Government of Ontario Announces All Grand Erie Schools Will Reopen to Students in September with Full-Time, In-Class Learning

Today, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced that all publicly funded schools in the province will reopen this fall for students to return to the classroom. This decision will be paired with enhanced cleaning and health and safety protocols due to COVID-19.

For Grand Erie elementary and secondary students, this means that when the 2020-21 school year begins on Tuesday, September 8, they will be taking part in full-time, in-class learning, Monday through Friday.

Grand Erie’s enhanced cleaning protocols will include an emphasis on touch points, common areas and common objects. Health and safety protocols will focus on making time for regular handwashing. Where handwashing is not available, hand sanitizer will be used. Directional signage will be placed to assist with physical distancing requirements, and schools will consider staggering nutrition, lunch and recess breaks.

The Province is mandating non-medical cloth masks for all students in Grades 4-12, while encouraging the use of non-medical cloth masks for students in Kindergarten through Grade 3. The Province will be providing medical masks for teachers and school staff.

Grand Erie families will be required to keep students at home when sick, or when exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms. School visitors will also be extremely limited. The board is working on a protocol with both the Brant County Health Unit and the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit should there be a COVID-19 outbreak in any school or board site.

“The safety and well-being of students and staff remains our highest priority,” said Brenda Blancher, Director of Education. “Recognizing that it’s now been nearly six months since we’ve been in the classroom together, Grand Erie will have social and emotional supports available for students in the fall as we know this will be a challenging time for all.”

Grand Erie District School Board represents more than 26,000 students in 58 elementary and 14 secondary schools within the City of Brantford and the counties of Brant, Haldimand, and Norfolk, as well as secondary students from Six Nations of the Grand River and Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.

Important Updates:

• July 30: Minister of Education Stephen Lecce sent this message to Ontario parents, updating them on the back-to-school plans announced by the Province.

Get Out / Get Active - Colour House Event at Mohawk Park

The whole school participated in our Get Out/Get Active day on Monday, April 24th at Mohawk Park. Students played together in multi-grade Colour House groups as they rotated through 6 stations (scavenger hunt, parachute games, obstacle course, mural painting, play structure and snack). The weather was perfect for some exercise, team building, and co-operative learning.

Pink Shirt Day - February 22, 2017

The students of Echo Place School participated in several activities last month to educate and inspire our students to stand up against bullying and create a welcome, inclusive and safe school environment. Classes worked together to create posters that are now proudly displayed in our hallways.

They also worked in Colour House groups to create a welcome tree at our front entrance. Each student traced their handprint on coloured paper and wrote how they make this school a safe and kind place for everyone. On February 22, our school participated in Pink Shirt Day and classes presented stories and pledges at our school assembly, to share their understanding of the impact that bullying has, and why we will stand up against it.

The Amazing Math Race

On Tuesday, November 29th several families gathered in the gym to participate in our first Amazing Math Race.

Each family was given a passport and travelled from room to room solving fun math challenges. Each page of the passport was given a stamp when the challenge in that room was completed. When the passports were filled, the families returned to the gym for their prizes.

Everyone enjoyed cake, juice and coffee and all families received valuable resources to support their child's math learning at home. It was a great event.

Echo Place News for October 28, 2016

By Mr. Roberts Grade 6/7 class

Click to View the Echo Place News Report

Missing – Sound system

The sound system we use at assemblies for our microphone and to amplify our slide shows has gone missing from the stage area in our gym. The last time it was used was at our last assembly, on Sept. 30th. We have looked high and low, but have be unable to locate our system. It consists of a large amplifier, with multiple knobs and two large speakers. It is a Fender Passport 150 Pro. We are hopeful that if this system has been take out of the school, someone will spot it and let us know. The staff and students are all very sad that our only system has gone missing.

If you have any information about our sound system, please call 905-753-2931

Let's Chalk!

Echo Place Students participate in Let's Chalk Event

Friendship Bench

Our Friendship Bench is created in memory of Mrs. Linington and Mrs. Kauk, who were friends to everyone at Echo Place. This bench will be placed outside in our school yard, and will be used as a place for children to go when they need a friend. Several students from each classroom helped decorate the bench by supplying their painted handprints.

Golden Dustpan Award

At the end of each month, Ms. Reading (Custodian) will award the cleanest classroom with the Golden Dustpan Award. This month, Ms. Mancini and Mrs. Grandpre's JK/SK class was the winner. They will proudly display their trophy in the classroom for the following month.

At the end of the school year, the classroom that won the Golden Dustpan the most times will win a special surprise.

"We Believe In Clean"

September 2016 Golden Dustpan Award Winner: Mrs. Wainwright's Grade 4/5 Class (below)

February 2016 Golden Dustpan Award Winners: Ms Mancini (in for Mrs. Springett) and Mrs. Grandpre's JK/SK Class (below)

January 2016 Golden Dustpan Award Winners: Mrs. Mussi's Grade 1 class (below)

December 2015 Golden Dustpan Award Winners: Mrs. Woodley's Grade 2 class (below)

November 2015 Golden Dustpan Award Winners: Mrs. Springett and Mrs. Grandpre's JK/SK class (below)

October 2015 Golden Dustpan Award Winners: Ms. Barrett's JK/SK class (below)

September 2015 Golden Dustpan Award Winners: Mrs. Mussi's Grade 1 class (below)