COVID-19

Home/Students/Health and Well-Being/COVID-19/

Provide Input on Distance Learning through survey from June 10 to July 6, 2020

HDSB families, and students in Grade 4-12, are invited to provide input on their experience with distance learning and to comment on the impacts COVID-19 has had on student mental health.

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK

FAQs on the Ontario School Closure

We’ve compiled frequently asked questions to help address concerns from families and staff. We will continue to update this resource as we receive further information. Thank you for your patience and understanding as this is an evolving situation with many implications.

VIEW FAQs ON ONTARIO SCHOOL CLOSURE

Approach to Reopening Schools - Information for Families and Staff

June 22, 2020
Dear HDSB families, students and staff,

On Friday, June 19, the Ontario Ministry of Education released its plan for reopening schools for the 2020-2021 school year.

The announcement directs school boards to prepare to open school with a modified school day using a blended learning model of face-to-face and online learning. School would be organized with alternate day or week schedules with classes limited to 15 students. This will enable students to have contact only with their classmates and a single teacher for as much of the school day as possible.

Given that things could change depending on direction from public health, Boards are required to submit plans to the Ministry by August 4, 2020 for the following three scenarios:

normal school day routine with enhanced public health protocols,
modified school day routine based on smaller class sizes, cohorting and alternative day or week delivery, and
at-home learning with ongoing enhanced remote delivery.

Further information on the Ministry’s approach to reopening schools for the 2020-2021 school year can be found here. Minister of Education Stephen Lecce shared a letter to parents/guardians on June 19, 2020.

The Halton District School Board’s Return to School Committee is developing a comprehensive plan to share with families and staff to ensure our schools and classrooms are safe learning and working environments.

We recognize families and staff will have many questions. We will communicate our school reopening plan to students, staff and families once approved by the Ministry of Education.

Sincerely,
Stuart Miller
Director of Education

Past updates for HDSB families

June 11, 2020

June 11, 2020
Dear HDSB families,

We hope you and your families are keeping well. This message includes information on:

Report card distribution
Survey to provide input on distance learning
COVID-19 testing plan
Upcoming webinars to learn about the skilled trades
Courtesy seats on school buses for 2020-2021 school year

Report card distribution
Report cards will be delivered electronically to parents/guardians (or students 18 and over) using SchoolMessenger’s Secure Document Delivery service. Report cards will be sent on the following dates:

Elementary students: June 24
Secondary students: July 3

To open the link in the SchoolMessenger email to view the report card, you will need your student’s Ontario Education Number (OEN) number. This can be found on a previous report card. If you require assistance, please contact your school’s registration contact as detailed on this form.

Not sure if you’re registered to receive messages from SchoolMessenger?

Parents/guardians receiving today’s letter via email (SchoolMessenger) are registered to receive messages from SchoolMessenger and will receive the email to view their child’s report card at this email address.
If you are viewing this letter on the HDSB website and are not currently receiving emails from your child’s school/HDSB through SchoolMessenger, please update your contact information by notifying your child’s school (contact information found here).
If you previously unsubscribed from SchoolMessenger and wish to re-subscribe, visit go.schoolmessenger.ca and use the Sign Up link to create an account and manage your subscription preferences. Further information, including training videos, can be found on the HDSB website on the SchoolMessenger webpage.

Survey to provide input on distance learning in the HDSB (June 10-25)
The HDSB is providing families and students with the opportunity to give input on your experience with distance learning and to comment on the impacts COVID-19 has had on student mental health. This information will help inform how the HDSB delivers education and mental health support in the fall.

All HDSB families (and students in Grade 4-12) are invited to provide input by completing the following anonymous surveys between June 10-25:

Student survey: bit.ly/distance-learning-student
Parent/guardian survey: bit.ly/distance-learningHDSB

The surveys are also accessible from the HDSB website (hdsb.ca) on the Distance Learning and Well-Being survey page. The survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. Electronic translated versions are available in these languages: Arabic, Farsi, French, Hindi, Korean, Mandarin - Simplified Chinese, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Turkish, Urdu.

For questions regarding the survey, please contact Dr. Rossana Bisceglia, Research Specialist at biscegliaro@hdsb.ca.

COVID-19 testing plan
As recently announced, Ontario’s COVID-19 testing guidelines now indicate that you should visit an Assessment Centre if you:

have at least one of the symptoms of COVID-19
do not have symptoms but are concerned you might have been exposed
do not have symptoms but think you are at risk through your employment (for example, if you are an essential or health care worker)
would like to be tested

To support Ontarians who have identified the need to get tested, people will no longer need a referral to go to an Assessment Centre for testing. No Ontarian will be declined a test. You do not need an OHIP card to be tested. It is a free service.

Stay informed and visit Ontario’s website to learn more about how the province continues to protect Ontarians from COVID-19. Local information is also available from your local public health unit.

Upcoming webinars to learn about the Skilled Trades
In partnership with Skills Ontario, the HDSB is offering two virtual information sessions for elementary and secondary parents/guardians to learn about the Skilled Trades pathway and what it can offer students. Led by a Skills Ontario facilitator, parents/guardians will learn about:

Why Skilled Trades in Ontario is a viable career option
What the skilled trades are and whether they are a right fit for your child
Apprenticeships and other post-secondary options

Following the presentation, the HDSB Pathways team will share information about Skilled Trades Pathway Program opportunities within the HDSB.

