The Upper Canada District School Board has begun planning for the 2021-22 school year.
At the board’s latest meeting, staff gave an overview to the board regarding possible Kindergarten to grade 12 program options, which included three different scenarios for when the next school year starts in September.
Director of Education Stephen Sliwa says it’s been an extremely stressful year on parents, kids, school staff, and the board, and they want to look ahead to next year with optimism.
“Children, their families, our staff, it has been a period of extreme demand,” Sliwa said. “Everybody in the community knows that no one’s job has been the same over the pandemic and routines have been disrupted”
The first scenario features a regular school day routine with enhanced protocols, like hand washing and sanitizing.
The second scenario would be similar to the current set-up the board has in place.
Meanwhile, the final scenario would see both of the first two blended, with the first half of the school year seeing students cohorting, while the second half would see a transition to a regular school routine in February of 2022.
Sliwa says in an ideal world, they’d like to get students back to some sense of normalcy, but the Ministries of Health and Education will have the final say.
“We want them to be with their friends and peers and to not be concerned about daily health beyond what we would’ve reasonably expected before the pandemic,” Sliwa said. “So, we understand that families and students would prefer a business as usual approach to whatever extent that would be reasonable.”
Sliwa adds that a more detailed report will be shared at the board’s next meeting on March 24.
The board is also in the process of developing the 2021-22 school year calendar.
Parents can provide feedback until April 6