Week 1 & 2 Update

Hello Helen Detwiler Families!

First and foremost, welcome back and Happy New Year.  It sure isn’t the same kickoff to 2021 that we were expecting; however, I wanted to say how relatively smooth the first week of remote learning went.  Most students were online and engaged with their classroom educators.  Remember, classroom attendance is being taken twice a day, just like we normally would be doing if we were in our building.  If your child will not be participating in online learning for the day, please report their absence in School Messenger.  This will ensure attendance is captured correctly.

Our classroom educators have been trying to connect with all families.  If you have yet to hear from your classroom teacher, please notify the main office or try reaching out directly to the teacher.  It is our hope that all families that are currently registered for in-school learning are connecting with their homeroom teachers.

As you may be aware, at this point in time, we are not deploying devices (iPads) to Kindergarten students.  That doesn’t mean the learning needs to stop.  For those with a device, Kindergarten classrooms are still meeting virtually every day.  For those that are unable to connect virtually, we do have learning packages available to support continued learning at home.  Please call the school to arrange a time to pick up one of these packages.  Of course, you can continue to connect with your classroom educators for additional support.

We would like to welcome Ms. C. Barker to our Helen Detwiler team.  Ms. Barker is the new Long Term Occasional Teacher for Mrs. Smith (Grade 8).  Ms. Barker will be with us until the end of June.

Additionally, information from HWDSB is expected this week around next steps with Parent Portal and declaring your intention for the February 2021 transition.  Please continue to stay connected to the Board website so you do not miss out on critical timelines.

Finally, please see the attached flyer for our Families Worrying Less Together workshop which is taking place on January 19th.  For specific details, please click here.

Please stay well, stay safe and stay healthy.

Mr. Azzopardi