Dear Students and Parents/Guardians,
With an abundance of caution, and considering the increase of COVID-19 cases in Toronto over the past 15 days, Metro Prep will be altering our school schedule. Beginning next week, October 19th, we will follow a hybrid schedule that blends our in-class teaching with online, at-home instruction, taking place on alternating days.
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays all students will continue to attend school at regular times for in-person learning.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, all students and teachers will use Zoom for live, at-home instruction during regular times.
This temporary change will be in effect until Friday, November 13th when Midterm Reports are issued. At that time, we will reassess the situation. If the cases in Toronto decrease over this period of time, we will resume full time in-classroom instruction following the report cards.
By making these adjustments, our Metro Prep families will benefit from:
Decrease of Exposure in Public
We are implementing the hybrid schedule because we believe that a new approach is warranted, given the rise of cases during this second wave. While it is extremely important for students to be in the classroom for interactions between teachers and other students, it is also important to look at the physical and mental health of the students and their teachers. By slightly decreasing their time on public transit and other commuting methods (such as Uber ride sharing), we are decreasing their risk of exposure.
Synchronous Learning and Academics
Tests, labs, and quizzes will still be held in person, at the school on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Please note that during online classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, students are expected to be on time, have their webcams on, and engage with the teacher. These Zoom lessons will be lecture-based and students are expected to attend. For those students who have not used Zoom in the past, additional information will be provided on Edsby next week.
If you have any questions or concerns, please let us know.
Sincerely,
Wayne McKelvey
Principal
