January 15, 2022 - Email to families
Dear Jarvis Families,
Return to School Monday, January 17, 2022
The safety and wellbeing of Jarvis students, staff and families is important to us.
As we prepare for the return to school on Monday, January 17, 2022, we would like to update you with information. Please take a moment to review this information together with your Jarvis student.
Reminders/Changes
- Updated Daily Screening Procedures – The screening questions and NOW screening tool have been updated. Please ensure that you complete your daily screening declaration each day before arriving at school.
A) Student Health Pass (IMPORTANT CHANGE):
Students not using the NOW Mobile App, or Health Screening App, are to use a paper screening form, Student Health Pass, that will be used every day of the week. At the end of each week the verification form, signed daily by your parent/guardian, will be handed into the main office and kept on file as the verification of your daily screening declaration.
Students will show the Student Health Pass at the Jarvis doors—signed by your parent/guardian on the specific date/day of school—then proceed directly to class.
There will no longer be a computer sign-in table located in the front hallway. Go directly to class.
Students will be required to bring this form every day in order to enter the school building.
Students without a screening verification may not be permitted to enter the building.
- Find an attached Student Health Pass for you to print and sign for Monday.
- Printed forms will be provided for students on Monday, for students who are unable to print from home.
See more information and links in the message below.
B) NOW Screening Tool:
Students may continue to use the NOW mobile app to complete their health self-assessment, then show the QR code (which will also display your name, date and green check mark—all on the same screen) to staff at the Jarvis Street doors.
Students can also use their computer while at home to complete their health self-assessment at the following link: Health Screening App; then take a picture of their QR code screen (including your name, date and green check mark—all on the same screen) using their phone; then present the picture of their QR code at the Jarvis Street doors.
See more information and links in the message below
2. Masks – It is essential that all students wear their masks to cover their mouth and nose. Although masks may tend to slip down during the day, ensuring that your mask is being worn properly helps us all to keep one another, and our families, safe.
3. Washrooms – Students are reminded that there is a capacity limit of 2 students in the washroom. Parents/guardians are asked to speak with their Jarvis student about not hanging out in the washroom, as it can become a health and safety concern. Students who are frequently loitering in the washrooms will have phone calls home and follow up.
Office Procedures
1.Please note that we are streamlining the flow of people in high traffic areas. For the time being, students are asked not to visit the main office. Please call the office when in need; Or, email Diane.Ledo@tdsb.on.ca with your inquiry.
Guidance Office
- Guidance counsellors will see students by appointment only.
- Students are to call or email their guidance counsellor in the case of an emergency.
Ms. Beaudry (Alpha A-J) – Martha.Beaudry@tdsb.on.ca
Eric Johnston (Alphas K-Z) – Eric.Johnston@tdsb.on.ca
Rosa Amorim (Senior Office Assistant) - Rosa.Amorim@tdsb.on.ca
This past week you should have received an email from the TDSB Director of Education. The email is below for your further review of additional information that was not noted above.
Please contact us if you have any additional questions or concerns. We will continue to update you with important information as it becomes available.
Be well and safe.
Michael Harvey
FAMILIES
Good Evening Parents/Guardians and Students,
The Government of Ontario confirmed yesterday that, as scheduled, students will return to in-person learning on Monday, January 17. While we continue to await some additional details on some items, we wanted to provide as much information as possible to help ensure a safer return to in-person learning next week.
COVID-19 Vaccinations: We continue to work with Toronto Public Health to support the rollout of vaccines for children aged 5 and older to support families who want their child to receive the vaccine and ensure strong protection against COVID-19. Book a vaccine appointment now.
Daily Screening: Staying home when you are sick is one of the most important things we can do to slow the spread of COVID-19. Toronto Public Health has strengthened its screening tool, based on provincial direction, that all students and staff are expected to do before coming to school each day. Please review and become familiar with the screening tool, including the second page which provides direction on isolation measures in a variety of scenarios based on age and vaccination status. Please complete the TDSB Health Pass or Health Screening App daily.
Toronto Public Health (TPH) Update: Since the beginning of the pandemic, the TDSB has been working closely with TPH on health and safety measures inside our schools and sites, including recently as we prepared for the return to school. They provided a parent/guardian letter today regarding returning to in-person school and COVID-19 Omicron guidance changes.
Masks: All students continue to be required to wear a mask while in school buildings. Every school has a supply of high quality, 3-ply cloth masks available for students. Please reach out to your Principal if you require some. At this time, students are not required to wear masks outside as long as they remain within their cohort.
