As of November 4^th, 2019, the following has been added to our School Code of Conduct, found on our School Website.

The use of personal mobile devices during instructional time is permitted under the following circumstances: 

•            for educational purposes, as directed by an educator 
•            for health and medical purposes
•            to support special education needs

New Phone Number, Web Address, Phone App Coming for Reporting Absences

At KPR, student safety is our highest priority, and we thank families for adopting the automated safe arrival system to help ensure students arrive safely at school each day. 

Starting this September, we will be introducing a new automated Student Absence Reporting System.  Therefore, you will need to create a NEW account to report your children’s absences online. 

You will receive an email in August with instructions on how to create your new account and download the mobile app.  You also will receive a magnet in September with the new Student Absence Reporting System details.  Unfortunately, since ownership of the reporting software has changed, we cannot simply transfer your child’s information to the new system.

Watch for more information in the summer.

Many parents and guardians have been wondering what effect the legalization of marijuana will have on  KPR schools. In short, KPR schools will treat cannabis in much the same way they treat alcohol: students of any age will not be allowed to use marijuana at schools, on school buses or field trips. 

 Once the new federal law comes into effect this October 17:

• non-medical marijuana use will be legal only for those age 19 and older 
• any student, at any age, could be suspended for possessing or being under the influence of cannabis at school
• any student who shares marijuana with others younger than 19 could be expelled from school
• it will be illegal for adults to use cannabis on, or within 20 metres of, school grounds
• it will be illegal to drive under the influence of cannabis, and drivers age 21 or under will not be allowed to have any cannabis in their system.

 If you have any questions about cannabis at school, please speak with your principal or vice-principal.  Further information on the new law is available at Ontario.ca/cannabis.  Information on how to talk to your child about cannabis can be found at Cannabis Information – CAMH.

KPR wishes everyone a happy holiday. We hope that this time allows for some much needed rest for students, staff, parents and guardians, and allows families opportunities to celebrate together.

While the holidays can be joyous, they can also be difficult for some.  We wanted to provide families with some resources you may find useful over the holiday season. Our mission is that all students remain safe, and this includes their mental and physical well-being.

Mental health is a state of well-being; it is relevant to all of us.  According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, in any given year, one in five people in Canada experiences a mental health crisis or illness.  It is important to us that we remind everyone to use resources that are accessible to all.  These include:

• the Be Safe App, a free mobile app that aims to help young adults make healthy decisions during a crisis; it can be downloaded onto cell phones from https://besafeapp.ca/
• Kids Help Phone, also available 24/7, at 1-800-668-6868 or text “CONNECT” to 686868
• Four County Crisis line, available 24/7 for Northumberland and Peterborough County residents at 1-866-995-9933
• Durham Mobile Crisis Services, available 24/7 for anyone experiencing a crisis, at 905-666-0483 or 1-800-742-1890
• Connex Ontario Mental Health Helpline, provides information about mental health services in Ontario 24/7, at 1-866-531-2600 or www.connexontario.ca
• Ontario 211, a free helpline that connects people to community and social services in your area, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by calling 2-1-1.

Your family also has access to your closest hospital, as well as to regional supports serving specific areas of KPR.

Let's keep our mental health and the mental health of those we love and care about in the forefront.  We encourage you to use community support services if you ever find yourself or someone near and dear to you struggling and in need of assistance.

Once again, we wish everyone season’s greetings, a Merry Christmas, and safe holidays.

Grief Resources

Is your child experiencing loss and grief?  Here are some resources recommended by our School Board Counsellors:

http://www.kprschools.ca/en/students/well-being/mentalhealth/grief.html

Do you have concerns about your child’s social, emotional or mental health that may be hindering their ability to thrive at school?

KPR schools have skilled clinicians who can support your child and you in finding answers. School Board Counsellors have professional degrees and specialize in work with children, youth and families. Please contact your School Principal for more information.

http://www.kprschools.ca/en/students/well-being/mentalhealth/schoolboardcounsellorservices.html

Mental health is an important part of our overall well-being.  Students experiencing mental health issues may have problems with mood, focus, behaviour and their ability to relate to peers, maintain friendships, do well in school and participate in activities.

