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HB NEWS CATHOLIC BOARD EDUCATION DIRECTOR REFLECTS ON PAST SCHOOL YEAR ROLAND CILLIERS. rcilliers@metroland.com This was a school year like no other. The 2020 to 2021 year introduced a full of some tried ideas and u how education is delivered in the region. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic created ‘prob ever before had to deal with. arn more about how it went and what was learned, we thought it was the right time to sit down with Pat Daly, the current director of education of the Halton Catholic District School Board. How would you describe OQ) the 2020 to 2021 school nool year? “It was and one filled with a alot of! of: carn. ing. It was certainly a different year than any I've experienced in my 30 years in education, and that was certainly true for schools around the province and around the world." How do you feel staff and students handled all the upheaval caused by the pandemic? “We puta lot on their plate this year and then kind of kept adding to it as the year went on. Our staff certainly rose to the challenge. It was a reminder for us, if we talk about the centrality of teaching, also importance of ence develop- ment for our staff and o: We were able to do itina iittleb bit different way this year. Many of our teachers were teaching from home. Some of those chal- lenges parents had with students at home and i going on in the back- ground, it was a similar challenge for our teachers. They certainly rose to the chal- lenge, in my mind, and had to develop dif- ferent ways to approach the curriculum.” What was learned as a result of the remote Jea "We knc w that s some students really ex- celled in that delivery format, so that's something that will continue. there's a real desire among students and staff to get that face-to-face personal con- nection when they get back in the build- ings. I'm hoping we just don't migrate away from some of those teaching advances we made in terms of use of technology. I hope we're able to leverage it and incorporate it into our day-to-day practice.” There have been some who labelled this alost year for do you Cem" Chow Graham Paine/ Metroland Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB)'s director of education, Pat Daly. “We put a lot on their plate this year and then kind of kept adding to it as the year went on. Our staff certainly rose to the challenge.” - Pat Daly respond to that, and do you feelit was a successful school y "I think it was a successful year. There's no doubt some students struggled with re- mote learning with the amount of time we face-to-face learning. I think { in some of our younger grades it was challenging for students. I think teachers and parents and students as well probably adapted {01 it more as the year went on. I think the second time we REGION AiHalton WH UONEH - dl CUL | 2 NOTICE OF CONSTRU Wastewater Main Servicing South Georgetown Eighth Line and Trafalgar Road Town of Halton Hills and Milton Ei Fi Z Pa a g g 8 g PR-3126B July 2021 December 2025 Project number: Scheduled Start Date: Scheduled Completion Date: To support future growth in south Georgetown, Halton Region is installing a wastewater main on Trafalgar Road (Reg. Rd. 3), Auburn Road, Steeles Avenue (Reg. Rd. 8) and Eighth Line. For more information about Regional improvement projects: ae + visit halton.ca Building + sign up to receive email notice and updates + email accesshalton@halton.ca or call 311 Halton went bac ningin the spring, Ithink there was. lots of things we learned bothfroma ning perspec- tive our first time mound. “30 I think that Essentially, we did it in a day. So, I certainly wouldn't say it's a lost year.” When will parents know exactly how the next school year will look? "We're looking at the public health in- formation like everybody does. Knowing that vaccine rates continue to go up for that 12-and-up age range, that COVID numbers in our area have really gone down from last spring, we still are wait school direction, more specif- ie direction ‘from the ministry, and we're hoping that comes shortly — end of en beginning of August. We are ce for a reopening.” Stay connected on Regional improvements in your communityy , the to invest in infrastructure and! build complete communities that maintain our high quality of life. We are widening roads to improve traffic flow, building new watermains to provide high-quality drinking water and installing stormwater mains to prevent flooding along our roadways. To help you plan ahead for construction happening in your community, you can: + view our interactive online map; + sign up for email updates; or + follow Halton Region on social media. Learn more about Regional improvement projects at halton.ca. As always, thank you for your patience as we build a better Halton. Gary Carr Regional Chair Meetings at Halton Region Regional Council meetings are zag place through web conferencing until further notice. Videos will be posted to haltor Please contact us, as soon as possible, if you have any accessibility needs at Halton Region eordyouy events or meetings.