Dear TDSB Families, The countdown to the first day of class is on and we know that families are anxiously awaiting information about the upcoming year. Whether returning to school in-person or online, families can expect to receive information about the year ahead directly from their school after September 3. Thank you for your patience as we prepare to welcome students back on Thursday, September 9. As new details continue to be finalized, below is the most recent information to help families and students prepare for school. Daily Health Screening Before coming to school each day, all students must conduct an active student health screening self-assessment. This is the most up-to-date screening tool from Toronto Public Health and has key changes from last year’s tool, including:A shortened list of symptoms that are most commonly associated with COVID-19Consideration for immunization statusRevised isolation period protocolsRevised international travel protocols Consideration for rapid or home-based self-testing kitsIf, based on the answers, you are clear to come to school, you must either complete the TDSB Health Pass (paper) or the TDSB Daily Health Screening app, to enter the school. Mask Wearing and Daily Checklists A reminder that all students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 must wear masks indoors. Students are not required to wear masks outdoors during recess, lunch or outdoor learning. Parents/guardians and visitors must wear masks when outdoors on TDSB property as per the TDSB Mask Procedure. To help remind families and students of health and safety measures in place and how to prepare for school each day, please review the Daily Checklist for Elementary and Daily Checklist for High School. Updates to Practices and Protocols Staff continue to review the guidance from the Ministry of Education and Toronto Public Health to develop specific operation plans for TDSB schools. Overall, the TDSB is taking a cautious approach to reopening and we are constantly evaluating practices and processes with the hope that we can ease up on restrictions with support from Toronto Public Health. Specific guidelines, practices and protocols for elementary and secondary are available on the TDSB Return to School website. Some recent updates are available in the following areas: extra-curricular activities, music programs, and school council meetings. Exemptions from Synchronous Learning For students who have selected virtual learning for the 2021-22 school year, more details about the process for an exemption from the minimum requirements of synchronous learning will be available on September 9. Information and materials will be posted to the website in the 2021-22 School Year section under Virtual Learning. Complete School Forms Online Many TDSB school forms can be completed online beginning September 9. It is easy, simple and secure, will help streamline the process of a number of standard forms, and will save paper and resources. Watch for an email from TDSB Online Form (noreply@tdsb.on.ca), which will arrive after your child’s first day of school. You can then visit the secure site to complete and submit your child’s school forms (e.g. medical information, media release form, etc.). Learn more. We appreciate your continued understanding as we establish new practices and school routines. It will take some time for everyone to adjust and for everything to run smoothly but working together we can make the start of the school year a positive experience. Stay healthy and safe and enjoy the last few days of summer. Sincerely,

Daily Health Screening 

 

 

Welcome to Danforth/Greenwood SS: Vaccination Clinic at the School this Sunday June 6th 8 – 4 p.m.

 

IMPORTANT UPDATE FROM TDSB REGARDING STATUS OF IN-PERSON LEARNING FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SCHOOL YEAR

Dear Parents/Guardians and Students, We wanted to provide you with an important update on the status of in-person learning for the remainder of the school year. Today, the Government of Ontario announced that all school boards in Ontario, including the TDSB, will not return to in-person learning for this school year. Students with special education needs who have complex medical and learning needs and are already receiving in-person supports, will continue to receive these supports. While we know all families will react differently to this news depending on individual circumstances, this will also be difficult for many students and staff who will not be able to finish the year in-person as they may have hoped. At this point in time, we do not know what may be possible with regard to offering “short, outdoor graduation celebrations” as discussed during today’s government announcement. We have just learned this information today and are now awaiting further information from the province on parameters for outdoor gatherings, along with guidance from Toronto Public Health, prior to making any decision on these events. As soon as more information is available, we will provide another update. In the days ahead, schools will provide additional information on how families can pick up any remaining personal belongings or drop off books, materials, etc. While you may begin returning TDSB devices to schools anytime after June 14 (some parents/guardians had requested to return devices early), all devices can be kept until the end of the school year or until September if they are required for summer school. Additional information about returning devices can be found here. We know how difficult this school year has been for students, staff and their families — especially with switching between in-person and virtual learning as a result of rising COVID-19 cases — and we want to thank you for your understanding and support. These challenges have impacted all of us differently, but we remain committed to supporting TDSB families in any way we can as we approach the end of the school year and beyond. Please contact your school directly with any questions. Thank you.

Special Announcement and Update From Principal McKinnon:

Good Morning,

After 5 wonderful years at Danforth and Greenwood, I wanted to let you know that I will be retiring as Principal as of June 30^th.

I would like to thank the students, their families, the community and all the staff at Danforth/Greenwood for making our schools such great places to learn and work.

