April 12th, 2021

Today, Premier Doug Ford announced that students across Ontario, including the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB), will switch to remote learning on April 19th 2021 to help limit the spread of COVID-19. We would ask for families to be patient as we sort through the details of this announcement. Please be reassured we will provide updates as soon as possible.

What We Know

Students in the WRDSB will learn remotely starting on Monday, April 19th 2021 with the exception of those students with complex special education needs who require additional support that cannot be accommodated through remote learning. No end date for this closure period has been announced.

Device Deployment

Devices to support remote learning were deployed before the break.
Prior to the departure of our elementary students on Friday, April 9, schools deployed devices to those elementary students who required them to support remote learning.

If you require a device, but do not have one, please contact your school using their email address.

Students with Complex Special Education Needs

Plans to provide in-person learning opportunities for students with Complex Special Education Needs are being finalized and will be communicated in the near future. We are committed to continue in-person support for students with complex special education needs who require additional support that cannot be accommodated through remote learning.

Child Care and Before and After School Programs

Please note that Spring Break camps will continue to operate for the week of April 12 – 16, 2021. Effective April 19 Before and After school programs will be closed while schools are closed to in-person learning. Fees will not be charged for the duration of the closure. Thank you for your patience during this time, we look forward to having your child return to the Before and After school program when programs reopen. Please direct any questions that you may have to care@wrdsb.ca.

Licensed child care centres for 0 – 4 year olds will remain open for families enrolled.

Emergency child care for frontline workers will be available for families who qualify at designated locations. For more information visit Region of Waterloo community supports.

That is all the information we have at this time. We will continue to provide updates as information from the Ministry of Education becomes available.

Thank you to all our families, students and staff for your continued patience and flexibility. This is not an easy situation to navigate and we are so appreciative of the understanding you have shown throughout this time.

Tech@Home

For those who encounter challenges with technology while learning remotely, please remember to refer to Tech@Home. This website contains resources to help staff, students and families troubleshoot technical problems they may be experiencing. Stay tuned for more topics – the Tech@Home site continues to grow to support your distance learning needs.

Tech at home

Mental Health Resources

We know that this news will cause added worry for our students and their families. Please remember that Mental Health Resources for students are available on our website.

Keeping you informed

Find out what we know as soon as we know it: