Both the Limestone District School Board and the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board have had their school year calendars for 2020 and 2021 approved by the Ministry of Education.
This means both school years will start Thursday, Sep. 3, with three Professional Activity (PA) days for staff starting Aug. 31 and ending Sep. 2.
Read more: 3 reopening plans for Ontario schools being considered, some online learning expected to continue
Putting those PA days before the school year starts means three less PA days during the year.
The remaining PA days for both school boards will take place on Sep. 25, Jan. 29, June 4 and June 25, 2021.
The following school holidays will be in effect throughout the school year:
- Every Saturday and Sunday
- Labour Day – Monday, Sep. 7, 2020
- Thanksgiving Day – Monday, Oct. 12, 2020
- 14 consecutive days for December break – Dec. 21, 2020 to Jan. 1, 2021, inclusive
- Family Day – Monday, Feb. 15, 2021
- five consecutive days for March Break – Monday, March 15 to Friday, March 19, 2021, inclusive
- Good Friday – Friday, April 2, 2021
- Easter Monday – Monday, April 5, 2021
- Victoria Day – Monday, May 24, 2021
For secondary students, the first semester runs from Aug. 31, 2020, to Jan. 29, 2021 inclusive. Second Semester runs from Feb. 1, 2021, to June 25, 2021.
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Despite the Ministry of Education approving these calendars, it’s still unclear how local schools will be operating due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
In late June, Minister of Education announced the province was looking at three options for back to school in September.
The plans included a full return to in-school learning, a scenario where students remain at home with online learning, and a hybrid model, which Lecce said is the most likely option.
Read more: Coronavirus: Ontario prefers in-class return for students, but health officials must approve
Just recently, with coronavirus numbers trending downwards across Ontario, Lecce noted that the province was favouring having children go back to school completely, but the decision would have to be approved by public health officials.
But with Stage 3 reopening allowing for more mingling in most region’s across Ontario, case numbers have been trending upwards. If numbers continue to rise, it’s not clear whether the province will continue to push for entirely in-person classes come the fall.
In one of his daily press briefings, Premier Doug Ford noted that decisions for school board operations could be done based on regional COVID-19 numbers, similar to the way the province’s economic reopening plans were rolled out.
Currently, the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington region has only one active case of the novel coronavirus, with 105 total cases and no deaths.
— With files from Global News’ Ryan Rocca and Travis Danraj, and The Canadian Press
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