Staggered start times announced

High school students will be taking one class all day as the Lambton-Kent District School Board tries to find the right way to bring kids back to school in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The board is also staggering the start of the school year to help ease students into what is a very unusual school year..

Half of each elementary school will head back to class on Sept. 8, the other half the next day. Everyone will be in the school on Thurs. Sept. 10. Junior kindergarten students won’t start school until Mon. Sept. 14.

Parents will be contacted by the school with details.

Grade 9 students start Sept. 8 and the Grade 10 to 12 students will be back Wed. Sept. 9.

Meantime, high school student’s schedules are changing. They will still be taking two subjects in a 44 day quadmester but only take one subject a day for an entire week. The next week, they’ll take an entire week with the second period subject.

And parents who decide the Learn at Home option will have to enrol students in the online Home Secondary or Elementary Schools. The Virtual Learn at Home Elementary and Secondary Schools will have dedicated principals and staff supports to ensure appropriate supports and programming for students.

The board says parents have to inform the board of their decision on school by Aug. 28. After that, there will be limited opportunities to switch school options.