Learning during COVID-19

2020 will be remembered as the year of the worldwide Pandemic

While students, staff and families across the province adjusted to life at home - schools closed, shopping centres and malls closed, restaurants only open for delivery and grocery stores changing the number of people allowed in the store at one time, introducing new health protocols such as wearing a mask, using hand sanitizer upon entry and physical distancing in aisles and check-out lines, the world as we knew it had changed. If we've learned anything in 2020, it's that we are a community who adapts quickly and rises to the task at hand to do our very best to keep everyone around us safe and healthy.

The new normal became wearing masks in public, and visiting with our friends and extended families while maintaining physical distancing of 6 ft. between people in our garages and backyards; or FaceTime/Zoom calls to stay connected with those too far away to see in person.

We took this time to learn new things - baking bread, sharing recipes and spending time with our children playing games, watching movies and binging on Netflix. Our homes have never been as clean and organized and our gardens have never looked so beautiful.

Many of our annual school celebrations were cancelled, including the Annual Athletic Banquet, Prom, the Student of Excellence ceremony and year end Commencement.

These events moved to virtual celebrations, including a MD Healthy & Active Living Banquet video to recognize the athletic achievements of our students. The Board put together a virtual Student of Excellence for all of HDSB to honour academic achievement recipients, and our Commencement ceremony also became a video post to our YouTube channel to recognize our students who graduated.

Staff meetings and classroom learning moved to Google Meets and lessons were shared using BrightSpace. We saw the launch of the Virtual Secondary School in September 2020 to facilitate learning for students and staff who opted to remain virtual teachers and learners.

Not surprisingly, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary word of the year is Pandemic.

CTV National News for Friday, March 13, 2020The PM addressed Canadians on COVID-19 from his Ottawa home; also, Trump declared a national emergency in response to the pandemic.

March 13, 2020

Due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the province, Premier Doug Ford makes the unprecedented decision to close schools for a two week period following the Spring break. This closure will be extended until the end of the school year.

To watch more about the events of this day, please click on the CTV news link.

Student of Excellence 2020

Andrew Sabino

Andrew, known as the “Voice of MD”, is an active member of the Student Athletic Association, Equity and Wellness Club and volunteers his time with the school’s hockey team, the Milton Minor Hockey Association and his elementary school library. Andrew is a dedicated honours student who is kind, caring and always goes out of his way to help others and make them feel comfortable. Andrew takes pride in his work within the school and Milton community, accumulating more than 225 volunteer hours.

Valedictorian 2020

Avi took on his role as Student Government Prime Minister with energy and enthusiasm! He kept his promise to the students of evoking more school spirit and could be found hyping up the crowd in school-wide assemblies or peaking the attention of students on the morning announcements. His charisma, in collation with the support of his student government team, brought forth dances, semi-formals, a pancake breakfast and spirit days that brought the MD community together.