Tents as classrooms - not in Halton

News 100 greenBy Pepper Parr

September 4th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Remember that idea of holding classes outdoors? Some people were thinking year round outdoor classes.

It didn’t get very far at the Trustee meeting this week.

tent classroom

School Board administration found all kinds of reasons for killing the idea of using tents as classrooms.

Trustee Chair Andrea Grebenc raised the thoughts about fundraising for tents that would be used for outdoor classrooms.

They didn’t get very far.

In order to be at all useful – the tent would have to be quite big.

What would go into the tent? And who would be responsible for the cleaning and safety of whatever was placed in the tent?

There would be some vandalism.

In order to put a tent in place the Board would have to get a permit from the city – just the way they have to with portable classrooms.
Insurance and liability issues also had to be figured out.

The killer issue was that parents cannot fundraise for anything related to student accommodation.

That idea was off the table.

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Class sizes for the Halton Public School Board - below what most of the other boards in the province have been able to achieve.

News 100 yellow

By Pepper Parr

September 3rd, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Wednesday evening the Halton District School Board met – it was another long meeting.

No more desks set out in neat rows. The classroom furniture is now such that students can sit by themselves or in groups of two or three - up to eight. The objective was to create situations where the students learn to work as groups and to collaborate on a problem - question or assignment.

The number of students in the elementary classes is low – not the 15 many parents would like but nowhere near the 30 that was feared.

The fear that the school board would be jamming as many as 30 children into the elementary classes is unfounded

There are 244 kindergarten classes in the Halton Region. The regular class size in the past has been as many as 29 students. The average for the kindergarten classes starting September 14th will be 20 students.

In the primary grades 1 to 3 there are 450 classes in the Region. 90% of those classes must be capped at 20. There are 16 classesthat have more than 20 students.. The average is 18 ½ in each class.

The Junior Intermediate level there are 809 classes in the Region. The Board is funded for 24 ½ students. The average for the Junior Intermediate is 22.6

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Director of Education: 'these students are our responsibility – my responsibility when they are on school property'

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

September 2nd, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

There is still a lot of confusion on the part of parents as well as many of the teachers.

But come Tuesday of next week you will be taking your young ones to school – assuming you didn’t opt out for a virtual classroom.

Your job as a parent begins today: students – especially younger ones will need help in coping with the really big change that will take place at every school.

Parent talking covid

Explain to your child what will be different when they return to school – and why things are going to be different.

The Halton Board of Education will be meeting this evening; we will report on what we learn – expect updates on a number of issues.

Let’s stick with the bricks and mortar structure. There will be one door to enter and a different door to leave the building.

Don’t have the child take very much to school the first day – the rules on what elementary students can bring to school will be set out for them by a teacher who will be dressed in full PPE – which might be a little startling for the student.

There will be a lot of rules and as a parent you can do a lot of the prep work in the next handful of days.

Take your younger children to places where there are markers on the floor and explain what they mean and why they are in place.

Explain why they have to wear a mask and why they can only play with the friends in their class.

And that they can’t get too close to those friends.

social circles graphic

Explain what social circles are and how that might limit who your child can actually play with.

The job for parents of early elementary children:

• Tighten up social circles
• Practice physical distancing
• Follow good hand hygiene and respiratory
etiquette
• Wear face coverings in indoor public places and when physical distancing cannot be maintained
• Explain to the child that at some point what that means.

Miller with students Mar 7-17

Director of Education Stuart Miller sees himself as personally responsible for every student in the HDSB

Schools are doing their best to keep parents fully informed – the difficulty is that the rules change – sometimes by the hour.

The Board of Education has to listen to what the Halton Region Public Health Units requires and follow the dictates of the province.

Halton District School Board Director of Education sets out just what he has to deal with – “everything is fluid and dynamic”. “We have to be smart, be focused and realize these students are our responsibility – my responsibility when they are on school property.”

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Medical Officer of Health doesn't make the rules - she interprets and enforces them

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

September 1st, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Dr. Hamidah K. Meghani told the several thousand people who logged into the Virtual Town Hall last week: “We’re here for you!”

Dr Meghani is a Commissioner with the Region of Halton and the Medical Office of Health.

She is a parent with children; has called Oakville home for more than seven years.

HM Big smile

Dr. Hamidah K. Meghani is a Commissioner with the Region of Halton and the Medical Office of Health.

Born in India, Meghani’s family immigrated to Canada when she was a child. She said she remembers seeing the impact of poverty on people in India and learning from her parents the importance of helping those in need. She credits these early experiences with helping to guide her to a career in public health.

She completed a Masters of Public Health in Family and Reproductive Health at Columbia University in New York City.  She is a certified family physician, has completed training in public health and preventative medicine and is a Fellow with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons.

During much of 2011, Meghani interned at Halton Region under former MOH Dr. Bob Nosal, who she succeeded after his 25 years in the role.

 She was previously an Associate Medical Officer of Health in Hamilton,

The incoming MOH earned her medical degree from McMaster University in 2007 and did her residency at the University of Toronto, spending two years at St. Michael’s Hospital.

The pandemic we are dealing with is what she spends every waking hour of every day focused on.

It is not the job she thought she had when she was hired from the city of Hamilton a number of years ago – but it is the job she has learned to do and at this point is doing as well as anyone can expect.

The Regional Councillors can’t lay enough praise at the woman’s feet.

The public, especially parents with children in school, aren’t quite as positive. They are anxious and at some levels confused.

Meghani doesn’t make the rules. Her job is to interpret the rules to the best of her ability and do her level best to ensure that the public is safe.

When the province imposed a lock down on everyone and the public health units began to get reports of people infected with the Covid-19 virus the Public Health Unit had to find or create resources to meet the challenge.

On balance the Region of Halton has been spared when looked at on a per capita basis.

The geography helps – we don’t have any pockets of dense population and few people were going to their offices.

That is expected to change when students are back in school and parents begin to go back to their offices.

There was a tragic outburst at a long term care home in Halton Hills where 11 lives were lost. That location was a private operation with a solid reputation.

Hamida + in HAmilton event.

One of the first public briefings Dr. Meghani took part in was a learning experience. She grew into that part of the job – but prefers to work at a distance (this was her mode of operation well before Covid-19) Here she supports Hamilton Health Sciences physician-in-chief Dr. Barry Lumb provides details after an oncologist at Juravinski Cancer Centre has tested positive for coronavirus. |

Halton has four long term care homes run by the Region – there has not been one reported infection at any of the four locations – someone was doing something right.

The major early challenge for the Public Health units was learning how to quickly identify those thought to be infected and have them tested. In the early stages that at times took days and then a few more days to get the results back.

At that point any attempt to trace where the infection may have come from was close to wasted time.

It was several months before the Public Health Unit could get its hands on software that would allow almost instant tracking.

