Ontario to release full back-to-school plan for in-person learning in July
Ontario will be releasing their fall school plans in July, according to the province’s education minister.
Stephen Lecce made the comment Thursday afternoon, saying the final guidance on COVID-19 regarding in-person learning will come from the chief medical officer of health.
“With respect to the final guidance, I've always said the chief medical officer of health, in July, is going to make an assessment of our COVID vaccine rates for students and staff, as well as the broader public health indicators, where the COVID case numbers are, and the trajectory we're on. That was the plan for last year, it's what we're doing this year,” he said.
Lecce said that he has spoken with the current Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams, as well as Dr. Kieran Moore who will be taking over the role, and they both reaffirmed the July timeline.
“They believe in July, we'll be able to provide that final guidance with the aim of a more normal, more positive, and more interactive school experience for children that is fully in class, where we believe children belong.”
Some Ontario school boards have already released a partial plan for September that would see the “quadmester" system for high schoolers come to an end.
The Toronto District School Board and Halton District School Board have told parents there will be a modified cohorting system in which students take four courses and alternate between what two classes they have each week.
Lecce added that his government approves the modified cohorting plan for the fall.
“But let's be clear, the approval of that plan is always predicated on the chief medical officer of health office giving us the green light,” he said.
For the 2020-2021 school year, high school students took two courses at a time for about nine weeks, with a mix of in-person and online learning. The government has previously said that remote learning will remain an option for the next school year.
The back-to-school comments were made following an announcement of a “new four-year-strategy to recruit, train and retain more French teachers.”
Lecce said that the government expects the demand for French-language teachers to grow over the next five years.
The strategy will involve a $12.5 million investment.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
RCMP not investigating possible foreign interference cases related to Chiu, Dong: Duheme
Canada's federal police force is not investigating any possible instances of foreign interference in the cases of former Conservative MP Kenny Chiu and Liberal-turned-Independent MP Han Dong, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme says.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Air France flight from Paris to Seattle lands in Iqaluit after heat smell in cabin
A plane travelling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after there was a heat smell in the cabin during the flight.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca