Dear Ventura Park families,
We are so excited to welcome you for the 2020-2021 school year! School staff have been working so hard behind the scenes to get everything ready. We cannot wait for our classrooms to be filled with students once again.
As we shared earlier this week, the York Region District School Board is using a Supported Entry model this year. For the first few days of school, we will be welcoming students back in smaller groups to give them additional time to learn and practice our new health and safety measures, and to support their transition back to school after the school closures. Please refer to the information posted on the Ventura Park blog or sent via email earlier this week for the dates of school attendance during Supported Entry.
On the first days of school, we will have large numbers posted on all of the exterior doors. Students will be asked to walk around the building and find their correct entry door. When they come in the correct door, the children will proceed directly to their classrooms. Homeroom teachers will be waiting in the classrooms to greet students. Rotary teaching staff will be helping guide students and helping them maintain social distancing. Lockers will not be used their year – please limit the number of items students are bringing to school with them.
If your child usually takes the bus to school, please send them on the bus. This is important for safety reasons; it helps us minimize traffic in front of the school and lessens confusion for students about morning routines. Parents will not be permitted to enter the school. If you are dropping your child off, please do not linger as it is essential for students to enter in a socially distanced way. We will have extra supervision on the yard in the morning to ensure a smooth and safe entry.
This year, our Grade 1 students will enter the school via the door located on the east side of the building, adjacent to the parking lot. During our Supported Entry days, Grade 1 students will enter the door and be guided to their classrooms by a staff member. We know that Ventura Park is new to them, but we will have significant support to ensure a safe arrival.
More information will be forthcoming next week clarifying changes to our recess and lunch procedures at the school. These changes will help us keep students in small groups during outdoor time.
Wishing you a fabulous long weekend,
Greg Farrell and Melanie Chamberland
Ventura Park PS BLOG 