Dear Parents/Guardians,

As you may know, earlier today, the Ministry of Education announced province-wide school reopening plans for September.

Highlights of the Ministry’s plans include:

• Elementary school children from Kindergarten to Grade 8 will attend schools 5 days per week, with one cohort for the full day, including recess and lunch.

• Secondary schools will open using an adapted model, with class cohorts of approximately 15 students, attending on alternate days, or alternate schedules that would represent in-person attendance for at least 50% of instructional days.

• Students in Kindergarten to Grade 3 will be encouraged but not required to wear masks in common spaces.

• Students in Grades 4-12 will be required to wear non-medical or cloth masks while in school.

Medical masks will be provided for teachers and all other school staff.

Additional information can also be found in this letter to parents/guardians from Ontario Minister of Education Stephen Lecce.

The Ministry’s plans provide high level parameters for Boards to follow, but in general do not provide details as to how school boards will meet all the provisions, conditions and expectations of the plans. The TDSB and other school boards are now going over the Ministry announcement and related material and consulting with Toronto Public Health to develop operational plans. These plans will provide more detail on how, for example, schools and administrative centres will create and maintain health and safety measures and procedures that need to be in place when school resumes in September.

We understand that you have many questions and are eager to know about the details. We ask that you please give us time to develop the operational plans and review these with the Board of Trustees. Early next week we will be providing the Board with detailed information on health and safety measures, as well as teaching and learning plans for both elementary and secondary schools in a comprehensive return-to- school plan. We will be sharing this information with parents, staff and our education partners that use our schools so that everyone will know what to expect and how to prepare for back-to-school.

Sincerely,

Carlene Jackson                               Robin Pilkey
Interim Director of Education            Chair