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Friday, Dec. 3, 2021

Dear Parents and Guardians,

This monthly Letter to Families is intended to keep you apprised of news that affects all students and families of Near North District School Board (�㽶ֱ��). The Letter to Families is distributed on the first Friday of the month.

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Child vaccine clinics: The North Bay Parry Sound Health Unit is hosting COVID-19 vaccination clinics for 5- to 11-year-old children in the coming weeks. You can find out more information about clinic dates and times here.

Some of these clinics are being held at area schools. The school clinics are not during school hours and the expectation is that children will attend with an adult who will consent on their behalf. According to our local health unit, there is no age of consent for vaccinations, but nurses determine if a child can make that decision and understand the consequences prior to vaccination. For more information about Child Vaccination Clinics please call the health unit at 1-844-478-1400.

Travel at December Break: With the holiday season approaching, it is anticipated that many staff, students and families will choose to make travel plans for the December break. Ahead of the break, we would like to share some information about directives related to international travel and quarantine requirements.

Individuals must follow federal testing and quarantine requirements upon return from any international travel. This includes not attending school or childcare for the 14 days following a return from international travel for individuals advised to quarantine or not attend school/childcare upon their return.

While unvaccinated children under the age of 12 who travelled internationally with a fully vaccinated companion are exempt from federal quarantine, they are not permitted to attend school or childcare for 14 days following their return. Generally, individuals who are fully vaccinated are exempt from federal quarantine and may continue to attend school or childcare. Individuals with all other federal quarantine exemptions (e.g., travelling for cross-border custody arrangements; travelling for medical treatment) may also continue to attend school or childcare. For more detailed information, please contact our local health unit.

Rapid Antigen Testing during December Break: On Nov. 18, 2021, the Minister of Education announced a program for rapid antigen testing for all Ontario students during the December break. Before the break, every student in Ontario will be sent home with a rapid antigen screening kit that contains five tests. These kits will support all students to complete voluntary screening at home prior to their return to the classroom in January.

If a student tests positive using the rapid antigen screening, they must follow local health unit guidance which includes isolating and getting a confirmatory test at a local testing site. More information about this program will be shared once it is received from the Ministry of Education.

Winter Timetabling for Secondary �㽶ֱ��: For the winter semester starting in February 2022, the Ministry of Education has announced that all secondary schools may resume a regular timetabling model of four courses per day, unless not supported by the local Medical Officer of Health.

We are currently working with our local health unit to finalize how timetabling will look in our �㽶ֱ�� secondary schools and will share further information once it is available to us.

Time-limited Health and Safety Measures in �㽶ֱ��: To mitigate risks associated with the colder weather and gatherings/travel over the winter holidays and to limit the number of contacts for unvaccinated populations especially in elementary schools, the Ministry of Education is implementing enhanced health and safety measures for schools. These measures will remain in place until the Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health recommends they be lifted, and include:

• virtual-only parent teacher conferences/interviews in elementary and secondary schools;
• starting in January, virtual-only assemblies in elementary schools.
• restricting lunches/breaks to classroom cohort when indoors, where distancing between cohorts cannot be maintained in elementary schools.

In addition, all elementary and secondary schools will be required to implement daily onsite confirmation of screening prior to/upon arrival at school for at least two weeks following winter break. Please ensure your child completes their COVID-19 school screening before attending school each day. Starting on Jan. 5, teachers will confirm completion of this screening each morning during daily attendance. The screening tool can be found .

More COVID-19 information may be found in this memo from Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health.

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Thank you to all parents, guardians, community members, staff and students who took the time between Nov. 15 – Dec. 3, 2021 to complete the School Climate Survey. This survey is important because a safe, inclusive, and accepting school environment is essential for student success and well-being.

The data collected from the School Climate Survey is used to inform the development of Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plans and to build strategies into School Improvement Plans to improve school climate. We appreciate your participation!

