With less than two weeks until students in London and the surrounding area go back to class, the local public school board has released its plan on what the year is expected to look like.
Last year schools across the province had to make many adjustments to learning models and extra-curricular programs due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
This fall, the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) said it has readied schools and workplaces to ensure staff and students experience a successful return.
The board has released a 'Return to Learn' plan that details what parents and students should expect going into the 2021-22 school year.
"We are very excited to welcome students back and resume many of the activities that make school such a rich learning experience," said Education Director Mark Fisher.
Like last year, staff and students and visitors will be required to perform a daily COVID-19 screening prior to coming to school. If a student begins to show signs of COVID symptoms, said student will be relocated to a supervised designated area of the school until a parent or guardian can pick their child up.
Both in-person and virtual learning classes will begin and end at the same time.
Children heading back to school for in-person learning will attend classes as usual five days a week, six hours per day, break included, in one class (cohort).
Students in Kindergarten to Grade 12 are required to wear masks while indoors at all times. Masks can be removed when sitting down to eat, singing, using wind instruments, or while outdoors.
Elementary school students may have staggered recess and lunch periods to ensure health and safety regulations are followed. Students will not have to stay in their cohort while outside at recess but distancing will be encouraged as much as possible. Staff will also promote healthy hand hygiene among students.
High school students will take a total of four courses per semester. Students will alternate taking two courses one week, then the other two courses the next week.
Lunch periods will have some restrictions. Students may eat with one another outdoors without distancing, but while indoors, students must follow the two-metre rule. Cafeterias and vending machines will not be selling food but the board expects food services will resume later in the fall.
High school students are permitted to leave campus to purchase food or go home for lunch. Elementary school children may also go home for lunch with permission from their parents or legal guardian.
"We are taking a cautious approach," Fisher said. "The decisions we have made are intentionally focused on safely returning our students and staff to learning."
Extracurriculars including clubs, sports teams and bands are permitted with restrictions. Indoor school assemblies are on hold for the time being.
Those engaging in virtual learning will also be required to do five hours of live, online instruction. At times, there will be some opportunities for independent learning.
Attendance will be taken throughout multiple times of the day to ensure a student is completing the minimum amount of synchronous learning required per day. Adult supervision is required for elementary school children participating in virtual learning. Courses such as music, physical education as well as technology are not being offered virtually.
As an added layer of protection, Fisher said the board has invested over $64.5-million to install or upgrade mechanical ventilation systems over the last five years. An additional $15-million in improvements have been made over the summer.
By next year, mechanical ventilation is expected to be present in approximately 93 per cent of TVDSB schools.
Until then, the school board has invested nearly $4-million for HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters to be used in all occupied classrooms and common areas that rely on passive ventilation.
The full 19-page back-to-school guide can be found on the school board's website.
