Guelph’s Catholic school board says it is pushing back its start to the school year by two days with staggered entry beginning on Thursday, Sept. 10.
In a statement, the Wellington Catholic District School Board said the change will ensure additional health and safety measures are in place before it welcomes students back.
“We know this is another change in a year of many,” said director of education Mike Glazier.
“We deeply appreciate the patience and flexibility of our families as we adapt to new insights to ensure a safe and successful return for all our students.”
The board said it recently received additional guidance from public health and made the decision to delay the start of the school year in order to properly implement them.
It’s not clear what those additional suggestions were, but the board said postponing the school year was a difficult choice.
The board added that the extra time will also be used to properly staff and schedule elementary and secondary schools along with virtual learning.
The staggered entry will take place over a two-week period with different grades starting the school year on different days. Students who have opted for virtual learning will begin the school year on Sept. 14.
A complete breakdown of the schedule can be found on Wellington Catholic’s website.