine guidance that directs everyone in the household to quarantine if there is a family member with COVID-19 symptoms, until test results are received.

For those students attending In-person Learning, parents and guardians must continue to screen children before attending school or child care each day. For school-aged children who show symptoms, parents and guardians can follow the guidance and requirements outlined in the recently updated Decision Tool for Parents and Caregivers.

As part of our TVDSB community, we want you to be informed of new changes and provide you with these important resources to support your decision making and helping to keep our schools safe. Please visit Middlesex London Health Unit and Southwestern Public Health, for more information.

Mental health and well-being support

Remember to look after your mental health and well-being this holiday season. Practice self-care and reach out to someone if you require assistance. If you are well, you will be in a better position to support the others around you.

Visit our Mental Health and Well-being webpage for tips and resources that can help improve mental health and well-being, as well as crisis outreach and support details for all ages.

Best wishes from all of us at Thames Valley District School Board for a healthy and hopeful new year!