SCHOOL CLOSURE UPDATE
I have opened this page to provide all classes (and parents) general updates for what is happening as we are given instruction from the Ministry of Education and the TDSB. Please check back regularly. I will not remove any posts, but the most recent will always be at the top (first).
Friday, April 3, 2020 (2:30 pm):
For all students: I am currently building up my Google Classroom for you and populating it with documents you need. This will likely take the weekend.
Starting Monday, April 6, I will post instructions for the day in the Stream on Google Classroom. I assume that this goes directly to your TDSB email address (if I'm wrong, please let me know). In my post on the Stream, I will point you towards what you need to access under Classroom, if anything. If you have any difficulty navigating the website, just post the question on the Stream in case there are others with the same question.
Starting Monday, April 6, I will post instructions for the day in the Stream on Google Classroom. I assume that this goes directly to your TDSB email address (if I'm wrong, please let me know). In my post on the Stream, I will point you towards what you need to access under Classroom, if anything. If you have any difficulty navigating the website, just post the question on the Stream in case there are others with the same question.
Friday, April 3, 2020 (12:00 pm):
In the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau's press conference today, he mentioned that he would like to take questions from youth and answer them on Sunday. Here is the link for you to ask your question:
https://www.cbc.ca/kidsnews/post/do-you-have-a-question-about-the-coronavirus-for-trudeau
Remember that your question should be about COVID-19 and not about school closures. Remember Civics? Education is the responsibility of the provincial government, not federal.
https://www.cbc.ca/kidsnews/post/do-you-have-a-question-about-the-coronavirus-for-trudeau
Remember that your question should be about COVID-19 and not about school closures. Remember Civics? Education is the responsibility of the provincial government, not federal.
Friday, April 3, 2020 (9:30 am):
There have been no new updates since Tuesday but I wanted to reach out today. The TDSB may send something out today so I will update again later if there is anything that comes out.
In the meantime, I want to go over some general things that will help you get a picture of what's happening in my classes as we begin on April 6. (Be aware that my instructions may not be the same as another teacher's instructions. Please reach out to them directly.)
In the meantime, I want to go over some general things that will help you get a picture of what's happening in my classes as we begin on April 6. (Be aware that my instructions may not be the same as another teacher's instructions. Please reach out to them directly.)
- Thank you for all students who completed my tech and materials survey. The admin asked that I communicate which students did not have reliable and consistent access to the Internet and/or a computer. You will likely hear from them next week regarding that. I know there is a duplication of information from your perspective as you fill out several surveys from different people asking the same things. Please fill all of them out as honestly and quickly as possible. It's the only way to get this situation figured out.
- All students, starting April 6, will get instructions on Google Classroom. I feel it will be an easier platform to work with during this closure than this weebly site.
- I will be evaluating work that will be counted towards your course mark.
- According to the Ministry of Education's guidelines for ongoing learning during this closure, I will be assigning roughly 3 hours of work for each class per week.
- I will be available by my TDSB email between 8:30-3:15 each school day. I will respond to your email within 24 hours (I will likely respond to you the same day you reach out. I just want you to understand that if you email me at 3 and I still have many emails to respond to, that you might not hear from me until the next morning.)
- All students must check their TDSB email at least once per day. If there is some reason you cannot, please contact me about that.
- For my Gr. 11's and 12's, the PDF of the text will be posted on Google Classroom.
- When you log in to Google Classroom, you should click on "Classwork" at the top. It will have things organized with subheadings. Google Calendar is also there for students to see due dates.
- If you have a question about class work or an assignment, please ask it in the Stream in Google Classroom. Chances are, others in the class may also have the same question or can at least check that they are understanding things correctly. I will respond to your question and other students can see my response. This is not the time to be shy or worry that your question is dumb. Just post it there. Please trust me that it's helpful for other students and is more time efficient for me to answer the question once as opposed to several times in individual emails.
- I will be starting out nice and easy for the first week (review a PowerPoint, read an article and answer some questions....) so don't panic about how sophisticated this is going to be.
Tuesday, March 31, 2020:
Premier Doug Ford, Minister of Education Stephen Lecce, and Universities Minister Ross Romano held a press conference at 1 pm today. They announced that schools will remain closed until Monday, May 4, 2020. They also said that the closure could continue if necessary, at the advice of Dr. William's, Ontario's Chief Medical Officer.
Teachers are now waiting to hear more detail from the TDSB about specific guidelines and expectations of students and teachers. What we do know is that learning will resume Monday, April 6.
I am now asking ALL STUDENTS to check their TDSB email and this site every day this week. When I get more detail from the TDSB, I will post information about what learning will look like with me.
Teachers are now waiting to hear more detail from the TDSB about specific guidelines and expectations of students and teachers. What we do know is that learning will resume Monday, April 6.
I am now asking ALL STUDENTS to check their TDSB email and this site every day this week. When I get more detail from the TDSB, I will post information about what learning will look like with me.