Today when a person is identified as infected the Public Health Unit is able to reach out and be in touch with every person the infected individual might have been with or near.

There is now a team in place that is on top of the tracking that has to be done.

Meghani’s current challenge is to assuage the concerns of parents and convince them that the safest place for their children is in a classroom.

While the numbers are decent – said to be at the 80% level – there are communities in the province where the response is above the 90% level.

The Board has yet to – and probably won’t – release accurate numbers. Their job is to get every child who is normally healthy into a classroom.

Meghani’s job is to help convince those parents that their children will be safe. And that if there is an outbreak in a school there are protocols and procedures in place to ensure that any hot spot is quickly and effectively isolated.

Meghani told the Virtual Town Hall that she and her team have “ been working together with the board at every step of the way through this planning process and we’re confident that we will be able to provide a safe and productive learning environment for students and staff.”

Parent talking covid

Explaining Covid and its implications to your children is a lot easier than the sex ed conversation you had.

She asked parents to: “Think about your child’s needs”

Does your child have:
• Special learning needs?
• Any medical conditions that may make them prone to severe disease if they get COVID-19?

Talk with your child’s doctor to discuss the risks.

So far, she explained, most children infected with the virus experience mild symptoms.

• Fever
• Cough
• Runny Nose
• Sore Throat
• Headache
• Body Ache
• Diarrhea

Many children have mild or no symptoms. Additionally, children account for a small number of COVID-19 cases overall.

Think about the people with whom you live

Most people will develop minor symptoms and recover on their own.
The risk of severe illness and outcomes is higher for those who are over 70, or who have chronic diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or cancer.

Every family is unique

Decisions around heading back to school will be different for every family depending on:
• their child’s academic needs
• whether their child or household members are at increased risk of severe illness
• the family’s unique situation

The role of Public Health

Setting out what the role of Public Health is during a pandemic should really be: we do what has to be done when it needs to be done and prepare as well as we can for something that is new to everyone.

Work with the school board to ensure measures are in place to protect our students:

• active daily screening
• no mixing of cohorts (or classes) in the elementary years
• ensuring children understand how to properly wear face coverings or masks
• enhanced hand hygiene and cleaning

covid virus

An illustration of what the covid19 virus is believed to look like

Support development of safe school reopening plans

Provide recommendations and resources to help school boards and private schools develop policies and procedures, adhere to infection prevention and control practices and plan measures to ensure the health and safety of staff, students, parents/guardians and visitors.

• Support training and educational opportunities
• Develop processes and protocols for managing sick students and staff
• Develop guidance around managing a confirmed case and an outbreak
• Ensure schools have child-friendly resources that support healthy behaviours.

The biggest tool we have working for us is our own individual behaviour.  Wear a mask, wash your hands frequently and maintain a safe social distance.  That little bugger of a virus wants to jump all over you.

If you want to know more about just how the virus does what it does – check out the link below.  If your high school student child has an interest in science – pass it on.

How the virus gets inside you.

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Grandparents now find they have a new, much appreciated role.

News 100 yellowBy Staff

September 1st, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Grandparents are suddenly in demand.  They are going to have the grandchildren closer to them that they have for some time.

Many parents have turned to their parents for support.

However, there are some grandparents, for a whole host of reasons, don’t get to see the grandchildren for that precious “face time”.  The Canadian Association of Retired People has put together a list that can help grandparents establish a stronger relationship with children they aren’t able to see as much as they would like to.

grandfather boy tablet

Is that boy teaching his grandfather to use that big tablet?

Learn to use Facetime or Skype on your phone or computer so you can watch a show or movie on one while video chatting on the other simultaneously.

Set up specific times to visit online so your grandchildren have those to look forward to—kids like and need structure in these “covid-irregular” times.

Do simple fitness activities like chair yoga, stretches, walking on the spot etc. together, electronically.

Schedule shows, movies and other programs you will watch together and chat about, e.g. start watching a TV show or movie at the same time and chat on another device while watching, or after, so it’s a shared experience. If you only have phone access, watch the movie or TV ahead of time and then discuss.

Help your grandchildren write fun letters and take photos to send to other relatives.

Read a book to them over the phone or online.

grandparent - boy ballons

Who is wearing the biggest smile – and who made the bslloon set up?

Ask them to make collections (such as similar toys, or old photos or other household handy items) as a sort of a Treasure Hunt.

Download books for a virtual age-appropriate book club discussion.

Listen to music with them and have them explain their music preferences to you.

If they are older, ask them to do errands like shopping for you (if they are nearby). Make them feel wanted and useful.

Show an interest and help with their school work.

Ask about and discuss their world of sports, e.g. what they are missing and how they think their favourite sports will rebound when the pandemic is under control.

Send your grandchildren a parcel every other week. You could include a craft to be done together with a parent, some ‘homework ‘ fun pages, homemade cookies, etc. Never send them the same day; keep them wondering when it will arrive and don’t tell when or what is in it.

Share recipes by texting pictures back and forth of what you have created. Make it a fun contest on baking/cooking a variety of different things.

Write down a favourite made-up story and share it as you would a book. Works for both kids and grandparents who have been in the habit of making up stories.

Watch the online kitchen parties that are full of singing and dancing together and showing support for front-line workers and support staff.

Watch them together by telephone or online.

grandparents - child running

A scene that was repeated several million times when the lock in came to an end.

A close colleague with strong views on social distancing has decided that he and his wife will home school their two grandchildren.  They live in a rural setting where there are all kinds of things that can be done outside.

Both have experience teaching – something they acquired when they travelled the world and were able to spend some time with children in different countries.  He taught younger people how to play a guitar and then left the one he brought with them as a gift.

She is an artist and worked with the younger people helping them write a short book and then illustrate it.  It was a chance to teach English and Art at the same time.

We will look in on these two once classes actually start.

 

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What’s open and closed at the City of Burlington for Labour Day Weekend

News 100 blueBy StaffWill the citizens be out marching in the streets along with the Burlington Teen Tour Band when the city announces they have settled all the pier related lawsuits in a closed mediation session?

September 1st, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

City services 1

city services 2

City services 3

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Students return to school September 14th - 20% will attend virtual classes. Part 3 of a series

News 100 blueMichele Bogle

August 31st, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

In this segment of an ongoing series the article addresses continuing concerns as well as new ones. All of the staff and parents in this series have signed the “Intent to Return” Survey. The group participating is mixed with regard to whether their child is ‘distance learning’ or returning to school.

The participants in this series are real. Their names have been changed to preserve their identity.

Region MoH Meghani

Dr. Hamida Meghani, – Medical Officer of Health for the Region of Halton – in the most stressful job of her career.

We’ve learned from Halton Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Meghani, that the Health Protection and Promotion Act, requires a member of a household who tests test positive for the virus must self-isolate for 14 days.