But where can parents and guardians go for help if they are concerned about their child's or teen's mental health?  For more information, and suggestions for helpful resources, visit: 

http://www.kprschools.ca/en/students/well-being/mentalhealth.html

Hey, KPR Family: We missed you! We're looking forward to seeing everyone back at school September 3. If you moved over the summer, or have questions for school staff, please contact the school office between August 22-29. Otherwise, September 3 is the big day for KPR students to get back into the swing of things!

We want to provide this update to inform our parents of ongoing negotiations with our transportation providers.                                                                       

STSCO (Student Transportation Services of Central Ontario) manages transportation services for 26,100 students every day on behalf of the Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir, Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board, and the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board.

Daily service is delivered by local school bus companies contracted by STSCO, and we have been in discussion with our providers for a number of months to reach new contract terms.

Negotiations are continuing and we are working towards reaching an agreement with local school bus operators for the coming school year.

It is our goal to arrive at new contracts that recognize the important and professional service our bus drivers provide in transporting our students safely to and from school.

We remain optimistic that normal bus service will be in place for students for the start of the school year. Should this situation change, we will inform parents/guardians as soon as possible.

Regular updates on this matter will be posted by STSCO at stsco.ca and on Twitter at @stsco_ca and shared by the school boards and local media. 

STSCO (Student Transportation Services of Central Ontario) and local school bus companies contracted by STSCO have reached a tentative agreement on new contract terms.

As a result, there will be normal bus service for students for the start of the school year.  Please visit stsco.ca for further information.

The KPR Board is committed to providing safe learning environments for all. When students behave inappropriately, principals use progressive discipline to change behaviour. When student behaviours pose a potential threat to safety or serious harm, KPR’s Violence Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA) protocol helps principals take immediate steps to protect student well-being.  While such incidents are rare, the VTRA outlines how we work with local police, mental health providers and community agencies to keep students safe. Read more about the protocol, including notification requirements, in the Safe, Caring and Restorative Schools section of kprschools.ca .  As always, student safety is our first priority.  Should you have any questions, please speak with your principal.

Calling all parents and caregivers: join us the morning of Saturday, October 19 at Port Hope High School for KPR’s free, annual Parent Conference! Dr. Michael Ungar, world renowned expert on building resiliency in children and youth, will talk about The Risk-Taker’s Advantage: How to Make Kids More Resilient by Not Bubblewrapping Them. Take advantage of this rare opportunity to hear his engaging advice, while also enjoying free child minding for ages two and older, light refreshments and information booths staffed by local organizations serving families. Stay tuned for more information and registration details later in September at www.kprschools.ca

KPR welcomes parents of students ages 12-17 to register for a free, two-day Mental Health First Aid course, September 23-24 in Peterborough.  Space is limited. For details and registration, visit https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/mental-health-first-aid-tickets-71846457689  

Now’s your chance to register for KPR’s free, annual Parent Conference, featuring internationally renowned resilience researcher Dr. Michael Ungar!

Registration continues until October 11 at www.kprschools.ca for:

2019 Parent Conference

The Risk-Taker’s Advantage: How to Make Kids More Resilient by Not Bubblewrapping Them

Saturday, October 19

9 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

Port Hope High School, 130 Highland Dr., Port Hope

With Keynote Speaker: Dr. Michael Ungar

Plus light refreshments, child minding for ages 2 & older, & booths by agencies serving families

Don't miss this rare opportunity to hear Dr. Michael Ungar, a funny and engaging speaker who is considered one of the top experts on resilience in Canada and internationally.