HEPA Filters: There are more than 16,000 HEPA filters in all occupied learning spaces across the TDSB. Following a recent government announcement, nearly 300 additional units will be delivered in the upcoming weeks. Learn more about the updates the TDSB has made to improve ventilation.
Bussing: While bussing will continue as normal, please note that service disruptions are likely as a result of the impact of COVID-19 on bus operator staffing. We will try to give families as much notice as possible should we learn of a delay or cancellation.
Lunches: While this will depend on unique circumstances at each school, physical distancing will be maximized and students will eat at different times, where possible.
Extra-Curricular Activities: All in-person extra-curricular activities that involve the mixing of cohorts, singing and use of wind instruments, will be paused temporarily. The TDSB is currently working with Toronto Public Health on next steps.
Mental Health and Well-Being: Navigating the pandemic has brought forward a number of challenges and we continue to prioritize students’ mental health and well-being. You can access supports and resources directly on our website, including mental health and well-being toolkits, virtual drop-in office hours for parents/caregivers, and culturally-responsive resources.
COVID-19 Testing: The government has indicated that Rapid Antigen Tests will be provided for elementary students and elementary and secondary staff when they return to school next week. Tests will be provided to secondary students when additional supplies are provided by the Ministry later in the week. Staff and students are encouraged to use them at home when symptomatic. If symptoms appear when students or staff are at school, a take home PCR test may be available to them while supplies from the Ministry last.
COVID-19 Case Reporting: The Ministry of Education is no longer collecting COVID-19 case numbers from school boards. At the TDSB, when schools become aware of a PCR or Rapid Antigen Test confirmed case of COVID-19, directly impacted classes will continue to be informed. As the Ministry of Education has stated that classes will no longer be dismissed as a result of a case of COVID-19, that guidance will no longer be provided by the school. Instead, parents/guardians and/or students will review the daily COVID-19 screening tool to determine if they are permitted to return to school. While individual classes will continue to be provided with COVID-19 case information, the COVID-19 Advisories page on the TDSB website will no longer be updated.
Reporting Absences: Schools are required to monitor and report to the Ministry on their student and staff absences and any school closures. Data related to this will be published starting on January 24 at www.ontario.ca. If absences exceed 30% of the school population, the TDSB is required to notify Toronto Public Health. We will continue to consult with TPH to determine if a lower threshold is more appropriate.
School Staffing: As we anticipate an increase in staff absences as a result of COVID-19, we have identified a number of strategies to assist in maintaining adequate staffing levels in schools to support health and safety measures and supervision for students, including: increasing the number of staff on our daily occasional roster and redeployment of central staff to help support schools that may be facing staffing shortages and where possible, enabling retired teachers to work up to 95 days. As a last resort, it may be necessary to consider operational closures of classes and/or schools due to staffing shortages depending on local circumstances. In the future, it may become necessary to use the Ministry-supported strategy of one day per week of remote learning where students would not attend school in-person. This would allow the total number of available occasional teachers to cover a fewer number of schools.
Short Term Remote Learning: We know that some families and students will choose not to return to in-person learning for a period of time for a variety of reasons. During this transitional time, it is incredibly important for students to remain connected to their school, classroom and teacher. Educators will continue to update virtual learning platforms. For elementary students at this time, simultaneous (live) learning will not be available for those choosing not to return in-person learning. For secondary students, simultaneous (live) learning may be an option as many classes were already being delivered to both in-person and virtual students at the same time. Additional learning resources will also be available on the TDSB website beginning next week for families and students to access directly, if interested. These resources are to supplement classroom learning and not to replace the direct connection with a student’s class and in-person teacher. More information will be shared once it is available.
Secondary Assessment and Evaluation Update: We understand that some students and families have concerns regarding Semester 1 final marks during this time where we have moved between in-person and remote learning so close to the end of the semester. Further, we know that there is the potential for greater levels of missed class time and absenteeism due to the Omicron virus. For secondary students, final marks will not be negatively affected by the final evaluations (final performance tasks, interviews, etc.). Marks will reflect work done up until December 17, 2021. Teachers will continue to assign learning tasks and culminating activities and provide feedback; however, this work will only be taken into consideration for Semester 1 final marks if it improves the student’s mark. This means that a student’s mark will not drop as a result of end of semester evaluations. Credit Rescue Days for Semester 1 remain as scheduled for January 28, 31 and February 1, 2022.
