April 16th, 2020

Dear WRDSB families,

I want to start by thanking you for your partnership as we work together to support student learning and well-being through distance learning. These are extraordinarily difficult times for many as we cooperate with the public measures of staying home except where necessary, maintaining physical distancing, supporting our frontline workers and doing our best to take care of ourselves and our families.

As we approach the last few months of the school year, our focus has turned to the many planned year-end celebrations, special events, trips and of course graduation ceremonies. Following the Premier’s announcement to extend the state of emergency in the province of Ontario and the decision of our local municipalities to cancel all events until June 30, we have made the difficult decision to cancel all school-related events through to the end of June.

Where possible, our schools will make every effort to hold graduation ceremonies for students in the fall. Schools will share more information with students and families as soon as we are able.

Please know that this decision is not made lightly. We know that our students, families and staff look forward to these milestone events to celebrate the achievements and accomplishments of our students. However, given the current public health risk, we must make decisions that support the health, safety and well-being of everyone involved.

The situation we all find ourselves in is challenging in many ways – this is not how any of us envisioned ending our school year together. I hope you can all find ways to stay connected and reach out to family and friends. Please refer to the list of resources on our website if you or your child require any support. 

Stay safe and be well.

Sincerely,

John Bryant
Director of Education