The Bluewater District School Board is expanding tutoring opportunities for students following a winter with an unusually high number of inclement-weather days.
The board has introduced Learning Lift: BWDSB Virtual After-Hours Tutoring to help students catch up and strengthen their learning. The program is open to students in Grades 4-8 and runs Monday through Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. through June.
Students receive free one-on-one tutoring online through Microsoft Teams with a BWDSB educator. Support is available in any subject where students may need additional help, with particular emphasis on literacy and mathematics. Parents and guardians can sign their children up for the program through the board’s website.
Interest in the tutoring initiative has been strong. After the opportunity was recently shared with families, all available spots were quickly filled.
Because of the high demand, the board has secured additional funding to hire another tutor, creating more openings for students who wish to participate. Those new spaces will become available for booking on Friday, March 6 at 4 p.m., and families are being encouraged to register promptly as spots will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.
Funding is also being directed toward enhancing tutoring opportunities already available in BWDSB secondary schools. Students and families interested in those supports are encouraged to contact their school directly for more information.
“Our investment in expanded student tutoring is a first step in our ongoing efforts to address the challenges due to inclement weather,” said BWDSB Director of Education AJ Keene. “As I have previously indicated to our families, we are firmly committed to increasing student access to learning supports and further dialogue with our many partners, parents/guardians, and staff to develop a sustainable path forward regardless of the elements.”
Families are also being reminded that additional tools are available to help maintain learning when weather conditions prevent students from attending school in person.
The board offers a Snow Day Elementary Resources webpage with optional curriculum-based activities for students from Kindergarten to Grade 8. These materials are intended to supplement classroom learning when schools are closed due to weather.
Students also have access to free online tutoring through TVO Learn. The Mathify platform connects Grades 4 to 12 students with an Ontario Certified Teacher for one-on-one math support. Sessions are available Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on weekends from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
TVO Learn also provides additional educational resources for students from Kindergarten through Grade 12 to support classroom learning.