Last Wednesday, at a virtual Town Hall, we learned that 16,000 have chosen distance learning over classroom attendance.

The Board is now scrambling to create three elementary and one secondary, virtual schools which calls for a significant deployment of teaching staff.   The virtual schools will follow the traditional curriculum for both elementary and secondary students.

There were no specifics in the outline during last Wednesday’s town meeting with regard to Special Education classes. Details that were needed earlier than the August 23 deadline, in order for parents to decide whether their child returns or not. Grace Penny and her husband adopted two elementary aged children who require additional attention. Because of the lack of planning to make an informed choice she and her husband have opted to keep their children home. Grace added that there is a great financial burden associated with keeping their special needs children home. A decision, not made lightly. She continues that there is separate funding but that their combined income excludes them from qualifying.

Special Education Teacher Paul Pratt had questions about the use of shields instead of masks. Are there funds being allocated for these ‘in person’ students who are no longer sharing materials? Will the teachers be asked to use the materials that they have already purchased for their students and will they be reimbursed?

What will the ratio of EA’s be in these classes to meet needs in the new scenario? Superintendent Podrebarac spoke of “a host of choices” for protective gear but didn’t specify.

Blackwell and Miller at itsem Nov 2018

Superintendent Terri Blackwell with Director of Education Stuart Miller at the original registration for the iStem program at Aldershot high school.

Superintendent Blackwell addressed the subject of transportation in last Wednesday’s meeting. Each school bus would now be loaded to capacity, potentially three to a seat. While windows can be opened until the onset of colder weather, without the spacing earlier suggested, would the wind from the open windows blowing air directly into faces not much more than two feet behind in each row pose a health risk?

In this same meeting ventilation was addressed within the schools. For some older schools the standard code was for a class window to only open four inches for the safety of the children, when built. For some, like the classroom Sandra Parker taught in, there were no windows. This poses great concern for many of her colleagues and for those of Maria Vanelli’s.

Some teachers like Maria have a ‘high risk’ family member at home and have opted for virtual teaching. An answer to which would give her and her family great comfort in knowing if the Board will accommodate her.

Mila Sanchez and her husband, parents of two elementary aged girls, grades two and four works outside of the home. They are unable to find after school care for their children, a problem shared by many of their friends.

Grade school wearing masks

The carpets will not be on the floors in Halton schools – those toys would be sanitized after every class,

Elementary school teacher Maria Vanelli discussed that she was pleased about the new decision to have students in grades 1-3 wear masks. She suggested that parents might want to practice with their kids before the start date, 10 minutes a day gradually increasing the time. It would be of great help to the teachers. Her final thoughts, “Goes to show how COVID is affecting all aspects of life , from education to shortage of caregivers to added stress on all of us.”

Library Information Technician Carmen White would like everyone to keep in mind that, “It’s going to be scary for everyone and we need to realize that people deal with all of this differently and we need to be KIND to each other. Reality is, there isn’t the space, teachers or money for smaller classes, so we need to do the best we can.”

I hear an unyielding sense of frustration from parents and teachers. The Board has no easy task and no perfect plan, and not enough money to make it all right.

Michele BogleMichele Bogle is a Burlington resident who writes for the Gazette on community issues. She has written several children’s books for ages 4-12, which can be found under the pseudonym, ‘Cameron S. Matthews’. Michele studied journalism from the University of Pennsylvania.

Related news stories in the series:

Part 1:

Part 2:

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Region to get retired nurses to help out with spotting early signs of an infected student or teacher

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

August 30th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The province announced that 500 +/- nurses would be hired to assist the return of students to school.

nurse hat

Every retired nurse in the province is going to want to take a closer look at this opportunity.

What wasn’t at all clear at the time was who would actually do the hiring: the schools – they didn’t think so.  The Regions – probably but they were still working their way through the document they got from the province and working out terms and conditions.

Meanwhile every retired nurse in the province who can find their little white cap with the black stripe would be lining up for what looked like an easy assignment.

NURSE CROPPED best

Not enough to put a nurse in every school but there should be enough to create a core of nurses at each Public Health Unit who can respond quickly.

In its statement Halton Region set out what they expected – subject to a firm agreement in place of course.

Expected roles for School Health Nurses

Support existing school health and communicable disease control programs in public health by:

• Providing support to school boards and schools in the development and implementation of COVID-19 health and safety plans
• Providing sector specific support for:
• Infection prevention and control
• Surveillance, screening and testing
• Outbreak management; and
• Case and contact management
• Supporting communication and engagement with parents and local communities, as well as the broader health care sector.

With schools actually re-opening on the 14th – there will be enough time to get the nurses hired and train them for the task that will last until the end of the year.

The question in the air is – will there be a second wave and will Halton see very much in the way of infections?.

A school board just outside Montreal where schools opened last week reported a teacher who was found to be infected on the first day back in classrooms.  Isolation for all the children she was teaching along with her own social circle.

nurse announcement ALL

The provincial announcement was made late in July.

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School principals scramble to create classes now that they have much of the data they need. Public Health unit prepares for

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

August 28th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

In a statement released by the Halton Region Public Health office we learn that they “continue to work closely with the Ministry of Health, local school boards and community partners to ensure all students return to a safe learning environment this September.

Dr Meghani at news conference Hamilton

Dr Meghani, the Regional Medical Officer of Health

“This includes providing recommendations to school boards for reopening to be considered in conjunction with directives and guidance provided by the Province. The school boards decide what measures to implement based on their circumstance.”

The key words are that the school boards make the decisions.

Parents know what it costs to keep their children in these classrooms - now they know what it costs to keep the principals in the schools. Too much?

Setting this classroom up so that the students are six feet apart if not going to be an easy.

As families prepare for the start of the school year, Halton Region Public Health is communicating directly with parents in several ways, including a video, a letter and webinar events (the HCDSB webinar was Tuesday night and HDSB webinar was Wednesday evening,”

Halton, like the rest of the province is “waiting to hear from the Province about the terms and conditions on funding to hire nurses, however there are many public health nurses and several staff who are already supporting the school administrators and community. We will also be recruiting temporary nurses to help with our efforts in schools.”

The decision by the Halton District School Board to move the opening up of classrooms to the 14th of September with some students being introduced to their classroom the week before, has school principals scrambling to learn which parents have decided to send their children back to the classroom and how many have decided to have their children stay at home and learn on line.

A Milton parent set out the concern many have about sending their child into a classroom; she said: “I’ve decided to keep the kids home for the foreseeable future.

“I’ve had to drop most of my volunteer commitments to focus on work and the kids. It hasn’t been easy but we have settled into a nice routine and are enjoying the time that we have together. This whole COVID thing has forced me to really take a deep look at my priorities and for now it’s my family.”

School principals have to work on a class by class, grade by grade level to learn what the population of the school is going to be. With this data they can determine how many students will be in a class. If sufficient numbers decide to stay home a principal may have to combine classes.

