Dear TDSB - Ward 14 Families,
Thank you to all the parents, caregivers, staff, and community members who have been sharing their questions and concerns over the past few weeks as we worked through the final plans for the return to school in September. Below I have included important information for families of secondary students to prepare you for the registration process which begins tomorrow, August 26th. If you also have students in elementary school, please see my previous update.
School starts on September 15, 2020. Entry dates will be staggered by grade over the first week to safely reintroduce students to the building. Once registration is complete, more information will be sent out by your school to prepare you for your return to school. Please also watch the TDSB's Return to School Webpage for updates.
As always, of you have any questions, please contact me at Trixie.Doyle@tdsb.on.ca
-Trustee Trixie Doyle
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Registration for In-School or Virtual LearningAfter recent changes from the Ministry of Education, the TDSB has adjusted and finalized the models for in-school and virtual learning for September 2020. As a result of these changes, we wanted to give parents/guardians the opportunity to review the new models and make a final decision about registration for their children.
About the Registration Process:
Registation beings on Wednesday, August 26th and ends on Saturday, August 29th
On August 26, parents/guardians with an email address on file will receive a link to register their children online. Only parents/guardians who do not have an email address on file or who do not complete the online registration before the deadline (Saturday, August 29) will receive an automated registration phone call.
It is very important that all parents/guardians complete this registration, including those who have already filled out the pre-registration survey sent earlier this month.- The link to register online cannot be shared as it is connected to an individual student through a unique student identification number.
- Parents/guardians with more than one child will receive one email per child and will be required to complete a separate registration for each child.
- Phone calls will come from School Messenger and will display a “1-833” number. This is the same number used for Attendance calls.
- Starting the week of August 31, schools will begin following-up with parents/guardians who did not complete the registration.
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Quadmester ModelSecondary students will return to school in September in a quadmester format. By breaking the school year down into four blocks -- quadmesters -- students will concentrate on two subjects at a time. This helps reduce potential contact between students and supports health and safety protocols. At the beginning of each quad students choose between:
- Adapted In-School Day Model (Smaller Class Size Cohorts)
- 100% Remote Learning
Students/parents must indicate their choice two weeks prior to the start of a quad. Switching during quads is not permitted. TDSB e-Learning Day School Program will continue to be made available in Grades 11 and 12 (contact your school guidance counselor for more details).
Quadmester Calendar Quad 1: Sept 15 - Nov. 9 + Exams Nov. 10 and Nov. 11Quad 2: Nov. 12 - Jan. 28 + Exams Jan. 29 and Feb. 1Quad 3: Feb. 3 - April 19 + Exams April 20-21 *April 8, 2021: OSSLT DayQuad 4: April 22 - June 23 + Exams June 24, 25, 28PA Days: September 1-3, November 20, February 2, February 12, June 29
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Adapted In-School Day Model
Secondary students in the in-school model will be in school with their teacher every other day and will have live video conferencing (synchronous learning) with their teacher daily. Class sizes will be approximately 15 students.
All courses will use a Brightspace or Google Classroom learning platform. Students will be able to participate in whole class, small group and independent learning. The daily virtual 12:30-2:00 learning period may be used for:
- Support for Students with Special Needs, IEPs, ELLs, etc.
- Student Success Initiatives (RCR, caring adult meetings)
- Gap Closing -- Small Group Learning
- School-Wide or Small Group Wellness Initiatives
- Support for IB Program Requirements (Extended Essay, ToK, Internal Assessments)
- Meetings for Leadership Groups (e.g. Student Council, Athletic Council, etc.)
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Secondary Virtual Learning The TDSB Secondary Virtual School will be fully online and staffed by TDSB teachers, a principal, vice-principals, guidance counsellors and support staff. Students will maintain a connection with the school that retains their school records, referred to as their home school. Students will be taking part in synchronous (live/online) learning and asynchronous (independent work) learning throughout the day.
Class SizeClass sizes in the Secondary Virtual School will be the same as those in our in-person model. Class size in secondary schools is determined by the type of course. For example:
Academic - target of 30 students Applied - target of 23 students University - target of 31 students College - target of 26 students University/College - target of 31 students
Structure of the DayStudents may take one or two courses per quadmester. Course 1 will meet online in the morning from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Course 2 will meet online in the afternoon from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Daily attendance will be taken.
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Specialized Programs In order to run a course, approximately 30 students are required. Where possible, courses that make up the components of a Specialized Program in a student’s original in-person school home school will be offered by the Secondary Virtual School. It may not be possible to have teachers with specialized training (i.e., International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement) for specific specialty courses
Graduation/Diplomas Students who register at the Secondary Virtual School will be able to participate in the graduation activities at their home school. Similarly, the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or Ontario Secondary School Certificate (OSSC) will be issued by the home school.
Learning Management System Courses in the Secondary Virtual School will be delivered through an online learning platform called Brightspace. Classrooms will use Brightspace to deliver interactive online learning where teachers and students communicate and collaborate using a variety of digital tools: discussions, news, calendar, dropboxes, grades, quizzes, surveys, and more.
Student Support Opportunities All students in the Secondary Virtual School will have access to student support through guidance counselors, special education teachers, social workers, students success teachers, and child and youth counselors.
Devices Every student in the Virtual School will be required to have a device. For those without access to a device, access will be arranged through the student’s home school through the Principal.
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Switching Between In-Person and Remote Learning We recognize that parents/guardians and/or students may want to switch between in-person learning and Virtual School. It is important to note that, for health and safety reasons, and because of the impact switching would have on staffing, physical distancing and space allocation, it will not be possible to immediately transition between the two models. As a result, an opportunity to enter the Virtual School or to return to in-person learning will be provided at the end of each quadmester as follows:
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