Ford says students will return to school in fall in some capacity

ONTARIO – Premier Doug Ford and Education Minister Stephen Lecce laid out plans for students in Ontario to return to class in the fall during a Friday (June 19) press conference.

Options include regular in-class learning, online learning, or a mix of both. Ford says a blanket approach across the province won’t work.  Ford says the government is working with school boards this summer to create a plan that best fits for communities across Ontario. 

• Plan 1: Return to regular in-class programming with strict protocols
• Plan 2: Blend in-class and online – students would alternate days or weeks so class sizes don’t exceed 15
• Plan 3: Continue online learning

Ford says parents will also have a choice if they don’t feel comfortable sending kids back to class. 

School boards are being asked to maintain a limit of 15 students per typical classroom at a time. Boards should also adopt a timetable that would allow students to remain in contact with only their classmates and a single teacher for as much of the day as possible.

Options for school boards in September

Normal school day routine with enhanced public health protocols: Students going to school every day, in classes that reflect standard class size regulations.

Modified school day routine: Based on public health advice, an adapted delivery model has been 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 and adopt timetabling that would allow for students to remain in contact only with their classmates and a single teacher for as much of the school day as possible. This model would require alternate day or alternate week delivery to a segment of the class at one time.

At home learning: Should the school closure be extended, or some parents choose not to send their child back to school, school boards need to be prepared to offer remote education. Remote education should be delivered online to the greatest extent possible, including the establishment of minimum expectations for students to have direct contact with their teacher at the same time on a regular basis, also known as synchronous learning. Synchronous learning can be used as part of whole class instruction, in smaller groups of students, and/or in a one-on-one context.

You can get more details online here.