Parents with the local English public school board will be given a chance to choose how their kids will learn this coming school year.
The Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB) has plans to return to a full in-person learning model when classes resume in September, but per the Ontario Ministry of Education, is required to offer a remote learning option for the 2021-2022 school year.
The board has gone ahead and enrolled all students for in-person learning. However, those who want to go with a remote method will have between Wednesday and Friday, August 6 to contact the board and opt-out.
Elementary students who opt out will be subject to the GEC Elementary Virtual School timetable, similar to the last school year. If you choose to opt out, you will be expected to keep your kids in online learning for the balance of the first term, which will run from September 7, 2021, to January 28, 2022. At that time, virtual students may make the switch to in-person for the rest of the school year.
Students who are enrolled for in-person learning will not have the option of switching to virtual learning at the term change.
For secondary students, the learning model for this September will be based on the number of students who opt out. Remote learning may include a hybrid, e-learning, a virtual school, or courses offered through the alternative secondary school. Secondary students who opt-out will be placed in one of the remote options. Again, students enrolled in in-person learning won't be able to switch at term change.
Complete information and instructions on how to opt-out can be found on the official GECDSB website.