FAQ
What is the best way to structure my child's day?
There is not one single solution to this question. Each child has individual needs and you, the parent, know your child best. Some children will require a lot of structure, while others less so. Include your child in setting the schedule for the day and allow for flexibility. Here is an example of a schedule that you can reference when creating your own routine.
How do I support my child's well-being during this time?
School Mental Health Ontario addresses parent, student and educator questions on their website. Click on the image to learn more.
FAQ’s:
Should I be packing lunch for my children?
○ Some families have been using their child’s school bell times as a reference point for when snacks and lunch can happen during the day, but it's what works best for you and your family.
How do I manage this schedule while working at home?
○ Have a checklist
○ Support with positive encouragement
○ Move activities around to work with your work schedule such as quiet time, during a conference call.
○ Be flexible on what is accomplished every day. Some days you may take a longer walk than others if it is nice out.
How long will we be doing this for?
○ The direction from the Ministry of Education is that schools will remain closed until May 1, 2020. Classes are scheduled to resume May 4, 2020 however we know that our Government is making decisions to protect the health and wellbeing of us all daily. We are committed to supporting this time at home for as long as we are directed to.
How much time should I be spending each day on learning?
○ There are no expectations around how long families should spend implementing learning at home. Any support you can provide will be beneficial and everyday will look different.
My kids hate sitting down to do worksheets. This is too hard to do at home.
○ Some kids love working through sheets and many others do not. There is no expectation that students should be sitting doing pages of work. Kids learn in many ways and explore many subject tests at school. Outside time and play can be just as meaningful and beneficial as a targeted worksheet.
What subjects should we be focusing on during the day?
○ For right now, let your child’s interests guide you. You want them to feel successful and it will be less stressful for you if it is something that they enjoy doing.
Where do I get all ideas for supporting my child’s learning at home?
○ Teachers have been, and will continue to, share activities for you and your child to complete. If you require additional materials, please visit www.lkdsb.net/Elementary for a searchable database of activities or www.ontario.ca/page/learn-at-home.
How can I get in touch with my child’s teacher?
○ Please communicate with your child’s teacher the way you would have before the school closure. That may mean through Seesaw or another messaging platform or via email. If you can’t reach them, please contact the school Principal or Vice Principal and they can help you connect. All Principal and Vice-Principal email addresses are on the School websites.
I’m not a teacher, what if I’m not doing this right?
○ Take a deep breath, there is no “right way or wrong way”. What you need to do is take care of your family's health and wellbeing right now. The learning will come if you incorporate different activities into your day. The current planned closure is two weeks - the same time that students have off for the Christmas Break. If the closure extends past April 3, 2020, rest assured that your child’s learning will continue in a different way.
Is the school year going to be cancelled?
○ That is a Ministerial Directive and not up to individual School Boards.
Will my child have to repeat this grade?
○ At this time, the Minister of Education has not given School Boards any direction regarding the promotion of students in grades FDK - 8.
We only have an iPad (Chromebook, Laptop, iPhone) can my child work on that?
○ Yes, the Google suite (Classroom, Docs and Drive) that your child may be used to using at school will work on any device with an internet connection.
What is my child’s teacher doing during the school closure?
○ Your child’s teacher is not at school as the schools are closed to all employees as well as students but during these two weeks, they will be reaching out to you and your child on a regular basis and sharing learning resources with you. They are available at different points throughout the day and will communicate the best way for you to reach them. It is important to note that this is NOT a full Online or Distance Learning program at this point and therefore the work and activities assigned by the teacher will not be evaluated at this time.
14. My child is very anxious. What resources are available to support their wellbeing?
Please check out the following resource. It has great tips for talking to your children about COVID-19. https://www.lkdsb.net/Board/Community/PublicHealth/Documents/March19_COVID-19_Parent_Guardian_Resources.pdf
15. We don’t have reliable internet access, what do we do?
○ There are plenty of activities that don’t require the internet. Bake or cook together; play board or card games together; go on a scavenger hunt in your neighbourhood; read a book; draw a picture; show your child how to sew a button; garden; go for a walk or a bike ride; play with Lego; make a blanket fort. Learning doesn’t have to be online!