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Changes On School Buses This Year

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The start of school for most students is two days away and that means the buses are rolling once again.

The Northwestern Health Unit wants to ensure everyone stays safe during this unprecedented time.

Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kit Young Hoon says efforts must be made to ensure physical distancing is followed and students aren’t sitting close together.

Kids will have an assigned seat on the bus and the driver will let them know where to sit when boarding.

There is also a requirement of kids from the same family or class sit together.

Young Hoon says cleaning protocols are in place and hand sanitizer must be made available.

Young Hoon says other health measures are in place.

“Ensuring Personal Protective Equipment for the driver of the bus wearing a facemask and face shield. In addition there is a requirement that school buses need to report where children are sitting on the school bus in case we need that information to keep in contact for follow-up.”

The Health Unit stresses they are in communication with parents encouraging them to use other transportation options.

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Ontario Releases Back-To-School Plan

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The province is outlining how schools need to deal with cases of COVID-19.

It has released a 20 page document outlining the roles of schools, school boards and health units and the steps the government expects will be taken in the event of an outbreak.

Minister of Education Stephen Lecce says the end goal is to maximize safety and minimize risk.

The new guidance includes the following:

-A protocol has been developed to deal with students who become ill while they are at school, including isolation, and providing personal protective equipment to the ill student and staff attending to them;
-A clear communications process will be followed, so parents will know if a student or staff member in a school tests positive for COVID-19;
-School boards will be required to work closely with public health units to communicate updates in real time and determine whether a class or school must be closed;
-Led by Ontario Public Health, the government intends to surveillance test asymptomatic secondary students in schools.

Lecce notes “If someone in the school, whether it be a student or staff tests positive for COVID-19, the school community is properly notified. Immediate and rigorous contact tracking kicks-in.

He adds if necessary, class cohorts will be tested, sent home or closed until the outbreak is declared over.

The plan calls on school boards to create a page on their website’s to include information if there’s a confirmed case of coronavirus at any one of their schools.

Lecce insists schools will be safe.

“We can not and will not allow students to return to school without the necessary support and resources to enable them to be confident and feel safe right from the start.”

Lecce adds he respects any parents decision not to send their child to school and let them learn remotely.

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Northwestern Health Unit Supporting Return To School Plans

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The Northwestern Health Unit is working with education partners on return to school plans to keep students and staff healthy.

The NWHU is assisting school boards to implement infection prevention measures and will continue to work with them in order to identify and manage any COVID-19 cases that may arise throughout the school year.

Measures in place to protect students and educators in schools will include:

  • • screening to ensure children and staff who show signs of illness do not enter the school
  • • prompt isolation of ill children and staff
  • • physical distancing to the extent possible
  • • enhanced cleaning
  • • cohorting (keeping groups together) as much as possible
  • • use of face coverings for most students (grades 4 and up) and staff.

The health unit says keeping community transmission low is key to keeping schools open and safe for everyone.

Community members can support this by practicing prevention measures including physical distancing, frequent hand-washing, limiting social contacts, and wearing a mask in enclosed public spaces.

If there are indicators of increased COVID-19 cases circulating in the local community or in Ontario, there will be provincial and local discussions to change course as needed.

The health unit will also continue to provide essential school health programs in schools for the 2020/21 school year, modifying if necessary to ensure students have access either in the school or in their community.

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New Start Date For Some High School Students

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The COVID-19 break is being extended for high school students in Dryden, Red Lake, Sioux Lookout and Kenora.

Grade 9 students will begin their first day of secondary school on September 9, with Grade 12 students starting on the 10 and Grade 10 and 11 on September 11.

The staggered start was supposed to start on September 3.

The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board says the changes were made due to the complexity of timetabling and the need to ensure minimized contacts for students.

High school students in all grades in Pickle Lake and Ignace will still start school on September 3.

