The Renfrew County Catholic District School Board wants to thank the graduating class of 2020 and their families for the work you have done in keeping learning happening while our schools remain closed. Graduation is an incredibly important time and we are very aware that you have many questions and concerns around our current school closure and what that means for the graduating class of 2020.
We do not have all the answers to your questions and concerns, but we have made some decisions and have some information that may bring clarity to some of your questions:
- Commencement ceremonies (graduations) scheduled for June 25th have been postponed.
- When the chief medical officer of health announces that large gatherings can resume in the province of Ontario, we will endeavour to hold this important event, most likely in the early fall.
- High School staff will continue to hold nomination and award selection meetings. Award recipients will be notified and hopefully formally recognized at a future commencement ceremony.
- Proms scheduled for June 2020 have been postponed.
- All midterm marks have been successfully uploaded to OUAC & OCAS for those who have applied to a post-secondary institution.
- Midterm marks have been emailed to all grade 12 students. Please reach out to your classroom teacher if you have questions or concerns.
- The Federal government has announced new financial supports for students planning to attend a post-secondary institution in September. For more details please see: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/04/support-for-students-and-recent-graduates-impacted-by-covid-19.html
- RCCDSB is working on a protocol to allow students to retrieve their personal belongings from the school. More information to follow in a future communication.
Finally, we want to acknowledge how hard all of you have worked over the past 14 years to get to this point. As a Catholic educational community, we are incredibly proud of you and it is our prayerful wish that at some future date we will gather together in ‘warmth, hospitality, good humour and joy’ to recognize this incredible achievement.
Please continue to stay safe and stay home as much as possible. Continue to take care of one another. We ask you to continue to especially pray for people affected by COVID-19 and for our health care and essential workers.