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The Canadian Centre for Child Protection (C3P) provided an informative parent session on Nov. 17, 2021, that was well attended by parents/guardians from throughout our district. Feedback from the session was very positive; parents/guardians were highly encouraged by the number of resources C3P provided. One area of focus was how to have positive conversations with kids so that they feel supported and safe while online. More information can be found on a variety of C3P’s platforms, including:

– the Canadian Centre for Child Protection’s main website with resources for families to help keep kids safe;

– a one-stop shop for all things about internet safety;

– a website with information about sextortion – including a video, lesson plan, tips to stay safe, and information about reporting;

– a website designed to help teens stop the spread of sexual pictures or videos and provides support such as information about how to involve a safe adult, helping a friend, and the laws in Canada/how to report;

– Canada’s tip line to report the online sexual exploitation of children;

– notifications sent out to inform the public of concerning technology trends and new resources designed to increase children’s personal safety.

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MLI HOMESTAY, one of �㽶ֱ��’s partners, is seeking families to host international students coming to North Bay in late January 2022.

Students are coming for long- and short-term studies. They will live as a member of the family, and compensation is provided to assist with expenses.

To learn more, contact Andrea Corbeil at acorbeil@mlihomestay.com , call 705-845-1988 or visit .

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Director of Education Craig Myles sends his best wishes to all students, staff and families for a most joyous holiday break.

COVID-19 has affected all over us over the past two years and as immunization has reduced the morbidity of the virus, we are seeing the return of some pre-pandemic activities at schools and in the community.

The Director is grateful for the board’s COVID-19 team for its leadership, and all staff and families for their diligence in adhering to the COVID-19 protocols that have kept �㽶ֱ�� schools free from outbreak. We must balance the importance of friends and family, with awareness of the risks of gathering over the holidays.

Season’s greetings to all �㽶ֱ�� staff and families.

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�㽶ֱ�� follows the direction of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and the public health unit when devising COVID-19 plans.

Thank you,

Near North District School Board

 

Friday, Nov. 26, 2021,

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Nipissing Parry Sound Student Transportation Services (NPSSTS), or the Consortium, has requested distribution of this letter to families regarding transportation delays.

Sincerely,

Near North District School Board

Thursday, Nov. 25, 2021

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit (NBPSDHU) has provided a parent and guardian frequently asked questions (FAQ) document and a letter detailing vaccination clinics for children aged 5 to 11.

Thank you,
Near North District School Board

Friday, Nov. 19, 2021

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Yesterday the Government of Ontario made COVID-19-related announcements that will affect Near North District School Board (�㽶ֱ��) students. The two garnering the most attention relate to taking COVID-19 tests over the winter break and the return to regular timetabling in secondary schools in February.

In its efforts to keep schools safe and open for in-person learning, the Ministry of Education will be distributing 11 million rapid antigen screen tests to public school students in advance of the December break. Students will be asked to do five tests over the break in preparation for return to in-person learning. More communication will be sent home closer to the start of the winter break with details of this initiative.

The Ministry also announced that school boards will be permitted to resume regular timetabling of four courses a day beginning in February 2022 because high vaccination rates among youth aged 12-17 have contributed to low COVID-19 cases among secondary school-aged students.

The board just learned of this yesterday, and �㽶ֱ��’s executive team is taking the time to understand the entirety of the announcement. We will, as always, work with the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit and the co-terminus boards to determine the best course of action to keep our staff and students safe.

Sincerely,
Near North District School Board

Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Near North District School Board (�㽶ֱ��) updates you with a monthly Letter to Families. This letter is being sent specifically to share three pieces of information related to COVID-19.

1. The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit (NBPSDHU) has released a letter to families explaining its decision about optional testing for COVID-19 for students. The health unit has decided not to implement either of the testing strategies due to the low number of cases in the area. Please see the attached PDF for details.
2. �㽶ֱ�� will be allowing spectators to Nipissing District Athletics (NDA) hockey games. Spectators must follow the processes in place at arenas, including QR codes, contact tracing and confirmation of self-screening.
3. There are increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases in the districts of Sudbury and Algoma, which is affecting �㽶ֱ�� students.

NBPSDHU has recommended that teams not travel to or from the areas of Sudbury and Algoma. Until further notice, school teams from those districts will not be allowed to participate in tournaments in the NBPSDHU’s catchment area, nor will local students be able to travel to games and events in Sudbury or Algoma.

