Kikendaasogamig Elementary is of vital importance to the community, both to students for the excellent start our school gives them, and to parents and caregivers who work while their children are in classes during the day. There are only a little more than three weeks left until the start of the new school year and while COVID-19 appears to have been managed well in the province, the pandemic is still raging elsewhere. The Board of Education and Kikendaasogamig Elementary School staff have been preparing for the start of a new semester unlike any other, requiring changes to the school environment and teaching methodology to keep kids and community safe.
The modified teaching plan has these important points:
- The school year will start on September 8th. For the first two weeks, however, from September 8 to 18, students will engage in online learning.
- Beginning on September 21st, students will be divided into two cohorts. The first cohort will attend classes in person on Tuesdays and Thursdays, while the second cohort will attend classes in person on Wednesdays and Fridays. Mondays will be for cleaning, class planning, online learning, and possibly outdoor land-based learning.
- The first semester is planned to finish on December 18th. While students will start on September 21st with 2 days of in-person classes per week, our hope is that at some point during the school year we will be able to transition to a full 5 days of in-person classes. We will have to decide that at a later date.
- Cohort # 1 will be Senior Kindergarten, and grades 2, 4, 6 & 8, with some changes to accommodate family groupings and learning levels.
- Cohort # 2 will be grades 1, 3, 5, & 7, again with some changes to accommodate family groupings and learning levels.
- We are not ready to accommodate junior kindergarten students at Kikendaasogamig, but they can attend the NShiime Day Care until such time as we are ready to transition them to the school. Day care registration will be ready soon, and we will send out a community notice when it becomes available.
- There will be enhanced health and safety measures put in place.
- School days may be shortened so that teachers can prepare and support students that are learning from home.
- The At Home Learning/Remote Delivery option will be available on days that the students are not in class. Parents who feel they need to keep their children home and opt for full remote learning can do so.
Kikendaasogamig Elementary and the Board of Education are seeking input from parents/guardians to further guide their plans for the school year. Parents and caregivers are asked to complete a short online survey. All information gathered is strictly confidential. Submissions are only accessible to the School Principal. Note that you will be asked to provide your child’s name to assist in planning the cohorts and organizing school transportation needs.