December 17th, 2020

December 17, 2020.

Dear parent / guardian,

 

The Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) has been taking a proactive approach in planning and preparing for any possible learning scenarios throughout the 2020-2021 school year. On December 16, the Ministry of Education provided notice to school boards, encouraging staff and students to take home any materials required for distance learning, prior to leaving for the holiday break. This is so that we can be ready for any possible scenario for returning to school in January.  

 

A decision to close schools or move from in-person to distance learning would be made by the Ministry of Education or Region of Waterloo Public Health. At this time, there has been no direction to close or move to distance learning after the holiday break. However, school board staff have initiated the process of communicating contingency plans to schools to ensure that a smooth transition would take place, if required. 

 

We will share any information related to the return to school as soon as it becomes available. Any updates regarding the status of school closures, the distribution of technology, or a move to full distance learning will be posted to the school and board websites (www.wrdsb.ca), School Day and on the WRDSB’s social media channels: ​Twitter: @WRDSB  Facebook: facebook.com/wrdsb and Instagram: @wr_dsb.

 

We ask that families remind their students to bring home any of their personal belongings. The break is also a great time to clean backpacks, lunch pails or any other items that students regularly make use of at school.    

 

We recognize that these are challenging times and that COVID-19 cases continue to climb across our province. We ask that staff, students and families please continue to follow the advice of Public Health, even though it may mean forgoing traditional gatherings. With your help, we look forward to welcoming students back in person in January. 

 

Sincerely,

Janet Hale and Karen Madsen

Janet Metcalfe Public School