Uncategorized Archives - Page 4 of 8 - St. Louis Adult Learning and Continuing Education

St. Louis Fall 2021 Update

October 29th, 2021

Dear St. Louis Community,

We hope that you continue to be well and that you are enjoying some of the beauty that the fall season affords us. We are pleased that, for the moment, cases seem to be slowing provincially and in the region, and in general, currently we are seeing fewer cases in our schools. This letter brings a few important updates of which we would like you to be aware as they are important to your understanding as to how things are unfolding and precautions we wish to continue to enforce, so that we may continue on a safe, healthy and positive path as a community.

Screening

As we have shared before, please know that one of the most important things you do each and every day is to complete the screening tool before you as a staff member or student (or parent of a student) arrive at school. Any individual who fails the screener or who is symptomatic in any way should not be reporting to school. That is part of our collective responsibility to one another.

https://covid-19.ontario.ca/school-screening/

Vaccination

We continue to encourage all who are able to get a Covid vaccine. To assist with this the Region Public Health Vaccination Bus will be at St. Louis Main Campus on Tuesday November 2, from 10:00-1:00. Alternatively, the vaccine is available through many local pharmacies and Public Health.

Walk in COVID-19 vaccination, watch for our bus! Date: Tuesday November 2, 2021 at St. Louis Adult Education.

The Board has started conversations with Waterloo Region Public Health about vaccination for 5-11 year olds but at this point, things are still in the planning and approval stage. As updates become available and we have specifics to share, we will be in touch as promptly as possible.

Potential Travel

A reminder that there could be a requirement to quarantine for people who travel depending on the location of travel and whether a person is vaccinated or not. The federal policy and requirements are found on the following webpage. https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/isolation

Please review our full Operational Guidelines to ensure you understand how we are continuing to ensure a safe and happy school experience for all.

Inclement Weather Protocol

Every year, at this time, we like to share some reminders about protocols for snow days. As you know, there are sometimes days in the winter when we have to cancel bussing due to the weather and unsafe driving conditions for school buses. In the past, if roads were still passable, the Board would leave schools open.

This year, as was the case last year, that is not possible due to our Covid cohort- related restrictions. In consultation with the public board, with whom the Board shares bussing, when busses are cancelled, schools will close and it will be a remote learning day. Your teacher will communicate with you, in advance, so you know where to look for school work for the day and protocols on such days. In broad terms, the teachers will post work and students will work on their own timing in their home. It will allow all students to access some learning, and we will be continuing to keep one and all safe. We realize it may not be a perfect solution and learning day, but bus snow days rarely were. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience and hope that we are not in this situation too often.

Term 2 and Term 3 registration

Term 2 launches November 1st to resume in-person learning for secondary school credit classes. This term, some morning and afternoon teacher-led courses will remain in the D2L format and others will welcome students back to return to in-person format. Registration for Term 2 closes Wednesday. Visit https://stlouis.wcdsb.ca/programsandcourses/ssc/guidance-services/ to get started. Term 3 registration begins now for classes beginning January 3rd.

Skills Training and School-to-Work

Register online now for in-person, hands-on training for Culinary Arts, Hairstyling / Barbering, and Personal Support Worker. St. Louis Skills Training courses are 6 months in-class, with 2 months co-op placement and the next cohort of classes begin in January or February 2022. Please share with others to register early to save their spot and avoid disappointment.

We are grateful for our St. Louis school community’s support, cooperation and partnership, as we continue to navigate this unique year. Be well, Be Safe.

Sincerely,

Lisa Mackay, St. Louis Principal

National Custodian Appreciation Day and World Teachers’ Day

School Vaccine Clinics – Book Now

Attention all Waterloo Catholic District School Board Students age 12-17

The Waterloo Region Vaccine Task Force is hosting school vaccine clinics across Waterloo Region between June 22 – 26, 2021 for youth and their families.

School vaccine clinics

Youth aged 12-17 and family members they live with can book appointments at these vaccine clinics to get their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Daytime, evening, and weekend appointments are available between June 22 – 26, 2021. Free parking is available on-site at all the clinics.

