OTTAWA -- Families in the Upper Canada District School Board have just over a day left to decide whether they are sending their children back to class or whether they are keeping them home.

The UCDSB has given parents until 11:45 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20 to fill out a form deciding whether or not they are sending their kids to school.

The first day of school is Sept. 4.

"Families need to decide whether students will take part in face-to-face learning at school or if they will participate in remote learning from home. This information is necessary to plan for September. Please complete this form by Thursday, August 20 for each child/student registered with a UCDSB school," the board says.

The Upper Canada District School Board's plan includes full-day learning at both the elementary and secondary levels, with students divided into cohorts. Students must be screened for COVID-19 symptoms before coming to school are are not to attend school if they show any signs of the disease.

Elementary students will remain in the same classroom throughout the day.

Secondary students who return to school will have two classes instead of four each day, in 150-minute periods, separated by a lunch break. Students will take one class in the morning and the second in the afternoon.

Individual schools will be responsible for their start and dismissal times, which may include staggered start and end times, or the use of multiple doors.

Masks are mandatory for all students in grades 4 to 12 and recommended for kindergarten to grade 3. Exceptions can be made for medical reasons.

Students will not have access to lockers, cubbyholes, or hooks outside of the classroom. The UCDSB says this decision will be revised when winter weather arrives and coats and boots become commonplace. Water fountains will only be used for filling water bottles.

Students can bring backpacks, but are asked to bring a small number of personal items including a water bottle, sunscreen, lunch, and clothes. Items will be stored in students' desks.

Recesses may be staggered and students will be required to wash their hands before and after going out to play.

At lunch, elementary students will eat in their classrooms. Hot lunches will not be available in elementary schools.

Cafeterias will continue to operate, with health and safety guidelines in place.

Washrooms will be designated to specific cohorts whenever possible. Teachers will also be required to maintain a tracking record to note when a student has left the classroom to use the washroom and when the student has returned.

The Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) has issues with the UCDSB's plan for secondary students.

Adrienne McEwen, the OSSTF's Upper Canada Teacher Bargaining Unit President said in a letter sent to all trustees that she has "grave concerns" about the health and safety of both teachers and students.

"I appreciate that current models reflect quadmesters and two cohorts of students, but there are severe flaws in the UCDSB reopening plans, in light of the Minister’s memo to school boards," McEwen said.

McEwen outlined two major concerns: students sharing school buses, and the lunch period.

"By the end of the school day, before they arrive home, every student in every high school will be exposed to well over 100 direct and indirect contacts – clearly in violation of health and safety requirements set by the local health unit," McEwen said.

The UCDSB is encouraging as much active transportation as possible, such as walking and biking to school.

The board is holding a trustee meeting Wednesday evening.

REMOTE LEARNING

Students who take part in remote learning at both the elementary and secondary level can expect to have five hours of learning opportunities throughout the day. The remote schooling schedule will include a mix of real time (synchronous) and independent (asynchronous) learning.

Students in Kindergarten to Grade 8 who choose remote learning will be assigned to a single class. Each class will have an assigned teacher and students will be provided with a daily schedule of subjects according to a 5-hour instructional day. 

Secondary students who choose remote learning will be assigned two online courses for a period of nine weeks, each with a dedicated online teacher and daily synchronous and asynchronous learning opportunities.

Families will be able to move their kids between in class and online learning at certain intervals during the year. Secondary students must commit to a full quadmester of nine weeks of either in-person or online learning before they can change to a different model.