GUELPH – For the first time since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, secondary students will be returning to a normal schedule, school board officials say.
The Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) and Wellington Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) announced high schools will be moving away from the quadmester model and returning next week to regular semesters with four daily periods.
In attempt to limit student contact due to the pandemic, quadmesters were put in place at the start of the 2020-21 school year and saw students take two courses at a time for roughly a 10-week period.
Following a Ministry of Education announcement in November permitting boards to revert to the pre-pandemic model in the second semester with the support of their local public health unit, UGDSB and WCDSB began preparing and gathering input in anticipation for the shift.
“The school board has been working collaboratively with our local public health unit in this planning process,” a statement on the WCDSB website reads.
“This change may require some adjustment, however, based on its success in the past, we anticipate this will be a positive change with respect to learning and student well-being.”
In a Jan. 25 board meeting, UGDSB superintendent of education Pat Hamilton said with support Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health and input from its stakeholders, the board made the decision on Dec. 14 to shift to the previous semester model.
“Since that time, we’ve continued to monitor and plan,” Hamilton said.
“We’ve been in constant contact … with [the health unit].
“They have recently reiterated their support for a move to a four-period semester model for semester two.”
On Jan. 21 UGDSB confirmed on the board website both the in-person and the secondary remote program would return to a regular timetable for the second semester.
“We also recognize that many students will have never experienced this semester model, especially our Grade 9s and 10s,” Hamilton acknowledged at the Jan. 25 meeting.
“We certainly have our student support staff and our schools are prepared to support that transition as we make that move for semester two.”
For UGDSB, the second semester begins on Feb. 2 and runs until June 29. A full semester calendar is available on the board website.
Beginning Feb. 3, secondary schools within the WCDSB will return to a regular four-period semester model for the remainder of the year.
A copy of the WCDSB school year calendar can be found on the board’s website.