Grand River Collegiate

175 Indian Rd, Kitchener, ON N2B 2S7

Southwood Secondary School

30 Southwood Dr, Cambridge, ON N1S 4K3

Huron Heights Secondary School

1825 Strasburg Rd, Kitchener, ON N2R 1S3

How to book an appointment?

To book an appointment please email youthclinics@regionofwaterloo.ca with your name, contact information, and preferred clinic location. Someone will call you back to complete the booking process (within 48 hours).

You can also book an appointment by calling the YMCA settlement services at 226-339-4964.

These clinics do not take walk-ins, an appointment is needed.

Who can get the vaccine now?

Youth between the ages of 12 and 17 are now eligible to get their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Youth must be 12 years old at the time of their appointment.

Youth will be able to get their second dose quicker than other people so they will have both their shots before the 2021/2022 school year.

What vaccine will be given?

Health Canada has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for anyone 12 years of age and older. See the resources below for more information.

COVID-19 Vaccines for Youth
Child and Youth COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Sheet
COVID-19 Vaccine FAQs

Thank you for your continued support in keeping our community safe.

COVID School Closure – What this means for St. Louis Programs

April 13th, 2021

Dear St. Louis Adult Learning and Continuing Education Community –

As you know we have commenced our well-deserved April Break and we hope that for each of you, it is starting as well as it can under our current circumstances. No doubt you are likely also aware, the Premier of the Province has indicated that the return to school after the April Break will be remote. That means that, on April 19^th all schools in the WCDSB, including St. Louis, will continue their learning virtually. The decision is being made with an abundance of caution. Experience has shown us that our schools are generally quite safe. Our protocols have served us well, and the cases of COVID are not starting, nor are they generally spreading, in our schools – but we are a reflection of the community. We have also seen an increase in the variants, and they are proving more concerning. Closing the schools to in person learning for the remainder of April will help us contain the cases that come into schools and ensure that when we return to our buildings, we are doing so in the safest manner possible.

We do not yet have a firm return date for in-person learning, but we know that we will pivot to virtual for a minimum of 2 weeks. Once we have a firm return date for in-person learning we share that information with the school community. Visit https://stlouis.wcdsb.ca often for updates.

The move to remote learning for our programs will be as it was in January. The first day back to learning remains the same as planned for your program, beginning April 19^th. There are no changes to the days or times of your programs. All learning that was occurring remotely will continue unchanged.

Students who were learning in-person in any of our campuses will be joining their classes or programs online for the duration of the school closure. They are as follows:

Culinary
Hairstyling
Personal Support Worker (*those in theory classes)
LBS — Core Essentials
ESL
LINC
Childminding & Licensed Child Care

Our students who are working on Co-operative education credits (Credits@Work and School to Work placements in essential services) may continue their placement following all COVID protocols and safety measures.

Thank you all for adhering to public health and safety measures that have ensured schools remain a safe place for our students and staff. This will be more important than ever now – both for our schools and for our community at large. During the April Break we all must adhere to the public health guidance to limit our contacts and social gatherings.

Once again, we encourage you to visit Ontario.ca/covidresponse to learn what public health measures are in place in our community – but also please be aware that these could change depending on the most current public health advice.

We also suggest checking out these helpful resources and supports:

WCDSB website https://www.wcdsb.ca/living-learning-looking-forward/
Region of Waterloo Public Health website https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/health-and-wellness/2019-novel-coronavirus.aspx

I will also take this opportunity to once again point out that mental health resources are available to students and families through:

Kids Help Phone, which offers 24/7 counselling and referral services across the province. To use this free resource, children can call 1-800-668-6868, or text CONNECT to 686868.
For adults in the region there is crisis line support available through Here 24 Seven 1-844-437-3247.
Need COVID-19 support? Check out here4help.ca/.
Other online resources to check out for information and tools regarding mental wellness and health are https://mindyourmind.ca/, and https://anxietycanada.com/.

Vaccination does continue to roll out and while we are in the darkest of days right now, there is reason to believe there is light at the end of this dark tunnel. Please be sure to follow the media and be aware of Public Health announcements for vaccine registrations that may be available to you based on age and postal codes within the region as that information is being updated as new information becomes available. Let us continue to be an Easter people, anchored in faith. Please remain confident that we are here to support you, as we walk together as a hope-filled community. #InThisTogether #WeGotThis

Please keep in mind that most of our school staff and teachers are on a well-deserved break and will be available for questions, guidance and updates as of April 19^th, 2021.