Logistically it is a bit of a nightmare.

School buses

Short trips – full loads. School busing just another potential problem area.

Getting students to school is a challenge as well. Those who take the school bus (many really have no choice) will find that the most recent plan was to fill each bus but to make the trips as short as possible.

The Board’s Superintendents have all been assigned to specific problem areas: elementary, secondary, mental health – name the problem and there will be a senior staff person on top of it and tracking the problems.

These people have been working flat out since March when they found that they had to recreate the way students were to be educated amidst an environment where the province took the time they needed to determine what was safest and the most politically expedient.

The virtual Town Hall did give the public a good opportunity to ask questions on Wednesday and Board senior staff were able to provide answers. There wasn’t a lot of good news.

Parents can forget the idea of actually entering a school. The doors will not be open to a parent who wants to meet with and talk to a teacher about problems with their child.

Claire outside the school

Teaching the high school students to stay within their cohorts is going to be a challenge – one MMR principal Claire Proteau is up to.

Given what we know about covid-19 – and there is a lot that is not known – the focus is now on limiting as much as possible who students interact with.

This virus is spread from person to person – the solution then is to limit the number of people a student interacts with.

Every student will bring with them every person they and members of their family have interacted with and then interact with fellow students who bring the same thing with them.

Situations like this drive the public health people crazy – they wait, poised, to move quickly when there is a sign that there might be an infected student in a school and if there is they move immediately to trace the contacts and inform them that they need to self-isolate.

All it takes is for one high school student to go to a party, pick up an infection and bring it back to their class and spread whatever they might have picked up.

There is a huge bureaucracy in place to deal with the problems – and there will be problems.

The first line of defence is in the homes – explaining to students who see themselves as invincible, that they are both part of the problem and probably the biggest part of the solution.

We are about to find out how good we are at taking care of ourselves as a community.

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School opening moved to September 14th - masks required in all grades: 1-12

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

August 27th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

During a two and a half hour virtual Town Hall meeting last night parents with children attending the Halton District School Board (includes Burlington, Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills) learned that school will not start on September 8th, but will instead start on September 14th.

Some students will be “introduced” to their school the week before.

students in mask

Masks will be required – all grades 1-12

Masks will be required in every grade from 1 through to 12.

The Medical Officer of Health has recommended that Junior Kindergarten and Senior Kindergarten (JK and SK) also wear masks.

Students will get mask breaks during the day.

The public heard a half hour presentation from the Medical Officer of Health during which she set out the rules that will ideally contain the spread of the Covid-19 virus, which in Halton has been quite low.

Parents had been asked by the Board to return Intent to Attend forms so that the administration could determine which form of education students would be taking – in the classroom or virtually at home.

Parents wanted more information before sending in the forms – the school board wasn’t able to give out information because they didn’t know what the class sizes were going to be – a classic Catch 22 situation.

Miller prep at Central

Director of Education Stuart Miller

Earlier in the month the board administration had announced that it was creating virtual schools, which they would need in the event of a school- or system-wide shut down.

It was first seen as something that might be needed – that might turned out to be necessary when more than 1600 students decided to not attend a school – they have chosen to be educated virtually.

The virtual schools will not be “local” – they will include students from within the Region.

There will be three virtual schools for the Region and a single virtual high school.

Details were a little sketchy – parents were told that all the information they needed was “on the web site”.

The Gazette will chase down the details in the days ahead.

School is going to be very different come September 14th.

Director of Education Stuart Miller in his closing remarks advised parents to “trust their own judgement”.

“Staff are nervous” he said.  “I am nervous”.  “Trust your own judgement” when deciding which form of education your children are going to get.

A Milton parent said to a friend and shared with the Gazette:

“I’ve decided to keep the kids home for the foreseeable future.

“I’ve had to drop most of my volunteer commitments to focus on work and the kids. It hasn’t been easy but we have settled into a nice routine and are enjoying the time that we have together. This whole COVID thing has forced me to really take a deep look at my priorities and for now it’s my family.”

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Twelve days left - then school opens - a lot of unanswered questions and a lot of missing information

News 100 blueMichele Bogle

August 26, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

The people mentioned in this article are real.  They are part of a group I assembled to serve as a sounding board to provide insight into what parents and educators are thinking and feeling.  Their real names are not used’ allowing them to speak freely without any implications on their family life and their livelihood.

With just 12 days from the ‘Reopening School’ start date for most in the province, parents, educators and the boards are frustrated.

What has happened since this writer’s last article on the subject?

In light of new information from the Ministry released on August 14, the Halton District School Board extended the deadline for parents and guardians to complete the ‘Intent to Return Survey’ to August 23 at 4pm.

There was then a lengthy  Board of Trustees meeting on August 21st.

What do we now know that we didn’t know or understand before?

HDSB trustees

The Halton District school Board trustees have been putting in long hours – the Chair has found he voice and is speaking out to the Ministry of Education.

We have some questions answered but many more are unanswered at this point. One very significant hindrance to implementing or laying out all the details was the fact that the board needed critical mass numbers in order to present an accurate working-model. The parents and guardians needed to know full details of the reopening before deciding, thus creating a conundrum.

Last week, Library Information Technician Carmen White informed us that funding for the additional teachers to allow for 15-person class sizes is not available. Concerns expressed by elementary school teacher Maria Vanelli and parents to elementary school students, Jeremy and Talia Unger, are shared by most parents and educators.

Miller prep at Central

Director of Education Stuart Miller

Miller while motion being read May 2-18

This question was answered in the long meeting last Friday night. Stuart Miller clarified by stating that the province has given the directive of same class sizes with an option for parents to choose distance learning. The safe-guards would be in place with respect to managing the cohorts and following the strict Halton Health protocols and guidelines.  When accurate numbers of students from the surveys are determined and some classes have larger amounts of distance learners, the Director was asked whether he would take ‘in-person’ students from other classes in the same grade and place them in those classes to minimize overall class sizes and the answer was, “no”.

He went on to explain that Halton class sizes, on average, fall well within the maximum numbers allowed per province guidelines and that instead the class of fewer students could be moved into existing classes within the same grade, freeing up a teacher up for a virtual class.

French Immersion ‘in-person’ classes would exist, numbers permitting. These students would otherwise merge with the general population until the ministry directs a return to school. A concern Talia Unger also has.

The Board does not currently have a plan to allow for French Immersion students to be caught up with their curriculum in the event that there are no French Immersion classes designated.

High school teacher Sandra Parker struggles with why the ministry allows for customized back-to-school models from one board to another. “Wouldn’t it be easier to implement the same plan across the province.” The differences generate ongoing questions from parents as to “why” we aren’t implementing the same practices.

Talia Unger also expressed thoughts of not wanting the school year to go late into the summer should there be a delayed start date. With the need for critical mass numbers in mind, Information Technician Carmen White as well as high school teacher Sandra Parker shared that hundreds of parents/guardians had not completed the survey in each of their schools by the deadline, and when contacted Monday, more than half refused to decide.

Elementary school teacher Maria Vanelli noted that controlling lunchtime at the elementary level is easier because the students will continue to bring their lunch and remain in their classroom to eat. Conversely, at the high school level when the 180 minute morning class is over, the students are expected to head directly home for lunch, after which they will prepare for the virtual 120 minutes.

Though Director Miller offered last Friday that the school will provide guidance for the parents and students on maintaining social distancing, there is great opportunity without any policing of each student, for them to spend the afternoons any way they choose. Lunch stops at fast food locations and/or joining friends outside of their morning cohort is more than probable. It would seem from the meeting, that Director Miller has approached this unprecedented situation with the ideal that the school will be responsible for the education and the parents are ultimately responsible for the health care of their children.

PosterWhere secondary students eat their lunch, who they hang out with outside school property and whether a responsible daily self-assessment is being done isn’t reasonable for the school to manage, but the idea that it’ll all work out if precautions are taken within the classroom walls, and let parents worry about the rest, is simply a naive notion.

There is a faculty group that has been left out of conversation: Library Information Technicians. The libraries will be closed and there has been no direction on what the administration will delegate this group to do. Carmen White has decided to take a proactive approach and is creating work for herself in order to remain relevant in this ever-changing school plan.

Director Miller was also asked whether he’d consider changing the direction for K-3 students to wear masks which has become a great concern for parents and educators alike. His response was that they won’t be wearing them. He feels that because of the ages, the children would distract from learning by needing the attention of the teacher to manage the wearing of the masks. Other boards have mandated mask use for all grades. Educators Teresa Fisk and Sandra Parker would like to know the delivery timeline of the PPE masks.

Parent Mary Sawyer is happier about an option to change learning models in November, though she would have preferred an earlier option of switching in October. The option to switch from ‘distance learning’ to ‘in-person’ can pose considerable problems as pointed out during the Friday meeting. There are the logistics of increasing cohort sizes and repopulating classes with students who make a change. There are also transportation and locker changes to control movement of cohorts.

The student would have to be in an isolation classroom for 48 hours before integrating. How would the schools have a sufficient number of rooms available in relation to how many opt to change? If the desks are two metres apart, why would it matter if students sit two metres apart in an isolation room, or in the regular classroom? Extra staff is required to monitor and/or teach those in isolation. What about grade differences? It could present a logistical nightmare.

Parent Talia Unger approves of the outdoor learning concept that is being considered through immeasurable pressure by the parents. Plans are in discussion. Talia welcomes the idea of the children not having to be encumbered with masks during study because of the distraction, as well the concept of classes being held outdoors with all of the benefits that surround that idea. Some considerations for the Board are proper clothing during cooler weather and availability of naturalized playgrounds away from traditional apparatus, like monkey bars. The board agreed to allow funding for this. Unfortunately there just isn’t enough time to build playscapes.

Blackwell addressed one of EA teacher Teresa Fisk’s concerns about shuttling. There will be a seating plan, 24 kids on the bus at a time, less than half the capacity, and they will exit and enter in the same order. Routes will be no longer than 12 minutes in length (barring traffic and inclement weather delays). No supervision on the bus with one bus driver. Buses will be sanitized between each school drop off.

Secondary modelAfter the Board confirmed that they were going ahead with the ‘quadmester’ model in the secondary classes, Director Miller remarked that, “No model will satisfy everyone because feedback was very mixed. Parents prioritized different aspects of the options.” The Board agreed that this learning model met most public health requirements in protecting cohorts. For high school teacher Sandra Parker the quadmester is an agreeable option but has a concern shared by other teachers with regard to the timeline before the school start date of facilitating enough prepared lessons for the 180-minute virtual classes everyday in light of the fact none of the teachers currently know what they are teaching. There will be no handouts, no take home materials at all. All instruction will be virtual. An impossible task within a short period of time.

Patrice Henry is a single parent of a grade 10 student who has expressed a need for an electronic device for her son to use during virtual class time since she uses hers for work at home. Director Miller addressed this subject by confirming that there was no funding available for devices required. Each Principal will distribute at their own discretion from supply on hand. “Such sources have included the library supply”, noted Carmen White. Miller continued by adding that this shortage presented scheduling conflicts for classes requiring devices at the same time.

Kathy Duncan’s concern for the special ed students was briefly addressed by an indication that if demand warranted it, a study hall would be provided. This of course brings up needs for EAs among health & safety concerns.

The HDSB website will have a link available for today’s ‘Reopening School Virtual Information Session for Family’, at 7pm. Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Medical Officer of Health will be present. The Board is requesting that those attending with any questions for Dr. Meghani, fill out the form provided on the Board website prior to the meeting in order for the doctor to be prepared with the answers required.

Mila Vasquez is a married mother of two girls in elementary school. She has questions about students presenting symptoms and how they are treated. The Board expects all parents and students to self-assess every morning prior to school. Should a student present symptoms without any evidence of whether they have a cold or the virus, it is recommended that the student remain at home. A doctor’s note is then required before the return to school. She is also concerned, since one of her daughters is susceptible to colds and flu, the requirement of a frequent doctor’s note can become costly during the winter season. Carmen White added that for parents with a child who presents symptoms but are unsure as to whether it’s just a cold or not, might often choose to send their child anyway when considering the use of their own limited sick days as well as potentially jeopardizing their job if they stayed home with their child. There was no information on whether or not the sibling of an infected child needed to isolate as well.

In the first article of this series, Talia Unger mentioned concerns about the treatment of students who present symptoms, and/or return to school after self-isolating for a cold or the virus. The Board had a strong reaction to how serious they intend to monitor closely, stigmas that could arise as a result of kids returning after being absent due to illness. They will also spend time educating students with regard to stigmas around racism in association with the virus.

If you have health questions you’d like answered, make sure to fill out the form provided on the HDSB website prior to tonight’s meeting at 7pm.

Michele BogleMichele Bogle is a Burlington resident who writes for the Gazette on community issues. She has written several children’s books for ages 4-12, which can be found under the pseudonym, ‘Cameron S. Matthews’. Michele received her education in journalism from the University of Pennsylvania.

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Getting the students ready for a return to school in less than two weeks has created confusion, concern and fear in the minds of some

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

August 25th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Parents are concerned, somewhat confused and not at all certain what is going to happen when the schools are re-opened.

The Halton District School Board is holding a Town Hall meeting on Wednesday and will be doing everything they can to answer the questions parents have.

Miller in a huddle with Grebenc

Trustee Chair Andrea Grebenc with Director of Education Stuart Miller

The Director of Education will have his team of Superintendents on hand to get into the specifics.

