COVID-19 Newsletter #6

 Welcome to the sixth edition of our COVID-19 newsletter, where you will find information regarding the latest Ministry of Education directives and Public Health guidelines, as well as answers to some of the most frequently asked questions from parents and students.

Please click here to view PDF Version of EMSB COVID-19 Newsletter No:6

The EMSB will continue to implement COVID-19 Ministry protocols for the 2020-2021 school year.

• You have questions, we have answers! We invite you to have a look at our COVID-19/back-to-school FAQ, which is regularly updated. It currently features over 75 questions and answers.
• For information on the Back-to-School Plan featured in previous newsletters, click here.
• Should you have additional questions, please contact us.

Are You Planning to Travel This Holiday Season?

The School Board has begun to receive many calls from parents inquiring about holiday travels, the option of online learning, and receiving assignments from teachers for their children upon their return due to the mandatory quarantine directive.

We will not be providing students who return from travel with online learning or assignments. In addition, we would like to remind parents that as per the directives from the MEQ:

• Only students who have been ordered to self-isolate following a positive result while in school will receive pedagogical services and/or assignments from their teachers.

Kindly keep these directives in mind when planning for travel during the holiday season.

Isolation Procedures– FAQ’s

Click here to get answers for some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the isolation procedures in our schools, centers, and facilities.

New Health Measures from the Ministry of Education for Educational Institutions

New Measures Specific to Secondary Schools

As of November 2, 2020, new guidelines issued by Public Health have specified that the number of students present in educational institutions must be reduced. As such, schools located in red zones were asked to reduce the in-class attendance of Secondary III students by half. The major points of this new directive are as follows:

• Secondary III students will now attend class every second day if physical distancing rules cannot be applied (ex: small classes)
• They will follow their regular schedule, but alternate between in-person and online classes. This approach is intended to ensure the continuation of their learning;
• Students follow their regular schedule for the cycle, with the same teachers and group, attending school in person every second day;
• Each day of in-person attendance is followed by a day of distance learning, with classes given by the regular teacher;
• When students are at home, they must be present for their online classes, following the instructions provided by the school.

• Click here to read the full letter to parents from the Minister
• Click here to read: Blended learning for all students in secondary III, IV and V
• Click here to read: Health measures by regional alert level

An IT Helpdesk to Support You! Virtual School Students and Students in Secondary 3, 4 & 5

Our IT department continues to support the needs of our Virtual School through their Helpdesk services. This Helpdesk is primarily intended to provide technical support for educational technology to the online learners of our Virtual School, as well as Secondary 3, 4 and 5 students on a partial learn-from-home schedule.

• The Helpdesk is open from Monday to Friday at 8:00 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
• You can reach them by phone at 514-483-7502 or by email at ITHelp@emsb.qc.ca

Amendment to the Basic School Regulation - Additional Pedagogical Days for 2020-2021

In a recent announcement from the Minister of Education, the Basic School Regulation has been amended to add three training and planning days to the calendar of all institutions offering preschool education, elementary education or secondary education (general education in the youth sector), regardless of the alert level in the zone where they are located. This new measure will also help teams refine the support and guidance offered to each student throughout the year.

These three additional days must be added to the already-established school calendar in accordance with the following compulsory conditions:

• They must be scheduled between October 29 and the end of the 2020-2021 school year
• They must account for a maximum of one additional day per month

Furthermore, in order to help school staff become more familiar with digital technologies and share practices, the Ministère has organized the second consecutive annual Digital Education Day. This year, it will take place entirely online, on Friday, November 13, 2020. Given this new information, there will be three pedagogical days added to the school calendar for 2020-2021. More information from your child’s school to follow.

Click here to read the full letter from the Minister

Continue to protect yourself and others from the spread of COVID-19 by avoiding large gatherings and crowded places! 

It is a collective responsibility.