Session #1: Tuesday, June 16 at 10:30 a.m. -Link to meeting

Meeting ID: 746 9042 8297
Password: 6aWifJ

Session #2: Thursday, June 18 at 7 p.m. - Link to meeting

Meeting ID: 775 7903 9599
Password: 3D7Xgs

Courtesy Seats on School Buses for the 2020-2021 School Year
Families requesting a courtesy seat on the school bus for their child are advised that the application process will be delayed for the 2020-2021 school year. Due to physical distancing measures in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, it is unlikely that many courtesy seat requests will be approved for the upcoming school year.

Parents/guardians may submit a Courtesy Seat Application and will be notified via email once a decision on this process has been made. Visit the Halton Student Transportation Services website (www.haltonbus.ca) for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions
We continue to update the frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help address concerns from families. If your question is not covered in the FAQs, direct it to contact@hdsb.ca.

Stay in touch
We encourage families to continue to check for updates from us through email (SchoolMessenger), www.hdsb.ca, and the Board’s social media pages (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Sincerely,
Stuart Miller
Director of Education

June 2, 2020

Dear HDSB families,

We hope you and your families are keeping well. This message includes information about providing feedback and input to the Ministry of Education and the HDSB, summer learning opportunities, what schools might look like in September and information on the retrieval of belongings from schools.

I have provided a personal video message on these topics that I hope you will view.

Provide feedback to the Ministry of Education
The Ministry of Education has provided information regarding the development of a plan for reopening schools in September in Ontario's Continuity of Learning Plan. Parents/guardians have the opportunity to provide feedback. You can provide a written submission with your input, ideas or data by sending an email to EDU.consultation@ontario.ca. Make sure to:

include your name and the name of your school board/organization
use “Ontario’s Plan to Reopen Schools” in the subject line
attach your submission as a PDF or Word document

Opportunity to provide input on distance learning to the HDSB
Next week, parents/guardians and students in Grade 4 - 12 will receive information about providing input on their experience with distance learning to help inform how the HDSB delivers education in the Fall. Your input is appreciated as we prepare for the return to school.

Retrieval of belongings in schools
With the announcement that we will not be returning to school this school year, it is time to remove items left in student lockers/classrooms. Working with Halton Region Public Health, we have developed a process to provide safe access to schools to retrieve personal belongings.

Elementary schools: A process has been developed for parents/guardians to pick up student belongings. This process will be communicated by the school along with assigned dates for a parent/guardian to collect personal belongings. A protocol for parent/guardian safe access to schools has been developed and is available to view on the HDSB website (translated versions in multiple languages are available).
Secondary schools: Students have requested access to retrieve their belongings from lockers through a form sent by their school. The assigned date and time for access will be confirmed by the school.

Please contact your school for more information.

Summer learning opportunities for 2020
For information on summer learning opportunities for 2020, please visit the Gary Allan High School website.

New student online registration is available
Even though schools are closed, families are able to register their child online through the HDSB website by visiting our Student Registration page. Please share this information with families who are new to your neighbourhood and those who have children starting school in the fall.

Frequently Asked Questions
We continue to update the frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help address concerns from families. If your question is not covered in the FAQs, direct it to contact@hdsb.ca.

Stay in touch
While schools are closed, we encourage families to continue to check for updates from us through email (SchoolMessenger), www.hdsb.ca, and the Board’s social media pages (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Sincerely,
Stuart Miller
Director of Education

May 22, 2020

May 22, 2020

Dear HDSB families,

This week, Ontario Minister of Education Stephen Lecce announced that all schools will remain closed for the rest of the school year, as part of an effort to keep students, staff and families safe from COVID-19. As a result, all HDSB schools will remain closed for the rest of the school year. The decision to extend the closure is based on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health.

The Ministry of Education announced that it will release a plan by the end of June detailing what school will look like in the fall. The Minister of Education said schools will operate differently as a result of health precautions to protect against COVID-19.

Minister of Education Stephen Lecce shared a letter to parents/guardians on May 19, 2020.

Retrieval of belongings in schools
With the announcement that we will not be returning to school this school year, it is time to remove items left in student lockers. Working with Halton Region Public Health, we have developed a process to provide safe access to schools to retrieve personal belongings.

Elementary schools: Parents/guardians will be responsible for collecting student belongings.
Secondary schools: Students will be assigned a date and time to come to the school to retrieve personal belongings from lockers.
Specific details and instructions will be shared by schools.

Summer learning
At the moment, all summer learning for secondary students will be voluntary online eLearning courses. Summer school registration for secondary students is open until June 30, 2020. Visit the Gary Allan High School summer school webpage to register. For more information, email summerschool@hdsb.ca.

Grade 7 and 8 literacy and mathematics will be offered in a virtual distance learning format.

Additional summer learning programs for both elementary and secondary students will be shared after additional information is provided by the Ministry of Education soon.

Year-end celebrations
Year-end celebrations are important to all of us. Recognizing that large group gatherings are not a reality at this time due to public health guidelines, elementary and secondary schools will be holding year-end celebrations virtually.

All schools will organize virtual graduations/commencement presentations in June. Schools may potentially have in-person celebrations at a later date when public health directives indicate it is safe to do so. Until then, we want to ensure the achievements of our students are celebrated now in a way that is safe for all families and staff in accordance with public health guidelines.

These virtual celebrations do not prevent secondary schools from organizing their own event in the future when it is safe to do so.

HDSB Virtual Prom
Given public health guidelines, the annual tradition of holding a prom is not possible at this time. In the past these events have been organized by schools or parent groups. As previously announced, the HDSB will host a virtual prom, held live on YouTube on Thursday, June 11 from 8 - 9:30 p.m. for Grade 12 graduating students. Students are working with staff to plan the prom, which features a “Hoodies and High Heels” theme, and includes celebrity shout outs, surprise band appearances, a DJ and a promposal challenge. Follow @HDSBVirtualProm on Twitter and Instagram for updates.

