WRDSB families have until Aug. 20 to request a swap from in-person to virtual learning

Waterloo -

Students enrolled in the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) who wish to change their mode of learning for the fall must make a request with their principal, the board says.

In an update posted to WRDSB's website, the board says families "with individual needs and extenuating circumstances" have until Aug. 20 to contact their principal with a request to change their child's mode of learning.

Each case will be reviewed individually by principals in consultation with families, the board says.

Families initially had to make a decision between in-person or virtual learning by June 2.

"We appreciate that making the decision for your child’s mode of learning was a challenging one, given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic," reads a statement on WRDSB's website. "We expect that there will be families who have unique individual needs or extenuating circumstances that may lead to a request to change their child’s mode of learning and we would ask that families reach out to their Principal."

The policy applies to both elementary and secondary students.

For secondary school students, the board says "changes to mode of learning must also take into consideration program availability given staffing and timetabling restrictions."

All students enrolled in WRDSB will be required to wear masks at school.

Earlier this week, the Waterloo Catholic District School Board said it did not have plans to reopen the option to switch from in-person to virtual learning and will not be re-surveying parents.

"We do not have any plans to re-organize schools in any formal way," director of education Loretta Notten said in an email on Wednesday. "We presented the choice between in person and virtual learning to parents in June and we have completed that process as it was necessary for staffing and planning for the new year."

WRDSB ADOPTS "MODIFIED SEMESTER" FOR SECONDARY STUDENTS

Secondary students who opt to learn in-person in September will participate in a "modified semester."

Students will attend school everyday, learning two courses each day – one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

There will be 150 minutes of instruction daily on each subject with a 40 minute break in between.

Students will alternate between two courses one week and two different courses the following week.

The board says the modified semester model will allow students to return to taking four courses at once instead of two.

PREPARING FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR

As the school year approaches, Jennifer Myles with the Canadian Mental Health Association says it is important to start getting kids back into a routine early.

"I think the first thing would be to start now, it's almost September and it will creep up quickly," she said.

Myles recommends planning the route to walk to school and getting children into bedtime and mealtime routines.

As for concerns about COVID-19, Myles said families need to consider their own situations.

"The most important thing is to be giving real thought to your child as a parent," she said. "The concerns that they’ll be faced with will be dependent on families."

With files from CTV Kitchener's Nicole Lampa.