Public school board starts to prepare for the return to classes in September

By Staff

August 10th, 2021

BURLINGTON, ON

The Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Halton District School Board, Andrea Grebenc, isn’t pleased with the provincial plans for the start of school in September.

Halton Public School Board chair Andrea Grebenc adjusting her head set during a virtual Board meeting.

She was frustrated to see “guidance in the plan that encouraged boards to pivot to remote learning around inclement weather days (snow days and extreme heat). It demonstrates the lack of understanding of equity issues. Every family does not have a device for each child, nor a strong internet connection, nor parents that can drop everything to facilitate at-home remote learning.

“The direction to easily pivot comes from a very privileged vantage point; if you can’t afford to have a device for each of your children and a great broadband connection, your children don’t get to learn while others progress. Also, many young students end up with grandparents or in daycare situations on these types of days so they will also not be learning remotely.

“The guidance also assumes that a whole day of lesson plans meant for the classroom easily flip to a remote setting.”

Grebenc has always been of the view that the province does not include the Directors of Education when they do their thinking – they aren’t as plugged in to what actually happens in a school and its classrooms.

Grebenc said: “We don’t have all the information from the Ministry yet. Hopefully more information will be coming soon as classes begin in 4 weeks.

There is still a concern about vaccination and how Covid issues will be dealt with when they occur – and the expectation is that they will occur.

Board staff are organizing a Q & A session along with Medical Officer of Health for Halton, Dr. Meghani, towards the end of the month for the community.

Parents will be able to submit questions that will be answered during the session. More on just how that will roll out is expected as we get closer to the actual return to school.