The letter stated that the first day, Friday, Aug. 28, will see only grades five and six return. On Aug. 31, students from grades three through six will be permitted. On Sept. 1, grades one through four will be at school while those in five and six will not be. All grades will be set to return on Sept. 2, and on Sept. 3 the school will be fully open to all students from K4 and kindergarten through grade six. Those students in K4 and kindergarten will be invited for orientation from Aug. 31- Sept. 2.

Meanwhile, students who will be attending Pontiac High School received a letter on Aug. 14 from Principal Debra Stephens about the details of their return.

The plan notably addressed how class groupings will have a “home base” that they will spend most of their class time in. As opposed to students moving from class to class, the teachers will be the ones moving.

There will not be a staggered return to the extent that McDowell is doing, but grade sevens will be returning on Aug. 28 for orientation and the rest of the students will return en masse on Aug. 31.

The letter also notes that lockers will be unavailable for students until Sept. 18, so belongings will have to be kept in the “home base”.

The CSSHBO, the French-language school service centre, released a press release on Aug. 18 that included details on the return of elementary-aged students.

Students in first and second grade will be returning on Aug. 31, those in grades three and four on Sept. 1 and grades five and six on Sept. 2. Unlike the situation with McDowell, once students return to school they will remain as the number of grades increase over the three-day span.

For transportation within the Western Quebec School Board and the CSSHBO, both institutions released letters to parents detailing the guidelines needed to accommodate COVID-19.

They outline no more than two students per seat, assigned seating for all routes, mandatory masks for students grade five and above and recommended masks for all younger students.

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