Staff will work quickly to deploy funds as quickly as possible and will keep trustees informed and seek direction as appropriate - @TDSBDirector confirms some funding is flexible and will be back to Board with process for determining priorities
AD Witherow speaking to registration - began today at 3pm - out in cycles - 2 grades at a time - JK/!2, SK/11, etc - open until Saturday; phone calls for those without e-mail - tdsb.on.ca/Return-to-Scho… lists to be generated by August 31
Transition dates between in-class and remote on the website - elementary tdsb.on.ca/Return-to-Scho… secondary tdsb.on.ca/Return-to-Scho…
ES Gold - @tdsb Staff Survey - response good - approximately less than 3% saying they cannot return at all - 16-19% require accommodation and Employee Services are working through these - once understand numbers in Virtual School will be able to be more concrete for staff
Received about 85% of surveys from @tdsb permanent staff - survey to replacement and casual staff will go out tomorrow. Not all staff asking for accommodation may be asking for remote work - we are working through that now
Goal to have everyone landed by September 11 - working with unions/federations on processes - work going well
Comment made by @Anu_Sris - with less than 3% not returning it is clear staff are committed to coming back... that needs to be stated clearly and we thank them
Next up AD @manonjgardner re Virtual Schools - 4 elementary K-8 and 1 secondary - we may or may not have to hire additional teachers - once we have staffing allocated, we will be clear with expectations re synchronous and asynchronous learning - will provide professional learning
Teachers and students will learn new technology and tools - @tdsb Virtual School will be held for French and Special Education as well - in terms of devices PPM 164 - if students do not have devices they will receive them as well as internet for families who do not have internet
Virtual school will have teachers, support staff, Principal(s), Superintendent(s) and will staff appropriately - funding today will help us increase devices - still working to 1:1 model
Question if we have enough French teachers for Virtual School - @manonjgardner speaks depending on enrolment and who is qualified - intent is to fully staff
Re devices - have distributed 60K devices - Chromebooks and iPads - up to 4/family and staff determined to leave devices with students and families - a number of devices may still be needed - best thinking is to leave in place right now and adding about 20% back...
And over the course of the year plan is to replace all borrowed devices back - hoping schools understand this is a decision made for the system
What specific supports will be in place to re-engage students and for on-line learners - @manonjgardner noting teams of support staff will support Virtual Schools and to engage with students and families - attendance will be taken
Is there a different Code of Conduct for students on-line? @manonjgardner responding that they are learning from other jurisdictions on privacy protocols, cyber-bullying, etc and we will be clear
Staff confirm to the best of their ability will try and keep students from the same school, same area together for Virtual Learning - will totally depend on numbers - staff aware of anxiety of parents and families
Re specialized programs in secondary school in Virtual Learning - looking at groups of 30 students with the same specialized program - will try and accommodate - not offering elementary programming
To everyone responding to these tweets asking questions, please know I am just reporting on what is being said in the meeting - more details will be forthcoming
Re question for IB - it is challenging virtually - but @manonjgardner notes that depending on numbers it may or may not be possible - all parents would be contacted with options
Clarification re specialized elementary programs - the specialized arts, music programs in schools will not be offered virtually; but the arts in the regular Virtual Schools will be offered
EO Shaw - on health and safety - thank you all our staff pulling together - developed PPE guidelines for staff - worked to develop isolation room kits and they have been delivered to schools - PPE for all schools now arranged - medical masks are being delivered
Face coverings for students have been ordered - developed a Covid awareness training module for staff for PD; purchased electrostatic sprayers to respond to outbreaks; signage now has been sent to all schools - acrylic panel barriers delivered to each site for public areas
On-going conversations with health and safety - still to come - screening process for entry to schools; develop a plan to marking fields for arrival and outdoor activities; outbreak protocols from province now received - will do accelerated water bottle filling program - 1/school
TPH high risk schools will be first, then LOI schools and then all other locations will receive bottle filling stations
Speaking to HVAC - scheduled to start 2 hours before anyone in the school to flush the school with fresh air - and 2 hrs after to clear out air; exhaust fans will run longer; all filters changed prior to the start of the year and inspections happening more often
Cleaning of all screens and ensuring radiators are unencumbered; preventive maintenance - where we don't have ventilation systems, ensuring all windows that can be opened are, confirmed fans can be used point up - investigating other strategies - UV lighting sytems, etc
Putting in portable ventilation systems where needed
AD @kgfalcon noted operational guidelines have been shared with Ps - these are live documents - staggered entry determined - elementary - will be posted on website - takes into account physical distancing as students return to school 
Secondary
Re School Councils - in guidelines Ps are encouraged to engage school councils - re fundraising guidelines - should not be fundraising for items government should be supplying - clarification coming this week
EO Parry provides communications update - website will continue to updated tdsb.on.ca/Return-to-Scho… and will continue to use direct e-mails and phone calls - noting translations of important documents will continue; Return to School video in production so parents can "see" opening
Creating a mask guideline and also communication re staggering of school by different grades - preparing a webinar package - interactive - topics now being developed; will be reaching out to ethnic press - will help us get to the communities
Now more Qs and As - Q re isolation room - currently finalizing details of who - processes in place; Province released Covid protocol - we would adopt ministry processes working with @TOPublicHealth to finalize our procedures
EO Shaw speaks to plexiglass areas also can be added to guidance areas as well as reception areas - looking into that; at this point not looking into plexiglass barriers in classrooms
Questions re HVAC - can we please have the protocols written - perhaps on the website? And clarify system vs local; same with public health infection protocols - as much detail as possible
Re School Council Fundraising - any thought re language encouraging schools to take an equity approach and sharing fundraising dollars - @TDSBDirector confirms that staff are looking at that
Re isolation rooms - concern re name - @TDSBDirector confirms staff will work on a different name that will not heighten anxiety for students
AD Snider speaks to creating a central portal - fund for donations - to support all our students with an equity lens
Question re transportation - AD Snider speaks to transportation survey - seating plans on buses - all students wear face coverings - will try and keep seat behind driver vacant - windows open as weather allows - details in protocol
Clarification - secondary delayed start to the 15th with Day 1
Question re start times vis-a-vis screening protocols - @TDSBDirector working on these details now and will communicate
Where we can (in Operational Guidelines) - lists will be provided so students feel welcome and know who their teacher is...
What happens if the numbers are slightly over the "cap" - ES Gold in secondary - 15 is a guideline - we will be looking at numbers and space - in elementary more flexibility on how we reorganize to hit the target caps
Concerns re TPH list of 80 schools - different from TCDSB schools - AD Snider notes they are meeting with @TOPublicHealth and will see how additional funding can support areas
