Families new to Remote Learning Program – Grades 5 to 8

Dear families new to the Remote Elementary Learning Program, 

We are excited about welcoming new students to our school during this transition time. The pandemic has brought many changes and challenges to the 2020/2021 school year that we are all working together to overcome. 

We wanted to let you know that because of the transition option for families in February, we will be welcoming approximately 600 new students into the Remote Elementary Learning Program. We will also be saying goodbye to approximately 600 families that are choosing to return to school.  

During the week of February 8 – 12th, new students from current in-school placements will start in their new remote classes.  Your child is registered in a grade (Grade 5 through 8) where some new classes and additional staff will be added. While some students in these grades may be added to an existing remote learning class and hear from a teacher as early as Monday February 8th, many students in Grade 5 to 8 will be hearing from a teacher Wednesday February 10 and Thursday February 11. 

Families can access the HWDSB Learning from Home Packages to provide work activities while waiting for the first day of new classes: 

Learning From Home Activities – Primary 

Learning From Home Activities – Junior 

Learning From Home Activities – Intermediate 

You can visit our school website for more information about the Remote Learning program. The website has a parent guide, a section on resources and technology help, and also a listing of contact information for the remote learning office and administration. 

Our school operates on a schedule or ‘bell time’ similar to a physical school. The exact times will vary depending on the school the class teacher is working from; the most common start time is 9:00 a.m. This includes 300 minutes of learning activities and two 40-minute nutrition breaks. Regular attendance is expected and will be taken daily. 

Our remote space consists of The HUB and MS Teams. They work together to create a virtual classroom where students and teachers can collaborate, learn, and complete and submit assignments. To ensure a smooth transition to remote learning, make sure your child(s) has their HWDSB username and password. These are the same accounts that students use to access technology in their home school. Access to student accounts can be found at https://students.hwdsb.on.ca/. 

Term 1 Report Cards will be sent home electronically on Friday February 19th. It is very important that you have a current email on file with the school and that you have School Messenger set to accept emails. The government return to school date is in the middle of the timelines that schools use to process report cards. There is a possibility that the report card for students who transition between school and Remote Learning may be delayed in delivery. We assure you that report cards have been written for students and all families will receive a copy; it may just take additional time.  

If you have any specific questions about these changes, please visit our contact the school page for contact information. 

Sincerely, 

Vera Prpa
Principal, Grades 4-8