Online student registration is available
Families are able to register their child online through the HDSB website by visiting our Student Registration page. Please share this information with families who are new to your neighbourhood and those who have children starting school in the fall.

Frequently Asked Questions
We continue to update the frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help address concerns from families. If your question is not covered in the FAQs, direct it to contact@hdsb.ca.

Stay in touch
While schools are closed, we encourage families to continue to check for updates from us through email (SchoolMessenger), www.hdsb.ca, and the Board’s social media pages (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).
Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Sincerely,
Stuart Miller
Director of Education

May 15, 2020

Dear HDSB families,

We hope you and your families are keeping well. This week we are writing to provide you with an update on distance learning and other important items. We would like to begin by saying how grateful we are for the work of our families and staff in supporting our students in distance learning in these challenging circumstances. Together you have stepped up and have done an outstanding job of meeting the needs of our students.

Synchronous learning
Beginning next week we will be transitioning to a new phase of distance learning where teachers will include synchronous learning and instruction. Synchronous learning refers to real-time learning by one or more students and their teacher. Teachers will, in addition to other strategies for teaching, include real-time learning as part of whole class instruction, small group instruction, and/or student conferencing on a weekly basis either online or by telephone.

Teachers remain committed to using a range of instructional strategies that promote equity and access, recognizing the wide range of student needs during the school closure period. Student and staff well-being, equity and inclusion remain at the forefront at all times.

Graduation Ceremonies & Commencements
Given the Public Health restrictions on large group gatherings and physical distancing guidelines, the HDSB is currently investigating creative and innovative ways to honour students who are graduating in June. Elementary or secondary schools will be sharing more information with their communities once plans are finalized.

HDSB Virtual Prom
With physical distancing regulations in place, the annual tradition of holding a prom for Grade 12 graduating students will not be possible at this time. In the past these events have been organized by the schools or by parent groups. Since it is not safe to hold school proms, the Halton District School Board will be hosting a board-wide virtual Prom on Thursday, June 11 from 8 - 9:30 p.m. The Prom, organized by staff and students from numerous Halton high schools, features a "Hoodies and High Heels" theme and will be shared live on YouTube with performances by HDSB student bands and a DJ. Follow @HDSBVirtualProm on Twitter and Instagram for updates.

Update for families from Halton Region Public Health
Halton Region Public Health has provided an update to families containing mental health resources and information about COVID-19. We encourage all families to read this letter.

Letter for families from Halton Regional Police Service and the Halton Children’s Aid Society

While physical distancing measures have been in place, there has been a significant drop in reports of suspected child abuse/neglect. As a result, Halton Regional Police Service and the Halton Children’s Aid Society have requested we share this letter with families.

Retrieval of belongings in schools
We are working with the Halton Region Public Health on guidelines to provide safe access to schools to retrieve personal items left in student lockers and classrooms in the event that schools will not be reopening this year. We will inform families should these procedures be necessary.

Online school registration is available
Families are able to register their child online through the HDSB website by visiting our Student Registration page. Please share this information with families who are new to your neighbourhood and those who have children starting school in the fall.

Summer school registration
Summer school registration for secondary students is open until June 30, 2020. Visit the Gary Allan High School summer school webpage to register. For more information, email summerschool@hdsb.ca.

Frequently Asked Questions
We continue to update the frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help address concerns from families. If your question is not covered in the FAQs, direct it to contact@hdsb.ca.

Stay in touch
While schools are closed, we encourage families to continue to check for updates from us through email (SchoolMessenger), www.hdsb.ca, and the Board’s social media pages (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Sincerely,
Stuart Miller
Director of Education

April 27, 2020

School closure extended and other important reminders

April 27, 2020

Dear HDSB families,

We are writing to inform you that yesterday (April 26) the Ontario Minister of Education Stephen Lecce announced that all publicly-funded schools will remain closed until at least May 31, 2020, as part of an effort to keep students, staff and families safe from COVID-19. As a result, all HDSB schools will remain closed until this time. The decision to extend the closure is based on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health.

The Minister of Education also shared the following information:

The Ministry of Education will move forward to replace the remainder of Professional Activity (PA) days and examination days with instructional time.
There are no plans to extend the school year into the summer.
The Ministry is exploring expanded summer learning programming focusing on credit recovery, support for vulnerable students and course upgrading. We will share further information as it becomes available.

To view the update from the Ontario Ministry of Education, please click here.

HDSB TechTips
Parents/guardians are encouraged to refer to our newly created TechTips website for families using technology. Here you’ll find solutions for common technical issues, questions or ways to reach out to receive technical support.

Secondary School Reminders

Grade 12 midterm marks have been entered and will be uploaded to the college and university application centres on April 30. Students who have not yet received their mark should contact their subject teacher directly.
Students must withdraw from a course by Wednesday, May 6 for the course not to appear on their transcript.

Final marks will be calculated based on work completed from the start of Semester 2 to March 13 inclusive.
Final marks CANNOT go down from what they were on March 13 (or at midterm in the case of Grade 12 courses).
Final marks on June report cards will remain the same or, if a student demonstrates improvement after March 13, marks may go up.
Students are expected to continue to complete assigned work and be engaged in the learning, lessons and assignments. This is necessary for students to continue to improve their learning skills and to ensure they do not have gaps in knowledge when they return to school.

Elementary School Reminders

Teachers will continue to gather evidence of student learning and provide meaningful feedback to students on their progress.
Students will receive a June report card, including the Kindergarten Communication of Learning.
Final grades will be based on learning before the school closure on March 13.
Work completed after April 6 will be reviewed and may be used to increase final grades if a student demonstrates improvement.

