Letter from Director Katherine MacIver about in-person and virtual school for September 2022
April 26, 2022
Dear Families:
Update on in-person and virtual school for September 2022
Recently we contacted you about planning for the upcoming school year and whether your children will attend in-person or virtual school.
In-person learning is the best way to meet students' academic, social-emotional, physical and well-being needs. Programming at in-person schools provides access to a greater variety of courses to support graduation pathways, as well as peer-to-peer interactions. Enrolment numbers for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year indicate that the vast majority of families are choosing in-person learning for their children.
Based on the number of families requesting virtual school, we will offer a K-8 virtual school for the 2022-2023 school year.
Virtual schools were created for the 2020-2021 school year as part of the Ministry of Education response to the pandemic. That first year, HPEDSB had 1,516 elementary and 819 secondary school students at virtual school. The following year (current school year), enrolment decreased significantly to 361 elementary and 109 secondary students. For next year (the upcoming school year), requests are for 113 elementary and 86 secondary school students. For elementary, it is expected that combined and triple grade classes will be required. It is not feasible to offer virtual school for Grades 9-12 due to the variety of courses and pathways required.
Options are available for eLearning and accessing TVO courses, with the cost paid by HPEDSB, or a hybrid approach combining the two with some in-person learning. If you are interested in exploring these options, please contact the Guidance teachers at your child's home school. Without this communication, students will be registered for a full course load at in-person school for the 2022-2023 school year.
Our educators and support staff remain committed to providing high-quality programming at all our schools, whether in-person or virtual. If you have any questions, please contact your child's principal. Thank you for your continued support of your child' school.
Sincerely,
Katherine MacIver
Director of Education