It will be the decision of Northern Ontario Secondary �㽶ֱ�� Association (NOSSA) and Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) whether to hold the events without teams from all areas, whether to move the event, or to cancel it.

At �㽶ֱ��, the restriction on travel in and out of areas with very high COVID-19 includes field trips. This decision, like all others made by the board throughout the pandemic, has been made to protect the health and safety of staff and students.

If you have questions or concerns about the content of this letter, please follow up with your school principal.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,
Near North District School Board

November 16, 2021

Inclement Weather Notice to �㽶ֱ�� Families;

With winter weather starting to settle in, the following communication outlines the Near North District School Board’s response to inclement weather days when school transportation is cancelled due to student safety concerns.

The Nipissing-Parry Sound Student Transportation Services (NPSSTS) manages and coordinates transportation for our district, in addition to three of our co-terminus boards. On inclement weather days, when buses are cancelled due to unsafe travelling conditions, schools will remain open to students who can safely make their way to and from school without the use of school bus transportation. We remind parents/guardians that any students dropped off must be picked up at regular school dismissal time.

In some circumstances, the Board will decide to close a school. This decision could be due to the severity of the weather, loss of power or water, and in rare cases the school’s inability to maintain or follow other COVID-19 protocols which might place students in an at-risk position.

Critical to this is the following of ministry and health authorities’ guidelines regarding the number of permissible student contacts and cohort sizes. If schools are closed for the day, parents will be notified through their school, board and local media communications. Our primary concern is always the safety of our students.

If buses to your school are either cancelled for the day and/or schools closed, instruction and related student activities will be provided for your child to complete at home. These activities may include online or offline activities that every child can access.

We understand that because each school and community is unique, plans will vary across the Board in response to local contexts. However, we plan to ensure that the learning continues for students, despite the weather outdoors.

Sincerely,
Gay Smylie
Superintendent of Education

Nov. 16, 2021

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, students, families, and educators have encountered unprecedented challenges. Disruptions to learning have understandably resulted in increased concerns related to student achievement and well-being. And yet, students, educators and families have demonstrated resiliency and flexibility in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and students have continued to learn and grow.

As we look ahead to the 2021-22 school year (and beyond), we share a commitment to supporting the health and safety, mental health, well-being and achievement of all students. This includes building on the skills and capacity students and educators have gained during the pandemic, both in the classroom and during periods of remote learning. As staff have welcomed students back to school this fall, they have honoured a variety of starting points for learning and continue to be responsive to the needs of all learners. As part of a system-wide commitment to learning recovery and renewal, staff have prioritized student well-being, engagement in learning, and growing meaningful partnerships with families.

Home and school communication is an essential component to learning recovery and student success. On Nov. 17, 2021, your child will receive their first formal “progress report”. The fall progress report card is designed to encourage early and on-going communication between you and your child’s teacher. Teachers’ early assessments and feedback will allow you to understand how well your child is developing learning skills and work habits we know are essential for success. The progress report provides a measure of “progress” for all academic subjects – such as language, math, social studies, science and technology – but instead of assigning a grade or mark, it will tell you how well your child is progressing: “very well”, “well” or “with difficulty”. This early assessment and communication will highlight strengths and areas to improve before evaluations are completed – for example, during end-of-term report cards.

It is important to note that levels of progress do not equate to letter grades of “A, B, C, D” and do not necessarily lead to report card grades in any specific range. As we move through this year, students will continue to access opportunities to practice and develop the knowledge and skills required to achieve the curriculum expectations. If your child receives a “progressing with difficulty” it is our expectation that the teacher would have already contacted you to create a collaborative plan that focuses on next steps and how those steps will be achieved through both home and schools supports.

The progress report is followed by an opportunity for parents/guardians to meet with their child’s educator(s). Parent/Guardian and Teacher interviews provide families with an opportunity to identify additional ways to support their child effectively and help to foster home and school partnerships. When families, educators and caregivers work as partners they develop a meaningful relationship and share valuable communication that can help to grow a student’s sense of trust, belonging, well-being and success as a learner.

Gay Smylie
Superintendent of Education