Here is breakdown:

Secondary
Dryden High School, Sioux North High School, Red Lake District High School and Beaver Brae Secondary School
Grade 9: First day of school is now Wednesday, September 9
Grade 10 and 11: First day of school is now Friday, September 11
Grade 12: First day of school is now Thursday, September 10

Ignace School and Crolancia Public School
Grades 9 to 12: First day of school is Thursday, September 3

Elementary
Open Roads Public School, New Prospect Public School and Sioux Mountain Public School
Grades 1, 4, 6: First day of school is Thursday, September 3
Grades 2, 5, 8: First day of school is Friday, September 4
Grades 3 and 7: First day of school is Tuesday, September 8

Valleyview Public School, King George VI Public School, Evergreen Public School and Keewatin Public School
Grades 1 and 6: First day of school is Thursday, September 3
Grades 2 and 5: First day of school is Friday, September 4
Grades 3 and 4: First day of school is Tuesday, September 8

Beaver Brae
Grade 7: First day of school is Thursday, September 3
Grade 8: First day of school is Friday, September 4

Following schools will not have a staggered start and will open on Thursday, September 3 for all students:
Crolancia Public School, Ear Falls Public School, Golden Learning Centre, Ignace Public School, Lillian Berg Public School, Red Lake-Madsen Public School, Savant Lake Public School, Sioux Narrows Public School and Upsala Public School

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Ontario School Plan Receives $381 Million From Feds

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Ontario’s back-to-school plan is being further enhanced by $381-million in federal funding.

Premier Doug Ford says that’s on top of the nearly $900-million provided by the province to allow schools to reopen.

“Our medical experts and education officials have developed the safest, most cautious school reopening plan in the entire country and this funding will only enhance our plan.”

Ford says the money will target high need areas including ventilation systems and enhancing safety on school buses.

The government will use $12.5-million to hire 125 additional nursing positions in public health units across the province to help schools manage potential COVID-19 cases.

Ford says a total of 625 public health nurses will be available for Ontario schools.

Seventy million dollars is being spent on the temporary hiring of educators as well as $30-million to purchase additional Personal Protection Equipment for schools.

The PC government is also setting aside $50-million for any future pandemic learning needs, to ensure Ontario is prepared for every scenario this Fall.

Here is the funding background:

Reopening Plan Implementation – $200 million

$100 million to complement the health and safety components of school reopening plans, in consultation with local public health units, including the hiring of custodians, HVAC, improvements, internet connectivity for students and other local needs.
$30 million to support additional PPE for schools.
$70 million for the temporary hiring of educators as required.
Student Transportation – $70 million

$44.5 million in support of the Driver Retention Program (DRP).
$25.5 million for route protection and to help reduce the number of students on buses.
Special Education and Mental Health Supports Enhancement – $12.5 million

Will allow boards to hire and train additional staff and provide more mental health supports for students.
Additional Public Health Nurses – $12.5 million

Supports up to 125 additional nursing positions in public health units across the province to help schools manage potential COVID-19 cases.
Remote Learning – $36 million

Ensures that every school board offering virtual learning has a dedicated principal and administrative support for both its secondary and elementary virtual schools.

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More Support Needed For First Nations Schools

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Kiiwetinoong MPP Sol Mamakwa is calling on Premier Doug Ford for more funding and resources to keep First Nations children safe at schools.

Mamakwa says the Premier knows that First Nations communities need extra money and support for their back-to-school plans but he has yet to take action.

The NDP critic for Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation stresses the funding available today is completely inadequate and is compromising the start of the school year and the safety of students and staff.

Mamakwa notes there is no more time to waste on what he calls a “jurisdictional game of ping-pong being played with First Nations education.

The federal government announced $112-million in funding Wednesday but it’s not clear how that money will be doled out.

Mamakwa says the money is just a fraction of what’s needed to get kids back in school safely, and prevent outbreaks of COVID-19 in First Nations schools.

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NDP Leader Believes Schools Aren’t Ready

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The NDP says the Ford government has to do more to ensure a safe return to school.

Leader Andrea Horwath says parents are left with more questions than answers with a couple of weeks to go before classes resume.

“Its been a lot of confusion. A lot of miscommunication. A lot of effort that’s been put in by boards who didn’t have enough information, who didn’t have enough resources.”

Horwath says “The message is Mr. Ford. Don’t pinch pennies on the backs of our kids. Don’t open kids up to the likelihood of the virus because you didn’t do your homework.”

She adds “What parents don’t want to see frankly is the spread of COVID-19 through the schools and then coming back to the family and perhaps coming back to grandparents and other loved ones. I think it’s pretty clear that safety has to be the primary piece here.”

Horwath is suggesting learning take place in community halls or Rec Centres so small class sizes can be followed.

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Province Agrees To Staggered School Start

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The provincial government has agreed to a two week staggered opening if school boards decide they aren’t ready to reopen schools the first week of September.

