Online Learning- update January 5, 2022

Good Morning Eardley Community,

Happy New Year! I hope this email finds you all safe and well. Further to my update sent over the holidays including the details of the extended school closure, I have another important update and reminder below. I apologize for the lengthy email, yet it is full of essential information as we pivot to remote teaching and learning. Please see below and review carefully:

• The schools, including Eardley Elementary will remain closed to in person learning until January 14^th, 2022.
• In person classes are expected to resume on January 17^th, 2022.
• The Teams Platform will be used for all virtual learning. The username and login for your child’s access to the Teams platform has been emailed to you by your child’s homeroom teacher before the Winter Break.
  • If you still do not have this information, please contact your child’s homeroom teacher directly.
• January 6^th, 2022 is a PD DAY to allow for the school to prepare technology needs and paper packages of supplementary work for online learning. Therefore, there is no school.
• Material Pick-up
  • If you have any items to pick-up from school that are directly related to virtual learning – a pick-up of essential learning items will be held at the school on January 7^th, 2022 from 12:00pm – 2:00pm.
  • Please drive through our bus lane, stay in your car and a staff member will come out to greet you and bring you your child(ren)’s essential belongings.
  • We recommend that you wear a mask.
  • Please note, that the school will not be packing up all student belongings at this time. Only essential academic items have been organized for pick-up.
  • If you require anything additional to support your child with at home learning, please contact your child’s homeroom teacher.
• As previously communicated, January 7^th, 2022 will be virtual learning following the school’s regular schedule i.e. 7:55am – 2:30pm. Your child’s homeroom teacher will email you with the day’s schedule and expectations by January 6^th, 2022.
• As of January 10^th the school will be following our confinement schedule, which is a reduced online school day. Each homeroom teacher will send their confinement schedule by January 7^th, 2022. Please note that each confinement schedule takes into account our school day’s regular breaks (i.e. AM/PM Recess and Lunch).
• Confinement schedules and hours will be followed by all elementary schools across Quebec.
• Attendance for online learning will be taken daily. As mentioned in my previous communications, please manage what you can.  We understand that learning from home is an added pressure to households. In most circumstances, attendance will not count towards your child’s assessment. *Exception, if your child does not attend virtual schooling at all, a member of the school team will be contacting you daily to ensure your child is well supported and has access to supplementary material*
• Schooling is still mandatory during the Covid-19 shut down and shift to online learning.
• Daycare services will be open and accessible during the shift to remote learning.
  • Daycare will be open from 7:00am – 5:00pm.
  • If possible, the schools are asking for you to keep your children home to reduce risk and limit contacts.
  • The daycare will honour the previously accepted registrations for January 6^th and 7^th. However, given the current Covid-19 reality, if you can keep your child(ren) home, we ask that you do so.
  • From January 10^th on, we will be operating an Emergency Daycare and services will only be provided to essential services workers.
  • Proof of employment will be needed. Proof of employment is a letter from your immediate supervisor and/or a paystub indicating your place of employment. This can be provided to Anne Carbonneau by email or in person during daycare drop-off. 
  • Please find attached the list of employment categories that are deemed essential. The list has been provided by the Ministry of Education and therefore, we will only be accepting students whose parent(s)/guardian(s) fall into this category.
  • Virtual classes will be honoured during daycare hours, we ask that you provide technology to allow for the daycare staff to facilitate online learning with your child(ren). The daycare will not be providing the technology.
  • If you require daycare services please contact Anne Carbonneau at acarbonneau@wqsb.qc.ca
• If you requested technology, you will be able to pick-up the technology from the school on January 6^th between 1:00pm and 3:00pm at the front office. The time has shifted due to the organization of devices and ensuring we are ready for deployment.
  • If you requested a MIFI, please note that they may not be ready and configured for tomorrow. Our technology department at the School Board is working around the clock to service all schools and centres as we shift to remote learning. Therefore, if you requested a MIFI device, Stephanie Lelievre will contact you directly once your technology is ready for pick-up.
  • Stephanie Lelievre and Hannah Patrick (SLelievre@wqsb.qc.ca and hpatrick@wqsb.qc.ca) are your immediate contacts for all remote learning technological needs.

I understand that this is a lot of information to process and digest.  As always, I remain available to answer any questions or concerns you may have.  This is the most up to date information, as soon as things change or are updated, I will inform our community. I want to thank you all for your patience and support as we continue to navigate yet another shift to remote teaching and learning.

Please enjoy the final few days of Winter Break.  We look forward to seeing all of our students’ faces virtually on January 7^th.

Please stay safe,

Samantha Halpin

Directrice/PrincipalÉcole Primaire Eardley/Eardley