January 06, 2022 - COVID-19 and public health information, OCDSB Events and Key Dates, and more.
Dear OCDSB Families,
Thank you to everyone for your patience and understanding as we made the transition to remote learning for in-person students.
COVID-19 and public health information
CHEO Town Hall TONIGHT - Information about Kids and Omicron
On January 6 at 7:30 pm, CHEO will be hosting a town hall for parents and caregivers on Kids and Omicron. A panel of CHEO experts will be available to answer your questions. You can send in your questions in advance: [email protected]. The webinar will be recorded and available for viewing after.
Updated guidance on COVID-19 symptoms and high-risk contacts
The guidance has changed for if you have COVID-19 symptoms, test positive or are a high-risk contact. Please review this update from Ottawa Public Health.
Special statement from Dr. Vera Etches
In a recent statement, Ottawa Public Health’s Dr. Vera Etches said, “Now that the decision has been made to move to virtual learning for the next couple of weeks, we will work with school boards to ensure that children who may need more support can connect with the resources they and their families may need in the weeks ahead.” Read more.
Preparing for the return to school
While we manage the shift to remote learning, we continue to make preparations for the return to in-person learning which is scheduled for Monday, January 17th.
While we await more specific provincial direction, we recognize that health authorities are signalling a shift from containment strategies to mitigation strategies in the management of COVID-19. As we prepare for a return to school, our focus will be on how to mitigate the spread of the virus into schools to protect students and staff. We wanted to give you some information on some of the measures we will be looking to take.
Masks
- Staff Access to N95 masks. The first shipment of N95 masks arrived for staff members this week and we are expecting more to come soon.
- Students Access to 3 Ply Cloth Masks: Ottawa Public Health strongly recommends wearing three-layer masks. The Ministry announced that these masks will be supplied for all students and we are awaiting arrival. Interested families also have the option of purchasing such masks locally.
Vaccination
We have been working with community partners to prioritize vaccine clinics for education workers and students to support the safe return to in-person learning as soon as possible.
- School staff: CHEO is creating priority vaccine clinics for teachers, education workers and childcare workers. Learn more and pre-register.
- Individuals ages 5+: The OCDSB has worked with Dr. Nili Kaplan-Myrth for a “Junior Jabapalooza!” vaccination clinic for children ages 5-11 on Monday, January 10th at the Mutchmor Public School (Fourth Ave entrance). Learn more and book an appointment
More appointments continue to open for boosters for those 18+ and shots for individuals five and older through Ottawa Public Health and local pharmacies. Follow Ottawa Public Health on social media for updates and visit their vaccine page to learn more. Ottawa Public Health continues to advise that the best way to reduce the spread and protect yourself and your family from COVID-19 is to get vaccinated.
HEPA filters and improved ventilation
- The OCDSB currently has over 2300 HEPA filters in active use across the District and we are expecting 81 additional units from the Province. These will be used together with improvements to ventilation that have been ongoing since 2020.
COVID reporting
- The COVID-19 Dashboard data was based on positive PCR test cases. The province has advised that with the provincial limits on who can receive a COVID-19 test, school boards will no longer receive consistent confirmation on which students or staff may have tested positive, and therefore are not positioned to maintain the COVID-19 Dashboard. We are working with Ottawa Public Health on strategies to keep the community informed about COVID-19 transmission in the community.
OCDSB Events and Key Dates
Parent workshops - Promoting mental health and wellness
The OCDSB will be hosting virtual parent drop-in sessions with our mental health professionals. These will allow parents to ask general questions and receive some advice. The virtual sessions will be held on the week of January 17th. Specific dates and times will be added to our website and more details will be shared next week.
Kindergarten and Secondary Parent Information Nights
In January and February, elementary and secondary OCDSB schools will be hosting virtual information nights for parents looking to register their children for Kindergarten or high school. Visit our website to learn the date and time for an elementary or secondary school near you. Please share the word with friends in your community with preschool aged children or students in grades 7 or 8.
Key Dates:
- Elementary PA Day, Friday, January 21: There will be no school for students in grades K-8 on this day.
- Secondary Student Success Day, Wednesday, February 2: There will be no school for students in grades 9-12 on this day.
Upcoming Committee of the Whole Meeting - Tuesday, January 11 at 7:00 p.m.
OCDSB Trustees will meet on Tuesday as a Committee of the Whole to ask questions of staff and debate items. Agenda items include a COVID-19 update, the OCDSB’s new human rights policy, a report on the Facilities Renewal Program and School Condition Improvement 2021-2022 Project Plan, and more. Motions approved at Committee of the Whole meetings then go to a Board of Trustees meeting for a final vote.
Livestream Link will be added to this page. Note, the dates and times of upcoming OCDSB committee meetings can be found on our calendar: https://ocdsb.ca/calendar
Applications for University or College
January 13: Deadline for Secondary Students to Apply for Ontario Universities
Is your child thinking of attending a university in Ontario this fall? The deadline for high school students to apply to an Ontario university is Thursday, January 13, 2022. Learn more on the OUAC website, and remember to take a look at scholarship opportunities as well.
February 1: Equal Consideration Date for Ontario Colleges
As long as space remains in an Ontario college program, students may apply for it. However, there are some important dates to keep in mind, especially for popular programs that fill up quickly. Apply on or before February 1, 2022 in order to receive equal consideration for admission to programs starting the following fall. After this date, colleges consider applicants on a first-come, first-served basis until programs are full. Learn more about when to apply.
In case you missed it…
Remote learning technical assistance: We have compiled a series of resources that provide step-by-step instructions for students and parents on how to use our Learning Management Systems, Google Classroom and the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). Learn more.
Supporting mental health and well-being: The OCDSB mental health team has prepared some simple tips and advice to support students and parents with well-being during remote learning. Learn more.
Thank you,
Camille Williams-Taylor
Director of Education