Frequently Asked Questions
We continue to update the frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help address concerns from families. If your question is not covered in the FAQs, direct it to contact@hdsb.ca.

Stay in touch
While schools are closed, we encourage families to continue to check for updates from us through email (SchoolMessenger), www.hdsb.ca, and the Board’s social media pages (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Sincerely,
Stuart Miller
Director of Education

April 17, 2020

April 17, 2020

Dear HDSB families,

We hope that our students and families are doing well and keeping safe. This week marks the second week of distance learning and we hope our students are beginning to feel more comfortable with this new way of learning and seeking the support they need to be successful. Be assured our staff continue to work diligently to look at how we can best support our students and families in these unique circumstances.

This week, the Premier of Ontario announced that the school closure will be extended past May 4. A new date to return to school has not been announced. This extension is based on the advice of the Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health.

Today’s update includes the following:

Special Education Resources
We are conscious of supporting our students with special education needs. Resources and strategies to support all learners have been made available to staff and to families on the HDSB website here.

Child care for frontline workers
Child care for health care and frontline staff is available at select child care centres.
Learn more and apply:

Financial support for families from the Ministry of Education
The Ministry of Education is providing funding to families with children who are not in school or child care because of COVID-19. Eligible parents will receive a one-time per child payment of:

$200 for children aged 0 to 12
$250 for children or youth aged 0 to 21 with special needs

Learn more: www.ontario.ca/page/get-support-families

Student Code of Conduct
We are proud of our students and the online etiquette they have shown during this time. We thank them and appreciate your ongoing support in creating safe and accepting online learning spaces for all our students.

As we continue to navigate the new norms of distance learning we want to remind students and families that the Halton District School Board’s Code of Conduct remains in effect. The following areas of our Code of Conduct are most relevant at this time:

Students must adhere to the Responsible Use Procedure for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) regarding the use of personal electronic devices
Refrain from bullying (physical, social, verbal or cyber)
Refrain from uttering (verbalizing, writing or sending) a threat to inflict serious bodily harm on another person

As in a normal school setting, violation of the HDSB Code of Conduct will be followed up on by our school administrators and may be subject to Progressive Discipline measures.

No PA Day - April 27
Given the current circumstances, the decision has been made to cancel the previously scheduled Professional Activity Day on Monday, April 27, 2020. The day will revert to a regular instructional day.

Frequently Asked Questions
We continue to update the frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help address concerns from families. If your question is not covered in the FAQs, direct it to contact@hdsb.ca.

Stay in touch
While schools are closed, we encourage families to continue to check for updates from us through email (SchoolMessenger), www.hdsb.ca, and the Board’s social media pages (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Sincerely,
Stuart Miller
Director of Education

April 8, 2020

April 8, 2020

Dear HDSB families,
The following information provides direction for the assessment, evaluation and reporting of student learning during the school closure. The HDSB expects that students will do their best to complete all work assigned as learning resumes. The shift to distance learning should not negatively impact student grades.

Elementary (Kindergarten to Grade 8)

Teachers will gather evidence of student learning and provide meaningful feedback to students on their progress.
Students will receive a June report card, including the Kindergarten Communication of Learning.
Final grades will be based on learning before the school closure on March 13.
When in the best interest of students, evidence of learning between now and June will be assessed and may be used to improve final grades where a student demonstrates further achievement of expectations.

Secondary (Grade 9 - 12)

Grade 12 students

Grade 12 students will not receive midterm report cards, however they will receive midterm marks directly from their teachers. Midterm marks will be entered by teachers from April 21 to April 24. These marks will be centrally uploaded to the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) and the Ontario College Application Service (OCAS) on April 30. Marks will be determined based on work done before March 13 and any learning tasks completed after April 6 that improve a student’s mark.

Grade 9, 10, 11, 12 students

Midterm report cards will not be provided.
Teachers will communicate feedback and results of marked assignments to students.
Final marks will be reported on the report card in June 2020, and will be based on work completed before March 13 and after April 6.
Demonstrated improvement in learning will be taken into consideration when assigning a final mark.
All subjects on a student’s timetable will appear on the final June report card.

If you have questions about assessment and evaluation, please discuss with your teacher.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Sincerely,
Stuart Miller
Direction of Education

April 1, 2020

Dear HDSB families,

We hope that you and your families are doing well during this challenging time. Since writing to you last week, the situation with respect to the Ontario school closure has continued to evolve. As announced by the Minister of Education yesterday, the Ontario school closure has been extended to May 4. This extension is based on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health and will be re-evaluated based on Public Health advice closer to the date. Be assured our staff continue to work diligently to look at how we can best support our students and families in these unique circumstances.

Yesterday (March 31), Minister of Education Stephen Lecce issued a letter to all Ontario parents. We encourage all families to read this letter as it contains new information about continuing learning at home. I’ve also included a link to my video message to all families regarding the continuity of learning during the Ontario school closure.

Today’s update includes information on the following topics:

Continuing student learning at home
Refunds for pre-paid school activities
Graduation requirements for Grade 12 students
Registering for school during the Ontario school closure
School playgrounds, courts and fields closed
Mental health resources for families and students
Frequently Asked Questions
Stay in touch

Continuing student learning at home
To support the learning needs of our students, we will officially re-start teacher-led learning on Monday, April 6. As shared by the Minister of Education, our goal is to ensure the successful completion of the school year for all students, and make certain that our elementary students advance to the next grade and our secondary students earn credits and graduate. Distance learning is not a one size fits all approach. We recognize that not all families have access to technology and/or connectivity.

