Dear families,
I hope that you and
your loved ones are healthy
and
well. 2020 has been
a challenging
year in so many ways, and the global
pandemic has affected
individuals and families
in different ways.
I want to reassure
you that we continue
to work closely
with York Region Public
Health and to prioritize the health and
well-being of our students,
staff members and families.
It
continues to be important
that we adhere to the health
and
safety measures in place to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
You can learn more about what schools are doing at www.yrdsb.ca/school-reopening.
While
we have
seen cases in some of our schools,
we continue to work with
public health to respond
quickly, identify cohorts that need to
self-isolate as a precautionary measure and take all
appropriate measures. I want to thank all of our students,
families and staff members for their
diligence in adhering to the public
health recommendations and health and safety measures
in place
in
our schools.
One of our priorities
in our Multi-Year Strategic Plan is to foster well-being
and mental health. As a result of the pandemic, many
of us
are facing
changes and new challenges
that can take a toll on our mental health.
It is more important than ever that
we check
in on one another and
practice self-care. There are mental health resources
for students and families
on our Board website that address the unique nature
of our current situation. You can also find
information about our Mental Health and Addiction Strategy and the work we are
doing in schools to promote
positive mental
health and provide support
for students.
While there
are challenges, we also continue to have so many reasons
to
feel positive. Our students continue to
impress us with
their kindness, creativity, innovation,
resilience, courage and perseverance. Visit
us
on YouTube at YRDSBMedia to see just some of
these stories.
In the coming weeks
and months, many of our students
and families
will be celebrating days of significance and
holidays, and I wish you all the very best
for the season. While we
may
be celebrating a little differently this year,
I hope everyone has a safe and happy winter break and we look
forward to welcoming students
back into our in-person and virtual schools in January.