Trustees for the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) received the revised Return to School Guide from administration during a September 2 special teleconference session of the board. The guide was updated to cover new education ministry directives received during the previous two weeks and also advice from the chief medical offers from each of the Eastern Ontario regional health units where UCDSB schools are located.

Some of the key revisions to the guide includes scheduling the staggered entry plan for UCDSB students to a September 11 start, with all students confirmed for in-class schooling to be in their assigned classrooms by September 15.

The revised guide also includes information on the secondary quadmester setup for UCDSB high schools and a new secondary school calendar for staff and students. There is also new information on remote learning options for home-school students.

The UCDSB also now has a mask exemption process for students who not able to follow the mandatory masking protocol when in school. Parents who want their children exempted from the protocol must complete the COVID-19 mask exemption form available through the UCDSB website and submit it to the school principal. This must be done first before the child attends a school without wearing a mask.