The Simcoe County District School Board is planning to start this school year with a clean chalkboard.
With students across Simcoe County headed back to class starting Sept. 6, the public board is asking that students and their families still remain vigilant about self-screening and reporting when it comes to COVID-19 symptoms.
“We’re very excited to welcome our students back next week. We definitely want to continue to make sure people are aware that COVID-19 is still in our communities and we need to take precautions, such as staying home when sick to make sure we don’t have increased spread in our schools,” said Dawn Stephens, associate director of education with the Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB).
“We are looking forward to getting back to our new normal,” she said.
According to Stephens, the public board is planning a return to classrooms that will look very similar to how students left them in June.
Simcoe County public schools will still be mask-friendly settings, with students and teachers able to make their own decisions on whether they want to wear a mask. Hand hygiene will still be promoted, and installed HEPA filters will remain in classrooms.
The public board will be continuing with a virtual school option for elementary students, as well as an eLearning option for secondary students. Of the approximately 56,000 total students enrolled for the fall, Stephens says about 300 have opted for virtual options.
Extracurricular activities will be continuing, and public school spaces will be available for community rentals. Back in June, the board voted in favour of increasing rates for community rentals starting in September, noting they hadn’t changed their fee structure in 14 years and the change was for cost-recovery purposes.
Volunteers and visitors will also be allowed back in schools this fall.
When it comes to secondary school exams, Stephens says the SCDSB hasn’t opted for traditional exam days since before the pandemic.
“Our calendar does not include exam days. There are different forms of assessment that teachers can do,” said Stephens. “Last year, we didn’t do exams. If teachers have exams... it’s in their class time.”
“The biggest change we’re moving forward with in our classrooms is really looking at whatever assessment teachers are working on with their students, that there’s opportunity for feedback and opportunity to improve on that learning,” she said.
For example, when school boards have booked exam days at the end of a semester, and students come in, take the exam and receive a grade but don’t see the results, Stephens questions whether that adds value to that student’s learning. She says this has been a question the board has been contemplating since 2010, and the board is currently taking a closer look at all their assessment practices.
“It’s a much bigger discussion,” she said.
There are some lessons learned during COVID-19 that the board would like to see carry through into regular operations.
For example, Stephens points to virtual offerings for meetings that hadn’t been an option prior to the pandemic.
“The turnout was so great when we did it virtually. We will communicate any expectations as they come forward but I do think... there are some improvements that have really benefited families,” she said.
To read about the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board’s plans for the fall, click here.