Thank you for your continued patience and flexibility as we work to resume in-person learning and continue to prioritize health and safety as well as student learning, engagement, and well-being. We will also continue to provide further information as it becomes available.
We look forward to seeing you on Monday.
Sincerely,
Colleen Russell-Rawlins
Director of Education
January 4, 2022 - Email to families
Hello Jarvis Families and Students,
This is a message from Jarvis Collegiate Institute.
Happy New Year! We hope you have had a relaxing and enjoyable break with family.
Over the Winter Break, there was an important announcement by the Government of Ontario that all secondary schools will be closed on-site to students until Monday, January 17.
During this time, all in-person schools will shift to remote learning as of tomorrow, Wednesday, January 5, 2022.
Our student modified semester schedule at Jarvis CI will remain the same during remote learning.
Students will have live remote instruction every day:
- 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. = Morning class
- 11:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. = Lunch
- 12:15 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. = Afternoon class
To promote the highest degree of continuity students are encouraged to turn their cameras on during the lessons.
Your teacher will incorporate live teaching (synchronous), in addition to asynchronous work completion time into your morning/afternoon classes. Teachers will provide more information directly.
Families will continue to receive automated messages for every morning and afternoon class missed.
This information has also been posted to our school website for your reference.
We hope to be back in school by January 17, 2022. We will continue to take guidance and direction from the Ministry of Education as well as Toronto Public Health.
Additionally, you will find attached:
- The JCI Remote Learning Guidelines 2021-2022
- JCI Staff Email Directory 2021-2022
We look forward to continuing our learning remotely and keeping the lines of communication open throughout this challenging time.
We will see you live online for your Week 2 - course 3, tomorrow morning January 5th, at 9 a.m.
Enjoy the rest of your evening.
Stay well and safe.
Thank you.
Michael Harvey
January 2, 2022 - Email to families
Dear Jarvis Parents/Guardians and Students,
Last week an important message was sent to your email from the Director of Education.
Below are the contents:
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to review the details from last Thursday's announcement by the Government of Ontario about returning to school this coming week.
As shared last week, the first day of school for students (in-person and virtual) has been delayed and will now be Wednesday, January 5, 2022.
While we are still confirming a number of items, here is the latest information we have available at this time:
In-Person Learning: For those already enrolled in in-person learning, classes will generally follow the same schedule/timetable. Given staffing shortages that school boards across Ontario have experienced over recent months, the Ministry of Education has said that school boards should consider implementing rotating days of remote learning to allow the limited number of available occasional teachers to be deployed to a smaller number of schools. We are currently determining if this will be necessary, however no final decision has been made.
Virtual Learning: For those students already enrolled in virtual learning, classes will continue as normal beginning Wednesday, January 5.
Masks: While students can continue to bring their own mask, high-quality three-ply cloth masks will continue to be provided, free of charge, to all students who need them.
COVID-19 Screening Tool: The COVID-19 screening tool that all students and staff complete prior to coming to school/work is being updated with symptoms of Omicron. The TDSB Screening App and paper screening form is currently being updated and we will share this once available.
Enhanced Cohorts: To limit the number of contacts as much as possible, the Ministry of Education is requiring all elementary students to cohort during recess and outdoor breaks.
Bussing: Bussing will continue as usual when classes resume on Wednesday, January 5.
Child Care Centres & Before and After School Programs: Child Care Centres and Before and After School Programs are allowed to open beginning on Monday, January 3, however parents should connect directly with the operator for confirmation.
COVID-19 Testing: The PCR self-collection initiative already running in TDSB schools will continue, with a focus on the most common COVID-19 symptoms. Schools, which have a limited supply of take-home PCR kits available, will provide them only to individual symptomatic elementary and secondary students and education staff experiencing only symptoms most commonly associated with COVID-19.
Rapid Antigen Test Kits: Families are reminded to have students use at least 1-2 remaining Rapid Antigen Tests provided prior to the Winter Break before returning to in-person learning, and to stay home if a student receives a positive test result.
Special Education: Students who learn in Intensive Support Programs (ISPs) and who have been accessing in-person learning prior to the winter break, will also return to school on Wednesday January 5. Bussing for these students will also resume on that day.
Absence Reporting: School boards have been advised to plan for potentially higher than usual student absences in the coming weeks. Parents/Guardians are asked to report their child’s absence, date and length to the school. We will provide more information on this process in the days ahead.
COVID-19 Case Reporting: The Ministry of Education will no longer be collecting COVID-19 case numbers from school boards. The TDSB, which is committed to keeping families as informed as possible, is currently reviewing how reporting and notification may happen moving forward.