It has been an amazing journey and I think that we have worked together well to make our school a more positive and inclusive place.  I believe we have made real strides in our work to improve the lives of all students, but I know that that work is not complete.  Until the end of June, I will continue to commit myself to an action plan on Gender Based Violence and Harassment prevention and continue to work on issues of equity that recognize and support students with special needs, students who identify as Indigenous, and students who identify as LGBTQ2S+, among others.  We will also continue our work on fighting Anti-Black Racism and expanding our resources to be inclusive of all students.  I know that staff will continue to work on these key areas of focus over the coming years.

As I said to staff, I will not really miss some of the forms and paperwork that are such a big part of my job, but I will miss my interaction with the people with whom I have worked every day.

Students, I will especially miss greeting you in the morning, seeing you in the halls/classes and at games/in clubs, and saying goodbye to you at the end of the day.  I feel very fortunate to have worked with all of you – thank you.

I wish you all well and look forward to seeing you here at the school before the end of the year, (if we’re able to be here), and at future school events.

Thanks and best wishes to all of you,

Principal MacKinnon

IMPORTANT UPDATE! (May 21, 2021)

Good Day Everyone,

Keep next Saturday, May 29^th open for your COVID vaccine shot at Danforth/Greenwood!

We have confirmed that we will be holding a vaccine clinic in the Danforth North Gym from 8 am to 4 pm (or until they run out of vaccines).  The clinic will be open to students, their immediate family members over the age of 12 (including brothers, sisters, and parents who reside in the same home), and staff.  Everyone getting a shot will need to bring government ID that shows their home address – more options/info on the sheet in the link below.  This clinic is only for first vaccines and they will be administering the Pfizer vaccine.  It is a drop-in, so no appointments are necessary.  Here is the information on the vaccine for young people that I sent out before:  http://www.danforthcti.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/COVID-19-Vaccine-Fact-Sheet-Youth.pdf.

And here is the flyer from Michael Garron Hospital on the clinic itself: http://www.danforthcti.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Danforth-Collegiate-ETHP-Pop-up-COVID-19-Vaccine-Clinic-Poster-May-29.jpg

And finally, because there may be questions, Dr. McCready is also offering a town hall to directly answer any questions you may have about the clinic or the vaccines.  Here is the note from Dr. McCready:

Michael Garron Hospital is excited to be hosting a vaccination clinic at Danforth Collegiate and Technical Collegiate Institute / Greenwood Secondary School on Saturday, May 29th.  The clinic will run from 8 am until vaccine supply runs out.  The clinic will be open to your students who are 12 years old and above and their families.  Please see the attached flyers for details.

As eligibility expands to include 12-17 year-olds in Ontario’s vaccine rollout, Michael Garron Hospital (MGH) is hosting a Town Hall on the COVID-19 Vaccine for Students and Families at East Toronto Schools to empower you with the information you need to make confident, educated decisions about the vaccine.

The virtual town hall takes place on Tuesday (May 25) from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. It is open to ALL students and families at schools in East Toronto hosting upcoming school-based vaccine clinics. During the call, Dr. Janine McCready, infectious diseases physician at MGH, will share the latest updates on the COVID-19 vaccine and answer your vaccine-related questions in real-time.

We invite you to attend the call using the following meeting details. We encourage you to ask vaccine-related questions during the meeting. You may also send your questions in advance to Jonah.Chevrier@tehn.ca with the subject line “Town Hall”.

 

How to Join the Town Hall on the COVID-19 Vaccine with Dr. Janine McCready on Tuesday, May 25 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Open to ALL students and families at schools in East Toronto hosting upcoming school-based vaccine clinics.

Zoom: https://tehn.zoom.us/j/61448806755?pwd=TW9ORytYek9ob1ZaTmRaTXdaNmk4UT09

Webinar ID: 614 4880 6755
Enter the password:758381

For audio only, call in to the Town Hall by telephone or mobile:
Dial: 1 647 375 2970
Meeting ID: 614 4880 6755
Participant ID: Press pound (#)
Meeting Passcode:758381#

Good day to all, and please let me know if you have any questions about this.
Principal MacKinnon

Vaccination Site at Danforth/Greenwood?

Hi All,

An early week, time-sensitive mail-out on the potential use of our school as a vaccination site!

I think that everyone is hoping for a return to ‘as normal as possible’ as soon as possible.  One way that we can get there sooner, I think, is by vaccinating as many people in our building as possible.  To that end, I have been talking with Dr. McCready at Michael Garron Hospital about the possibility of using our site for the vaccination of our two schools’ students, their families and staff (who don’t already have a shot).  She writes:

“As eligibility expands to include 12-17 year-olds in Ontario’s vaccine rollout, Michael Garron Hospital (MGH) is working with Toronto Public Health and our schools to ensure our community has low-barrier access to vaccinations for 12-17 year-olds.   Currently we do not know when the clinic will be happening but discussions are ongoing based on eligibility criteria and vaccine supply.