Technology and internet connections
Given the range of student and family circumstances, we understand that our approach will need to be flexible and not solely reliant on technology. During the past week, educators have been reaching out to families to assess their needs and we are currently investigating ways to resolve some of the challenges that have been shared. One of these is access to the internet, which is why we’ll be reaching out in a variety of ways (i.e., online, telephone, etc.).

We recognize not all students will be ready to learn at the same time due to availability of resources (e.g., computer) as well as circumstances within the home. The Ministry of Education has published guidelines specific to the amount of work students should be doing at home. Teachers will be following this direction and adjusting their expectations for teaching and learning accordingly.

What can you expect?
Teaching and learning will look different in the coming weeks. Given the challenges with distance learning, educators will only be covering subject/course material that is crucial to the key learnings and overall expectations. We will be following the guidelines provided by the Ministry of Education with respect to suggested hours of work for students each week and areas of focus. Educators may be providing weekly overviews to students rather than a day-to-day lesson plan (e.g. a series of learning activities the students are to complete over the course of the week) allowing students to work at their own pace.

Staff will make themselves available to their students at scheduled times each week for students who need assistance or want to ask questions. This could take the form of an email exchange, a phone conversation with the teacher or small group meeting online (Grade 4 - 12). Since teachers may be reaching out by phone, please be aware that they may not be calling from a number you recognize, so you might see “Unknown Caller ID”, “Private Name”, or “Private Number”.

Students with special education and language needs
Staff are conscious of supporting our students with special education and language needs. Resources and strategies to support all learners have been made available to staff.

Additional online learning resources
The Ministry of Education has added more resources to its 'Learn at Home' online portal to provide resources for both elementary and secondary students. HDSB staff have posted additional learning resources for Kindergarten - Grade 8 students. A link to all of these resources can be found at the top of the homepage on the HDSB website.

Refunds for pre-paid school activities
Parents/guardians should have received a message from their child’s school about refunds for school activities, field trips or events. Please follow the instructions in that communication regarding payments made through School Cash Online. Processes for refunding payments made directly to the school by cash/cheque are still being developed.

Graduation requirements for Grade 12 students

40 Hours of Community Service: The Ministry has announced that for students graduating in June 2020, the requirement of 40 hours of community service is waived.
Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT): This test is not occurring this year and has been waived as a requirement of graduation for current Grade 12 students.

Registering for school during the Ontario school closure
Families with school aged children new to Halton during the closure will be able to register. Please visit our Student Registration page for information. This process is also available for families with children starting school in September 2020 who have not yet registered for Kindergarten. Please share this information with anyone who you think may benefit.

School playgrounds, courts and fields closed
We ask all families to follow social and physical distancing recommendations from public health authorities. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, all HDSB school playgrounds and amenities are closed. This includes play structures, tennis and basketball courts and sports fields.

Mental health resources for families and students
Concerns about COVID-19 are impacting children and families alike. The mental health of our students is especially important at this time. We are sharing mental health and well-being resources for supporting others during the COVID-19 pandemic on our website here.

We are also working towards transitioning our current face-to-face counselling and social work services to a virtual one (e.g., online, telephone) to ensure professional support continues to be available to our students.

Frequently Asked Questions
We continue to update the frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help address concerns from families. If your question is not covered in the FAQs, direct it to contact@hdsb.ca.

Stay in touch
While schools are closed, we encourage families to continue to check for updates from us through email (SchoolMessenger), www.hdsb.ca, and the Board’s social media pages (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

Thank you for your patience and understanding during this unprecedented time.

Sincerely,
Stuart Miller
Director of Education

March 24, 2020

March 24, 2020

Dear HDSB families,

We hope that you and your families are doing well during these uncertain and unprecedented times. Since writing to you last week, the situation with respect to the Ontario school closure has evolved rapidly. Our staff have been working diligently to look at how we can best support our students and families in these unique circumstances.

Yesterday (March 23), the Premier of Ontario announced an extension of the school closure beyond April 5, however dates have not been released. We will inform families once we know the timing of the extension. In light of this announcement, we are sharing numerous cancellations which we know will be disappointing for our students and families. Below you will also find new information and resources to support students to continue their learning at home.

Connecting with our students

Our teachers and school staff are eager to connect with their students and support them during these challenging times. You can expect to hear from them in the coming days to check-in and ensure students have a sense of what resources are available online, as well as to share initial suggestions for areas of learning over the next two weeks.

Continuing student learning at home

Ontario Ministry of Education: Learn at Home

The Ministry of Education has introduced its 'Learn at Home' online portal. It can be accessed at www.ontario.ca/learnathome and provides resources so both elementary and secondary students can continue to engage in their learning independently during the initial two weeks of the closure. A link to these resources can be found at the top of the homepage on the HDSB website.

HDSB learning resources

We have posted additional learning resources for Kindergarten - Grade 8 students on the Board website (www.hdsb.ca). Click on the slider at the top of the homepage to access these resources. In addition, teachers will be reaching out to students in the coming days and providing immediate learning suggestions for students to help guide their independent learning over the next two weeks.

Teachers will not be assessing and evaluating the independent learning that students will be engaged in during the next two weeks. Over the next two weeks, staff are preparing materials to support a distance or online learning approach that would come into effect for the period beyond April 5.

Should you choose to use third-party online resources, you are encouraged to review the privacy and security settings outlined in the user agreement to ensure you are comfortable with them.

Cancellation of student excursions:

All international and domestic student excursions have been cancelled until the end of June because of the health risk to students and staff due to COVID-19. Any affected families will be contacted directly by their school and provided with more information with respect to the process for refunds.

