On Monday, December 21, 2020, the Premier of Ontario announced that at 12:01 a.m. on December 26, 2020, our province will enter a period of additional public health restrictions and protocols to help curb the spread of COVID-19. Read the News Release here.
One of these protocols is related to schools, and requires all publicly funded and private elementary and secondary schools to move to teacher-led remote learning on January 4, 2021.
Expectations for Secondary Schools
- Secondary schools will be closed for in-person learning between January 4-22 2021.
- Beginning Monday, January 4th and until Friday, January 22nd students will follow their regular schedule, but all cohorts (A, B, and C) will learn remotely from home.
- In-school instruction for secondary school students will resume on Monday, January 25, 2021.
Remote Learning
Remote learning will be provided for all students in accordance with PPM 164: Requirements for Remote Learning, which provides specific expectations around synchronous learning. Learn more: https://learnathome.hcdsb.org/return-to-school-2/remote-learning/.
The following links and documents provide some guidelines for parents and students to help ensure safe and effective live online learning:
- Learning at Home – Live Online Learning Tips for Parents
- Learning at Home – Live Online Learning Tips Students
- Use of Technology and Digital Citizenship – Policy No. I-43 and Procedure No. VI-62
Access to Your Child’s Learning Platform:
- D2L
- Google Classroom
- Office 365
- Having Tech Issues? Contact our HCDSB Help Desk for Remote Learners
Technology Support for Students
Families requiring a device and/or internet connectivity to support student learning during the period of remote learning will be invited to make a request through an online survey that will be emailed to parents on Tuesday, December 22, 2020.
Special Education
Additional information will be shared around plans in place to support remote learning for our most vulnerable students with special education needs.
Supplemental Learning Resources
The Ministry of Education recently announced the launch of two new portals, TVO Learn and TFO IDÉLLO, apprendre à la maison, which provide supports for students learning remotely by accessing additional educational resources developed by Ontario certified teachers.
In addition, secondary students can continue to access TVO’s Independent Learning Centre (ILC) Open House and Portes ouvertes pour les cours TVO ILC in French-language, which provide access to 144 Grade 9 to 12 courses. These ILC resources are designed to provide flexible learning opportunities to help students keep up with their learning or deepen their understanding of a specific subject.
Mental Health Supports
The holidays can be a very stressful time for many families, and living through a pandemic has created additional challenges for many in our community. School Mental Health Ontario has posted a number of excellent resources to help students, families and staff navigate through this difficult period: www.smho-smso.ca.
Catholic Faith Resources
As a Catholic faith community, we understand the importance of finding time for prayer and reflection – most especially during times of stress and uncertainty. We have posted a number of faith resources on our Return to School website at: https://learnathome.hcdsb.org/faith-well-being/. We are also posting daily reflections on our Focus on Faith page on the Board website, under System Chaplain Notes (Grace Notes in Miniature).
Updates and Additional Information
We will continue to share information and updates with parents directly via email, as well as post updates on our Return to School Plan website and through our social media channels:
- Twitter: @HCDSB
- Instagram: @HaltonCatholicDSB
- Facebook: Halton Catholic District School Board
Thank you for your ongoing patience and support as we work with the Ministry of Education and our Public Health officials to keep our community healthy and safe for all.