Normal semesters returning for teens

Ontario school boards are wasting little time getting back to a normal semester model, with some resuming a regular class schedule starting next week.

Beginning Monday, both the Halton District School Board and the District School Board of Niagara will return to a traditional semester model for high school students, which means they will take four courses a day.

They are the first boards to ditch the modified semester adopted this academic year, which resulted in teens taking two courses a day on alternate weeks. Other boards have signalled they also intend to return to a normal semester.

“We’ve been speaking with students since the start of school in September 2021 to ensure their learning and well-being are supported during COVID,” said Kim Sweeney, spokesperson for the Niagara board. “The feedback from students is that they prefer a fourperiod per day regular semester model where they are taking the same classes continuously, without interruptions. Scheduling classes on alternate weeks meant that students were not having the benefit of building on their learning from week to week.”

The Toronto District School Board says it is consulting Toronto Public Health on next steps with regard to semesters. Meanwhile, the city’s Catholic board is aiming to return to a regular timetable in February.

Reintroducing four periods a day will provide “the opportunity for a more focused approach on academics and an improved in-person learning experience,” said Brendan Browne, director of the Toronto Catholic District School Board.

“We also recognize how critical a return to normal will be for a student’s mental health.”

Patrick Daly, head of the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association, said making the switch at the typical start of second semester in February seems like more of a natural transition, while giving boards the opportunity to work out the details with their local public health units.

“I know the boards I’ve spoken to, that’s what they are looking at, to give staff the time,” he said.

“Any way you look at it, it’s extremely good news,” Daly also said, adding Catholic boards had been advocating for it.

“As much as possible, we’d like to bring whatever degree of normalcy possible to young people’s and staff’s lives … to provide students with hope of a back-to-normal school year, what they are accustomed to.”