This Q&A is to clarify points contained in a letter sent by the English School District on April 27, to families of MDJH students regarding the condensed day that will be implemented in certain junior high schools to limit mixing of cohorts outside of the school environment during the school day.

When is this starting?
The compressed day will start on Monday, May 3.

What is the new schedule?

The new schedule is as follows:

Period 1: 8:05 – 9:01

Period 2: 9:02 – 9:53

RECESS 9:53-9:58

Period 3: 9:59 – 10:55

LUNCH: 10:55 – 11:15

Period 4: 11:17 – 12:13 PM

Period 5: 12:14 – 1:10

Will there be a morning Homeroom?
No. A warning bell will sound at 8:00. Classes will begin at 8:05.

Will students still have Recess?
At the end of Period 2, we have a RECESS break when students will be permitted to eat at their desk.

Will students be permitted to leave at lunch?
No, students MUST remain in their classroom.

Will Chartwells be available for purchasing food?
Food can be purchased only through online ordering until 8am on the same morning, and will be brought to the class. Students will not be able to purchase food from Chartwells during the lunch period. Students can also bring a packed lunch from home.

Will students be permitted to move about?
During periods 1, 3 and 5, assigned classes will be scheduled for a “walk about” to get up and stretch. Staff are also encouraged to “get moving” in all other classes.

Will buses run an hour earlier in the afternoon?
Yes. Students will be dismissed at 1:10. Buses will take students home at 1:10. Morning bus times will not be affected.

Will all Junior Highs move to this model?
The decision to expand to other junior highs rests with the District and the Department of Education. At this point, only certain Junior Highs will begin with this condensed day. These junior highs are pure junior highs (Grade 7, 8 and 9 students), represent the larger schools, and busing was able to be accommodated.

Why is this being done?
A condensed day will allow our school to more effectively adhere to the latest Public Health recommendations and ultimately remain open as it will limit the potential for mixing of cohorts outside of the school environment during the school day.

Grade 9 students can apply for a bursary to attend a virtual summer program offered through Campus Notre-Dame-du-Foy. This one-week virtual program includes French classes and an opportunity to explore Quebec culture virtually. The Grade 9 program is open to all Grade 9 students, regardless of their level of French (beginner to advanced). Bursaries are paid directly to the institution and cover tuition and registration fees.

For more information, visit https://www.gov.nl.ca/education/k12/french/bursaries/#Grade9

Application deadline: April 30, 2021

April 26, 2021 Dear Families,

This letter is to advise families of an adjustment in the schedule for students attending select junior high schools in the St. John’s Metro region.

As of Monday, May 3, students attending Beaconsfield Junior High, Frank Roberts Junior High, Macdonald Drive Junior High, and St. Peter’s Junior High will see their school day compressed, resulting in a shorter lunch period and a dismissal time approximately one hour earlier than usual.

After consultation with the Department of Education, school administrators, and teaching staff at these schools, it was determined that this move would limit the opportunity for students to mix with other cohorts during the school day. During this condensed day, all students will be required to remain on school property at all times.

Individual schools will communicate changes to their specific schedules. It should be noted that administrators and teaching staff will work additional short breaks into the school day, and make every effort to bring cohorted classes outside for breaks and instruction whenever possible.

Beyond the timing adjustment in the afternoon, student transportation arrangements will remain unchanged. Bus runs will remain the same for morning pick-up, but will return students home approximately one hour earlier in the afternoon.

We recognize this has been a challenging school year for many students and families, and that this change to the school schedule may mean some personal adjustments for families. This will, however, help limit the potential for mixing of cohorts outside the school environment during the school day, thereby allowing your school to more effectively adhere to the latest Public Health recommendations and remain open.

We sincerely appreciate your continued help in protecting the safety of our schools at this time.

Regards,

Andrew Hickey Assistant Director of Education (Programs), Avalon Region

Part of making sure our students are their best selves and are ready to learn is to give them the opportunity for a breakfast. Our breakfast club is different in these Covid-19 times, but we still have volunteers helping out with a Grab-And-Go station in the mornings. Thanks to them, and to Kids Eat Smart!

On Saturday, April 17, Chess Buddies Canada hosted a nation-wide chess tournament, featuring 42 players! We would like to recognize MDJH student Emmett Booth for his participation in this tournament. Emmett faced some of the strongest players across Canada and scored a high performance rating of 1369! Congratulations Emmett!

For more information regarding upcoming tournaments, you can visit the Chess Buddies Canada website at http://chessbuddies.ca/ and you can join the club (https://lichess.org/team/newfoundland-and-labrador) for news and updates regarding the club.

Send in your answer to Mr. Lambert and you can win a prize!

Newfoundland and Labrador Upcoming Rapid Tournament Information
Date: Saturday, April 17th, 2021
Time: 2:30pm (Newfoundland time)

Registration is free for this tournament

The tournament will be played on a website called Lichess.org (https://lichess.org)

The only requirement is for players to have a free Lichess.org account. If you don’t have one, you can create one with an email address

Players must join the Newfoundland and Labrador Lichess.org Team on Lichess.org. It is open to everyone. You can access the club through this link: https://lichess.org/team/newfoundland-and-labrador. Membership is free. Once you are in the link, press the “join team” button

Once you are have successfully joined the team, you can register for the tournament. The link to join the tournament is here: https://lichess.org/swiss/Q9ERffa7

The format and time control for this tournament will be Rapid, and the time control is 10 minutes with a 5 second increment, meaning that players will play five games against five other players

Participants should be online at least 10 minutes before the tournament starts

Games are rated, meaning that you can win or lose points during the tournament

There will be a five minute break provided in between rounds

Make sure to have fun and enjoy!

If you have any questions or encounter any difficulty, please feel free to send an email to tbhatt_s@nlesd.ca before the tournament.

Thanks
Newfoundland and Labrador Online Chess Association

Dear Parents / Guardians,

The new chromebooks have arrived and we have started distributing them. If you signed the agreement form, your child will be receiving a chromebook, a charger and a soft case.

We would like to remind you of the agreement that you and your child signed called “Chromebook Loan Agreement – Expectations for Responsible Use.“

If you have already received a chromebook from the district before the last shutdown, that device needs to be returned asap and students will be issued one of these new devices. If your child has already been issued a SurfacePro or Chromebook through the Department of Education as part of their accommodations, they will not be issued another device.

We would like to remind you that you are responsible for damage, loss or theft of these items. These devices will need to be returned to the district at the end of Grade 12 or if they leave the school district. These devices are not to be tampered with, written on, stickered, or defaced in any way in any way. Do not remove the identification tags. If you do not want the device, please return it to the school.

At the moment, we are asking that the students use these devices for learning at home only. We are in the process of upgrading our wifi capabilities so students will be able to use them in school.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the school.

Ramadan Mubarak to all those families celebrating the Holy Month of Ramadan!