It’s all FREE. If you need assistance, have questions or if there are accommodations that would make the conference more accessible for you, please call 705-742-9773 or toll-free 1-877-741-4577, ext. 2001, or email judy_malfara@kprdsb.ca

Thursday, October 3, 2019

Parent Update: CUPE Strike Action – School Closures

Further to our message yesterday, and after extensive consideration, we are writing to inform parents that if a provincial agreement is not reached over the weekend, and CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees) staff begin their announced full withdrawal of service, schools will be closed to students on Monday, October 7, 2019. 

We share your concern and disappointment with this possibility, and wanted to provide an update on our plans as soon as possible to allow parents to make alternative arrangements if needed.

Student safety is always our first priority. This decision has been made because we do not believe we can provide safe and secure learning environments for all students in the event of a full CUPE strike.

Our considerations include:

• supervision of students;
• medical supports and care for all students;
• safe operation of water and sanitation systems, including legislated water flushing;
• conditions of school buildings and classrooms, and
• overall safety and security.

We are pleased that negotiations have been reported to be continuing on Friday. We remain hopeful that a provincial agreement can be reached this weekend to avert disruption to our students and families.

We will continue to monitor developments closely and will provide confirmation to parents about school status for Monday as soon as we are able. This will likely be on Sunday evening, through:

• School Messenger
• Local news media
• Our website and social media platforms: www.kprschools.ca, @kprschools on Twitter, and Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board on Facebook.

Sincerely,

Diane Lloyd, Chairperson of the Board
Jennifer Leclerc, Director of Education

Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board is excited to offer three travel for credit courses in July 2020. The first course, Civics and Careers, is offered to students currently in grade nine. The second course, English, Grade 11, University Preparation, is offered to students entering grade eleven. The third course, French immersion and core is offered to students entering grade eleven. You are invited to attend an information session in your region for more information.

RSVP to the meeting at: www.eftours.ca/creditinfo

Contact: John Ford 1-877-741-4577, ext. 3124

…to register for KPR’s Parent Conference coming to Port Hope HS Saturday, October 19, 9-11:30 a.m. The child minding service is full, but there are still some seats left for the adults to hear world-renowned resilience expert Dr. Michael Ungar. A funny and engaging speaker, he will talk about The Risk-Taker’s Advantage: How to Make Kids More Resilient by Not Bubblewrapping Them. Register by October 15 from our home page at kprschools.ca

All families and community members are invited to attend three free events being held in honour of KPR's 3rd annual Indigenous Peoples Awareness Month. 

Each evening event is a film screening followed by a panel discussion, as follows:

  Thursday, November 14, 7 p.m.
  Adam Scott Collegiate Vocational Institute, Peterborough 
  Screening & discussion of Colten Boushie Documentary

  Thursday, November 21, 7 p.m.
  Port Hope High School 
  Screening & discussion of Rumble

 Thursday, November 28, 7 p.m.
 Bowmanville High School 
 Screening & discussion of Our People Will Be Healed

Pre-registration is not required.  Drop in at these free events!

Parents and caregivers:

Registration opens November 8 for the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board’s Parent Workshops on Kids Have Stress Too!  

The workshops will run from 10-11:30 a.m. at three locations:

              Friday, November 29 at the Education Centre in Peterborough

              Tuesday, December 10 at KPR’s Kirby Professional Learning Centre in Clarington

              Tuesday, March 31 at Port Hope High School

Visit kprschools.ca after November 8 for details and to register for one of these workshops!

Meet HGTV star Kate Campbell while learning about opportunities in the skilled trades at Women in Trades & Technology. This event, of particular interest to female students in Grades 7-12, will take place at Fleming College in Peterborough as follows:

Tuesday, November 19
6 p.m.
Kawartha Trades & Technology Centre, Fleming College

Meet successful skilled tradespeople and have your questions answered, tour the Trades & Technology Centre, and listen to advice from HGTV star carpenter and keynote speaker Kate Campbel, and enjoy refreshments and giveaways.

To register, visit https://flemingcollege.ca/women-in-trades-and-technology  

KPR is seeking comments from students, parents, guardians, staff and community members regarding the proposed school year calendar for 2020-21. Three possible options are being considered, and KPR would like to know which option our stakeholders prefer. Please review the proposed calendar options and comment online at www.kprschools.ca by Friday, December 6. If you are not able to access the online survey, please contact your school office for a paper copy.

Saving money for your child’s education after high school may seem impossible. But there is money available from the Government of Canada that can help.

When you open a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) for your child, the government can add money to it, to help you save. For example, the Canada Learning Bond is available for children from low-income families, born in 2004 or later. It pays up to $2,000. To receive it, you just need to name your child as a beneficiary in the Registered Education Savings Plan. You don’t have to contribute additional funds of your own into the RESP if you are not able to do so.

Other government money may also be available. If you do contribute additional funds into the RESP, you may also qualify for a Canada Education Savings Grant.

Having a RESP will help you save for your child to attend a trade school, apprenticeship program, college or university after high school. There are lots of options. You can find out more at Canada.ca/education-savings, by calling 1-800-622-6232, or by visiting a Service Canada Centre near you.

Families: now’s the time to register your child for Kindergarten! If your child will turn four before the end of December, make sure you register online at www.kprschools.ca/kindergarten 

We also encourage you to take advantage of the coming regional Kindergarten Information Session closest to you. Sessions will be held from 5:30-7 p.m. as follows:

Tuesday, February 11 – C.R. Gummow Public School, 311 Cottesmore Ave., Cobourg

Wednesday, February 19 – Harold Longworth PS, 350 Longworth Ave., Bowmanville

Tuesday, March 3 – Duke of Cambridge PS, 47 Liberty St. N., Bowmanville

Tuesday, March 10 – Otonabee Valley PS, 580 River Rd. S., Peterborough

The sessions are free, and pre-registration is required, to ensure sufficient take-home resources for every participating family. The evening will offer you a peek into the Kindergarten classroom and give you resources to help prepare your child for school. You also will be able to meet with community agencies and partners that serve families in your area.

Reminder: Parents of KPR Elementary Students

This note is a reminder to parents that, as a result of a one-day full withdrawal of service by elementary teachers, all our elementary schools will be closed to students tomorrow, January 28.

Intermediate schools (Grades 7-8) within secondary schools will also be closed to students.

In addition, the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) has announced today they will be escalating rotating strikes throughout the province beginning next week if central labour agreements are not reached by the end of January.

As part of this action, KPR teachers are scheduled to participate in two full withdrawals of service next week:

• Wednesday, February 5 (rotating one-day strike locally)
• Thursday, February 6 (province-wide one day strike)We understand and appreciate that these are challenging and difficult days for everyone, and we remain hopeful that a provincial agreement can be reached soon.
• We will continue to follow this situation closely and are committed to providing you with accurate and timely information as soon as we are able.

Secondary Exams Continue

Tomorrow – Tuesday, January 28 – will be a regular exam day at all of our secondary schools. Students will write their exams as scheduled.

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

To All Parents/Guardians and Staff:

The purpose of this communication is to provide you with some information regarding the Wuhan Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

The safety and well-being of our students and staff is always our main priority.

We are following this issue closely, and we are working in close cooperation with our local health units. As we do when addressing all broad-based community health issues, we rely on local health authorities for advice, counsel and guidance as we move forward.

We understand, however, that there may be heightened apprehension or concern in our school communities.

We want to reassure you that:

• We are ready and able to take whatever action regional health authorities recommend to reduce the risk to our school communities. At this time we have been given no additional or specific directions regarding the operation of our schools. Normal school days and activities are in effect.
• Our schools are emphasizing with students, as we always do during the seasonal flu season, the importance of regular, thorough hand washing and good personal hygiene.
• Our custodians always provide very thorough and effective cleaning and disinfecting of schools. In schools with higher rates of absence due to illness, additional sanitation procedures are put in place.
• We are encouraging everyone to wash hands well and often with soap and warm water, and use “cover your cough” techniques. This includes coughing into your sleeve or arm.

