ANG20200428 D-0427 LM-Parents...Regular school childcare services will resume as the schools reopen....

April27,2020DearParents,Iwanttothankyoumostsincerelyforthegreatsupportyouhavegivenyourchildrensothey could continue to learnduring these last fewweeks, under conditions thathavesometimesbeendifficult.The overall epidemiological situation has improved thanks to the high level ofcompliance you and all Quebecers have shown with regard to the social isolationmeasuresthatwereintroducedatthestartofthecrisis.Asaresult,weareabletobeginaprogressive,cautiousandsafereopeningofschools.The plan for the gradual return to classes was prepared in collaboration with thedirectoroftheDirectiondelasantépublique,Dr.HoracioArruda,andhisteam.Itwillenable students to return to school to consolidate their learning and finish acquiringessential learning by the end of the school year, while minimizing the risks ofspreadingCOVID-19.PlanfortheprogressivereturntoclassesAs ofMay 11, preschools and elementary schoolswill reopen in all regions,with theexceptionofschoolslocatedintheCommunautémétropolitainedeMontréal(Montréalmetropolitancommunity),whichwill reopenonMay19,providedthesituationallowsit.Regularschoolchildcareserviceswillresumeastheschoolsreopen.In all cases, schoolswillapplythestrict healthand physical distancingmeasuresissuedbythepublichealthauthorities.Specifically,classroomswillberestrictedtoamaximumof 15 students, witha distance of 2metresto be maintained between individuals.Schooltransportationserviceswillalsoneedtocomplywiththesenewstandards.Thisreopeningwillbecontinuouslymonitoredandreassessed.SecondaryschoolswillremaincloseduntilSeptember2020.Studentswillstillbeabletoconsolidate and continue their distance learning thanks to increased pedagogicalsupportfromtheschoolteam.Aworkandactivitiesplanwillbeissuedeveryweek,andschool personnelwill be available to accompany students until the end of the schoolyear.

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The return to school raises some concerns and that is completely normal. Let mereassureyou that schoolsareobliged toapply the strict safetyandhygienemeasuresrecommendedbythepublichealthauthorities.AvoluntaryreturntoclassIf youare theparentofapreschoolerorelementary school student,pleasenote thatthisgradualreturntoclassisvoluntary.Childrencancontinuetheirlearningathome,ifthat is what their parents decide. In that case, the school will provide pedagogicalsupportatadistance. Althoughthisreturntoclassisvoluntary,Iverystronglyencourageparentsofchildrenwithlearningdifficultiesorsocialmaladjustmentstochoosetosendthembacktotheirclassesassoonaspossiblesothattheycanbenefitfromthebestpedagogicalsupportfrom their teachers and teams of professionals at school. The parents to whom thisapplieswillsoonbecontactedbytheirschools.Ifyou,yourchildoranyoneelselivinginyourhomehasahealthconditionthatmakesthemvulnerable(e.g.chronicdisease,severeimmunodeficiency),yourchildshouldstayhomeandcontinuelearningatadistance.We are asking parents to contact their school as quickly as possible and inform theschoolof theirdecision,whether it is tosendtheirchildrenback toschool,ornot.Byinforming the school at least aweekbefore theplanned reopening, youwill help theadministratorstowelcomethestudentsbackunderthebestpossibleconditions,whilecomplyingwiththestrictrecommendationsfromthepublichealthauthorities.Youwillreceiveacommunicationtothiseffectinthenextfewdays.PreparationsfortheresumptionofpedagogicalactivitiesObviously, the upcoming return to schoolwill be very different from those you haveexperienced before. The children must comply with very strict safety and hygienemeasures.Membersoftheschoolstaffwillexplainthesemeasurestothechildrenbutwearecountingonyourhelptomakesurethattheyarerespected. Ifyouaretheparentofpreschoolersorelementaryschoolstudentsandyouoptfortheirreturntoclass:- Makesureyourchildrenwashtheirhandsthoroughlybeforetheyleavethehousein

themorningandwhentheyreturnhome.

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- School transportation services will be reduced to the minimum and there will besome major limitations imposed in order to comply with the recommendationsissuedby thepublichealthauthorities.Weare thereforeencouragingyou tomakeother arrangements, unless this is absolutely impossible. If your childrenmust useschool transportation services, please remind them of the importance of avoidingcontactwiththeotherstudents.

- Insidetheschool,non-essentialcommonspacessuchasthegymsandlibrarieswillbe

closed.Theschoolyardwillbeaccessiblebutwithmajorrestrictionsandinturns.Thegoal is to ensure that the different groups are isolated from each other and tominimizerisks.Onceagain,weaskyoutoremindyourchildrentoavoidcontactwiththeotherstudents,especiallywiththoseingroupsotherthantheirown.

- Thecafeteriawillbeclosed. Ifyourchildrennormallyeatatschool,makesurethat

theybringtheirlunchtoschooleveryday.Ifyourchildrencomehomeforlunch,theycan continue to do so but the same hand-washingmeasures still applywhen theyleavethehouseinthemorningandwhentheyreturnhome.

- Outside of school hours, it is important not to let your children be around people

with a health condition that makes them vulnerable (e.g. chronic disease, severeimmunodeficiency,pregnancyorbreastfeeding,aged60orolder).

If you are the parent of preschoolers or elementary school students and you havedecided that theywill continue their learning at home, or if you are the parent ofsecondaryschoolstudents:- Toensurethatallstudentsfinishacquiringessentiallearningbytheendoftheschool

year,schoolswillbelaunchingamajoroperationforlendingtechnologicalequipmentwithintheupcomingdays.IfyoudonothaveacomputeroratechnologicaltoolforaccessingtheInternetathome,pleasenotifyyourschoolimmediately.

- Makesure thatyourchild is following theworkplanandcarryingout theactivities

providedbytheschool.- Ensure that your child’s learning is being monitored on a regular basis by the

resourcepersonwhowillbedesignatedbyyourschooland,ifneedbe,calluponthispersonforassistance.

Whetheryourchildiscontinuingtheirlearningatschoolorathome,wewanttoletyouknow that the Open Schoolwebsite will be still be enhanced on a regular basis. In

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addition,Télé-Québecwillcontinuebroadcastingitsspecialprogrammingonlineandontelevisionuntiltheendoftheschoolyear.Iknowthatyoumayhaveotherquestionsabouttheendoftheschoolyear.Iinviteyouto consult the documents attached to thismessage and to stay abreast of themoredetailedinstructionsthatyourschoolwillsendyouovertheupcomingweeks. Inclosing, Iwanttothankyouagainforyourcollaborationduringthisdifficultperiod.Wewillgetthroughthistogetherandallwillbewell!Yourssincerely,Jean-FrançoisRobergeMinisterofEducationandHigherEducationEncl.