Cancellation of large group gatherings:

Should school resume in the coming weeks, there will remain a need for social/physical distancing and avoiding large group gatherings. Therefore the HDSB is cancelling/postponing any planned large group gatherings for the remainder of the school year. This includes field trips, in-school presentations, elementary and secondary interschool and intramural athletics, proms, high school commencements, Grade 8 graduations, and our Student Excellence event on May 14. Schools will be sharing more information with their families in the coming days.

Cancellation of lunch programs:

To reduce the transmission of COVID-19, all lunch programs in elementary schools are suspended for the remainder of this school year (e.g., Pizza Days, Lunch Lady). Schools will be communicating these specific cancellations with their school communities.

Secondary school final examinations:

At this point, no decisions have been made with respect to HDSB secondary school exams. Information specific to secondary International Baccalaureate (IB) exams can be found HERE. This letter has been shared with families of students in schools with IB programs. Information specific to secondary Advanced Placement (AP) exams can be found HERE.

Sharing medical supplies with healthcare providers

The HDSB will be sharing our supplies of medical equipment (gloves, masks, etc.) with provincial healthcare providers as requested. This is being coordinated by the Ministry of Consumer and Corporate Resources to ensure these supplies are directed to where they are needed most.

Resources for families

Concerns about COVID-19 are impacting children and families alike. The following are a few ways to access additional information about supporting your child during these challenging times.

Mental health resources

Mental Health Considerations during COVID-19 Outbreak from the World Health Organization (WHO)
Ongoing news about COVID-19 can cause feelings of anxiety. The Reach Out Centre for Kids (ROCK) has a 24/7 crisis line for families looking for support to call: 905-878-9785. For all other queries related to ROCK services, call the Access Line at 289-266-0036.

Frequently Asked Questions

We’ve compiled frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help address concerns from families. We will continue to update this resource as we receive further information. Please check this resource frequently, and if your question is not answered, direct it to contact@hdsb.ca.

Stay in touch

While schools are closed, we encourage families to continue to check for updates from us through email (SchoolMessenger), www.hdsb.ca, and the Board’s social media pages (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

Thank you for your understanding during this unprecedented time.

Sincerely,

Stuart Miller

Director of Education

March 24, 2020 - important update for HDSB families translations

March 18, 2020

March 18, 2020

We hope that you and your families are doing well during these uncertain and unprecedented times. We are committed to providing you with frequent updates so you are aware of the most recent information with respect to the Ontario school closure.

Important updates:

Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve compiled frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help address concerns from families. We will continue to update this resource as we receive further information. Please check this resource frequently, and if your question is not answered, direct it to contact@hdsb.ca.

Dual Credits, Co-op, International Baccalaureate programs

During the school closure, students in Dual Credit programs will not attend their college classes.
Students in high school Co-op placements will not attend their placements during the closure.
For updates on the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, email your school’s IB coordinator after March 23 or visit: www.ibo.org/news/news-about-the-ib/covid-19-coronavirus-updates.

EQAO Assessments & OSSLT
The Ministry of Education has announced that EQAO assessments, including the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT), scheduled to take place this school year will be cancelled. For students who are graduating this year, the literacy graduation requirement will be waived. Students who are not graduating this year will have the opportunity to write the OSSLT in the 2020-2021 school year.

University and College applications
The Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) and Ontario universities are closely monitoring the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on students' applications. Please refer to the following websites for more information about university and college applications:

School and Bus cleaning
Our full complement of custodial staff are in the schools this week (March 16-20) to do deep cleaning of the schools and HDSB facilities. Buses will also be cleaned and sanitized during the school closure period.

Student learning during the school closure
The Ministry of Education is working on plans to provide learning resources for students during the school closure period. We hope to have more information to share with families toward the end of March Break.

Library Services
The HDSB’s Library Services offers 24/7 access to a wide range of digital resources that students can use at home with their HDSB username and password. These can be accessed from library.hdsb.ca or eit.hdsb.ca.

For students who would like to read during the school closure, eBooks and eAudiobooks are available from HDSB's Digital Library using your HDSB email address and password. If you have any questions please email contact@hdsb.ca.

Resources for families

How to talk to children about COVID-19
Concerns about COVID-19 are impacting children and families alike. Parents and caring adults in a child’s home are in the best position to talk with children about COVID-19. In many instances, not talking about something can make children worry more. Rather than overwhelming children with too much information, start by asking your child to tell you what they may have heard about the coronavirus, and how they feel. Answer their questions in a calm and reassuring manner using information provided by credible sources. Children will also be reassured by hearing the safety precautions you are taking, including the importance of frequent handwashing using an effective routine. There are many videos of hand washing routines that families can watch and practice together.

For additional information about supporting your child, refer to:
Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource
How to talk to children about the coronavirus - Harvard Health Blog

Mental Health resources

Mental Health Considerations during COVID-19 Outbreak from the World Health Organization (WHO)
Ongoing news about COVID-19 can cause feelings of anxiety. The Reach Out Centre for Kids (ROCK) has a 24/7 crisis line for families looking for support to call: 905-878-9785. For all other queries related to ROCK services, call the Access Line at 289-266-0036.

Social Distancing
We continue to encourage all families to practise social distancing to help limit the spread of the virus. Try to remain at home as much as possible to avoid interacting with others. If you must go to public spaces, avoid getting too close to others - less than two metres.

Stay in touch
While schools are closed, we encourage families to continue to check for updates from us through email (SchoolMessenger), www.hdsb.ca, and the Board’s social media pages (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

Thank you for your understanding during this time.

Sincerely,
Stuart Miller
Director of Education

Misinformation about COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) is circulating on social media. Please refer to these reliable resources:

Halton Region COVID-19 (2019 Novel Coronavirus) webpage
Ontario Ministry of Health 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) webpage
HDSB COVID-19 updates: All updates for Halton families from Halton Region Public Health can be found here.

