Return to School January 17, 2022

Posted January 13, 2022

Dear Parents/Guardians,

We are happy to welcome our students back in-person on Monday January 17th, 2022.  

The province has announced schools will resume in-person learning on Monday January 17, 2022. Please click here for health and safety measures in the UGDSB.

In preparation for our return to in-class learning please review the following links and information

Friday January 14th Asynchronous Learning and Time to Transition to In-Person Learning:

Friday will be an asynchronous teaching day to allow teachers to prep for a return to in-person learning for Monday. As we have done in the past during these transitions, teachers will be expected to touch base with their students that day (e.g., office hour, help session, touch base etc.) and provide asynchronous activities for students to work on during that day.

COIVD Screening Tool & Isolation Requirements:

It is vital to remember  that each child and staff member must complete the self-screening tool: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/school-screening/. Please do not send your child to school if they do not pass the screening and follow the advice that is given when you receive your child’s self-screening results. There are significant changes to the tool, along with isolation requirements. Please take a moment before your child’s return to school to save this link on a device and review the screening tool. Here is some of the important information:

  • If a student/staff is experiencing at least one symptom most commonly associated with COVID-19 or two or more symptoms less commonly associated with COVID-19, they must self-isolate.
  • If a student/staff is experiencing only one symptom less commonly associated with COVID-19, they must stay home until their symptom(s) have been improving for 24 hours (48 hours for nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea). Household members, including siblings, are to stay home until the household member experiencing symptom(s) is cleared from their isolation
  • Most Common: Fever, cough, shortness of breath, decrease or loss of smell and/or taste.
  • Less Common: Runny nose, headache, sore throat, aches, extreme fatigue, gastrointestinal symptoms.
  • Provincial guidance on – What to do if you’ve been exposed to COVID-19

Student Masks:

Students and staff are required to wear masks indoors. Gaiters, scarves, neck warmers, or balaclavas cannot be substituted or used in place of cloth masks and/or medical masks. The fit and filter of the mask is very important. More information is available on the WDG Public Health website. As the Ministry has announced, students will be provided with high quality three-ply cloth masks and as a school we are to encourage their use.  These masks are expected to arrive beginning on Friday, January 14th.  If they wish to continue to use their own 2-layer masks, that is fine.  Please wash and re-use the cloth masks.  Students will be expected to wear their masks properly at all times while inside the school building.  Please review with your child the importance of following all Public Health Expectations. 

Student Masks – Proper Use and Care (1).pdf

Revised Criteria for UGDSB  Student Mask Exemptions:

As a result of the continued spread of COVID-19 and the increased transmissibility with the most recent variant, the Upper Grand District School Board has revised the criteria for granting student mask exemption requests. Please review this information for details.

Revised criteria for UGDSB student mask exemptions (Primrose Elementary School)

Temporary Remote School Learning:

The Upper Grand District School Board is developing a Temporary Remote Learning Option for elementary students that will be launched once in-person learning resumes. Given the current increase in COVID-19 cases, we recognize that some families may be reluctant to have their child/ren return to in-person learning once schools reopen. If this is your family, please read the information from the board carefully.   Parents choosing this option will need to inform the school that they would like their child to access the Temporary Remote Option – School email [email protected]

 UGDSB launching temporary remote option for elementary students once in-person learning resumes (Primrose Elementary School)

NOTE:   Students are not able to change from In-School Learning to the Elementary Remote School.

Return of borrowed Chromebooks:

All borrowed technology (Chromebooks & both parts of the charger) will need to be returned to the school no later than Monday, January 17th. We have very little to no technology left in our building to use during instructional time. Children can bring this back in their backpacks along with the charger, labeled. Some of our new chargers cost $45.00, so please make sure the charger is returned as well.  A staff member will collect it.  Students who brought their SEA equipment home must also bring this technology back with them. 

We have borrowed Chromebooks from the high school that will need to be returned on Monday for their student use. If you have borrowed tech at home that you are no longer using, it can be returned to the school tomorrow, (Friday, Jan 14) from 8:30am – 3:30pm.

 What to send with your children on the first day back school

Your child needs to ensure they have their learning materials on the first day if they brought them home. 

Binder

Lined paper

Notebooks

Pencils

Pens

Pencil Crayons

Markers

RULER

Calculator for older students (scientific is wonderful)

Indoor running shoes (needed to participate in indoor PE)

Proper, warm outdoor clothing – we will be spending time outside, so they need to be prepared

Other Important Details About Our Return:

  • Public Health will no longer be doing contact tracing for schools and they will no longer be dismissing class cohorts following an exposure.  This is a significant change.
  • The school will not be taking on this role and it is important for all staff to avoid engaging in tasks previously completed by Public Health.  We are not Public Health professionals and we must ensure that student, family, and staff privacy is maintained.
  • ALL extra-curricular activities are on hold
  • Cohorts cannot mix so therefore:
    • We are remaining with class zones on each yard
    • There are no student lunch helpers
    • Resource withdrawal groups are from one class at a time
    • Learning Commons to have only one cohort at a time

Other News & Updates:

    • Grade 8 Information Night will be posted on the CDDHS website today January 13th. It will be pre-recorded and available for viewing at noon that day on their website. The presentation will include things like: a virtual tour, grade 9 courses, how to complete course selection, life at high school, student voice & more!
  • A Note about JK Registration that is under way:

                    Do you have young children starting school next year, or know someone who does? Kindergarten registration for the 2022-23 school year has started.  Registration for new UGDSB Junior Kindergarten (JK) and Senior Kindergarten (SK) students for September 2022 will take                             place between January 4-21, 2022. Here is a step-by-step guide for more information:

                   -Pre-register online at www.ugdsb/kindergarten between January 4-21.

                   -Once you have registered, make sure that you have received a confirmation email to your inbox (please check your spam folder if you do not receive it in your main inbox folder)

                  -Make an appointment with your school to provide the required documents (this appointment can be either in-person or online)

                    -If applying to French Immersion, you must complete the application process, including submission of all required documents by 4pm on January 21, 2022.

                   -For more information, parents can visit www.ugdsb.ca/kindergarten

Please contact the school if you have any further questions about the above information. 

You can email [email protected] or call 519-925-3939 ext 0 and Mrs. Boynton (the office coordinator) can direct your call. Please continue to check the UGDSB website, our school website, Twitter, and email for important information from our school.

We are looking forward to seeing the students back in school on Monday January 17th.

Sincerely,

Marianne Millsap, Principal

Ashley Hopkins, Vice-Principal

 

Categories: News