Toronto and Peel Region school boards launch online ‘teacher-led’ instruction on April 6, schools closed until May 4

TORONTO, ON., March 31, 2020 – With all Ontario schools being closed to students until May 4 and to teachers until May 1, 2020, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and the Peel District School Board (PDSB) plan to begin teacher-directed instruction online April 6.

The announcements came in the form of letters home to parents from both school boards.

Ontario schools had been slated to re-open on April 6 but due to the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and the province’s State of Emergency status, schools will remain closed to teachers until May 1st and to students until May 4th at the earliest.

In addition, both school boards are working to ensure that all students will have available technology to continue their learning. They are calling it distance learning according to John Malloy, TDSB Director of Education.

In a letter to parents from the Peel District School Board, the Director of Education, Peter Joshua said that the board plans to include ways to ensure equity of access to devices and Wi-Fi, mental health and community supports and help for students with special education needs and English language learners. He also expects there to be “some turbulence upon take-off.”

TDSB’s education director, John Malloy, also said their board is working to ensure that as many students as possible have the opportunity to resume learning and connect students with their teachers and classmates.

In a statement on the TDSB website, Malloy said “Working with the Ministry of Education, we are developing a plan that will connect teachers to their students and/or their parents/guardians on a system-wide basis and will restore teacher-led learning to the greatest extent possible as of April 6, 2020,” Malloy said in a statement on the TDSB website.

It is expected that most Ontario school boards will follow suit.