Start of School Info for September

file1881282175101General 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.

 

TL;RL:  Students will access their own timetables online, attend only Period 1 this week (Gr. 8 at 9am Sept. 10 & 11; gr. 9-12 at 1pm Sept 11 only).  Everyone must pass the health check at home, use assigned entrances, and mask/sanitize upon arrival before proceeding through the halls. Full QUARTER schedule begins Sept. 14.

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:

 

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…

      1. you are missing a course, OR
      2. you have been scheduled into the wrong grade level of a course OR
      3. you have a duplicate course on your schedule.

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.***

BNS Road & Pedestrian Access Map Sept. 2020

Click for a larger view

 

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.
CLOSURES/CHANGES
ALTERNATIVES
  • There is no loading zone or stopping along Kensington or Hammarskjold.
  • Drop-off/Pick-up along Curtis; at Kensington Rink; along Kensington north of Union or south of Curtis; in the back parking lot on Fell; or in the North Horseshoe.
  • There is no crosswalk in front of the South Building due to construction.  There is no safe access from Dunedin and Carnegie streets to the crosswalks at Curtis or Union; do not use these streets as loading zones.
  • Pedestrians may cross Kensington only at the lights at Curtis or Union.
  • Pedestrian access is available from Curtis; Kensington Rink; Kensington north of Union or south of Curtis only; from the back parking lot on Fell; or via the North Horseshoe.
  • The school bus stop (directly in front of the South Building) is temporarily closed.
  • Students should use the stops at the Hastings/Kensington or Curtis/Kensington.
  • The North Building driveway has moved and parking lot access reconfigured.  Vehicles now enter from the North end of the Horseshoe (the previous exit). Please take your time and watch for students crossing the roads and traffic crossing from the new road into the parking lot.
  • The former North Staff parking lot is closed due to construction.  The main North lot is now Staff/Student parking.  All remaining lots are for STAFF ONLY.
  • We encourage students to walk, bike, or take transit.  If you must drive to campus and the shared lot is full, there is street parking along Curtis, Fell, and Kensington next to the pool or south of Curtis.  Please respect our neighbours and do not park on residential streets adjacent to campus.
  • Students will enter the building ONLY through the door assigned to their PERIOD 1 class.  Check the maps at right for the entrance assigned for your room.  The entrance from the South Parking Lot (by the dumpsters) is closed due to demolition.

 

 

 

 

South Building map Sept 2020

Click to enlarge & view the entrances assigned for each room. (includes rooms 2-29, Library, S. Gym).
North building entrance assignments Sept 2020

Click to enlarge & view the entrances assigned for each room (includes rooms 100s to 400s, N. Gym, Alt. Gym, Gallery).

*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

REVISED Student Health Check (Sept. 21, 2020).

REVISED Student Health Check (Sept. 21, 2020). Click to enlarge.

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)

Do not attend school if you have any symptoms of illness

STEP 4: ARRIVE ON CAMPUS

When you arrive at school, you will need to follow a specific arrival protocol:

  1. woman putting on maskPut 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.
  2. Enter the building through the entrance assigned to your Period 1 class (see step 2 above).
  3. Sanitize/wash your hands upon arrival at school at the locations provided.
  4. 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

PERIOD 1

10:30 am

DISMISSED

9:00 am

PERIOD 1

10:30 am

DISMISSED
9-12 NO CLASSES STAY HOME

1:00 pm*

PERIOD 1

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
BNSS quarter system chart

Click to enlarge

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

Click to enlarge.

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)

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

Grade specific Information

  • See the top of the page for 2020 information.

 

please translate these documents if needed