September 1st, 2020

We hope that you are looking forward to starting school next week as much as we are looking forward to welcoming you back!  Teachers and support staff are at school this week working diligently to support the launch of the Distance Learning Program (DLP) and to also welcome the vast majority of our students back into the school building, with your health and safety being our number one priority. 

There will be many changes to school routines as a result of COVID-19, and information that has been posted on the WRDSB website, regarding some of the changes, is a helpful starting point.  We will share more information with you once you’re at school, and will work with you to make sure that you feel safe and ready to learn.  

We know that you are wondering about your timetable, your cohort, and what to do on the first day of school.  The information shared here can also be found in this document that you can download.

When do I start school?

Students in different grades and programs will start school on different days.  The day that you first come to school for in-class learning also depends on which cohort you are in.  

School will start at 8:20 am and all students will be dismissed at 12:50 pm.  Review the FHCI Daily Schedule for more information regarding how the learning blocks for both when students are working at school and at home will be structured.  On the days that you are scheduled to be at home, you are expected to be available to participate in synchronous online learning and other learning activities. 

Review the FHCI Quadmester One Calendar to see when the two cohorts are expected to be at home or at school.

Distance Learning Program students will be contacted between Sept 9th and 11th by their DLP teacher with more information.

Note:  Senior students taking a spare period that lands during Course 1, will start attending school when Course 2 starts on Thursday, September 17th.

 

How do I know which courses I have in my timetable? 

In order to support the launch of the WRDSB Distance Learning Program (DLP), all secondary schools are in the process of re-organizing courses and finalizing timetables for students.  

Guidance counsellors will be working this week to resolve timetable conflicts and will be reaching out directly to students that require course changes, by phone and email.  All students will receive their complete timetable on their cohort’s first day of in-school class. 

Before your first day of class, your Course 1 teacher will be contacting you directly (e.g. email and/or phone call) to provide information regarding your course, room, cohort, and how to access your on-line learning platform.

Once timetable conflicts have been resolved, timetable changes to Quadmester One courses will be made only to accommodate graduation or post-secondary application requirements.  We will inform students when guidance counsellors will be available to schedule appointments (late September) regarding requests for timetable changes for the remaining three Quadmesters.

 

How do I know if I am in Cohort A or B?

If you ride a school bus, you are able to find out your cohort information by checking the Student Transportation Website (STSWR).  Your cohort letter is written beside the route number (Route 283B, student in cohort B) and was determined by home address.  You will need your OEN Number, which you can find on a copy of the report card, to log-in to the Parent Portal to find your bus route.  

For students who are not bused to school, your cohort information will be provided to you via a school day message and a recorded phone call starting on Friday, September 4th.  Teachers will also be sending email messages to their students containing that information.   

Students who have not received their cohort information by the day they are scheduled to start school must NOT come to school that day.  Instead, call or send an email to fhc@wrdsb.ca for information regarding cohort placement and your class.

 

When do I pick up my Chromebook?

Just a reminder that all grade nine students will be able to pick up their Chromebooks on Wed. Sept 2nd and Thurs. Sept 3rd (link to Chromebook Pickup Schedule).  

Please complete and sign the Chromebook Contract and bring it with you when you pick up your Chromebook, or on the first day that you attend school in person.  If you are unable to pick up your Chromebook on these dates, you will be able to pick it up on the first day of class.

If you have any learning materials (chromebooks, iPads, books, etc) from your grade 8 school, please bring these items to FHCI when you pick up your new Chromebook.  We will return these items to the elementary school for you.

Students in Grades 10-12 who require a Chromebook replacement should send an email to Ian_Clancy@wrdsb.ca as soon as possible so that we can have one ready for you for September 11th.

If you are an FHCI graduate, or no longer a student at FHCI, please return your Chromebook and other learning materials on September 3rd, between the hours of 11:00 am and 2:00 pm.

 

What do I need to know about the first day of school?

We have introduced many Health and Safety protocols to help keep everyone safe.  Please review all safety information that has been provided on the WRDSB and school website.

The most important rule is that you do not come to school if you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or of any respiratory illness, if you have travelled outside of the country within the last 14 days, or if you have come in close contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19.  You must stay home if you are sick.

Plan to bring the following items with you on the first day of school:

• Cloth mask that comfortably covers your nose, mouth, and chin.  If you do not have one, we will provide you with one.
• Refillable water bottle, labelled with your name.
• Charged Chromebook or electronic device.
• Pack a lunch and snacks – any containers or litter from lunch will need to be taken home at the end of the day.
• A pair of headphones, earphones, or earbuds.

When you arrive at school:

• Use only designated entrances.  Look for the signs posted on the doors.
• Enter the school and proceed directly to your classroom.  Note that the school doors will be opened no earlier than 8:00 am.  Follow the arrows posted on the walls and floor.  There will be staff members in the hallways to help you find your room.
• Ensure that you wear your mask at all times inside the school.
• Sanitize your hands at any of the available stations, before entering your classroom.
• As you move through the school, try and maintain 2 metres of distance between yourself and other students.

We encourage you to watch a Day in the Life of a Secondary School Student in the WRDSB.

More information will be coming soon and provided to you by your administration and classroom teachers. We appreciate your patience in these unprecedented times.