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COVID-19 Update - April 8, 2020

April 08, 2020

​Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s):

Thank you for your patience and support this week as we transitioned to Phase 2 of Learn at Home, involving remote teacher-led, staff supported student learning during the COVID-19 school closures. As parents/guardians, you continue to be your child's first teacher, and we are committed to continuing to support your family through this process. While there may be some challenges along the way, the Lambton Kent District School Board (LKDSB) is committed to ongoing support for students and parents/guardians as partners in education in order to ensure student success.

In accordance with the Ministry of Education, it is an expectation that every student will continue to learn while in-school classes are suspended. Our shared goal is to ensure the successful completion of the school year for all students, and to support students to advance to the next school year.

LKDSB Device Lending 
The LKDSB received 2,200 requests for devices to assist students with learning at home. If you completed the request form or requested by phone as of Monday, April 6 at noon, we have your information and you will receive a device. All other requests beyond Monday, April 6 have been added to a waitlist. We are currently readying the devices for distribution and finalizing a plan for distribution to families beginning next week. Devices will be distributed in a multi-phased approach and distribution will take some time. We appreciate your patience through this process. Schools will be reaching out to individual families to arrange a date/time to pick-up the devices. In the meantime, staff will be connecting with families to support ongoing student learning. Please note: Device distribution will be prioritized to graduating students first.

Given the range of circumstances of students and their families, continuity of learning may require a range of delivery options. If your family does not have reliable access to WIFI Internet, please contact your school so that alternative arrangements can be made. Schools will be following up this week with families who have indicated they do not have reliable access to WIFI Internet regarding additional supports for ongoing student learning. 

What is Phase 2 of Learn at Home? 

We know that for most students and staff, learning during the school closures will look different than in-classroom learning. We also understand that families are navigating their unique circumstances and the learning processes will continue to evolve as staff and students become more familiar with remote learning at home. Our first priority is reconnecting students with teachers, education workers and other support staff.

The second phase of Learn at Home includes re-establishing teacher-led, staff supported student learning as follows:

  • Kindergarten-Grade 3: Five hours of work per student/week (focus on literacy and math);
  • Grades 4-6: Five hours of work per student/week (focus on literacy, math, science and social studies);
  • Grades 7-8: Ten hours of work per student/week (focus on math, literacy, science and social studies); and
  • Grades 9-12: Three hours of work per course per week (focus on achieving credits/completion/graduation)

The expectations outlined above include any teaching time led by teachers, as well as time for students to be engaged in the learning tasks independently. If your child has not been contacted by their teacher by Wednesday, April 8, please contact the school principal.

We appreciate the incredible efforts of our staff during the last couple of weeks to support the transition to remote teacher-led, staff supported student learning. We are hopeful schools will reopen to students for in-person classroom experiences. If the Ministry of Education determines remote learning should continue beyond May 4, students' final marks will not be disadvantaged by the COVID-19 school closures. In accordance to the Ministry of Education's directions, all LKDSB students on track to graduate will be supported to graduate. Additional information for secondary students and families is available here.

As a partner in your child's education, we appreciate your ongoing support through this transition to remote teacher-led, staff supported student learning.

Should you have any specific questions about your child, please contact your school principal.

Sincerely, 
John Howitt 
Director of Education

Contact

Northern Collegiate Institute & Vocational School
940 Michigan Ave, Sarnia, ON, N7S 2B1
519-542-0571
Principal: Melissa Mallette
Vice Principal: Marty Passmore
Vice Principal: Nathan Jeffrey
Bus Zone: 2BUS STATUS

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