General Information for All Grades for September 2020
Due to health guidelines and school construction, this year will be very different from other years. Please read the information below carefully.
SCHOOL REOPENS (STAFF ONLY IN 2020) THE TUESDAY AFTER LABOUR DAY.
Important! Please read the following documents BEFORE the start of school. Please translate if necessary.
How to Prepare for Coming to School: | Jump to a Specific Topic:
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SEPTEMBER 8 to 10–STUDENTS PREPARE FOR CLASSES
STEP 1: CHECK YOUR TIMETABLE
Students should log into the MyEducation Portal (via computer or phone) anytime after 9am on September 8, 2020 to CHECK THEIR TIMETABLE.
- *Remember, if you are checking your timetable on your phone, you must load the desktop version of the website. The ‘Schedule’ tab is not accessible on the mobile site.
- Grade 8’s You will be receiving a separate email later this week with login guidelines and a password
There will be NO HOMEROOM LISTS POSTED at building entrances and NO TIMETABLE distribution in classes. Please print your timetable at home or save a picture of it to your camera roll for easy access.
If your timetable looks wrong…
First, read the new school schedule information. Some courses needed to be changed for the quarter system. In order to comply with the health guidelines, and ensure a smooth start-up to the year, we will not be making ‘course changes’ only course corrections in cases only if…
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- you are missing a course, OR
- you have been scheduled into the wrong grade level of a course OR
- you have a duplicate course on your schedule.
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If one of the three situations above describes your timetable, please complete the Course Correction form that will be posted on the school website after 9 am, Sept. 8, 2020. Do NOT attend an incorrect course to preserve our Learning Groups. A counsellor will email or call you to verify that the correction has been made.
STEP 2: PLAN YOUR ROUTES
***To improve community wellness & reduce traffic, we encourage students to walk or bike to school whenever possible. Bike racks are located at the North end of the South Building and in the North Courtyard.***
Access to our buildings has changed due to road/school construction and current health guidelines. Students will not be able to arrive and enter the buildings the way they’re used to. Our usual traffic and pedestrian patterns have changed. This will mean MORE WALKING for everyone and using only SPECIFIC ENTRANCES to the buildings. Please note the following and plan your new school arrival accordingly:
Road and building construction vehicles will be coming and going from campus. Please slow down and respect all signage and traffic control personnel.
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*SLOW DOWN *OBEY NEW SAFETY SIGNS & PERSONNEL *WATCH BEFORE YOU WALK *LOOK FOR STUDENTS CROSSING
SEPTEMBER 10 & 11: STUDENTS ATTEND CAMPUS
STEP 3: HEALTH CHECK BEFORE YOU LEAVE HOME
Complete a health check with your caregivers at home before coming to school. If you exhibit ANY symptoms of illness listed on the health check you MAY NOT attend school.
“If a student presents with symptoms, parents or caregivers must keep their child at home
until they have been assessed by a health care provider, and where instructed, tested to
exclude COVID-19, and their symptoms have resolved.” (Burnaby School District Stage 2 Return to School Health and Safety Handbook COVID-19, p. 8)
STEP 4: ARRIVE ON CAMPUS
When you arrive at school, you will need to follow a specific arrival protocol:
Put on your mask before entering the building. Students and staff are required to wear masks in common spaces when social distancing isn’t possible; entrances will be crowded.
- Enter the building through the entrance assigned to your Period 1 class (see step 2 above).
- Sanitize/wash your hands upon arrival at school at the locations provided.
- Proceed directly to your classroom.
You can exit the school through any door but need to use the arrival protocol each time you (re)enter either building.
STEP 5: ORIENTATION IN PERIOD 1
Bring pen & paper for notes.
GRADE | Thurs. Sept. 10 | Fri. Sept. 11 | ||
START* | END | START* | END | |
8 |
9:00 am |
10:30 am DISMISSED |
9:00 am |
10:30 am DISMISSED |
9-12 | NO CLASSES | STAY HOME |
1:00 pm* |
2:00 pm DISMISSED |
*Arrive early so you have time to sanitize before proceeding to your classroom. | *Arrive early so you have time to sanitize before proceeding to your classroom. |
Grade 8’s – During your orientation classes in Period 1, your teachers (with the help of our amazing Leadership and Mentorship students) will provide a school orientation, review schedules and health guidelines, introduce you to school staff, take you on a tour and outline the plans for the year ahead. You can expect a call from Leadership and Mentorship students early in September to welcome you to North and tell you a bit more about what to expect.