This team has been at it since March – learning that the system was being shut down meant these Superintendents didn’t just have to pivot – they had to do a 180 and make something happen with little in the way of resources or prep.

Director of Education MIller put it very well when he said: “They didn’t teach us this in principal school”.

Each of the Superintendents has been given an area of responsibility. They have taken their years of experience as classroom teachers and the lessons they have learned as Superintendents and a got teacher in front of students even if it was via the internet.

Parents were upset, students didn’t know what was going to happen each day.

It took a bit of time but the technology to reach out and communicate was found and implemented.

Blackwell

Superintendent Terri Blackwell running lead for the secondary students,

Superintendent Terri Blackwell was assigned to the Secondary school problems and the challenges.

Superintendent Scot Podrebarac took on the elementary students.

Both worked tirelessly with the school principals to help them deal with the students and the parents. There were challenges everywhere and few in the way of easy answers.

Hunt Gibbons H&S

Julia Hunt Gibbons – crunched the numbers to determine what could and couldn’t be done.

Superintendent Julie Hunt Gibbons was the numbers person. What would work and what wouldn’t work. Hunt-Gibbons had to take the number of classes, the number of students and come up with options in terms of how the Board could create a schedule that would let the board create a class with 15 to 20 students. She didn’t do it with a slide rule.

When the province said that normal class sizes would prevail – Superintendents gave each other one of those Huh! looks and went back to the numbers.

How do you keep 30 grade 3 students six feet apart in a standard classroom size? Was that possible?

Supt Ruddick (sp)

Colette Ruddock – the heath of every student is her mission.

Superintendent Colette Ruddock is overseeing the relationship between the Board of Education and the Public Health Unit.

How will the Public Health people work with the schools – one on one? Who in a school makes the decisions? We were told that the Director of Education believes he has the authority to close a school.

We will learn going forward what Ruddock is going to do – we know now that she is the contact person with the Health people.

There are nurses being brought in by the province but the school boards don’t see the nurses as part of their staffing compliment.
How long can parents and students get on with their lives under these conditions? No one knows – there are really more unknowns than there are knowns.

The Toronto District School Board has been setting the pace in terms of talk back to the government. With the exception of the stiff letter the Halton Trustee Chair sent the Minister of Education.

screen-time-and-students-banner

This is what it all comes down to – a student in the hands of a good teacher.

Will the school start be later – September 15 is a date being thrown around. Will the return on the part of the students be staggered? A couple of grades one day and a few days later other grades will be added with everyone being in place by the end of the first week.

Gearing up for the day students enter a school is work enough. Behind the scenes there are people across the province giving serious consideration and actually working on what a virtual education system would look like.

If there is the much expected second wave, which will be harsher than the first wave, and everything goes back into lock down – what then?

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Halton Public School Board chair tells the Minister of Education 'he isn't helping'.

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

August 24th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Reflecting the concern of parents across the province Chair of the Halton District Public School Board wrote the minister of Education to once again ask for some clarity on what the province expected of the school boards.

Using language that is seldom seen at this level the trustee wrote: “We can’t afford to get rental spaces, we have to arrange transportation and we have to do this within, what, two weeks?”

Grebenc

Andréa Grebenc: “Minister – words matter”

Andréa Grebenc, Chair of the Board of Trustees, Halton District School Board said what many have wanted to say:

“The Trustees of the Halton District School Board are greatly concerned and seeking clarification regarding a number of items that are critical for back to school planning and ensuring stability and confidence in public education. It is an understatement to note that there is heightened stress among all parties in the education sector and beyond due to the ongoing pressures and concern about COVID-19 and keeping everyone safe and healthy. While the health crisis evolves and demands flexibility, now is a time for collaboration and clarity of vision.

“In your August 13 announcement, there were several items that are concerning:

Students playing instruments

There will be no music classes as long as the virus is within the community and no vaccine.

The well-being of students, staff, families and the community is the highest priority. In your announcement, you noted that the Province’s Medical Officer of Health has signed off on the current return to school direction regarding existing class sizes in elementary.

You also stated that Boards have the choice to implement greater distancing (finding new spaces) and smaller class sizes than are in that guidance. This is highly confusing and puts our Board in a very difficult position. Elementary class sizes for elementary grades has been a source of broad contention with the Province’s return to school direction to Boards. The announcement created an expectation that would be nearly impossible to meet, particularly before September 8. In Halton, over 1200 new teachers would be required to lower elementary class sizes to 15, and additional space would need to be sourced and outfitted, transportation arranged, etc. In addition to a multitude of logistical challenges, and a lack of rental spaces in areas of need, it is anticipated that the cost to do so would be well in excess of the amount our Board could access from reserves.

Boards are able to utilize a portion of their own financial reserves to implement changes for the upcoming school year. In Halton, reserves have been built over a number of years and earmarked for other high need situations such as upgrading facilities, a home-grown solution to a lack of adequate funding sources for aging schools and administrative buildings.

It's not the kind of high school you were used to - MORE HERE

This kind of training isn’t going to be possible in September.

In the same announcement, you noted a $50M investment to upgrade/address HVAC systems across the province. While additional investment is appreciated, with 72 Boards in Ontario of varying sizes and needs, it is difficult to say how much would flow to each board. For context, to retrofit an older secondary school with a partial air conditioning system has cost in excess of $1M in the HDSB. Facilities staff have been working tirelessly during the summer months to upgrade and update these systems, and inference of lack of safety is not helpful.

Minister, you have spoken many times about working together. It is very challenging when these announcements come with no advance notice, and Boards hear about them at the same time as thousands of concerned citizens of Ontario who, in turn, expect school boards to have answers. These announcements may trigger complex revision processes that often require additional direction from the Ministry which may or may not come in short order. You have also mentioned “scaling up” a number of times, inferring that other announcements could be coming. Systems and people are under great pressure. At this time, staff need to focus on implementing plans for return to school in just over two weeks.

Students doing survey

Students are going to be deprived of most of the extracurricular activity.

Staff and students of Ontario school boards should be focussing on a safe return to school, and establishing the new learning and health and safety protocols that the COVID-19 pandemic requires. Overlaying this with new curricula (such as elementary math) complicates these processes and draws energy from where it is needed most. As such, the Trustees of the Halton District School Board are adding our voice to the many letters you’ve received requesting that full implementation of the new math curriculum be delayed, in favour of a measured transition with adequate preparation time for staff.

Minister, words matter. This is not a time for finger pointing. All Boards, and the communities they serve are different, and plans have been developed to reflect those unique restraints and needs. We are asking for consistency and clarity of vision so that all resources can be focussed on implementing back to school plans. The Trustees of the Halton District School Board look forward to actively collaborating with the Ministry of Education to help make the school year safe for students and staff so that students can learn, grow and succeed.

It doesn’t get more direct than that,  Good on the Chair for telling it like it is.