As always, we are asking students and staff who are ill to remain at home until they are feeling better. If you are experiencing severe flulike symptoms, please contact a health professional.

Along with this letter, you may find further information on this issue online on our website, www.kprschools.ca, including a letter from Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer for the province of Ontario, which contains important information about the current public health response to the Wuhan Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

As Dr. Williams says in his letter, “Students, parents and school communities should rest assured that the province is working together in close cooperation with its partners in both the education and health care sectors to ensure the continued safety and wellbeing of students and staff.”

You may wish to contact your local public health unit for additional information specific to your communities. Several webpage links are included below. Most importantly, students who are sick should be kept home, and not attend either regular school or before/after school programs until they are free of symptoms. Together, we will work to keep our students and staff safe and healthy.

Sincerely,
Dr. Jennifer Leclerc
Director of Education

Ministry of Health
https://www.ontario.ca/page/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov

Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit
http://www.hkpr.on.ca/

Peterborough Public Health
https://www.peterboroughpublichealth.ca/

Durham Public Health
https://www.durham.ca/en/health-and-wellness/health-and-wellness.aspx

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
https://hpepublichealth.ca/

Trustees have approved the 2020-2021 School Year Calendar for submission to the Ministry of Education for final approval.

Highlights of the approved calendar include:

1^st day of classes – Tuesday, September 8, 2020
Last day of classes – Tuesday, June 29, 2021
Winter Break – Monday, December 21, 2020 to Friday, January 1, 2021 (Monday, January 4, 2021 will be the first day of classes)
March Break – Monday, March 15 to Friday, March 19, 2021

Important Update for Secondary Students, Parents & Guardians:
Secondary Schools Closed Tuesday, February 4

As a result of a full withdrawal of service by secondary teachers in the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, all KPR secondary schools will be closed this Tuesday, February 4, 2020.  Parents may expect picketing at secondary school sites. 

The closure is in response to rotating strikes across Ontario announced by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF). Student safety is our top priority, and KPR does not believe we can provide safe environments if our teachers are not present.

Important note: Intermediate schools (Grades 7 and 8) within secondary school sites, and all elementary schools, will be open and operating as normal on February 4.

Following the one-day closure on February 4, secondary schools are expected to return to normal operations for the rest of next week.

We understand that these are challenging days for everyone, and we remain hopeful that a provincial agreement can be reached soon. We will continue to keep parents informed of any further developments, through School Messenger and the Labour Update section of our home page at kprschools.ca 

Important Update for Elementary Parents & Guardians:
Elementary Schools Closed February 5 and 6

As a result of full withdrawal of service by elementary teachers in the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, all KPR elementary schools will be closed on Wednesday, February 5 and Thursday, February 6.

Intermediate schools at secondary school sites will also be closed to students February 5-6 (Grades 7-8 only).

The closure is in response to rotating strikes announced by the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) if provincial-level negotiations did not result in a new agreement by the end of January. Since no agreement was reached by the weekend, ETFO has confirmed the strikes will proceed. In KPR ETFO’s case, the elementary strikes will take place this Wednesday and Thursday.

As always, student safety is our first priority, and we cannot provide safe learning environments without our teachers.

We understand that these days have been extremely difficult and challenging for everyone, and we remain hopeful that the provincial issues can be resolved soon.

Before and after-school programs operating in KPR elementary schools may choose to offer full-day programming on these days, and we encourage families using these programs to check directly with the childcare operator. While there may be picketing at school sites, our local teachers’ federation has indicated that parents accessing childcare facilities will not be delayed.

We are monitoring the provincial labour situation closely, and we remain committed to providing you with accurate and timely information as soon as possible, through School Messenger and our home page at kprschools.ca 

Wednesday, February 5, 2020

Parent Update: ETFO Strike Action February 11 and 14

As you know, the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) has been holding rotating, one-day full withdrawals of service at various school boards across the province, and province-wide.

