The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is changing how school boards and families are preparing young children to start school next year.
Usually at this time of year, local school boards hold kindergarten registration drives, which includes holding events to prepare families for the upcoming school year in the fall.
But this year, that process has been pushed online.
Eric Fredrickson, the early years principal for the Lakehead District School Board, said this year’s kindergarten registration process is significantly different, but the board is trying to keep what has worked in other years.
“We know from talking to parents in the years we’ve had the event they’ve really valued getting to meet in particular some of our board staff and our educator teams, teachers, early childhood educators and support staff,” Fredrickson said.
“We wanted to bring that experience to parents and guardians and families.”
The board held a virtual event earlier this week, which Fredrickson said about 200 families participated in during the livestream.
Fredrickson said families looking for more information can access online resources or contact the board office, as well as the principal or vice principal at their community school.
The Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board has launched an online kindergarten registration portal.
Several other northwestern school boards — the Rainy River District School Board, Keewatin Patricia District School Board, Kenora Catholic District School Board, Northwest Catholic District School Board and Conseil scholaire de district Catholique des Aurores boréales — are teaming up to hold a kindergarten registration week in early March.
