Return to School 2021-2022

The most important step we can take to ensure the health and safety of all community members is to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Children aged five and older are eligible to receive a first and second dose of the Pfizer vaccine in Ontario.

On August 17th, 2021, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health announced that the Ministry of Education intends to introduce a vaccination disclosure policy for all publicly-funded school board employees and all staff in licensed child care settings for the 2021-22 school year. Employees that are not fully vaccinated or wish not to disclose their vaccination status must take two (2) rapid antigen tests per week.

In partnership with Durham Region Health Department (DRHD), schools will continue to promote any scheduled school-based vaccination clinics open to eligible students, families and staff.

Below you will find links to additional information where you can learn more about the vaccines to help you make an informed decision for your family.

• Durham Region Health Department – COVID-19 Vaccines Homepage 

• COVID-19 school and child care screening

• COVID-19 Information Hub

• COVID-19 Symptoms - What Families Should Know

A big part of health and safety in schools is air quality.

• Between 2015 and 2020, more than 180 projects have been completed to upgrade the air quality in DDSB schools and buildings.

• We have invested in upgraded filters for all of our ventilation systems. These upgraded filters are highly effective at removing a broad range of particles, including bacteria and even some viruses. We use MERV 13 filters in our central air handling units and change these on an accelerated schedule.

• Ventilation checks have been completed in every school.

• We initially purchased 1,870 portable HEPA air filtration units, which are being installed as quickly as possible as they arrive from being on backorder and are placing another order of 150 in January 2022 as funding becomes available. These units will enhance ventilation and will be installed in various schools across the district. Furthermore, as of January 2022 the Ministry of Education is supplying an additional 75 units on top of the 311 units they have provided already.

• All of these individual units have HEPA-level filtration and filter the air within spaces that are not fully mechanically ventilated. All Kindergarten classrooms, regardless of ventilation type, have also been given improved HEPA-level filtration systems. Any additional units in schools are being placed to provide improved air quality in addition to the optimized ventilation system.

• Duct cleaning is also being completed at schools to boost the efficiency of existing ventilation systems.

For school-specific information, view our Ventilation Measures Report

• As of March 21, 2022 students are no longer required to wear a mask while at school or on school buses. Although the masking requirement has been removed in schools, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health has indicated it is still encouraged to wear a mask in public settings. Schools will be a mask friendly environment and students, visitors, families, and staff are welcome to continue to wear masks while at school and/or on the bus.  We will continue to have masks available for students who choose to still wear them.
• Medical masks and eye protection (i.e. face shield) will be provided for all teachers and other staff of school boards.
• School-based staff who are regularly in close contact with students will be provided with all appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Masks in schools - poster

• Every class has a handwashing station or hand sanitizer available to students and teachers.

• A schedule to regularly clean hands has been incorporated into daily routines (e.g. upon entering the school, before lunch and recess breaks, after using the bathroom, returning from playing outside and after sneezing/coughing).

• Students are being educated on proper cough and sneeze etiquette and to avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth. 

• Enhanced cleaning and disinfection practices will continue to be used by custodial staff. 

• Frequently touched surfaces are cleaned and disinfected at least twice a day throughout the school building. 

• Schools undergo extra cleaning and disinfection at the end of each school day. 

• Soft surfaces that cannot be easily cleaned and disinfected have been removed from classrooms (e.g. plush/absorbent items, upholstered furnishings).

We ask that all staff, students, and families continue to complete the daily self-screening.The school screening tool provides accurate guidance on whether your child should attend school. If your child is sick, please ensure that they stay home to protect everyone at school.

Anyone who has COVID-19 symptoms or has tested positive must self-isolate, regardless of vaccination status and follow the instructions of the self-screener.  

Symptoms most commonly associated with COVID-19:

• Fever and/or chills > 37.8°C

• Cough 

• Shortness of breath

• Decrease or loss of taste or smell

Symptoms Less Commonly Associated with COVID-19:

• Runny nose or nasal congestion

• Headache

• Tiredness/fatigue

• Sore throat/Difficulty swallowing

• Muscle aches/joint pain 

• Nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea

For more information visit the Durham Region Health Department website

• The Ministry of Education is no longer collecting COVID-19 case numbers from school boards. Starting January 19, the DDSB will be publicly reporting data on the COVID-19 Advisory page of the DDSB website on the following categories: 

• Number of Staff/Students Absent with Illness (Self-Reported by Staff/Students) 

• Number of Positive COVID-19 Tests Disclosed (Rapid or PCR) (Self-Reported by Staff/Students) 

• School Absenteeism Rates Due to Illness 

• Schools Closed Due to Operational Needs or by Durham Region Health Department

• This data will be self-reported by parents/guardians and/or staff through normal absence reporting processes.