As part of this action, KPR elementary teachers are scheduled to participate in two days of strikes next week:

• Tuesday, February 11 (province-wide, one-day strike)
• Friday, February 14 (rotating one-day strike locally).

As a result, all KPR elementary and intermediate schools will be closed to students on February 11 and February 14.

Secondary students will attend school as usual on those days.

We understand that this situation is difficult for everyone.

We encourage families using before- and after-school programs located in our schools to check directly with the childcare operator about the possibility of full-day programs on those days. Parents may expect picketing at school sites. Our local elementary teachers’ federation has indicated that parents accessing childcare facilities will not be delayed.

We are hopeful that provincial negotiations will continue and will result in a new agreement. In the meantime, we will monitor provincial developments closely and, should this situation change, we will provide updates to parents and guardians through:

• School Messenger
• Local news media
• Our website and social media platforms: www.kprschools.ca, @kprschools on Twitter, and Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board on Facebook.

Sincerely,

Diane Lloyd                                      Jennifer Leclerc
Chairperson of the Board        Director of Education

Three community events organized by the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board for Black History Month are being postponed.  Documentary screenings and discussions originally set for February 18 at Bowmanville High School, February 19 at Adam Scott CVI in Peterborough and February 27 at Campbellford District HS, will be rescheduled to allow for more full and rich dialogue between our schools and communities.

KPR’s Black History Month events are meant to nurture important dialogue between our staff and all the communities we serve. The three evenings will be rescheduled to a time when KPR can anticipate more staff presence for the vital discussions we feel are needed for sustained progress in addressing the important issues of race and equity in our schools and communities.  Watch for new dates and details.

Parent Update: Provincial strike day – secondary and elementary teachers: February 21

As you know, secondary and elementary teachers have been holding rotating, one-day full withdrawals of service at various school boards across the province.

As part of this action, we have been informed that all secondary and elementary teachers are scheduled to participate in a province-wide strike on:

Friday, February 21, 2020

As a result, all KPR schools will be closed to students on that day.

We encourage families using before- and after-school programs located in our schools to check directly with the childcare operator about the possibility of full-day programs on those days. Parents may expect picketing at school sites. Our local elementary teachers’ federation has indicated that parents accessing childcare facilities will not be delayed.

We are hopeful that provincial negotiations will continue and will result in a new agreement.  In the meantime, we will monitor provincial developments closely and, should this situation change, we will provide updates to parents and guardians through:

• School Messenger
• Local news media
• Our website and social media platforms: www.kprschools.ca, @kprschools on Twitter, and Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board on Facebook.

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

To All Parents/Guardians and Staff:

We wanted to provide this update on our continued monitoring and planning for novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

We understand and appreciate that this issue is on the minds of our students, parents and staff.

First and foremost, please be assured that the safety and well-being of our students and staff is always our main priority.

We are following this issue closely, and we are working in cooperation with our local health units. As we do when addressing all broad-based community health issues, we rely on local health authorities for advice, counsel and guidance as we move forward.

We understand, however, that there may be heightened apprehension or concern in our school communities.

Here are the latest updates on this issue:

• We are ready and able to take whatever action health authorities recommend to reduce the risk to our school communities. As of yesterday, Dr. David Williams, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, has stated that there remains a low risk for Ontarians to contract COVID-19.
• On Friday of last week, the Government of Canada released a Public Health Guidance for Schools (K-12) and Childcare Programs to support the prevention and management of COVID-19 in schools and childcare settings. We have reviewed this document closely and our school operations continue to be in line with this guideline. Most importantly, the guideline recommends:

“that schools take standard respiratory illness precautions, the same precautions that are recommended every year for cold and influenza season.”  