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Public Board of Education to hold virtual Town Hall on Wednesday.

News 100 blueBy Pepper Parr

August 23rd, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

When will schools open in September?

Group of students MMR

Gatherings like this inside a school will be possible IF all the students are in the same cohort.

The planned date was September 8th, 2020  but there are so many concerns over the number of students there are to be in classrooms – especially at the elementary level; the province is saying that standard class sizes are the rule and parents arenpushing back really hard saying they want no more than 15 students in classrooms.

The Toronto Public School Board is looking at smaller classes as well as a start date of September 15th and staggering the begin date.

Parents are concerned.  The school boards have to plan for whatever shows up on the day school starts and in many cases the school boards don’t know what a majority of the parents plan to do.

School buses

How many students will be allowed in each bus? Who will supervise the students while they are on the bus?

Will they keep their children at home and home-school them?  Will they form a pod with other parents and hire a teacher to run the classes?  Will the parents opt for having their children taught at home – on-line with the services the Board will provide or will they send their children to school.  If they choose the later – how will they get to school?  No one is certain just what the school buses are going to be able to handle.

On top of all this there is the issue of face masks.

Teachers will be decked out in full PPE gear – they may look like  visitors from some other planet.

It is going to be stressful on the younger students.

Students at Lincoln Centennial public school. Ontario school boards are struggling to find low-cost options to school additions to accommodate full-day kindergarten. Some options may include bussing kids. Reading are Heyley Ta and Zeynep Coskan-Johnson. Feb 21 2013. Bob TYmczyszyn/St. Catharines Standard/QMI AGENCY

No carpets on the floor; no soft cuddly toys, no sandbox and maybe masks.

Kindergarten, both junior and Senior is going to be really different.

No carpets on the floor.  Masks required – maybe.  No soft cloth or other covering toys, no sand box.

On Wednesday the Halton District School Board will be holding a virtual Town Hall that parents can call into and ask questions.

The Halton Medical Officer of Health will be part of the panel that will include the Director of Education and the senior superintendents that have been developing different scenarios to handle every possible situation they can think of – right up to shutting a school down if there is an outbreak

There is a very nervous parent community out there that does not feel they have the information, and assurance they need, to know that their children will be safe.

Grebenc

HDSB Trustee chair Grebenc – has become much more assertive.

The Halton District School board spent a long virtual trustee meeting last week and decided they would not make a decision on the wearing of masks in the classroom at every grade level  – they left that decision for another day.  They may not get to make that decision – there are rumblings that the province will mandate something.

The Gazette brought Michele Bogle in to create a group of parents who are serving as a sounding board.  Michelle will write as often as necessary with feedback from her group representing both levels – high school and elementary.  If you want to take part – email Michelle at bogle@bgzt.ca

There is a link to her first sounding board report below.

The Gazette will be monitoring the virtual Town Talk and reporting on that.

Related news story:

Parents voice their concerns about sending their children back to school.

 

 

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Be aware - be alert. Stay safe.

News 100 yellowBy Staff

August 21st, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The Halton District School Board prepared this poster and would like every household sending students to school to tape it to the wall close to the door.

Every student should glance at the poster, run the questions through their mind and if there is a hint of a yes to any of the questions they should speak to their parents.

The is how we catch the COVID-19 virus before it catches us.

Be aware – be alert. Copy poster to memory stick – take it to Staples have them to print an 11×17 copy

Poster

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Learning outdoors planned for Halton schools: Report on when and how due late September.

News 100 yellowBy Staff

August 19, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The Halton District School Board is thinking very seriously about Outdoor Learning for as many schools as possible.

Outdoor learning photo

Is this what they are thinking about?

They aren’t talking about just the nice Indian Summer weather we get.

Trustees have asked for a report on what can be done and what might the cost be.

There is $200,000 in the kitty for this type of thing along with some COVID-19 specific funding.

Will the mitts the kids have to wear be covered in that funding?

Report will be ready for late September.

All the trustees were on for this.

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Trustees and School Board Administration debating in a private session

News 100 redBy Pepper Parr

August 19th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

HDSB graphic

The trustees have been in this private session for at least more than an hour.

The Halton District School Board has been in a private session for well over an hour.

Not healthy.

Parents want information.

The Board administration has most of the information and will put forward proposals for opening up the schools in September.

The conversations and debate taking place behind closed doors is conversations and debate that should be public.

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Classrooms are going to have a new and much different look when your child returns in September.

News 100 blueBy Michele Bogle

August 19th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Over the next few weeks I will be sharing the opinions and concerns of a group of Burlington parents in an on-going series of articles. While you read this and the other parts to this series, I ask, “Do you share these same concerns? Would you like your voice heard?” Chime in, discuss, share; give those making decisions on your behalf another opportunity to hear you.

To start, all three of my children have attended the public school system in Burlington, elementary through high school. They are now at college or university or have moved on into the world of commerce.

Parents know what it costs to keep their children in these classrooms - now they know what it costs to keep the principals in the schools. Too much?

How many of these desks will be filled in September?

There are so many aspects of the move back into the classroom to discuss. Let’s meet the wonderful parents who connected with me through various Burlington Facebook groups to offer their thoughts, concerns and questions. We’ll dig deeper into this subject over the next few weeks. Here are just some of the issues that you may not have thought about.

The names of the people cooperating with me are not real, I have chosen to use aliases for all of them; but let me assure you – they are very real people.

Mary Sawyer and her husband work full time outside their home and have two elementary aged children. With the uncertainty of how successful the entrance back to school is, she wishes that the HDSB allowed for the option to have her children start in Sept, but then opt for Oct – March remote learning as Hamilton schools have this option. Why are the boards not sharing the same models?

Kathy Duncan is a special education teacher who wants to know what the government plans to do for these students. Discussion about children with special needs have been largely left out of any guidelines thus far. Virtual classrooms would be near impossible to coordinate as well as impractical.

Burlington Transit Youth Ambassadors gather in a bus shelter. Front row: YAs Benoit, Shaan, Billi and Harrison. Back row, BT’s Sandra Maxwell, YA Kayla and Burlington Green advisor Kale.

Burlington Transit Youth Ambassadors gather in a bus shelter. Front row: Yas Benoit, Shaan, Billi and Harrison. Back row, BT’s Sandra Maxwell, YA Kayla and Burlington Green advisor Kale Black. Will they be able to take on tasks like this during the school year?

Sandra Parker, a Burlington high school teacher and mother of two high school students would really like a decision made with regard to which of the three presented teaching options to prepare for with just three weeks left before the start of school. Currently the plan is for two cohorts with rotating period classes or, two subjects a day for five weeks then on to the next subject. This would provide the students with a more in depth understanding of the material without interruption. The third option would be homeschooling.