• Please refer to the Durham Region Health Department Case and Contact Information Hub for guidance on when students and staff can return to school if they have been identified as a positive case or close contact.

• Visit the COVID Advisory webpage for information and updates on presumed and confirmed cases as well as school absenteeism rates.

Dear Parents/Guardians, 

We hope that you and your families are enjoying the summer months. We are reaching out to you today to provide updates on the upcoming 2021-22 school year. The first day of school for all regular calendar schools is Thursday, September 9. Modified calendar secondary schools start on Monday, August 30 and modified calendar elementary schools start on Tuesday, August 10. To review the school year calendar, please visit the DDSB website. 

Yesterday, the Ministry of Education provided all school districts in Ontario with updated health and safety guidelines and direction to help keep our school communities safe. We will be following these directions and working closely with the Durham Region Health Department to implement health and safety measures. This will include updated guidance that we expect to receive prior to the start of the school year on managing confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19. There may be adjustments to this guidance and our protocols as the school year progresses in order to help keep staff and students safe. 

The Chief Medical Officer of Health of Ontario has been clear that getting vaccinated is the best way to protect against COVID-19 for anyone 12 years of age or older. With the more transmissible Delta variant, vaccines continue to be effective in reducing transmission, enabling us to see our friends, family, and have a more normal life. If you, or your eligible child have not yet been vaccinated, please consider doing so as unvaccinated individuals are much more likely to get COVID-19 and in turn, feed the spread of COVID-19 to others in the community. Let’s work together to stay safe and help keep our schools open for learning. This means getting vaccinated if you are eligible. You can book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment for anyone 12 years of age and older at https://www.durhamvaccinebooking.ca/  

You may already be familiar with some of the recently announced school-opening measures, but there are also some new protocols and practices to be aware of. 

Here are some examples of things to expect for the upcoming school year based on the Ministry of Education’s direction: 

• Full-day in-person learning five days per week will be in place for elementary and secondary students who select in-person learning for the 2021-22 school year. 
• Virtual learning remains an option for elementary and secondary students.
• Families will have an opportunity from Thursday, August 5 to Wednesday, August 11 to change their selection (more information follows at the end of this e-mail).
• Students in Grades 1 to 12 will be required to wear masks indoors, including in hallways, during classes and while on school buses. We strongly encourage students in Kindergarten to wear masks. Masks are not required while outdoors.
• Elementary students will be grouped together in a cohort for the full day.
• Our goal will be to ensure physical distancing takes place in classrooms as much as possible. The Durham District School Board Trustees have provided additional funding from their reserve budget to assist with this goal. 

• For the first semester, secondary schools will be operating on a quadmester schedule with students taking two courses at a time for approximately 45 school days per quadmester. The Ministry has indicated that their goal is for school to be able to return to a semestered system for the second half of the school year. Secondary cafeterias will be open and students will continue to have the opportunity to leave school for lunch
• Daily COVID-19 self-assessments are still required for staff and students before entering school. 
• Enhanced health and safety protocols, including cleaning practices will continue to be in effect. 
• Music, physical education, and school clubs will be permitted with modifications. 
• Athletic extra-curriculars will look different in the fall with the understanding that a return to more normal sporting protocols may occur throughout the year. We appreciate all of the volunteers who provide opportunities for extra-curricular clubs and sports and will work with professional associations and Durham Region Health Department to do our best to support extra-curricular activities. 
• Ventilation and air quality upgrades that meet and/or exceed Ministry guidance in classrooms have been completed. This work includes full air exchanges, upgraded filters, daily monitoring of systems, new HVAC units have been installed and additional portable HEPA air purification units have been ordered for all classrooms without mechanical ventilation and all Kindergarten classrooms.