Monday, March 30, 2020:
Hi everyone! Today, the Social Science Department met virtually to discuss a few developments in the planning process, and to reconnect so that we can start planning together. The administration is trying to help us gain access to certain materials and documents we need to get going and so there is progress on that front.
I want to thank those of you who completed the survey below. If you haven't yet, please do it ASAP. You may experience some redundancy in terms of the questions on surveys that you're getting from various people, but I want to impress upon you how important it is to complete all of them honestly and thoroughly. It is so important for us to have the information. The duplication is in part due to the fact that different people need it for different purposes, and we don't want to wait for someone else to relay the information. So I thank you for that. For all of you that communicated your circumstances with access to technology, the Internet, a textbook, a quiet space to work, or the fact that you have other responsibilities, THANK YOU. I appreciate your honesty. We will work together through this process. For all students: I recognize that our situations are constantly in flux, and that although you may have been truthful when you filled out the survey, your situation could change as we go forward. And that's okay. All I need from you is for you to communicate that to me. Send me an email to keep me up to date on how things are. It helps me plan ahead and be able to accommodate any challenges or changes you might be facing.
If you're nervous about the technology piece and your own skills, it's okay. We're all going to be working this out together. Even today in our virtual department meeting, we had a few laughs while we worked out the kinks :) ("Ummmm we can't hear you. You might want to unmute yourself!) It's important to be humble and keep a sense of humour at times like this. I will not be asking something of you that you cannot do. I promise.
I think it's an understatement to say that we're all excited and anxious to hear from Minister Lecce so that we can get going! All I can tell you right now is that I will continue to post here until that happens. Once we know details, which will be sometime this week, I will give you instructions here about what my expectations are of you starting Monday, April 6.
In the meantime, be good to yourselves and your loved ones. Practice patience and gratitude when you can. Everything is going to be okay.
I want to thank those of you who completed the survey below. If you haven't yet, please do it ASAP. You may experience some redundancy in terms of the questions on surveys that you're getting from various people, but I want to impress upon you how important it is to complete all of them honestly and thoroughly. It is so important for us to have the information. The duplication is in part due to the fact that different people need it for different purposes, and we don't want to wait for someone else to relay the information. So I thank you for that. For all of you that communicated your circumstances with access to technology, the Internet, a textbook, a quiet space to work, or the fact that you have other responsibilities, THANK YOU. I appreciate your honesty. We will work together through this process. For all students: I recognize that our situations are constantly in flux, and that although you may have been truthful when you filled out the survey, your situation could change as we go forward. And that's okay. All I need from you is for you to communicate that to me. Send me an email to keep me up to date on how things are. It helps me plan ahead and be able to accommodate any challenges or changes you might be facing.
If you're nervous about the technology piece and your own skills, it's okay. We're all going to be working this out together. Even today in our virtual department meeting, we had a few laughs while we worked out the kinks :) ("Ummmm we can't hear you. You might want to unmute yourself!) It's important to be humble and keep a sense of humour at times like this. I will not be asking something of you that you cannot do. I promise.
I think it's an understatement to say that we're all excited and anxious to hear from Minister Lecce so that we can get going! All I can tell you right now is that I will continue to post here until that happens. Once we know details, which will be sometime this week, I will give you instructions here about what my expectations are of you starting Monday, April 6.
In the meantime, be good to yourselves and your loved ones. Practice patience and gratitude when you can. Everything is going to be okay.
Friday, March 27, 2020:
YOUR TASK: FOR ALL MS. GOURLEY'S CLASSES:
The Social Science Department has created a survey to determine the specific situation that our students are in so that we can develop appropriate materials for learning when the Ministry of Education and TDSB give us instruction. If you have more than one social science course, you will need to fill it out more than once. Each teacher is not just looking at individual responses, but trying to get an overall look for each of their classes.
Please go to Google Classroom to fill in the survey. Please fill in the survey using your TDSB email. The first thing you will see on the survey is my email address ([email protected]) and you can opt to "switch accounts". You must do this step, other wise, each student will be overwriting each other. Please complete this survey by Monday, March 30 at 9:30 am. If you have any difficulty, please email me.
The Social Science Department has created a survey to determine the specific situation that our students are in so that we can develop appropriate materials for learning when the Ministry of Education and TDSB give us instruction. If you have more than one social science course, you will need to fill it out more than once. Each teacher is not just looking at individual responses, but trying to get an overall look for each of their classes.
Please go to Google Classroom to fill in the survey. Please fill in the survey using your TDSB email. The first thing you will see on the survey is my email address ([email protected]) and you can opt to "switch accounts". You must do this step, other wise, each student will be overwriting each other. Please complete this survey by Monday, March 30 at 9:30 am. If you have any difficulty, please email me.
