2020 YEAR IN REVIEW: August

AUGUST

• The plan released by the Ontario government will see elementary schools, kindergarten to Grade 8, reopen across the province and returning to the normal five days a week, five hours a day schedule. 

Secondary schools in “non-designated” areas will return to school on a full schedule and attendance, while schools in “designated” areas will reopen with an adapted model; alternating attendance on different days and cohort classes of 15 students. 

Upper Grand District School Board schools fall under the non-designated area and will return to school full-time while the Dufferin Peel Catholic District School Board will have an adapted part-time attendance and cohorts of 15. students.

• All students in the Upper Grand District Board returning to in-class learning in September will be required to wear face masks. 

Trustees voted to pass a motion making face masks mandatory for all students, now including those from junior kindergarten to Grade 3, staff and visitors in an emergency meeting on Tuesday (Aug. 18). 

• United Way Guelph Wellington Dufferin is providing $120,000 in grants to help support four vital community services and programs during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

Announced on August 4, the money will provide some much-needed assistance to the Orangeville Food Bank, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dufferin, Shelburne's Shepherd's Cupboard Foodbank and Canadian Mental Health Association Peel Dufferin.

• Active Lives Day Program (ALDP) Dufferin, a local non-profit organization, has opened their second location with the launch of their Shelburne campus. 

The program is for local adult residents with varying levels of developmental disabilities as well as neurological disorders. 

ALDP Dufferin focuses on continued education for individuals attending the campuses, giving a post-secondary option or spot to grow life skills and job skills. 

• Ralph Snyder is named Shelburne's new fire chief.