Sincerely,

Lisa Mackay

Principal

For Staff & Students During “April Break”

Additional Asymptomatic COVID-19 Testing for Staff & Students During “April Break”

The Ontario government has announced several opportunities to access COVID-19 testing for staff and students during the upcoming April Break.

Asymptomatic targeted testing expansion

The following options will be available to staff and students in the community.

In-Pharmacy Testing:

Existing Pharmacies

For the week of April 12-18 only, pharmacies that currently offer asymptomatic testing for education staff, will now accept appointments from students.
Children attending child care located within schools will also be eligible to access this testing. Please check with your local pharmacy on minimum testing age.
While students/children can access testing in pharmacies for April 12-18 only, this testing will continue to be available for all staff.
To book an appointment, visit the Covid-19 Testing Locations website, and select “pharmacy” as your location type, with the booking details requested.

New Pharmacies

In addition to these pharmacies, Shoppers Drug Mart is also able to offer additional in-pharmacy Rapid Antigen Screening for students and staff beginning April 14, 2021
Please see the accompanying list of participating stores
To book an appointment, please contact the store directly.

Assessment Centres

For the week of April 12-18, students and staff will also be able to access asymptomatic testing at local assessment centres.
Children attending child care located within schools, and child care staff, will also be eligible to access this testing.
This testing is only being offered to students, children and staff from April 12-18.
To book an appointment, visit the Covid-19 Testing Locations website, and select “assessment centre” as your location type, with the booking details requested

Participating Shoppers Drug Mart Stores

St. Louis Closed April 12-17. Stay Home, Stay Safe.

St. Louis will be closed for the April Break (April 12 to 17) to all in-person and remote learning. ESL, Citizenship and International Languages classes offered on Saturday, April 9, yet not on Saturday April 17. We expect to return to current learning formats on Monday, April 19, however we respond to Provincial orders daily.

Please visit https://stlouis.wcdsb.ca for updates!

Letter to Students (and Parents) below:

Dear Students and Parents,

Thank you for continuing to follow the public health and safety measures that have kept schools open and safe for students and staff. It is our collective effort that continues to ensure you (and your children) can learn in the classroom.

As per recent announcements, the province has implemented a province-wide shutdown for four weeks in response to worsening trends in key health indicators across the province.

Schools will remain open for in-person learning through the Provincial Emergency and Stay at Home Order. The Spring Break will continue as planned, from April 12^th to 16^th, and schools including St. Louis will reopen for in-person learning and other learning formats on April 19th.

In light of the recently announced measures, it is more important than ever that we continue to follow health advice over the Spring Break to do our part to keep schools open, for in-person student learning.

At this critical point in the pandemic, the following public health measures are crucial to help prevent and limit the spread of COVID-19:

Socialize with your own household only.
Stay home.
Get tested, if you feel ill.
Participate in the targeted testing offered by your school board.
Screen every day, including during spring break, for COVID-19 symptoms before going to other approved locations (the COVID-19 School and Child Care Screening Tool is available to assist families with symptom screening).
Practice good hand hygiene habits, masking, and physical distancing.
Refer to ca/covidresponse to learn what public health measures are in place in our community.
Refrain from travelling.
Check wcdsb.ca and https://stlouis.wcdsb.ca websites for updates.

For the week of April 12-18, pharmacies that currently offer testing and assessment centres across the province will accept appointments from students and education staff for asymptomatic testing. The Ministry of Education will be working with school boards to offer school-based clinics. People are encouraged to take advantage of this testing capacity to be tested to support a safe return to school on April 19. Children attending St. Louis or any other childcare, and childcare staff, will also be eligible to access this testing.

As a reminder, before coming back to school on April 19^th, you must screen for COVID-19 symptoms. If you, your child or anyone in your household is ill, stay home and follow the guidance in the school screener.

