Jan 3 - 2022

Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),


I hope all families have had an enjoyable and restful holiday break.


Hopefully by now you are aware that schools will not reopen to in-person learning until Monday, January 17th (at the earliest).


Here’s some information to get you started with the change to Remote Learning at Pilgrim Wood PS:


  1. All students in Grades JK-8 are to participate in remote (virtual) learning. Classroom teachers should be reaching out to you via email prior to Wednesday with the appropriate link for your child to use for video conferencing with Google Meet. They may also share the Google Classroom link. Your child will need to use their HDSB school Google account for remote learning. If your child does not have their Google username and password, please contact your child’s teacher for the information.


  1. If you do not have a suitable device for your child to use for remote learning (Laptop, Chromebook, or Tablet with a working camera/microphone), we will be able to loan a school Chromebook for each child requiring one at home. Please use the link below to request a school Chromebook for loan. I will communicate again when they are available to pick up at the school.


See link in email.


  1. Remote learning will begin on Wed, Jan 5 @ 8:50 am. We will follow our normal school schedule. Students will be expected to be online with their class and teacher during normal instructional time, not during recess breaks. Attendance will be taken in the morning. Students need to be attending online no later than 9:15 am to be marked present. Lunch attendance will be again at 1:40 pm. School ends at 3:20 pm.


Until Jan 17th, we would not be marking a student late if they arrive after 9:15 as attendance will not be changed remotely to reflect a late arrival.


Period 1: 8:50 - 9:40

Period 2: 9:40 - 10:30

Break 1 (40 min): 10:30 - 11:10

Period 3: 11:10 - 12:00

Period 4: 12:00 - 12:50

Break 2 (50 min): 12:50 - 1:40

Period 5: 1:40 - 2:30

Period 6: 2:30 - 3:20


  1. Continue to enter all student absences and late arrivals as normal using School Messenger app, website: https://go.schoolmessenger.ca/ or calling the absence phone number: 1-877-409-6310


School notifications of student absences may be suspended for the duration of this shutdown. We’ll need to determine if we continue or not.


  1. Here are some resources for parents about remote learning and how to also seek technical support:

Tech Help and Resources for Families

HDSB Family Tech Support Website


  1. Current Pilgrim Wood students who have not returned to Canada from any travel, or for families not residing in their normal Halton residence may continue to access remote learning. However, accommodations will not be provided for any timezone complications. Students would need to participate in asynchronous (non-live) activities as best as possible in those circumstances. Please inform your child’s teacher if your child is unable to attend during regular school hours if this was the case. Your child will be marked absent in most of these situations (if remote learning was extended, this would be reviewed on a case by case issue).


  1. I’ve attached a copy of last year’s Virtual Learning Handbook for your reference. It still contains valuable information about online learning for students and families. Please take time to read through it and also pay particular attention to the section related to Halton’s Code of Conduct that includes the roles and responsibilities for the school, the student, and the family.


As a specific reminder, parent(s)/guardian(s) are not to record, screen capture, and/or otherwise save images or videos of other students in the class or of the staff of Pilgrim Wood PS during remote learning.


A respectful learning environment for all students and staff is expected at all times.


  1. Finally (for now), as Pilgrim Wood PS will have limited phone capacity in the school office, if you need to reach the school office for any reason, I would encourage you to email the school at our general email address: pweps@hdsb.ca


This school email address will be actively monitored and responded to as soon as possible.



Thank you for your patience and understanding as we move to remote learning for all our students and staff.


Regards,

Mr. Kaiser


Principal

Pilgrim Wood PS