FOR GRADE 12's (and anyone else that's interested): Here are a number of magazines that are written at an appropriate level for you that you can read. Of course, there is a heavy emphasis on COVID-19 but there are other articles as well, or at least unique angles on the topic.
Wednesday, March 25, 2020:
Here is a letter from the TDSB Director of Education, John Malloy addressed to all parents:
FOR ALL GRADES: All deadlines that existed before March Break are being pushed back. This includes where "mid-term" was, when grades from teachers are due, when report cards are to be sent out, etc. As soon as the TDSB gives us instruction as to what the new deadlines are, I will be sure to post here.
FOR GRADE 12's: The department heads had a virtual meeting with the administration at Mackenzie this morning. They are aware of your unique situation. I want to assure you that they are looking at how to move ahead very carefully. I know it's hard being "in the dark". What I can recommend for you is to be doing sustained reading each day on anything that is reasonably academic. This skill and disciplined is what is necessary at the post-secondary level. Pick a topic you're interested in, and get reading!!!
FOR GRADE 10's: I know I handed out the culminating activity before the break. At this point, don't do anything until I have given more instruction. The administration at Mackenzie has put this issue forward to the TDSB and as soon as I hear how they would like us to proceed, I will certainly post the plan here.
FOR GRADE 11's: Some of you have emailed me about due dates for the essay and survey analysis. Work on what was assigned, and that will put you in a good place. As soon as we get further information about how we will proceed, I will definitely post here.
FOR GRADE 12's: The department heads had a virtual meeting with the administration at Mackenzie this morning. They are aware of your unique situation. I want to assure you that they are looking at how to move ahead very carefully. I know it's hard being "in the dark". What I can recommend for you is to be doing sustained reading each day on anything that is reasonably academic. This skill and disciplined is what is necessary at the post-secondary level. Pick a topic you're interested in, and get reading!!!
FOR GRADE 10's: I know I handed out the culminating activity before the break. At this point, don't do anything until I have given more instruction. The administration at Mackenzie has put this issue forward to the TDSB and as soon as I hear how they would like us to proceed, I will certainly post the plan here.
FOR GRADE 11's: Some of you have emailed me about due dates for the essay and survey analysis. Work on what was assigned, and that will put you in a good place. As soon as we get further information about how we will proceed, I will definitely post here.
Tuesday, March 24, 2020:
In a press conference given by Premier Ford yesterday, he stated that schools will not be re-opening April 6. He said that more information about what the plan is from there will come from Minister of Education Stephen Lecce in the coming days. Please keep an eye out for that.
Monday, March 23, 2020:
At the request of the TDSB, all due dates between Monday, March 23 and April 5 are suspended. This instruction applies to all high school teachers across the TDSB.
This means that you can/should work on the material, but it should not be submitted until we know more about what is happening Monday, April 6. If anything changes, I will let you know. Please feel free to share this information with your classmates. Feel free to email me anytime with questions.
This means that you can/should work on the material, but it should not be submitted until we know more about what is happening Monday, April 6. If anything changes, I will let you know. Please feel free to share this information with your classmates. Feel free to email me anytime with questions.
Sunday, March 22, 2020:
Hello Students & Parents,
As you know, Ontario's Chief Medical Health Officer, Dr. David Williams, advised the Ministry of Education to close all schools in Ontario until Monday, April 6.
No information had been provided by the Ministry of Education as to what the 2 weeks of closure would look like until Friday, March 20 when Premier Doug Ford gave a press conference. At that press conference, among many things, Premier Ford announced that they are rolling at a "Learn at Home" portal for students to continue to engage in their learning during the closure. Access to the portal is here:
As you know, Ontario's Chief Medical Health Officer, Dr. David Williams, advised the Ministry of Education to close all schools in Ontario until Monday, April 6.
No information had been provided by the Ministry of Education as to what the 2 weeks of closure would look like until Friday, March 20 when Premier Doug Ford gave a press conference. At that press conference, among many things, Premier Ford announced that they are rolling at a "Learn at Home" portal for students to continue to engage in their learning during the closure. Access to the portal is here:
Teachers were instructed today to not post their own materials until the Ministry of Education requests us to do so. We have been advised to tell students and parents to consult the Learn at Home portal for materials to use during this closure. Teachers have not been provided any other information or details other than this.
If you did not have a chance to see Friday's press conference, I have included it below. It's 36 minutes long. The education related parts are as follows:
- Minute 5: Premier Ford introduces Learn at Home.
- Minute 8: Minister Lecce speaks about Learn at Home.
- Minute 19: Minister Lecce responds to a question about the plan for graduating students.
- Minute 22:45: Premier Ford and Minister Lecce are asked about what parents and students should expect regarding possibility of schools continuing to be closed after April 6.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email me at [email protected]. I will do my best to answer any questions you have.
As more information comes out, I will update this page.
All the best to you and your loved ones at this time.
As more information comes out, I will update this page.
All the best to you and your loved ones at this time.