OTTAWA -- High school students enrolled in remote learning with the Ottawa Catholic School Board will take one class for five to six weeks, before switching courses.

Just over a week before the new school year begins, the Ottawa Catholic School Board is providing a glimpse at the Remote Learning for elementary and secondary school students.

In a statement to parents, the Ottawa Catholic School Board says students in grades 9 to 12 will take one course at a time over a 5-6 week period, then move on to the next course. Students will complete four online courses in the September to January period.

Over 7,500 Kindergarten to Grade 8 students, and 3,500 Grade 9 to 12 students have enrolled in the virtual online academy for the new school year.

Staff are in the process of finalizing student timetables and staffing virtual classrooms, and information on courses will be sent to parents and students soon.

Here is a look at the Remote Learning programs for elementary and secondary school students with the Ottawa Catholic School Board:

Kindergarten to Grade 8

  • The online elementary school is called the Virtual Program
  • The online elementary school will have its own school Principal and Vice-Principal
  • Your child will be in a virtual class with a dedicated teacher who will teach them most subjects
  • Kindergarten students will have a teacher available for synchronous learning (real-time online instruction) for 180 minutes each day
  • Grades 1 to 8 students will have their teacher available for synchronous learning for 224 minutes a day
  • Virtual classes may consist of a combination of students from your home school and other OCDB schools
  • Even though your child attends the online elementary school, they are still registered with your home school
  • Parents can still decide how much time the students spends online. The board says "there is no expectation that they are online throughout the entire school day

Grades 9 to 12

  • The online secondary school is called the Virtual Academy
  • The online high school will have its own school Principal and Vice-Principal
  • Students in Grades 9 to 12 will take one course at a time over a 5-6 week period. Once they complete one course they will move on to their next course
  • Students will complete four online courses between September and the end of January
  • Teachers will be available for 225 minutes of synchronous learning each day
  • At the end of the semester, students may choose to continue in the virtual academy for a second semester or choose to return to in-person learning
  • Virtual classes may consist of a combination of students from your home school and other OCDB schools

Inside an Ottawa Catholic School Board school 

The Ottawa Catholic School Board shared a video showing the inside of the school with Ottawa Public Health and the Ministry of Education's advice to keep kids safe.