Premier Doug Ford insists he is listening to parents, teachers and unions on COVID-19 return plans.

“We’re making sure that we create the most safe environment for our teachers and students.”

Ford adds “We’re being flexible and we’re listening. They wanted a later start, they wanted us to roll it out over two weeks, we’re doing that. They wanted more sanitization, we’re doing it. They wanted more money for teachers by getting into reserves, we’re doing that.”

Ford notes about 60% of school boards have had their re-opening plans approved, and he expects the rest to be okayed fairly soon.

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Bus Plans Revealed For Back To School

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The Northwestern Ontario Student Services Consortium is getting ready to provide bus transportation for the new school year.

The organization is working with member boards, the Ministry of Education, the Northwestern Health Unit and other partners to mitigate COVID-19 health risks as well as abide by provincial rules.

Buses will operate at regular capacity five days a week and assigned seating will be used on all school buses.

Officials say priority will be given to seating students with others from the same household, students from the same classroom, and students in the same grade and school.

Students in grades 4 to grade 12 are required to wear a mask, and masks are recommended for students in Kindergarten to grade 3.

Physical distancing is required for students who are waiting for a bus and proper hygiene and hand washing must be followed.

If your child rode the bus at the end of in-school instruction last year, they will be automatically registered for bussing this year.

If your child is a bus student but isn’t planning to use the service, you are asked to contact the Consortium at bussing@nwobus.ca to opt-out of transportation.

You can register your child at a later date if you do have a change of heart.

For more information visit https://www.nwobus.ca/return-to-school-transportation-covid-19/#1597339565165-54a52082-db4f

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KPDSB Announces Back To School Plans

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The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board has announced their back to school plans.

Details were outlined in a virtual parents information session Wednesday night.

Parents must complete an online survey to let the board know if their child will be returning to in person classes or participating in remote virtual learning.

Director of Education Sherri-Lynne Pharand says parents that do not complete the survey will be contacted, so the board can best prepare all of their schools.

The survey is available on the school boards website and social media.

Superintendent of Education, Shannon Bailey said in the session that students in grades 4-12 will be required to wear cloth face masks on school property, including hallways and classrooms.

Student’s Grade 3 and under are not required to wear masks, but they can if they choose to do so.

Schools will be supplying face masks and sanitizer, but students can also bring their own.

It was also announced that there will be four semesters in the 2020-2021 school year for secondary students.

Students will take two courses per semester, for a total of eight courses completed.

For in person learning, days will consist of one class in the morning, a lunch break, followed by their second course in the afternoon.

Superintendent of Education, Jane Lower explains:

“A quad-mester system reduces the number of student transitions and therefore the number of direct and in direct contacts.”

Remote online learning will consist of independent work as well as instructional learning from their teacher.

Teachers and staff will be supplied the proper personal protective equipment, as all teachers will be required to wear face masks.

Other PPE will be required, only when physical distancing is not possible, including for Special Education staff.

Face masks with clear mouth spaces are being considered to assist students who are hearing impaired.

KPDSB’s number one priority is the health and safety of their students and staff.

The board notes they are also following the Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health recommendations, as it’s an ever-changing situation.

KPDSB also says there will be designated dates to transition from one learning format to the other.

For more information, you can watch the full parent information session on KPDSB’s YouTube channel here.

The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board has also provided additional information:

KPDSB Guide for Reopening Schools

Today we released a Guide for Reopening For Families for the 2020-2021 school year. To view the guide on our website, please click here. Please note that the information included in this guide is subject to change. We are aware of recent announcements made this afternoon and once the impact of today’s announcements are understood, we will update the guide accordingly and share any changes or updates with families.

KPDSB Information Session for Families Recording

Thank you to the families who were able to join us for our information session last night, we hope it helped to answer some of your questions. For those who were not able to join live, you can watch the session recording by clicking here.

Completing the Return to School Survey for Families

Families are reminded to please complete our Return to School Survey for Families by Monday, August 17, 2020, to let us know if your child will be attending in-person or remotely in September. For families in the Red Lake area, if you have not yet completed the survey, you will be given more time and are not expected to complete the survey by August 17. What is important right now is that you are safe. We will share more details with our Red Lake area families next week.

School Bus Transportation for the 2020-2021 School Year

The Northwestern Ontario Students Services Consortium, which provides school bus transportation for all of our schools, has recently released information for families with regards to school bus transportation. To view the information on their website, please click here.

 

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