The Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) says parents and guardians have until Tuesday, Aug. 18, to confirm whether their children will attend school in-person.
The Ontario government outlined its plans for education amid the novel coronavirus pandemic on July 30. At that time, officials announced that come September, elementary students will be in the classroom five days a week while most secondary students, including those in the London, Ont., region, will be in at least 50 per cent of the time. Students with a high level of special education needs will be allowed to attend school daily, the province said.
The province also said that elementary school children from Kindergarten to Grade 8 will be able to get an in-person education five days a week and will remain in one cohort for the full day, with one teacher if possible, which will include lunch and recess. There will be staggered timing in recesses, lunches and bathroom breaks.
However, the province said at that time that parents would also have the option to have their children do remote learning which will be delivered by school boards.
The TVDSB says parents and guardians of students in its schools can make their selection on the Parent Portal and separate entries are required for each individual child. For children entered into full remote learning, parents and guardians “will be asked for additional information about access to the Internet and availability of necessary technology devices,” the board says.
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Anyone having issues accessing the Parent Portal, including those without access to the necessary technology, can either call Thames Valley’s technical support team at 519-452-2005 or email servicesupport@tvdsb.ca.
The board also says “schools will make every effort to accommodate families requesting to change their selection later in (the) school year,” but students could potentially end up on waitlists due to staffing and classroom space issues and course selections could also be impacted.
More information on the TVDSB’s back to school plans, including changes to learning and new COVID-19 precautions, can be found on the board’s website. The board also says that more information will be made available “about Thames Valley’s plan following consultation with the Ministry of Education.”
— with files from Global News’ Gabby Rodrigues.
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