If your child was attending school before the shutdown, and you want them to start learning online when the new quadmester starts, the Greater Essex County District School Board will hear those requests soon.
Parents can request at-home learning for their child or for their child to attend class in-person at school between Wednesday, December 30 and January 6, 2021.
A link will be posted on the board's website that week, and the form must be filled out no later than 4 p.m. on January 6.
The transition day for elementary school students is February 1. For secondary school students, the change will come on February 3. Another opportunity to switch learning models will not come this school year.
Public Relations Officer Scott Scantlebury told BlackburnNews.com it is important the board find out how many students will be in each model early.
"To do the staffing and the rescheduling," he explained. "Our experience with this in November certainly helped inform us about what was really needed so we can be prepared when that transition period starts."
(File photo courtesy of Western University)
Those with questions can call their child's home school between January 4 and January 6.
Scantlebury admitted this year has presented many challenges for teachers and administrators at the board, but so far, so good.
"Everybody has shown tremendous resilience and adaptability," he said. "I think we've expanded our boundaries, our comfort levels with everything, and we've really learned a lot."
During the switch in November, some students fell through the cracks, but Scantlebury said the board has devoted re-engagement counsellors to ensure every child is accounted for.
He said it is hard to anticipate how many parents will make a switch, even as COVID-19 cases spike in the community.
"I've heard the sentiment expressed by a lot of parents that they feel their child needs school. They feel schools are as safe as they can be under the circumstances," said Scantlebury. "That they are engendering in the students a sense of health and safety protocols."
If you do not want to change your child's learning model, the board is asking parents not to fill out the online form.
