TIMETABLES AND COHORTS FOR THE 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR HAVE BEEN RELEASED ON MyPath AS OF FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4th, 2020.

Visit mypath.pathtosuccess.ca and login to access your timetable and cohort (A - Monday, Wednesday, alternating Fridays or B - Tuesday, Thursday, alternating Fridays).

In-Class Students

A Typical School Day:

You will take one course for 23 days for 300 minutes a day, some days in-person and some online. Students who have to take the bus will stay in their classrooms until the buses arrive. There will be absolutely NO ROAMING THE HALLS whatsoever.

• 90 minute class

• 15 minute snack break - in the classroom

• 90 minute class

• 15 minute snack break - in the classroom

• 90 minute class

• lunch - encouraged that you leave and return home, cafeteria will not be open

• 30 minute lesson - remain in class or complete online from home

Devices:

You are not expected to bring your own device to school. However, it is not frowned upon and would be a good idea to bring one if you can and feel like doing so.

Lockers:

You will not be getting a locker this year. When you arrive at school, you are required to go directly to class with you bag, and eventually, your coats. Teachers will designate a spot as to where these will remain in the classroom. Please pack lightly. You will only need things for ONE class, including school supplies and snacks.

Breaks:

15 minute snack breaks will occur INSIDE THE CLASSROOM. You will be permitted bathroom breaks but are required to sign in and out.

Cafeteria Food:

There will be no cafeteria food available. There may be a grab-and-go breakfast club that you line-up for while maintaining social distance.

Co-op Students

Please keep checking your emails regularly for informations and updates regarding your placements. While some placements may continue taking co-op students, others may not.

Your co-op teachers are the best people to speak with (via email) for any questions and concerns.

Online Students

Attendance:

Unlike this past spring, attendance WILL be taken online. ALL assignments will count for marks like a regular class. You may be in a class with students from across the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board.

Video Calls:

MOST, but not all teachers will be using Microsoft Teams this year, NOT Zoom. Online students will be doing 270 minutes a day of face-to-face learning. An additional 30 minutes may or may not be face-to-face.

• "Do I have to show my face during these video calls?"

Students are not required to show their faces, but it is preferred that you do if you are willing.

Via HWCDSB.CA

Parent/Guardian Q & A

On July 30, the Ministry of Education announced plans for the reopening of Ontario’s schools for the 2020-2021 school year. In preparation for the return to in-class learning, schools in the HWCDSB are taking all steps possible to create a safe learning environment for our students and staff based on Ministry of Education guidance and the advice of Public Health professionals. Below is a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) regarding the return to school.

Q: Why am I being asked to pre-register my child(ren) this year?

A: The Ministry of Education has indicated that returning to school will be voluntary. Parents/guardians will be required to respond to an HWCDSB survey to indicate if their child(ren) will attend school (elementary – regular return; secondary – adapted model) or learn at home (remote learning). This information will be important as limits on class sizes and the hiring of staff will be directly influenced by parent/guardian responses. Note: Since staffing requirements need to be in place prior to the school’s opening, once a mode of learning has been chosen there will be restrictions on changing between in-school and home learning. Students will only be able to rejoin conventional, in-class learning at three identified points in the year: Thanksgiving, after Christmas or after the March Break.

Q: What are my school registration options for 2020-2021?

A: Parents/guardians with children in elementary schools have two options for September 2020: • Regular in-person learning at school: All students return to school with social distancing and enhanced health and safety protocols; • At-home learning: Students stay at home every day using a computer/laptop/tablet /smartphone and the internet to access the HWCDSB myClass learning management system.

Q: What will the school day look like for my child(ren)?

A: Secondary (Grades 9 to 12): After further discussion with the Ministry of Education and school principals, secondary schools will reopen with an adapted “one course at a time” delivery model with enhanced health and safety protocols. Specifics include:

• The school year calendar will contain 187 days;

• Each student can be scheduled for up to 8 courses throughout the year;

• Teaching blocks will consist of 23 days;

• Students will be divided into cohorts of 15 students for each class (e.g., Cohort A/Cohort B) and attend school on alternate days; and,

• Students who stay for study hall will receive teacher support.

Q: What will the first day of school look like for my child?

A: Secondary: Students will be able to access their timetable through mypathtosuccess. The procedure for logging in to myPath is as follows: • Go to myPath.pathtosuccess.ca or to the app on your cell phone; • Log in with student email and password. (Note: If students are registering for the first time, information will be available soon on the school website); and, • The dashboard (or home screen) will appear and the timetable will appear on the left under the student name and information. Entrance and safety protocols will be communicated to students and parents by the school principal prior to the start of the school year.

