LONDON, ONT. -- The region’s largest public school board is delaying the start of school by one week.
The Thames Valley District School Board will start classes on Monday, September 14, six days later than planned.
The staggered start will see some students begin September 17.
The last minute revision applies to all grades, including students returning to school and those learning remotely.
During a special meeting held Tuesday evening, Director of Education Mark Fisher explained that the Ministry of Education reversed its decision about the TVDSB return to school plan.
“Basically, we were instructed to change our model, as were other boards last week,” explained Fisher.
Fisher described a meeting on Friday with the province where TVDSB officials were told to further reduce the anticipated number of contacts each student has during the school day.
Secondary school students are being limited to 100 contacts per day, elementary students will have fewer than 50 contacts each day.
That means secondary students will now take one class all day, rather than two.
“Over 25,000 secondary students are being re-timetabled as we speak,” said Fisher.
The board will require the additional time to update student schedules.
“Our ability to do this work, to be candid, is stretched to the absolute limit,” added Fisher.
Parents will also be notified this week that they must sign a Student Health Agreement before their children return to in-person learning.
The agreement will require parents to pre-screen each of their children before leaving for school.
They will also agree to immediately pick up their child if they display symptoms during the school day.
