Dear Parents/Guardians,

We are pleased to share with you that yesterday, the Ministries of Education and Health informed us that individuals 12 years of age and older will be eligible to book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment in the coming weeks. It is currently anticipated that the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine will start to be administered for this age group in June and the second dose by the end of August.

We have already been in contact with the Durham Region Health Department (DRHD) who are actively planning for this specific roll-out. As soon as they provide us with further information, including when bookings may begin, we will inform you. This is good news for families, at a time when we know how challenging the current stay-at-home order is and with most students learning remotely.

Over the summer we will closely monitor the vaccination rollout and the COVID-19 situation in Durham Region in partnership with DRHD. Likewise, in August, the Ministry of Education will be providing school boards with more information on the upcoming school year from a health and safety perspective. This will help us determine the best way to support learning options for all students and to be as adaptive and responsive as possible to support students and families.

We recognize that this is an evolving situation and will do our very best to be responsive to the needs of families for the upcoming school year. For that reason, we will be in touch over the summer with updates once circumstances are clearer.

On behalf of our school teams and everyone at the DDSB, thank you for your support and patience as we continue to navigate the changing COVID-19 pandemic. We know it has been difficult for so many and hope that this news helps bring about some optimism for the 2021-22 school year. Please continue to follow the direction of our public health officials and stay safe. Should you have any questions on your child’s schooling, please do not hesitate to contact the administration team at your child’s school.

Sincerely,

Norah Marsh
Director of Education