• Hand hygiene – the most important recommendation from health authorities is to be vigilant in regular hand washing. As we always do during the seasonal flu season, we continue to emphasize with students the importance of regular, thorough hand washing and good personal hygiene.
• We are encouraging everyone to wash hands well and often with soap and water, and use “cover your cough” techniques. This includes coughing into your sleeve or arm. We ask all our parents to please reinforce that message with children at home.
• Increased Cleaning Measures – Our custodians always provide very thorough and effective cleaning and disinfecting of schools. To respond to the current situation, we are putting in place increased cleaning measures, specifically on high-touch surfaces.  As part of our planning, we have also confirmed with our cleaning product supplier that the disinfectant we use in our schools is effective against a wide variety of viruses and bacteria, including COVID-19. 
• Monitoring student and staff absences - As always, we are asking students and staff who are ill to remain at home until they are feeling better. If you are experiencing severe flulike symptoms, please contact a health professional. As is our normal practice, we continue to monitor student and staff absences daily. We initiate additional sanitation procedures in schools whenever there are higher rates of absences. To date, we have not experienced school absences beyond the normal pattern of seasonal illnesses.

Further information on this issue is available online on our website, www.kprschools.ca, including connections with local and provincial health units.

Most importantly, students who are sick should be kept home, and not attend either regular school or before/after school programs until they are free of symptoms. Together, we will work to keep our students and staff safe and healthy.

Sincerely,
Dr. Jennifer Leclerc
Director of Education

In addition to the Learn at Home resources announced by the Ministry of Education, we have posted more resources on our KPRschools.ca website. You can find learning links for Literacy, Math, Science, Technology, Social Studies and the Arts.

http://www.kprschools.ca/en/COVID-19.html 

We know that not all KPR students and families have access to WiFi. As we work to support
our communities in these challenging days, we have designated all our schools as public
WiFi hotspots. Members of the public may access the Internet at no charge from outside our
buildings. In using this resource, we encourage everyone to follow public health directives
and maintain physical distancing.

Please note that WiFi signal strength may vary from site to site.

To connect to our public WiFi network on a iPhone:
1) Tap on “Settings”
2) Tap on “Wi-Fi”
3) Select “KPRDSB-OpenWifi”

To connect to our public WiFi network on an Android device:
1) Swipe down and select and hold Wi-Fi Symbol
2) Tap “KPRDSB-OpenWifi” and connect

To connect to our public WiFi network on a PC:
1) Bottom right hand corner on taskbar
2) Left click on the Wi-Fi Symbol
3) Select “KPRDSB-OpenWifi” and hit connect

To connect to our public WiFi network on a MAC:
1) Top Right hand corner of taskbar
2) Left Click on Wi-Fi SymbolSelect
“KPRDSB-OpenWifi” and connect

Trustees in July approved an amended draft school year calendar for 2020-2021, in response to provincial announcements over the summer. The only changes are the move of a PA Day for staff from April 23, 2021, to Friday, September 4, 2020 (the week before school begins for students); and the addition of a Board-designated holiday on the Friday before March Break. The amended calendar is awaiting final approval from the Ministry of Education.

Highlights of the amended calendar include:

1^st day of school for students – Tuesday, September 8, 2020

Last day of classes – Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Winter Break – Monday, December 21, 2020, to Friday, January 1, 2021 (Monday, January 4, 2021 will be the first day of classes)

March Break – Friday March 12, to Friday, March 19, 2021

P.A. days - Wednesday-Friday, September 2-4, 2020, Friday, November 27, 2020, Monday, February 1, 2021, Friday, May 14, 2021 (secondary ONLY), Friday, June 11, 2021 (elementary ONLY), Wednesday, June 30, 2021.

See the amended 20-21 calendar approved by trustees and awaiting final provincial approval.

As you may know, the Ministry of Education has asked us to consider, and plan for, three different scenarios for back-to-school this fall.

These scenarios are dependent upon the public health situation at the time, and include:
   1. Normal school day routine with enhanced public health protocols - Students going to school every day, in classes that reflect standard class size regulations.

   2. A Modified school day routine - Based on public health advice, an adapted model designed to allow for physical distancing and cohorts of students. Under this model, school boards are asked to maintain a limit of 15 students in a typical classroom at one time. This model requires alternate day or alternate week in-class delivery to a segment of the class at one time.