Your mental health and well-being and that of our school’s children continues to be a key government priority. If as a St. Louis student, you wish to learn how to manage your stress better, drop-in to a virtual St. Louis student presentation https://meet.google.com/msp-bxwf-csj on Monday, April 12 at 2:00pm or Wednesday, April 14 at 10:30am. There is no need to register.

By following public health advice, we can all enjoy a safe Spring Break and continue to support in-person learning in our school. Have a safe, fun and restful break.

Sincerely,

Lisa Mackay, Principal

St. Louis School Breaks in March and April – Revised

We wanted to take this opportunity to share widely the St. Louis plan for the upcoming March and April break weeks.

March

On February 11^th, The Minister of Education announced that March Break would be postponed. St. Louis offers programs under multiple Provincial and Federal government Ministries. Unfortunately, the following programs are unable to change those predetermined breaks and the following classes will be cancelled March 15 to March 20 (this includes day, evening and weekend in-person and remote programs).

Core Essentials (Literacy & Basic Skills)
English as a Second Language (ESL) (classes are held Saturday March 13 only)
Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC)
Care for Newcomer Children (childminding) AND Licensed Child Care (Spots for Tots) -correction notice

Easter

Easter weekend is from Good Friday, April 2 to Easter Monday, April 5 and ALL St. Louis programs at ALL locations are CANCELLED during this holiday.

April

In alignment with the Ministry of Education’s directive to school boards to shift the March Break to an April Break, ALL St. Louis programs at ALL locations will be cancelled April 12 to April 17 (this includes day, evening and weekend in-person and remote programs).

To be clear, the previously mentioned programs will be cancelled for a second week and will be included in the list of all St. Louis program cancelled that week.

International Languages – Elementary (classes are held Saturday, April 10 only)
International Languages – Secondary (classes are held Saturday, April 10 only)
Term 4 Secondary School Credit courses
Correspondence courses
Credits@Work (no co-op teachers are available, yet you may continue to accumulate hours)
Culinary Arts Training
Hairstyling & Barber Training
Personal Support Worker Certificate Program
Core Essentials (Literacy & Basic Skills)
Homework Clubs (Gr. 7 – 10)
English as a Second Language (ESL) (classes are held Saturday, April 10 only)
Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC)
Care for Newcomer Children (childminding)
Licensed Child Care (Spots for Tots)

Take advantage of this opportunity for a well-deserved rest.

Hairstyling and Barber: New class starts March 29

St. Louis Adult Learning and Continuing Education Centres has the safety and well-being of all students and staff as our top priority. We all appreciate that hands-on, service professionals require strong in-person training to be successful. It is even more critical that the art and science of teaching and learning Hairstyling and Barbering prepares our students. Teach to the future, they say. Even if Covid-19 precautions are temporary, the adaptability, sanitary processes, and creative problem-solving are enhancements imbedded in student learning.

Yes, we still have all the pre-apprenticeship, in-class elements covered to become a licensed stylist or barber. We even have Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) options available for adults working toward their Ontario Secondary School Diploma. We teach the foundational skills of cutting, colouring, lightening, relaxing and styling hair, while helping you bring out your flair for hair design, colours, business and communication with clients. Of course, we’ve expanded on infection control, health and safety that we have always taught. And we’ve increased the necessary and appropriate digital means of teaching and learning.

So if you are ready to make 2021 YOUR year of Hope and Opportunity, Register NOW for the few spots left in this stellar Hairstyling and Barber Training program. Next class start Monday, March 29.

LAST INTAKE /INFORMATION SESSION: Wednesday, March 3, 4:30pm, 5:30pm & 6:30pm

For more information visit our website or email stlouis@wcdsb.ca

Hairstyling and Barbering Certificate

St. Louis CLOSED Feb 22 due to weather

All St. Louis campuses are closed to staff and students for Monday, February 22nd due to poor weather conditions.

ALL in-person programs and services offered by St. Louis Continuing Education and Adult and Learning Centres will be done through remote learning from home. Students should access their program or class virtual sites for instructions from their teacher for the day.

Weather Alert – St. Louis closed to staff and students Feb 16

All St. Louis campuses are closed to staff and students for Tuesday, February 16th due to poor weather conditions. ALL in-person St. Louis programs will switch to remote learning from home for today. Students should contact their teacher directly for today’s course work.

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