June 24th, 2022

This message is for families who have already registered their child for our Summer School program. Registration for Summer School has closed. Please speak to your school administrator if you have any questions.

Dear Summer School Families,

Thank you for registering your child for Summer School this year. We have put together a list of questions to provide some clarity around what to expect and how to get help.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the Summer School dates?

All Summer School courses will start on Monday, July 4 and end on Thursday, July 28.

What are the Summer School times?

Secondary summer school starts at 8:30am and finishes at 3pm each day. The elementary literacy and numeracy programs run from 10am – 2pm each day. The Multi-Language Learner summer program runs from 10am – 2pm each day. All courses have a blend of synchronous (2-3 hours/day) and asynchronous learning (30-60 minutes/day). The teacher decides the schedule for each specific class.

How will students find out more about their teacher and their class?

On Wednesday, June 29, teachers will call students to provide them with a class update and startup information.

What online platform will be used?

Classes will either run through the WRDSB Virtual Learning Platform and Brightspace or Google Classroom. Your teacher will contact students on June 29 to let them know which platform your class will be using. As always, you will use your school PAL (email and password) for access. If your class is using Brightspace, we recommend taking some time to practice navigating this platform and going through the VLE Elementary Student Orientation or the VLE Secondary Student Orientation.

If students are struggling with accessing the course, who can they contact for help?

Once you receive information about your classroom teacher, please send them an email and ask for help.

If students are struggling with course material, who can they contact for help?

Do not worry! Your Summer School staff is available to help just like regular school. Send an email to your teacher and ask to have a chat or 1:1 Google Meet. Your teacher will be aware of any extra supports that can be offered. Always ask if you need help.

How will students with an IEP get support in Summer School?

All students will be supported in order to be successful in their courses. Teachers will be in contact with families to provide appropriate support for students’ needs. NEW THIS YEAR! Scheduled drop-in support will be available for students at specific school locations.

How long are students expected to work each day to be successful in Summer School?

Students should expect to be working synchronously (online, ‘live’) for approximately 2-3 hours a day. Additionally, asynchronous time (independent, offline) is expected to work on reading and writing skills. This includes 30-60 minutes of asynchronous independent work each day.

Students can be successful by attending and engaging in all synchronous learning activities (whole class and small group), completing all work assignments by their due dates, and checking the online classroom regularly.

There are many digital learning tools to help you stay on track! Check out the Forest App or Noisli – these are timers with background sound to keep you working. Lastly, be sure to build in breaks!

If students have an issue with their Chromebook, what step should they take?

First, try troubleshooting using Tech at Home. If you cannot solve the problem using this resource, please email your Summer School teacher for assistance. They will put you in touch with Summer IT support.

Will students receive a final grade?

Your classroom teacher will provide comments and feedback weekly, in a meaningful way so that the student may apply the feedback and develop their understanding and skills. There will be no student reports or final grade required for Summer School.

Where can students look for information in the summer?

Check the WRDSB Summer School website for information and updates.

Best of luck to all those participating in Summer School courses this year!