November 18, 2020

Dear Parent/Guardian and Students of the Kindergarten Virtual Program,

Last week we transitioned the Grade 1 - 6 students smoothly to virtual learning! As a result, we have made some slight changes to the Kindergarten transition timeline. Although the first official day for virtual learning is Monday, November 23rd, the first day of live Google Meets for the students will be Wednesday, November 25th to allow for parent information sessions and time to complete the Virtual Learning Checklist. This is very important as you will need to know how to access learning platforms like Google Meet and Hapara Workspace when virtual classes begin on November 25th.

Parent Information Sessions

At the start of next week, we will be hosting virtual parent information sessions on the dates listed below. To join, just click on the link at the appropriate date and time.

Supporting students with Technology in Online Learning - Monday, November 23 at 11:00 am.

Supporting students with Technology in Online Learning - Tuesday, November 24 at 1:00 pm.

You will hear from your virtual teacher next week

You will hear from your child's virtual kindergarten team by the end of the day on November 23rd. They will provide you with all the information your child will need to smoothly transition from in-person learning to virtual learning. If you do not hear from your child's teacher by the end of the day on November 23rd, please email Virtual.Elementary@ocsb.ca.

Device Recommendation

As a reminder, please ensure that your technology is functional. If you decide to purchase a Chromebook, we recommend getting one with 4GB of memory. If it has a touchscreen, that is helpful but not necessary. If you have any questions regarding technology, please contact your community school prior to starting virtual learning.

Thank you for joining our virtual school!

We look forward to supporting your child and their teachers in their virtual learning journey. The virtual program is a novel experience for all of us, and together we will ensure it is the best possible Catholic learning experience for your child.

Sincerely,

Michelle McGarry
Principal, Elementary Virtual Program

November 11, 2020

Dear Parent/Guardian and Students of the Virtual Program

I want to start by welcoming you to the Elementary Virtual Program. My name is Michelle McGarry, and I’m your new school Principal. Watch welcome video

When do classes begin?

Your child officially joins the Elementary Virtual Program on November 16, but your virtual classes will not start until Wednesday, November 18 (grades 1-6) or November 23 (Kindergarten). Your first two days of school will be independent orientation days for you and your child to prepare for virtual learning at home.

Checklist for transitioning to virtual learning

We’ve created a Virtual Learning Checklist to support you and your child as you transition into the virtual learning world. On November 16 and 17, please go through the checklist with your child. You will need to know how to access learning platforms like Google Meet and Hapara Workspace when virtual classes begin on November 18.

You will hear from your virtual teacher next week

We were surprised by the volume of requests for virtual learning, and this resulted in unexpected delays. For that, we apologize. You will hear from your child's virtual teachers by the end of the day on November 17. They will provide you with all the information your child will need to smoothly transition from in-person learning to virtual learning. If you do not hear from your child's teacher by the end of the day on November 17, please email Virtual.Elementary@ocsb.ca.

Supporting your child in online learning

We’ve prepared tips for parents to support virtual learning and two optional parent information sessions to help you support your child with the technology used in virtual learning. Both sessions are the same, so feel free to attend either session.

Parent Information Session 1: November 16 at 1:00 pm

Parent Information Session 2: November 17 at 10:00 am

Buy a Chromebook with the Support for Learners initiative

This is a good time to ensure that your technology is functional. If you decide to purchase a Chromebook, we recommend getting one with 4GB of memory. If it has a touchscreen, that is helpful but not necessary.

If you plan to take advantage of Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales, make sure you keep your receipts! The Province recently announced a Support for Learners initiative in the Ontario Action Plan. They will offer up to $200 for students under the age of 12 and $250 for students under 21 with special needs. The government has not yet released details on how to apply for this funding, but we will share it with you when we find out more.

Thank you for joining our virtual school!

We look forward to supporting your child and their teachers in their virtual learning journey. The virtual program is a novel experience for all of us, and together we will ensure it is the best possible Catholic learning experience for your child.

Sincerely,

Michelle McGarry
Principal, Elementary Virtual Program

We've created some Tips for Parents to help you support your child as they learn from home.