Prior to arriving on Thursday, you will need to login to the MyEd Portal to see your schedule and determine the classroom where you will begin the day on the 10th. The portal is currently disabled but will be opened up by 9:00am on Tuesday, September 8th. You will be receiving a separate email later this week with login guidelines and a password so you are ready to go before the 8th. You will not require any specific materials on the first day but you should bring a pen or pencil and something to write on.
Grades 9-12–During your orientation classes in Period 1, your teachers will provide a school orientation, review schedules and health guidelines, and outline the plans for the year ahead.
OTHER CHANGES FOR 2020
SCHOOL SCHEDULE
The school schedule has been adjusted into a Quarter system and students organized into Learning Groups in order to meet guidelines from the Provincial Health Office and Ministry of Education. In a Quarter system, students take two courses at a time. Each Quarter lasts 10 weeks.
Students will be organised into Learning Groups. Whenever possible, the Learning Groups are designed to allow students to take the courses they requested in the Spring but some adjustments were necessary to preserve the Learning Group structure.
Grade 8 and 9 students have been scheduled into Learning Groups of 30 students that will stay together for each Quarter. e.g. Students in Math in Period 1 will be scheduled with the same group of students for their English class in the afternoon. Grade 8/9 students with unique programs or who have accelerated in specific courses may have a blended course in their schedule.
Grade 10-12 students are in Learning Groups for their Period 1 classes but mix cohorts for their Period 2 class. For this reason, Period 2 classes for Grade 10-12 students will have reduced class sizes and will run as blended courses. Note: Students are expected to be available and engaged for the duration of their Period 2 classes whether at home or in the school.
BELL SCHEDULES
Our new school bell schedules allow for staggered start and end times to limit the number of students on campus and out at breaks to allow for greater distancing in common areas. Grade 10-12 students can meet with teachers during “Flexible Student Support Time” (FSS) but do not start formal classes until 9:15am. Their formal classes end at 2:25pm with the option of meeting with teachers individually during FSS time.
Students are reminded not to gather before or after school and leave at the completion of their school day. Grade 10-12 students scheduled for Remote Learning in the afternoon should head home at the beginning of lunch to prepare for their afternoon class.
LOCKERS
In order to maintain the healthiest learning environment possible, students will not have access to lockers this year. The Quarter system limits how many books and resources students will require at any given time so students should be able to carry necessary items in backpacks or bags.
CAFETERIA SERVICES
The North Cafeteria is open with reduced menu options. Students can purchase individually packaged items and pay using debit. Seating is not available in the cafeteria at this time. *The South Cafeteria has been converted into learning spaces for the North Burnaby Adult Education Centre.
General School Info (All info below is subject to change to meet health guidelines; not all links have been updated for 2020)
- Opening Week Bell Schedule — Please note the different times for each grade noted above.
- General Information & School Policies — All parents and students should be familiar with this information (from 2019)
- BNS Calendar
- Bell Schedules — Updated Aug. 2020
- Find your Administrator & Counsellor (.pdf) (to be confirmed for 2020)
- Online Locker Sign-Up–In 2020, students will not have access to lockers.
- School Fees– General School Fees are payable online or in person (cash or cheque in 114 only).
- Online payment access is not open until school begins in September.
- Instructions for Online Payments (.pdf) — You must create an account prior to paying online.
- School Cash Online–Payment Options
- Student & Family Accident Insurance Information
Technology & Media At North
Technology/Internet Resources
- Internet/Network Agreement Form (.pdf) — must be signed and returned (if not previously submitted) for students to have permission to use school computers. Be sure to read the policy before signing.
- Students who have provided signed Internet/Network agreement forms are provided with a SchoolConnect network login (to access school computers and wifi) and an Office365 account, which includes access to a burnabyschools.ca email address and services to support classroom instruction.
- District Technologies and Information Systems’ Digital Responsibility Guidelines for Students
- Teachers may have additional classroom policies regarding electronic devices and network access. Please refer to each teacher’s orientation lessons/documents.
Media Resources
- Media Parental Consent Form — permission form for publishing student’s work/name/photos. If you are new to the school, please complete and return the competed form to the school (division classroom or office 114).
- School Photo Information
Grade specific Information
- See the top of the page for 2020 information.