   3. At home learning - Should the school closure be extended, or some parents choose not to send their child back to school, school boards are asked to prepare to offer remote education.

The government, in conjunction with public health, will announce which of these scenarios will be in place for September. We expect that decision to take place in early August.

 We also want to be clear in acknowledging that we are very mindful of the significant impact of school closures on our students and families. It is a hardship, and it remains our greatest hope that we can resume the in-person delivery of education as soon as possible – to the significant benefit of not just our students, but our staff and the families we serve.

Please be assured that we will strive to provide normal school operations as soon as safely possible for our students and staff.

As we await direction from the Ministry of Education, we continue to plan for all possible scenarios. To inform our planning, we asked for feedback from families and staff using an online tool called Thoughtexchange. Over 4,500 people participated in the Thoughtexchange, sharing over 6,000 ideas, and applying nearly 100,000 ratings of ideas related to school re-opening.

We invite you to read a summary report on the Thoughtexchange data, by clicking here.

We asked parents questions related to their level of comfort with having their child return to school, as well as preferences for a modified school day, should that be the government’s direction.

Approximately 70% of participants indicated that they would be ready for their child to participate in in-class instruction, if available. With respect to the modified day preferences, nearly 40% of respondents preferred an every other day in-school model, while 32% preferred a week at a time, and 29 per cent preferred two days at a time in school followed by two days at home.

We value the feedback we have received, and based on it, for our modified day planning we are moving forward with an every other day in class model. As we indicated from the outset, our planning remains contingent on discussions with, and feedback from, our local public health partners and the Ministry of Education.

The every-other-day model has several benefits:

• Monday, Wednesday (Friday) or Tuesday, Thursday (Friday) is a familiar model for families – used previously by our schools for Kindergarten;
• Students will receive in-person instruction every other day from teachers - this means shorter stretches of time will be spent on distance learning.
• Students will be grouped into A or B cohorts, with siblings in the same cohort and with a view to, as much as possible, group siblings in different schools (e.g. elementary and secondary) so they attend school on the same days, and are home on the same days.

If an adapted model is the provincial direction, we recognize that families will want as much notice as possible about which cohort they are in - M,W(F) or T,Th,(F). We will communicate this information to families in August after the Ministry announces for certain how schools will open for learning. If the Ministry announces full-time, in-school learning, or full-time distance learning, we will be ready to proceed with these scenarios as well.

Based on our Thoughtexchange data, we have also identified the following priorities for all of our school re-opening scenarios:

• Frequent and thorough cleaning and sanitization. Every school day, high touch surfaces will be continuously disinfected. At the end of each school day, an afternoon shift of custodial workers will come in to deep clean schools to ensure a safe environment for students the next day.
• Emphasis on hand washing. Students will be reminded to wash their hands frequently and avoid touching their face. Hand washing and sanitization stations will be placed throughout schools where needed.
• Protocols in the event of illness. We will reinforce that both students and staff who are ill must stay home. If a student or staff member becomes ill while at school, or comes to school ill, they will be isolated until they can be taken home. We will also develop communication protocols in the event of students, staff or family members testing positive for COVID.
• Physical distancing. Our planning includes a number of strategies to avoid close contact and congregations of students and staff, such as: specific entry and exit doors for cohorts of students, directional signage, well-spaced desks and workstations, limits on the number of people in washrooms, and staggered times for breaks and other transition times in the school day.
• Supports for students. We recognize that the events of the last few months will have lasting impacts on everyone’s social, emotional, physical and academic wellbeing. We are planning ways to continue to support students and staff as we transition back to in-person schooling.

While we have much more planning to do, and are still in discussion with our local public health partners and the Ministry of Education, we wanted to share with everyone the thoughtful input we have received, which is an essential component of this process.

We hope for brighter days ahead where our students and staff can continue their educational journey together.

Please be safe and stay well.