Dear VTT Families,
I hope this email finds you well and settled into the school year. I am reaching out to ensure that our families have all the information available about travel as you make your winter holiday plans.
We know that COVID has put a lot of pressure on families and prevented many from visiting their loved ones or seeking warmer weather. As mentioned shortly before school began, the federal government has put rules in place about travel for unvaccinated children and I wanted to be sure all of our families are aware of these restrictions when making travel arrangements.
Please see the link here for more detailed information about the restrictions currently in place for your children. In essence, unvaccinated children under 12 will not be able to come to school for two weeks after returning from another country. Students will have access to Google Classroom in Intermediate. Teachers will post work on the Google Classroom and your child can independently check in to complete the work. In Primary, students will have access to their online interactive programs, such as IXL and Reading Eggs. Please be in touch with your child’s teachers so that they will know to set aside classroom work for your child and make arrangements to leave it in the front office. Please know that teachers will not be able to provide your child with a direct substitute to in class learning, so students will have to independently learn the material covered while absent.
Please see the abbreviated version of the federal travel restrictions below:
For 14 days after arrival, students who are under 12 and unvaccinated, may NOT
- Attend school, camp or daycare.
- Attend a setting where they may have contact with vulnerable people (e.g. long term care facility), including people who are immunocompromised, regardless of that person’s vaccination status or public health measures.
- Travel on crowded public transportation that does not ensure physical distancing and masking.
- Attend large crowded settings, indoors or outdoors, such as an amusement park or sporting event.
If you are concerned about these restrictions, as some of you have voiced, I recommend that you share your feelings with your local MP. We know that this is a fluid situation and these regulations could change at any time. I suggest that you regularly check the regulations to ensure that you are up-to-date on the travel restrictions that may apply to your family.
Additionally, as per federal regulations, students who are 12 and above and unvaccinated or partially unvaccinated will be subject to a 14-day quarantine and additional testing. See here for more details.
However your family chooses to spend the winter break, I wish for health, safety and quality time spent with loved ones during December holiday. We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming Chanukah celebrations of light and learning. Details will be forthcoming in the next couple of days.
Warmest regards,
Emily