Jeremy and Talia Unger are parents to two children, grades 5 and 8. They will be signing the ‘Intent to Return’ form for their kids. One of their concerns is about the mental well-being of their children. “Socialization is a critical part of their development. Not being able to see their friends, in person, at any time during the day can be distracting as well as distressing.” Safety is of course their first priority.

Susan Grimsby teaches elementary aged kids. While she’s eager to return to class, she has definite concerns about the precautions in place. Who’s policing the policies within the school grounds? In maintaining distance between students, how much anxiety is being created?

students-3

The emotional health and well being of students at every level is a real concern. Will it get the attention it needs?

Theresa Fisk is an EA with one child in high school and another in elementary school. She is concerned with the management of the cohorts and identified a handful of opportunities for expanding cohorts. There are special needs children who also use the before-and-after school program. Due to the shortage of classrooms, many of the same rooms will be used in the course of the day. In the morning, regular class begins the moment after the before-school-program kids leave the room, leaving the classroom unsanitized for the next group.

During the after-school sessions, when there is only a handful of one age group left in one of the rooms, they condense the kids into fewer rooms, thus creating another mixed cohort. The duration of time that students are on the school bus is typically 45 minutes with poor air circulation. Theresa would love to have a staggered entry, giving time for sanitation. As well for the grade 1-3 children to wear masks.

Students at tree dedication

Are outdoor classes a possibility?

Maria Vanelli is also an elementary school teacher and speaks out about the $50 million provided to improve air quality, better ventilation in the classrooms. Maria tells me that the idea comes too late to implement in time. Her husband is a contractor and from first-hand experience informs her that the HVAC systems take six months to order, then add installation time.

Library Information Technician, Carmen White touched on, among many other items, the math. If class sizes are to be cut in half to allow for safer student numbers such as 15 per class, the reserve fund doesn’t adequately cover the number of teachers needed. Even with funding in place, space is still an immutable variable.

Each of these sets of parents and educators have concerns about very different pieces of this problem impacted by regional policies from the HDSB. Provinces are beginning to change their ideas through pressure from administrators, educators and the public. One thing everyone agreed on is that the answer isn’t to stay home, nor is it safe enough for their kids to return to school yet.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on going back to the classroom. You can reach me by email – bogle@bgzt.ca

Michele BogleMichele Bogle is a Burlington resident who writes for the Gazette on community issues.  She has written several children’s books for ages 4-12, which can be found under the pseudonym, ‘Cameron S. Matthews’. Michele received her education in journalism from the University of Pennsylvania.

 

 

 

 

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School Board to Hold Virtual Town Hall - question is 'when'?

News 100 redBy Pepper Parr

August 18th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The Halton District School Board is planning on holding a virtual Town Hall meeting to bring parents up to date on September school opening.

HDSB sign and benchThe intention was to hold the event Thursday or Friday of this week but HDSB officials said “we just don’t have enough information from the Ministry and hope to do the Town Hall virtually next week.”

In a telling quote, an Official who asked not to be identified said: “The sands are shifting.”

School Boards across the province have been struggling to deliver on the directions the province has given them.

Parents are not happy with the options they have, school boards have found that they are not getting the opportunity to use the resources they have to deal with the challenge they face.

They were told just days ago that they can tap into their financial reserves; HDSB has $40 million that they need government permission to spend. They have been given permission to spend $6 million on PPE.

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School Board faces challenges it has never had to deal with before - parents are apprehensive about sending their children back to school at this point.

News 100 greenBy Pepper Parr

August 17th, 2020

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Stuart Miller H&S

Director of Education for the Halton District School Board (HDSB), Stuart Miller

The Director of Education for the Halton District School Board (HDSB), Stuart Miller, is hunkered down with his staff at the Education Centre on Guelph Line in Burlington, taking part in a meeting that has them all in the same large room.

This is a group that will be very strict in the way people in the room social distance and wear masks.

They are there to figure out how they can handle the opening of the schools on September 8th.

It is not going to be an easy task.

The province has set out requirements that many feel are just plain wrong – but school boards have to do what the Ministry tells them to do.

The government wants students back in classroom and has directed that elementary schools operate just the way they did before the schools were closed in March.

Secondary students will spend some time in a classroom and some time working from their homes being taught synchronically by their teacher who will be in the school.

Last week the Board of Education sent a note to every parent asking what they planned to do with their children: were they going to have them attend classes or were they going to keep them at home?

As of last Thursday just over 50% of the parents had responded. The responses were supposed to have been returned by last Friday – that deadline has been extended.

istem Cafeteria-crowd-Nov-2018-768x371

When parents have questions they show up in droves with their hands in the air. This parents meeting took place at Aldershot High school when the iStem program was announced.

Directors of Education across the province are close to being totally fed up by the way the Ministry of Education is handling the delivery of education to students.

Of the 50% that did respond 81% of the parents of elementary students said they would return; 86% of the secondary parents said their children would return.

There are roughly 45,000 elementary school students being taught by the HDSB and roughly 19,000 secondary students.

The 50% of the parents that answered the survey as soon as they got it were pretty sure as to what they wanted to do – it is reasonable to assume that the other 50% were not certain.

If you do the math – you get a sense as to the size of the problem the HDSB administration is up against.

To get some sense as to what teachers are going to have to deal with. There are elementary schools in the system that have enrollments of 1200 students – Oakville and Milton have elementary schools that big.

Blackwell

Superintendent Terri Blackwell has led the development of the program for secondary school students during the pandemic.

Scott P - close up

Scott Podrebarac has led the program for elementary school students. Both Podrebarac and Blackwell are supported by a team of senior people

How does one keep the required control over 1,200 students – ensuring that they are wearing masks; ensuring that they stay within their cohort, ensuring that they don’t mix with students from other cohorts?

The HDSB has had a schedule of the condition of the HVAC systems in every school in the Region.

More than four months ago HDSB asked for permission to use some of the $40 million in the Board’s Reserve Fund account to upgrade the HVAC systems. They didn’t get a response; they were told that they could allocate $6 million from the reserve fund account to purchase the PPE supplies that would be needed.

Some school Boards, Toronto in particular, are pushing the province to permit staggered classroom openings. Nothing positive yet from the province.

The Province also said that 500 nurses were going to be hired and made available to the school districts. Nothing yet on who will be overseeing those nurses and how they will interact with the individual schools.

Will those nurses be assigned to specific schools or will they be assigned to the Public Health unit they are within?

What will a school do if they find they have an infected student? Close the class and send everyone home for 14 days or shutdown the whole school?

How will busing students to school be handled? Will there be enough drivers?

Miller expects today’s meeting to last all day and points out that most of his staff have worked every weekend since the lockdown took place in March. “This is a tremendous administrative task” adding that “there are more questions than answers – we are going to have to make things up on a daily basis. It is going to be a challenge.”

The trustees will meet for a virtual meeting on Wednesday.

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