Dear Parents/ Guardians
I am delighted to share a much-awaited announcement from the Minister of Education, that all Ontario schools will re-open from September 8, 2020.This must be a piece of relieving news for you since students were forced to stay home due to the mandatory school closure because of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Even though the health and safety of our students and staff come first, but there is no second opinion on the fact that students benefit tremendously from social interactions with their peers and direct in-person contact with their teachers. We know that COVID-19 has taken a profound toll on our students. The best available medical advice tells us that we need to get our children back to school for their overall development but with the utmost precautions.
GLCT team has been working diligently to put a School Re-Opening-Health and Safety Plan with incredible supports and resources in place before even the students are back to school. Our School Re-Opening Plan is in alignment with the advice of Canada’s leading medical and scientific experts -including the Chief Medical Officer of Health, and the COVID-19 Command Table.
Dear parents, I can assure you that we stand ready to respond to the changing reality of this virus. Also, our efforts to address the gradual reopening of GLCT maintains that the health, safety, and wellness of staff and students, like always be our TOP priority. Therefore, all the students who have received their study visa before March 18, 2020, should start planning and preparing with confidence to travel to Canada to start school to avoid any unnecessary dispute to occur related to your study visa.
IMPORTANT: Even though some students had started taking online courses due to the mandatory school closure and accomplished incredible success, it is mandatory by the government policy for every student to receive the Ontario Secondary School Diploma, to complete at least 50% or more of the remaining courses in Canada, in person.
Our decision of a gradual reopening of school will be engaging in scenarios that include some face to face instruction and some structured synchronous virtual learning. We will have established policies in place such as -mandatory wearing masks, distancing, improved hygiene requirements, restrictions on visitors, and professional development training to staff and students on the new protocols and directions to prevent the spread of the virus.
I understand that you may have many more questions and would like to get the answers, therefore we will send you a comprehensive operational School Re-Opening -Health and Safety Plan by August 15th, 2020.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions/ concerns or suggestions.
Looking forward to seeing your children-our students as and when they arrive at GLCT.
Sincerely,
Principal – Mrs. Mukhi;