Halton Region Public Health can be contacted at 311 or toll free at 1-866-442-5866.

March 13, 2020

As communicated yesterday evening, the Ontario Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health announced that all publicly-funded schools in Ontario will be closed for two weeks following March Break in response to the emergence of COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) in the province.

As a result, all schools and Board offices in the Halton District School Board will be closed from Saturday, March 14 - Sunday, April 5, 2020. At this time, schools are scheduled to re-open on Monday, April 6.

We recognize the significant impact this will have on students, families, staff and communities. This precautionary measure is being taken to decrease the spread of COVID-19 and help keep our communities safe.

We are committed to supporting families and providing you with accurate information and resources. We are compiling a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) which will be posted on the HDSB website in the following week.

The purpose of this closure is to slow the spread of the virus by reducing the amount of personal contact. This extraordinary measure, taken in the interests of public health, and the safety of our students and staff, can only be effective if we all minimize our exposure, and maximize our diligence, during this period.

We encourage all HDSB families and staff to follow the advice of public health authorities and the federal government. Today, the Government of Canada announced that Canadians should avoid all non-essential travel outside of the country effective immediately.

As a Board, we want to ensure we use the two-week closure period to reduce the risk of contagion when schools re-open. We therefore ask that during this time, you follow the advice of public health authorities and avoid public gatherings and travel outside Canada, and self-isolate as required, so that when schools re-open we can be confident that we have all done our part to keep students and staff safe.

Reporting student absences during the closure
Families do not need to report student absences during the school closure.

Child care, EarlyON Centres, March Break camps, school rentals
As HDSB schools will be closed from March 14 - April 5, all child care centres, March Break camps and EarlyOn programs operating in school facilities will not be running. We have cancelled all community use rentals and bookings for the duration of the shut-down.

Online Learning Resources
The Ministry of Education is exploring online learning resources for students during the two-week period following March Break. We will communicate with families once we receive further information.

Status of the School Year
At this time, we have no information to share about whether the school year will be extended. That decision will be communicated as soon as we have that information.

Stay in touch
While schools are closed, we encourage families to continue to check for updates from us through SchoolMessenger, www.hdsb.ca, and the Board’s social media pages (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).

Thank you for your understanding during this time.

Sincerely,
Stuart Miller
Director of Education

Misinformation about COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) is circulating on social media. Please refer to these reliable resources:

Halton Region COVID-19 (2019 Novel Coronavirus) webpage
Ontario Ministry of Health 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) webpage
HDSB COVID-19 (Coronavirus) updates: All updates for Halton families from Halton Region Public Health can be found here.

Halton Region Public Health can be contacted at 311 or toll free at 1-866-442-5866.

Additional Resources

Letters from Stuart Miller, Director of Education

April 16, 2020: A letter to Grade 12 students from Stuart Miller, Director of Education

To: Grade 12 students and their parents/guardians,

I am writing to you in hopes of alleviating some of the concerns we have heard from our graduating students and provide you and your families with further information concerning your final year of high school.

I want to begin by saying how sorry we are that we had to cancel proms and commencements and other student events for the remainder of the school year. This was a difficult decision to make but it was a necessary one, made with guidance from public health officials. We are currently looking at ways we can celebrate and acknowledge our graduating students once the restrictions on large group gatherings are lifted and we can safely be together again.

Your teachers, principals and I recognize that Grade 12 can be a challenging year for students and the many changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic has created additional challenges. Be assured that the Halton District School Board and the Ministry of Education are in alignment that no student will have their graduation compromised by COVID-19.

The Ministry of Education continues to collaborate with the Ministry of Colleges and Universities to ensure there will be no barriers for graduating Grade 12 students to access post-secondary education.

This includes:

Waiving the graduation requirement of 40 hours of volunteer service
Waiving the requirement to successfully complete the Grade 10 Literacy Test requirements
Graduating students in a SHSM program unable to complete their SHSM requirements will be supported through the override request process
Midterm marks for Grade 12 students will be based on work done before March 13. Any learning tasks completed after April 6 may be used if it improves your midterm mark. These midterm marks will be entered by April 24. These marks will be centrally uploaded to the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) and the Ontario College Application Service (OCAS) on April 30.
Demonstrated improvements in learning will be taken into consideration when assigning a final mark; however, you must complete the work required to demonstrate your understanding of key curriculum expectations. Where you require special consideration, please connect with your teacher, Guidance Counsellor, SERT, and/or principal.

We are aware that distance learning is not a one-size fits all approach and learning during this time will look different. This means you are not expected to be online with your classmates for 75-minute periods. We recognize that siblings are sharing technology, that not all students have computers and internet access, and that some of you are supporting your community by working in essential services. Please ensure your teachers are aware of your situation.

I trust you will work hard, maintain good time management and organizational skills, participate actively in your courses, and look after yourselves and your families. As encouraged when schools are open, I hope you continue to communicate with your teachers and ask for the support you need to be successful. Guidance counsellors, Student Success Teachers, Special Education staff and ESL/ELD teachers are available to help with pathway planning and any additional information, resources or support you may need.

We are committed to working together with you to ensure that this time of distance learning is a positive and supported one in this very important final year of high school.

Please refer to the FAQs for Graduating Grade 12 students on the HDSB website (hdsb.ca) for answers to some of the most common questions we have received from graduating students. If you have a question not on the FAQs, please email contact@hdsb.ca.

Sincerely,
Stuart Miller
Director of Education

April 1, 2020: Grade 12 proms and commencements, Grade 8 graduations, athletics, extracurriculars and field trips

Dear HDSB students,

I hope you are doing well during these challenging times. As you may be aware, the Government of Ontario has announced that schools will be closed until May 4. This extension is based on the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health and will be re-evaluated based on public health advice closer to the date. As a result of this extension, the HDSB made the difficult decision to cancel all student events for the remainder of the school year. I am writing to you today to explain why that decision was made.

The decision to cancel Grade 12 proms and commencements, Grade 8 graduations, athletics, extracurriculars and field trips was not an easy one to make. The HDSB recognizes that school events provide invaluable memories and act as meaningful milestones of your time in elementary and secondary school. We truly apologize for this disheartening choice, but we hope you can understand why it was a necessary one to make.

The COVID-19 pandemic is an ongoing public health crisis that continues to evolve quickly. We must all do our part to slow the spread of the virus. This includes 'physical distancing', which means avoiding large group gatherings, and looking out for one another from a distance. If school is to resume in the coming weeks, there will still be a need to limit large gatherings, meaning events like these will not be possible.

In coming to this decision to cancel and postpone these events now, rather than waiting, we had to also consider the following:

Large events require a great deal of planning by staff, principals, parents, and students who cannot meet in person. Although online planning was something we considered, it is very likely these events would have been eventually cancelled anyway. We thought it would be best to avoid false hope and communicate this decision with you as soon as possible.
Deposits for prom/graduation attire, commencement locations, meal costs and transportation fees are usually required around this time. These generally cannot wait and are non-refundable.

At this time, we are not sure if it will be possible to reschedule these events for Fall 2020. That decision will be made in the months ahead in consultation with public health authorities. As information becomes available, we will communicate about the possibility of rescheduling these events.

If you have any questions, please email contact@hdsb.ca and check the FAQs page on the HDSB website.

Again, thank you all for your understanding and cooperation during these difficult times. From all of us at the Halton District School Board, please stay safe.

Sincerely, Stuart Miller
Director of Education, HDSB

Feb. 6, 2020: A Message for School Communities Regarding the 2019 Novel Coronavirus

As you may be aware, recent attention related to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus has created concern about interacting with individuals who might be of Asian descent or have travelled to China. We are aware of unsettling examples of how this has led to discriminatory behaviour. We recognize there are students and families who are feeling vulnerable due to public perception and stigma about the origin and spread of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus. Halton Region Public Health continues to stress that, at the present time, the risk remains low to residents in Halton.

We want to assure you that the Halton District School Board is committed to providing an environment where no student, staff or family is targeted in any way.

The Ontario Human Rights Commission recently released the following statement: “Discriminatory action against any persons or communities because of an association with the Wuhan novel coronavirus, perceived or otherwise, is prohibited by the Ontario Human Rights Code.”

We ask that all members of our school communities continue to ensure our schools are bias-free and safe spaces for all our students and families. This can be accomplished by taking a stand to confront individuals who use harmful language and stereotypes.

Together we will continue to build school communities that are respectful and caring; where all students and staff feel safe and have a genuine sense of belonging.

Stuart Miller
Director of Education

Letters from Ontario Ministry of Health

March 12, 2020

Letters from Halton Region Police Service and the Halton Children's Aid Society

April 2020

HRPS CAS - Letter to Families

Letters from Halton Region Health Department

March 11, 2020

March 4, 2020

February 28, 2020

February 11, 2020

January 27, 2020

Letters from The Honourable Stephen Lecce, Ontario Minister of Education

June 19, 2020

June 19, 2020 - Letter from The Honourable Stephen Lecce, Ontario Minister of Education

May 19, 2020

May 19, 2020 - Letter from The Honourable Stephen Lecce, Ontario Minister of Education

April 28, 2020

Please note: In the Halton District School Board, our educators began reaching out to families in early April to assess technology needs. Since then, technology and devices have been distributed and internet connectivity has been supplied to families who did not have access and had requested it. We are grateful to Cogeco for their prompt response to families who required internet connectivity. To date, we have been able to meet all student requests for a device for each household. In most cases, we have supplied Chromebooks as they tend to work best with our learning platforms and resources.

In the following letter from the Minister of Education, Stephen Lecce, it states that iPad devices with data have been purchased and distributed to families in need by school boards in the province. We did not provide this technology to our HDSB families for the reasons stated above.

We encourage you to reach out to your child’s teacher or principal if you require technology support.

April 28, 2020 - Letter from The Honourable Stephen Lecce, Ontario Minister of Education

March 31, 2020

March 31, 2020 - Letter from The Honourable Stephen Lecce, Ontario Minister of Education

March 22, 2020

March 22, 2020 - Letter from The Honourable Stephen Lecce, Ontario Minister of Education

Board Office

Halton District School Board
J.W. Singleton Education Centre
2050 Guelph Line
Burlington, Ontario, L7P 5A8

Numbers

Phone: 905-335-3663
Fax: 905-335-9802

Links

Email Us

COVID-19

​​Provide Input on Distance Learning through survey from June 10 to July 6, 2020​

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​FAQs on the Ontario School Closure

Approach to Reopening Schools - Information for Families and Staff

Past updates for HDSB families​​

Today’s update includes the following:

Elementary (Kindergarten to Grade 8)

Secondary (Grade 9 - 12)

March 24, 2020 - important update for HDSB families translations

Additional Resources​

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Letters from Stuart Miller, Director of Education​​​

Letters from Ontario Ministry of Health​​​

Letters from Halton Region Police Service and the Halton Children's Aid Society​​​​

​Letters from Halton Region Health Department​

Letters from The Honourable Stephen Lecce​, Ontario ​Minister of Education