Ahead of students and educators returning to school on September 3rd, Hastings-Prince Edward District School Board has released details on their “virtual school” for kindergarten to grade 12 students.
“This new virtual school for online learning is in direct response to the results from the recent questionnaire asking parents/guardians to indicate whether their children would attend school in person or remotely for the 2020-2021 school year starting in September,” Communications and Public Relations Manager for HPEDSB Kerry Donnell says.Â
The school board touts that 66-percent of the 15,000 students with the school board responded to the survey. The results show that 84-percent of students will return to school in-person, with the other 16-percent saying they will learn from home.
The virtual school will function as close to an in-person school as possible. The former principal of Madoc Township Public School will be the principal for HPEDSB’s virtual school. Kerry Denyes and Brent Jewell will be the vice-principals. Donnell says teachers will be hired in the coming days.
Certain technology like Chromebooks will be required for students, but Donnell says the schools will work with families to get that equipment to students if they don’t already have what is needed.
“Families who choose for their children to learn in this virtual environment can be assured of effective learning using the same content and expectations in The Ontario Curriculum as regular in-person learning,” the school board’s Director of Education Sean Monteith says. “Families who choose to send their children to school in person can equally be assured that we are doing all we can to provide safe learning environments.”
To be enrolled in HPEDSB’s virtual school, Donnell says to contact your child’s current school. The first day of school for those enrolling in the virtual school will be September 14th.