5 things to know about going back to school
Hamilton's schools reopen on Sept. 8, and school boards are scrambling to finalize plans that will allow for students to learn in a virus-free environment.
Needless to say, it hasn't been easy.
In the time since the Ontario government announced its guidelines for reopening in late July, both the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) and the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board (HWCDSB) have released plans for reopening their schools that allow for elementary students to return to classes full time, and secondary students to return to class part time while learning the remainder of the curriculum remotely.
Here are five things to know about reopenings thus far.
This guide will be updated as we receive more information from school boards and the ministry.
1. Staggered reopening dates
The Catholic board has announced it will delay the reopenings of elementary schools by up to two weeks to allow more time for certain schools to prepare safety protocol and limit the number of students and staff who initially enter the buildings. The staggered reopening scenarios can vary depending on the needs of each individual school. The public board says it's considering staggering reopening dates but has not made a final decision.
2. Mandatory masks on buses
Both the HWCDSB and the HWDSB are requiring all students, from junior kindergarten to Grade 12, who ride school buses, to wear masks while commuting to and from school. The decision to make masks mandatory came after the Ministry of Education announced that, contrary to previous plans that would allow students to maintain social distancing on buses, students may have to share seats if the board cannot attain enough buses and staff to reduce riders. The ministry has not provided boards with additional funding for bus drivers.
3. Masks for all ages
At its most recent board meeting, the Catholic board unanimously approved a motion that will require all students, from junior kindergarten to Grade 12, to wear masks in school. The move expands a previous rule that would have required only students in Grade 4 to 12 to wear masks. Currently, the public board requires students in Grade 4 to 12 to wear masks in school. The board has not indicated if it will require all students to wear masks.
4. Most students are attending in-person classes
According to preliminary numbers from the HWCDSB, 77 per cent of all students in the Catholic board will attend in-person classes. Pat Daly, the board's chair, has said he expects that number to grow when the 10 per cent of undecided parents register their children. Roughly 13 per cent of students in the Catholic board are expected to learn remotely. The public board has yet to release its enrolment numbers. Shawn McKillop, spokesperson for the board, has said the numbers will be released following the board's student registration deadline, on Aug. 25 at noon. A recent national poll found that roughly 70 per cent of parents will send their children to in-person classes.
5. Virtual elementary schools
The public board is creating at least one virtual elementary school" for students who have chosen to learn remotely when classes reopen. This means that students who choose to learn online may not be attached to their local school. The board will use current teachers and staff to teach those kids, though it has also applied for funding from the ministry of education to employ a new principal and secretary for the virtual school. The Catholic board has not made concrete plans to establish a virtual school, though it discussed the possibility at its most recent board meeting.
Jacob Lorinc's reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. The funding allows him to report on stories about education.