In order to empower you with the information you need to make a confident, educated decision about the vaccine, please find attached an information sheet; as well, Michael Garron will be hosting a Town Hall on the COVID-19 Vaccine for Students and Families at East Toronto Schools in the next few weeks.   Details will be shared as soon as they are available.”   Here is the link to their information sheet: http://www.danforthcti.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/COVID-19-Vaccine-Fact-Sheet-Youth.pdf

In order to make this happen at Danforth/Greenwood, we need as many people as possible to say that they are willing to get vaccinated if we hold the clinic here (way easier than driving/getting a bus across the city to the convention centre!).  You can register your interest by clicking on the appropriate link below and registering your intention to get your shot.

Parents/Guardians/Caregivers can access the survey through the following link:  https://forms.gle/NbYVw6fE5vWaxLYr6

Students can access their survey through the following link:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdjSFza8TTMfQ0y1K6QRYDoBCz_F4T4F_x3YLU6Ed62llFi5g/viewform

Please respond by the end of day, Friday, May 21st.

In my conversations with Dr. McCready, she has confirmed that your information is not registered in any way when you answer the survey.

Again, I would like to thank Dr. McCready for her work and for reaching out to us and offering this great potential opportunity.

Thanks and please let me know if you have any questions about this.

Principal MacKinnon

Remote Learning Timetable

Test Kit Results – Danforth CTI and Greenwood SS

Dear Students, Parents/Guardians,

We had great participation in our school-wide testing at both Danforth and Greenwood.  I think that we were expecting to identify positive cases from the kits that were distributed (in fact, it was one of the purposes of the process), and I wanted to keep you informed as the information comes in.

So far, at Danforth, we have had 5 positive results among students, from our kit testing; they were all asymptomatic at the time of testing.  We have informed all students, their families and the staff who will have to isolate as a result of this news.

So far, at Greenwood, we have had 1 student and 1 teacher test positive through the kit testing.  Again, all students, their families and staff have been informed.

For both groups in the affected cohorts, letters from Toronto Public Health are being sent out this afternoon.  These letters will provide further information, including dates of return to the school.

As I mentioned before, staff and students are required to wear masks while at school and to practice physical distancing, as well as proper hand hygiene — hand washing, sanitizer etc. While enhanced cleaning is conducted every day, we have made sure to conduct an enhanced cleaning in all affected areas of our school. TPH is monitoring the situation and, as always, will let us know if further precautions, actions or communications are required.

The health, safety and well-being of staff and students is our top priority. One of the most important things we can do to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our schools, is for students and their families to screen themselves daily for any symptoms of COVID-19 using the TDSB Student Health Pass or the TDSB Health App.

Should you have any questions, please contact the school, visit the TDSB website or visit the TPH website for general information. For general questions, please call the TPH COVID-19 Hotline at 416-338-7600, Monday-Sunday 8:30 AM – 8:00 PM, to speak with an agent. If you need immediate assistance, please call Telehealth Ontario 24 hours a day at 1-866-797-0000.

I know that this can all feel a bit unsettling, but I wanted to remind everyone that as far as we know, the cases are not being transmitted at school; there is no link between any of the cases at either school.  That said, this is a good reminder for all of us not to let our guard down and to remain vigilant in monitoring student (and our own) mask, social distancing and hand hygiene discipline.  Thanks for that.

As the tests were coming in (and being sent to Michael Garron Hospital) all week, it is possible that we will identify other cases.  I will keep you all apprised of any other information as it comes in.

Sincerely,

Rob MacKinnon

Principal

COVID-19 Screening & Return To School Process

Entering the School

Students and Visitors to TDSB Sites must complete a Daily Health Screening.

To access the Daily Health Screening online app, click here: https://tdsb.service-now.com/tswp

For information on the Screening Process and to download resources such as the paper Health Pass, click here: https://www.tdsb.on.ca/In-Person-Learning/Health-and-Safety/Daily-Health-Screening

Staying Home from School

If you, or anyone in your home is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, or if you or anyone in your home has been identified as a close contact of someone with a confirmed case, please stay home.

To view the Toronto Public Health Decision Guide for Schools, click here: https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/9858-COVID-19-Decision-Guide-for-Schools.pdf 

We encourage you to contact the school to document your absence and your teachers to arrange for support while you isolate.

Returning to School

Once you are clear to return (after completing a period of isolation, or receiving a negative test depending on the situation), please complete the Toronto Public Health Back to School Confirmation Form (there’s a version for adult students here) and bring it with you on your first day back.

Please bring the signed form to the office for our records.

As always, if you should have any questions, or need any help navigating this process, please do not hesitate to reach out to the school at 416-393-0744