Elementary School Closure Extended

Jan. 7, 2021

The following letter has been sent to all Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington (PVNC) Catholic District School Board families on behalf of Director of Education Joan Carragher.

Dear PVNC families,

Today the Ontario Government announced an extension to the closure of Ontario elementary schools in our region.

The government is extending the current closure in our elementary schools and students will continue to remain home and learn virtually until Monday, Jan. 25, 2021.

There are no changes currently to the plans for secondary schools. Secondary schools will remain closed and students will remain in virtual learning until Monday, Jan. 25, 2021.

For our students currently enrolled in our St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Virtual School, today’s announcement will have no impact. 

We know all families are experiencing this lockdown differently and many are balancing challenges at home that make this time period particularly difficult. I want to take this opportunity to thank our students, parents and guardians for all the work you are doing to make this transition period to virtual learning successful. 

I’d also like to acknowledge the efforts of our school administrators, educators and support staff who are working diligently to make this transition as smooth as possible.

Parent Guide 

To assist parents/guardians in supporting students during this period of school closure, we have created this Welcome to Blended Learning Guide for Parents/Guardians. This guide is intended to help parents and guardians of PVNC students who have been learning in school but are now learning virtually as a result of the provincial lockdown. For many of our students and families, virtual learning is new to us, and we need to develop our skills together.

Mental Health Resources 

We’d like to direct students and families to our COVID-19 Mental Health Resources, including Kids Help Phone, which offers 24/7 counselling and referral services across the province. To use this free resource, children can call 1-800-668-6868, or text CONNECT to 686868. School Mental Health Ontario provides excellent mental health resources year-round for students, parents and families.

As always, we will continue to keep parents/guardians updated on any new developments throughout this time period. 

Stay safe and God Bless you. 

Sincerely, 

Joan Carragher
Director of Education