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No movement trend for students changing learning modes: director of education

The public board has pushed back a deadline for high school students to give families a chance to absorb this week's news
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To allow families time to absorb the news of the state of emergency and stay-at-home order, the public school board has moved its date for high school students to change how they are learning.

District School Board Ontario North East has been offering students set dates to change the way they are learning throughout the year. It allows set times for students to either switch to virtual learning or return to in-person to the classroom.

The last deadline to change was Jan. 8, however the board has pushed it back to Jan. 21. High school students will also have an additional chance to change modes by giving notice by March 26.

With the second emergency order and stay-at-home order, director of education Lesleigh Dye said the board is considering that some families may want to change modes of delivery.

She said the change gives "families a time period — almost a week — to absorb that new information and to make the best decision that they’re comfortable with.”

Whenever the board has offered an opportunity to change the way students learn, she said there has been movement in both ways.

“And ever since we’ve opened our schools in September, I’ve not been able to predict, nor has there been a trend of the movement between face-to-face to distance or back,” she said.

In September, she said there were almost 900 elementary students in distance learning. That number is now about 530 students.

For secondary students, the board initially had 400 students learning virtually and now there are about 250.

“When I say that, we also have a number of families right now who are registered for in-person, face-to-face but they’re not sending their children to school yet,” she said.

In Northern Ontario, students returned to the classroom Monday, Jan. 11. After the winter break, all students had a period of virtual learning before returning in-person.

On Monday, Dye said about 66 per cent of students were in school, "which is very concerning."

The numbers rebounded the rest of the week, increasing to around 85 per cent attendance.

“For us, 85 per cent of our students attending on a daily basis is very positive if you look at former attendance data outside of COVID,” she said.

With students back in the classroom, there are also new requirements handed down by the province.

Students in Grade 1 to 3 must now also wear masks, she said. Masks are strongly encouraged for kindergarten students.