Dear Parents/Guardians:

With the holidays just around the corner, I wanted to reach out with some important information in preparation for our return to school in January.

As you may have heard in the media, the Ministry of Education sent a memo to school boards in Ontario this week recommending that students and staff be encouraged to take home any materials they may require for remote learning before leaving school for the holidays. This will ensure that we can continue to be ready for all scenarios with the ever evolving COVID-19 situation in the province.

I want to reassure you once again that Bluewater District School Board continues to have contingency plans in place should the need arise for us to pivot, at any time, to full remote learning. While we have been very fortunate to have low COVID-19 case numbers and no evidence of transmission in our schools to date, we must remain vigilant and prepared for every eventuality.

In my October 19, 2020 letter to families, you may recall that I provided a list of tips to help prepare you and your child(ren) in the event of any closures impacting our area. Some of these tips included:

§ Ensure you are familiar with your child’s online learning environment (Office 365 suite, Brightspace) and can access it/them from home.

§ Know your child’s Active Directory login and password. Write it down somewhere at home.

§ Once communicated by your child’s teacher(s), review the expectations for submitting work online.

§ Limit the number of personal items you bring to school and be sure to take all of them home in the event of a closure.

§ Ensure your teacher/school has your up-to-date contact information (e.g., phone number, email).

I know that some of you may have questions regarding access to technology and the distribution of devices. Please note that we have already been assessing the needs of families in each of our school communities and will be sure to communicate further on this matter should the need arise.

In the meantime, I would ask you to ensure that personal student belongings, such as shoes, clothing, and/or any other items, are brought home with your child(ren) prior to the start of the holidays.

I want to emphasize that the intent of this letter is purely precautionary as there are no plans currently for school closures in Bluewater District School Board. Any decisions of this nature would be made through provincial and public health direction, and we would be sure to communicate with you accordingly.

Thank you as always for your patience, understanding, and support during these unprecedented times. I wish you all the very best for the holidays and am hopeful that we will see everyone back at school in

person on January 4, 2021. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to your child(ren)’s school(s).

Sincerely,

Lori Wilder
Director of Education