OPSBA gathering public input on COVID-19 and educational experiences

GUELPH – With children across Ontario preparing to return to their public schools this fall for the first time since the spring, the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA) wants to hear from the public on learning during the pandemic.

OPSBA’s Transitioning from the COVID-19 School Experience Discussion Paper reflects the initial thinking of association membership from first-hand accounts of remote learning during the pandemic, in all manner of school and geographic settings.

This process of reflection has revealed two compelling realities: that a worrisome number of students have been unable to profit from remote forms of learning; and that several innovative practices in pedagogy and leadership have emerged that should be preserved and implemented on a broader scale post-pandemic.

To watch the video about Transitioning from the COVID-19 School Experience, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KROv3Ch-hKg.

OPSBA has launched an online survey to help inform public education advocacy to the provincial government throughout the 2021-22 school year and beyond.

The Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB), a member of the OPSBA, is asking community members throughout Ontario to share some of their thoughts about learning online during the COVID-19 pandemic and the post-pandemic school and learning environment.

The deadline to complete the survey is Nov. 30 and can be accessed at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/COVID19andSchoolOntario.

There are eight questions in the survey, which should take about 10 minutes to complete. The survey is completely anonymous, and participation is completely voluntary.

To allow more meaningful analysis of the results, some of the survey questions are mandatory. If one is missed, the user will be reminded at the end to complete those specific questions.

The board has created a dashboard and anyone who has completed the survey will receive an active link to see how others have responded. To learn more about OPSBA, visit www.opsba.org.