September 10th Update and Reminders

Dear Families,

Welcome to the 2021-2022 school year! We appreciate that once again, we are returning to our school building amidst uncertainty. Please know that we are doing all that we can to ensure Public Health protocols are being followed for the safety of all in our community. You are encouraged to review the Site Specific Plan that was posted here last week for details of the many steps we are taking. We thank you for keeping up with the communications coming from HWDSB, and for completing important forms and surveys as required. We truly appreciate your support.

Daily COVID-19 Screening
HWDSB COVID-19 Student Screening Checklist is to be completed daily before arriving at school. The checklist is found on the Parent Portal as well as on the HWDSB website. If you answered YES to any of the screening questions, or if you refuse to answer the questions, your child has failed the screening and must not attend school. Parents/caregivers should contact Public Health (905) 974-9848 or their family doctor for testing. Please contact the school using SafeArrival to report your child’s absence. If the student is tested for COVID-19, we would appreciate knowing the outcome of that test. New this year, we are required to verify screening was completed. To do this, we ask that you initial the appropriate date on the calendar that was sent home on the first day – returning it to school each day. We do not yet know how long this measure will be required and appreciate your cooperation.

Parent Portal

This tab is located on the HWDSB webpage and is accessible by all parents/caregivers who have children registered in the HWDSB. If you are having difficulty logging into the Portal, please message us at [email protected] for assistance. There are a number of services and forms located on the Portal that you will require over the course of the school year:

Services

School Messenger – please use this to report any absences/lates

School Cash Online

Forms to be completed (by September 30^th please):

Student Information Verification

Early Closure and Emergency Evacuation Information

Water Bottles

Students are able to use the two hydration stations and classroom taps to fill water bottles. Please be sure to send your child with a labelled reusable water bottle so they stay hydrated, in addition to their non-medical mask.

 Visiting our School

To support a safe and healthy learning environment, we once again, must significantly limit visitors to school. We ask families to call or email our school to supply information or contact a staff member. It is recommended that parents not drop off items during the school day. If this is necessary, please ring the door bell at the front entrance and we will collect the labelled item for your child.

 Volunteers

At this time we are not permitted volunteers in the school building.

 Elementary Reorganization

This year we were able to add an additional Kindergarten class just prior to school starting for students this week. As well, each year at the end of September the HWDSB must undergo a ‘reconciling’ of enrollment numbers from the spring with actual attendance numbers in the fall. This often results in classes being added or deleted across the system. In the event Balaclava is affected by re-organization, parents/caregivers can expect to be notified of a classroom change/teacher change before the end of September.

Buses

We have 10 school buses for Balaclava School; all are Attridge Buses. This week we have seen late buses and understand there have been some issues with stops being missed for morning pick ups. We recommend families subscribe to the HWTS webpage for regular updates about bus delays. https://www.hamiltonschoolbus.ca/ Thank you for your patience and understanding as our new drivers become familiar with our community.

We recognize some families may be looking for resources to assist students in understanding what school will look like for 2021-2022 (social stories, visuals etc.). Please visit:

https://learning4success.commons.hwdsb.on.ca/

You can learn more about COVID-19 precautions at HWDSB at www.hwdsb.on.ca/covid19.

If you have any questions, or think your child might struggle with school, please let your child’s teacher know.

Communication

We are committed to using effective communication practices. We will continue to send updates using this webpage and School Messenger as appropriate and  your child’s teacher will convey the preferred methods for communication. We do recommend subscribing to our school webpage for regular reminders/updates. https://www.hwdsb.on.ca/balaclava/

Thank you for understanding the challenges of planning for 2021-2022, and for sharing our commitment to a safe and successful school year for all.

Sincerely,

K. Rizzo

Principal