Return to School

We are pleased to welcome students, families and staff back to another year of learning at the Durham District School Board. You can view the school year calendars for the 2023-24 school year on this website. The information on this webpage is up to date as of August 2023. Ongoing contact with families will take place throughout the school year to provide further details about specific school-level information and board-wide updates. Most questions around school operations are covered in the Frequently Asked Questions section.

Full-day in-person learning five days per week is in place for elementary and secondary students who selected in-person learning for the 2023-24 school year.

Learning Preference: In-Person or Virtual Learning

In January 2023, families were asked to select a learning preference through the Parent Portal for the 2023-24 school year. This decision is for the entire year as once schools are staffed, it is unlikely that changes can be made as we will not be re-staffing and re-organizing schools throughout the year.

The information posted below is based on the most current information available. Please visit the Elementary@Home and Secondary@Home websites for additional information, updates and FAQs.

Elementary students who are entering Junior Kindergarten or are new to DDSB and secondary students who are new to DDSB can select DDSB@Home Elementary or DDSB@Home Secondary on the New Student Registration form.

Important Considerations

• Students will not have the opportunity to switch learning options throughout the year.

• Students must be living in Durham District School Board Region full-time in order to remain enrolled in DDSB@Home. Proof of address will be required. Extended travel is not permitted.

• DDSB@Home students must be prepared to participate using a webcam and/or microphone to interact with staff and peers.

Students with Special Education Needs 

Students with special education needs will continue to be supported through individualized service and program plans. Educators will continue to provide accommodations, modified expectations, and alternative programming to students with special education needs, consulting with parents/caregivers in the development of their IEPs for the 2023-24 school year. We are working to provide continued access to assistive technology, including Special Equipment Amount (SEA) equipment, where possible, to support students as they participate in remote learning. In situations where access to assistive technology is not feasible, educators are expected to work with students and parents to determine workable solutions on an individual basis.

Technology Supports 

Parents/Guardians of students enrolled in DDSB@Home in Grade K-6 that do not currently have a DDSB device assigned to them, can request a device by contacting their DDSB@Home school. A request will be submitted to IT Services who in turn will contact the parent/guardian via email to book an appointment to pick up a device. Please note that a DDSB device is not required as any web-enabled device can be used to access DDSB@Home lessons and resources.