Q: How will you keep my child safe?

A: Physical distancing and enhanced health and safety protocols will be implemented, including daily screening, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), hand hygiene, signage and floor decals (e.g., proper hand washing techniques, physical distancing reminders, traffic flow), enhanced cleaning and disinfecting of classrooms and buses, and contact tracing. More detailed information on health and safety protocols will be included in the parent guide.

Q: Will my child be required to wear a mask? Are students required to provide their own?

A: Students in Grades 4 to 12 will be required to wear non-medical or cloth masks indoors while at school, including in hallways and during classes. Students in Kindergarten to Grade 3 will be strongly encouraged to wear masks in indoor spaces. Students may wear their own non-medical masks, and non-medical masks will also be made available for students. Reasonable exceptions on the requirement to wear masks will apply.

Q: Will there be screening at the school before students and teachers enter the building?

A: Parents will need to assess their child(ren) daily and inform their school if they are experiencing any signs of illness. Parents must keep their child(ren) home if sick and report any absences to the school. Parents will be provided with a checklist to perform daily screening of their children before arriving at school. These checklists are available in many different languages including Arabic, Punjabi, Chinese and Spanish. All staff will be required to complete a self-assessment on a daily basis. Any staff member failing the self-assessment must stay at home, self-isolate and contact the HWCDSB for further direction.

Q: Will visitors be allowed to enter the school?

A: In this upcoming school year, schools are asked to significantly limit or prohibit visitors, including parents. Parents will not be allowed to enter school, except in case of emergency. Communication between parents and teaching staff or administration will be through phone calls or email.

Q: Will cafeteria services be available? Will lunch/nutrition programs be offered?

A: To the greatest extent as possible, students will be encouraged to eat their snacks and lunch in the classroom with their cohort to ensure chances of contact and transmission are minimized. Parents will not be permitted to drop off a student’s lunch. Further, with respect to eating and drinking at the school it is expected that:

• Staff and students will perform proper hand hygiene before and after eating;

• Students will have their own individual meal or snack with no common food items;

• Students will be required to bring their own drink bottle that is labeled, kept with them during the day and not shared;

• Water bottles will be required to be filled rather than students and staff drinking directly from the mouthpiece of water fountains;

• Schools will remove all self-serving food items and microwave use will not be permitted;

• All surfaces, bins and containers for food should be disinfected prior to and after each use. Additionally, the use of common spaces such as cafeterias, learning commons, and auditoriums will be scheduled by the principal when/if required. Established Snack or Breakfast Programs will be modified to offer students prepackaged or individualized snacks.

Q: What if my child needs to use the washroom while at school?

A: Students will be allowed to use the washrooms with proper physical distancing measures. Signage will be placed inside the washrooms, reminding students of both physical distancing and hand washing. Washrooms will be cleaned throughout the day and at the end of the school day.

Q: Will after-school sports and activities continue?

A: Schools may offer clubs and organized sports if physical distancing is possible and equipment and spaces are cleaned and disinfected between each use. Further planning will be required with consultation with public health. Additional information regarding the range of cocurricular activities being offered by schools will be provided as soon as possible.

Q: Will my child have access to a locker?

A: Personal belongings brought to the school should be minimized, e.g. for elementary students, a backpack, clothing, sunscreen, water bottle, and food. Personal items brought to school should be labelled and stored separately in cubbies/designated areas. In secondary, the use of lockers will not be permitted. Students will carry their backpack to their class with only what is required to engage in their learning (e.g. Pencil, notepads, textbook as well as food, water bottle).

Q: How will safety be maintained on the school bus?

A: A transportation survey is being developed for parents whose child(ren) are eligible for transportation services to indicate whether their child(ren) will be taking the bus to school or will be using another means of getting to and from school. The results of the survey will help to inform the transportation plan. Bus schedules will be available in the last week of August. Students will be required to wearface coverings/masks while riding the bus. School bus drivers will be provided with face coverings/masks and eye protection (face shields). School buses will have increased disinfecting protocols for frequently touched surfaces. Siblings will be expected to share single seats. Seating plans will be developed and will be shared with families in advance of school start up.

Q: If I opt for at-home learning, can my child(ren) return to school for in-class learning?

A: In the event you decide that your child(ren) will not return to in-class learning but will participate in online learning, please know that your child(ren) will be committed to online learning and will only be able to rejoin conventional, in-class learning at three identified points in the year: Thanksgiving, after Christmas or after the March Break. The process to request a return to school will be provided in advance of these dates.