Extra-Curricular Activities: School boards have been directed by the Ministry of Education to pause high contact indoor sports and activities. All music activities that involve multiple cohorts will also temporarily be paused and the TDSB will consult with Toronto Public Health for guidance on other activities involving music.
Adult Day Schools & Continuing Education: Adult Day Schools and remote Continuing Education Programs including International Languages – Elementary and African Heritage, Adult ESL and Secondary Remote Night School will resume on Wednesday, January 5.
HEPA Filters: The TDSB currently has more than 16,000 HEPA filters in all occupied learning spaces. This exceeds the standards set by the Ministry of Education in August 2021. Additional units will be utilized to provide even greater coverage.
Letter from the Chief Medical Officer of Health and Minister of Education: Please click here to read a letter from Dr, Kieran Moore, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health and Minister of Education Stephen Lecce.
Returning to School Safely:
● Entrance Screening (all student will enter the school using the main Jarvis Street entrance, exit only through the Wellesley Street exit)
● Signage in the halls
● Bathroom Posters--how to wash your hands
● Decals in the halls to show how/where to walk
● Gridding outside for student to line up
● Class set up for social distancing
Self-Assessment Prior to Coming to School Every Day
All students and staff are expected to complete a screening at home. Toronto Public Health has asked that staff and students remain at home if they have one (1) COVID symptom.
The TDSB has an app that will be used for at-home screening every morning prior to leaving home. This will allow for quicker entrance into the school. Staff will begin the year using a verification process that students have been screened at home.
When arriving at a school, Toronto Public Health has mandated that everyone entering – students, staff and visitors – must have their self-assessment verified before they can enter. You can easily perform your assessment before leaving home:
Parents can also use the paper form using the link below.
Please find additional information and instructions for downloading the screening app on your child’s phone:
Masks:
As outlined by the TDSB, all students are expected to bring a mask and wear it while indoors at school. The school will have some disposable masks if needed. Masks can be removed during outdoor time.
Entry/Exit and Attendance:
Classes begin at 8:45 a.m. Students should aim to arrive by 8:30 a.m. to avoid screening line ups.
Students will have assigned seats and will keep their backpacks and coats at their chair. There will be no lockers for students.
Students who arrive late are to enter via the Jarvis Street entrance only. Late students are to enter one at a time, to be screened and to go directly to the classroom to be marked late by the classroom teacher if before 9 a.m. Students that arrive after 9 a.m. must sign in at the attendance office after being screened at entry. .
If your child is going to be absent or late please call the school and leave a message on safe arrival at 416-393-0149. Students must have written permission from parent/guardian to sign out early or sign in late. Parents/Guardians are expected to contact the school for all student lates and absences.
Washrooms:
Due to the size of our washrooms, access will be limited to 2 students at a time. Students are to use the designated washrooms closest to their classroom only. Students traveling outside of class during class time will sign in and out of class and be provided with a hall pass. All student excusals will be limited to reduce movement in the halls for safety.
Snacks/Water Bottle:
Students are to bring labeled water bottles to stay hydrated. There will be no access to regular water fountains--they will be covered--however, a water bottle filler station is available to students.
Students are to limit snacks and food in the building; and, students are to discard all garbage. Our morning “grab and go” nutritious snack program will reopen in October.
Visitors:
Visitors are asked to contact the school for an appointment where they will need to sign in and provide detailed contact information for contact tracing should it be required. All school visitors are expected to participate in a COVID screening, use hand sanitizer and be masked prior to entering our main office. For everyone’s safety, where possible, meetings/appointments are to be held over the phone or via online video conferencing if appropriate. Please remember for all of our safety, parent(s)/caregiver(s) are not to be in the building escorting students or visiting a teacher without an appointment.
Course Request Changes:
Guidance counsellors will not be able to conduct in-person appointments for timetable changes.
Timetable changes will only be considered for the following reasons:
- A selected course was earned during summer school;
- A prerequisite for one of the selected courses was not earned;
- A prerequisite course is needed for post-secondary plans;
- A student in Grade 12 with 24 credits may request a spare;
- A student has only one course in Quad 1.
If these apply to you, complete the Course Change Request Form, linked below:
Please be advised that we cannot accommodate requests for specific teachers or for courses to take place during a specific quad.
General Information:
All TDSB students are issued a TDSB student email account. Students having difficulty accessing their email account can reset their password at:
For additional information on all aspects of school re-opening, please go to:
Thank you for your continued support of our school community.