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Ottawa-Carleton District School Board

Dear OCDSB Families,

We’re excited to welcome students back to school and share the New Return to School Schedule which provides a detailed explanation of our plans to safely transition students back to school.

Between September 8th and 18th, we will welcome students back to school. Our plan is progressive by school and by grade.

Secondary students will begin on September 8th and 9th with orientation for Grade 9 students. On September 10th (Cohort A) and 11th (Cohort B), all students in grades 9 to 12 will attend school in person with their respective cohort. Cohort groupings will be determined and communicated by the school. Students at Sir Guy Carleton Secondary School and Ottawa Technical High School, Adult High School, Alternate Schools, and Safe Schools classes will follow a modified version of this schedule.

Elementary students attending in person will have a multi-day progressive start with start dates ranging from September 14th, 15th or 16th. Younger grades will start on Day 1, additional grades will be added on Days 2 and 3. The specific grades and start days will vary depending on the grade configuration of the school, but in all schools, the following will apply.

  • Day 1 will include all students enrolled in specialized classes;
  • Day 2: All students in year 1 Kindergarten (JK) start, and students in year 2 Kindergarten (SK) that are enrolled in the Extended Day Program (EDP) start.
  • Day 3: All remaining year 2 Kindergarten students (i.e., those not enrolled in EDP) start.

For example, in a K-8 elementary school, students in grades 1-3, plus specialized class students start school on Day 1; on Day 2 they are joined by students in grades 4-6 and some kindergarten students; on Day 3 they are joined by students in grades 7 and 8 and the rest of the kindergarten students.

Learn more on the elementary schedule by start date or search by your school name.

Remote Learning – Students in remote learning will have access to some scheduled orientation and/or learning activities during the week of September 14-18th. On September 18th, remote learning classes will begin for elementary and secondary students. Further information about remote learning will be shared as soon as possible.

Planning for the needs of all students and programs – Our progressive plan addresses the unique needs of students in kindergarten, specialized program classes, English Literacy Development programs, alternate and adaptive programs.

Specialized schools including Clifford Bowey Public School and Crystal Bay Centre for Special Education will begin welcoming students on September 14th with a progressive entry over 4 days.

Specialized program classes – Students in these classes will begin on the first day of the three-day entry plan for the school at which the program class is located. Remote learners in these classes will join online on September 18th. More details will be provided by the school.

Gifted program – Students enrolled in the Gifted Program who are attending in person will start on the same dates (by grade) as the rest of the school. Students in this program attending by remote learning will start on September 18th.

English Literacy Development classes – Students in these classes will begin on the first day of the three-day entry plan for the school at which the program class is located. Remote learners in these classes will join online on September 18th. More details will be provided by the school.

Extended Day Program Third-party and OCDSB operated programs will start on Day 1 of the identified start dates for each elementary school. Students may only attend the EDP program on the days that they are attending school

  • Group 1 EDP starts before and after school for all EDP students on Sept. 14
  • Group 2 EDP starts before and after school for all EDP students on Sept. 15
  • Group 3 EDP starts before and after school for all EDP students on Sept. 16

This progressive plan was built with the needs of learners in mind. The dates and times for entry recognize the unique needs of our youngest learners, of students who may be more vulnerable and may require additional transitions or supports.

As always, we have developed this plan with safety in mind. The progressive start will provide all our staff and students the additional time we believe will be crucial for everyone to prepare learning spaces, and to finalize, understand and be comfortable with, the many new routines that will be a part of the normal school day.

We are well underway in our planning. Our teachers and education support workers are back at school this week and are engaged in three days of professional learning. We are actively realigning elementary and secondary class sizes and staff assignments, and secondary student timetables in order to create new virtual schools.

In the next two weeks, families can expect more detailed information to be shared through your child’s school.

It takes a community to make schools safe; please continue to follow public health guidelines to stop the spread of Covid-19.

 

Sincerely,

Camille Williams-Taylor

Director of Education