Planning for September 2021
Beginning last week the Ministry of Education began producing 'return to school' guidance documents, including:
TDSB staff have been working to compare these Ministry documents to our existing plans and protocols. Please note that the Ministry guidance provides the minimum standard for return to school and the TDSB will continue to consult with local health agencies regarding what additional measures are needed for a safe return to school in Toronto. Thank-you to everyone who has been reaching out and asking questions. Trustees have been forwarding questions to staff. Below please find the latest information as of this evening:
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2021-2022 Selection Form (remote vs in-person learning)
The TDSB is asking all families to complete a selection form for in-person or virtual learning for the 2021-22 school year between. Forms are due on Thursday, August 12.
Emails with a selection form link were sent on Thursday, August 5. Families with two or more children should have received a separate email and link for each student. Families must complete the selection form using the link provided. If you have not received an email, please make sure you check your junk/spam folders, try searching for an email from TDSB@gemail.com, and make sure you check any email addresses you or other family members may have provided to your school. Please contact SelectionForm@tdsb.on.ca with questions about the selection form process.
Follow up phone calls via School Messenger will be made for families who do not have email addresses on file or who do not complete the online form:
August 10th - 12th: First round of School Messenger Selection Form calls to parents who we do not have email addresses on file
August 13 and 16: Second round of School Messenger Selection Form calls to parents who did not respond to Qualtrics online form or did not respond to the first round of calls (above).
Students will be placed in in-person learning if we do not receive a completed selection form online or by phone.
For families choosing the virtual learning model, there will be a space on the online selection form to indicate if your child requires a device for virtual learning. Devices will be distributed to families by their home school for the 2021-22 school year.
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Questions & Answers about September
TDSB staff have been building a set of Q&A (question and answer) documents as questions come in from families and Trustees. Topics include health & safety, ventilation, masks, daytime protocols, vaccinations, and more. Some details are still being finalized, especially those items that need input from our health and program experts such as Toronto Public Heath, OPHEA, etc. Please follow the links below to access the Q&A webpage and this evening's new update:
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Ventilation in Schools
The TDSB has made a number of improvements to ventilation throughout the pandemic, going above and beyond the requirements in the Ministry of Education guidelines for ventilation, including:
- Installing institutional-grade HEPA filters in every occupied classroom (as of April 2021)
- Increasing ventilation in schools and classrooms with mechanical systems by adjusting the air exchanges and running them two hours before class and two hours after class
- Increasing natural ventilation by opening windows
- Undertaking ventilation upgrades in TDSB schools (mechanical systems and windows)
Learn more about the ventilation systems in our schools by visiting
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The Province of Ontario has shared their preliminary guidance for the upcoming school year: COVID-19: Health, safety and operational guidance for schools (2021-2022). The TDSB will continue to work with Toronto Public Health and with employee groups to develop specific operational plans for TDSB – details that provide more information on how our schools and administrative centres will create and maintain health and safety measures and procedures that need to be in place when school resumes in September.
Some of the health and safety measures in place for 2021-22 include:
- Vaccinations
- Screening for COVID-19 Symptoms Daily
- Wearing Masks (all staff and students grades K-12)
- Improving Ventilation
- Practicing Physical Distancing
- Practicing Proper Hygiene
- Enhanced Cleaning and Other Measures
Today (Aug 11th) the Ministry of Health provided their COVID-19 Guidance: School Case, Contact, and Outbreak Management document which includes information on managing COVID cases, outbreaks, and suspected outbreaks associated with elementary or secondary (K-12) school settings.
Public Health Units may also implement additional measures that are not outlined in this guidance, based on local circumstances and/or PHU investigation and risk assessment. TDSB staff are working with Toronto Public Health on protocols for our schools.
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The separate Virtual Schools (elementary and secondary) that were in place for the 2020-21 school year will
not be offered for the 2021-22 school year. Instead, Remote (Virtual) Learning will be provided through each student's home school and will include live, online instruction involving teachers, staff, and students from the home school or a group of schools (hub model).
Many people have asked whether virtual learning will be in the hybrid/simultaneous/fractured learning model where teachers teach to both the in-person and remote students at the same time. Staff will use a variety of approaches (regional hubs, split grades) to avoid hybrid and place students in dedicated virtual classes. The approaches and arrangements will look different from school to school depending on the numbers of students choosing remote learning.
No final decision can be made on the delivery of virtual learning until the selection form process is complete and staff are able to determine the numbers of students choosing in-person vs remote learning.
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Secondary School Timetables
For the 2021-22 school year, all TDSB secondary schools will be following a Modified Semester model. The provincial school year calendar and TDSB daily schedule have now been finalized.
In the Modified Semester model, students will take four courses, two each during alternating weeks. They will continue to be cohorted but will now be part of four cohorts (one for each class) and only be in two cohorts each week. Toronto Public Health supports this model as the 48 hour gap between the weekly cohorts will limit any potential spread of COVID-19 as 48 hours is the time between exposure to first symptoms of a number of the variants of concern. Class sizes will return to the regular class sizes (dependent on grade, level and subject) and all learning will either be fully in-person, or fully virtual, depending on the selection students make in August.
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Vaccines are safe, effective, and are the best way to protect yourself, your child, your family, and your community from COVID-19. Vaccines will help students and families to safely resume normal activities as soon as possible.
Toronto's data is updated twice per week on Monday and Thursday by 4:00 PM, except on statutory holidays. As of August 9th:
- 77.8% of youth ages 12-17 with one dose
- 62.7% of youth ages 12-17 fully vaccinated
For details about vaccinations in Toronto, please visit: Toronto COVID-19 Vaccines
Vaccine Hunters Canada now has vaccine finding information by region or public health unit (PHU), including DAILY POP-UPs, WALK-INs, and APPOINTMENT options - the information is updated nightly - please click vaccinehunters.ca/diy.
From August 11 to 15, there will be several pop-up vaccine clinics in East Toronto. The clinics are open to anyone age 12 and older in any “M” postal code for both 1st & 2nd doses. Walk-ins welcome. Pfizer will be administered, with Moderna available by request. Please check the Michael Garron Hospital Website for more information.
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Transportation Update - Phased in Start
To start the 2021-22 school year, the TDSB will once again be implementing a phased-in start for student transportation to ensure that students with special education needs are prioritized and receive bus service beginning the first week of school.
From September 9 to September 14, 2021 – only students with special education needs (excluding those in the gifted program) who travel to school on mini buses, mini vans, taxis and Wheelchair accessible vehicles will be provided with student transportation.
Starting September 15, 2021 –all other eligible students will be provided with student transportation, unless there is a significant driver shortage or other unforeseen issues related to COVID-19.
The empty seat policy has also been suspended again this year.
Please visit https://www.tdsb.on.ca/School-Year-2021-22/Student-Transportation for more information, including health & safety protocols
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Reminders Worth Repeating
Please click on the images below for more information about imporant deadlines, information, and resources:
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School Year Calendar
The official school year calendar for the Toronto District School Board runs from September 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022, inclusive.
- First day of classes for students is September 9, 2021
- The last day of class for elementary students is June 30, 2022
- The last day of class for secondary students is June 29, 2022
There are no classes for students on the dates listed below:
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