Province Announces Plan for Upcoming School Year

With students being out of classrooms since March Break because of COVID-19, the provincial government has announced a $309-million plan for their return.

The Ford Government says elementary school students from kindergarten through to grade 8 will attend school five days a week and be kept within a single group of students for the full day. 

Secondary school students will return to class on alternate days or schedules in groups of approximately 15 students in an effort to limit the number of student-to-student contacts.

The province says parents who are not comfortable with their children going back to school will have the option for remote learning that will be provided by school boards.

Students who require a high level of special education and are unable to study remotely will be allowed to attend school on a daily basis. 

The province goes on to say Grade 4 to 12 students will be required to wear non-medical or cloth masks while kindergarten to grade 3 students will be encouraged but not required to wear masks. 

Teachers along with all school staff will be provided medical masks. 

Along with masks, the province has announced a number of strategies like self-screening, hand hygiene, distancing, and limiting visitors inside schools to ensure schools are healthy and safe environments for both students and staff

More to come.