Parents are getting ready to send students back to virtual school next week.
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, the Ontario government decided to switch to online learning to help slow the spread of the virus.
For high school students in Niagara the change should be fairly seamless since they have been using a hybrid model of in-class and remote learning already.
But it may be a tricky transition for elementary students.
Niagara Catholic Director of Education Camillo Cipriano says "For elementary teachers, give them the morning to kind of come together, to plan, to get ready and starting on the afternoon of Monday, January 4th we're hoping and preparing to go virtual and be synchronous at that time for the rest of the week."
Information on virtual learning was sent out to Niagara Catholic Board families this week.
District School Board of Niagara families should also have received some information this week.
DSBN Director of Education Warren Hoshizaki says the first day will be about the teachers connecting with students. "The first day we might give some expectations for that day the kids can work on, as well as letting them know the program for the rest of the week."
Elementary school students in Niagara are expected to return to in-person class on January 11th, while the local hybrid model for high school students is set to resume January 25th.