News and Announcements

Protocols for Individuals Tested for COVID-19
COVID-19 FACT SHEET for TESTING

Toronto Public Health Protocols on issues related to Covid-19:
Toronto Public Health Website:

This is a message to the Mackenzie Community that the Mackenzie phone system will be shut down from 12:15-1:30pm.  Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

 The Ministry of Education announced on Thursday that it has updated its COVID-19 school and child care screening guidance. In line with this new direction, Toronto Public Health has also revised their guidance for students and related materials.

Revised TDSB Student Health Pass

For up-to-date information on the return to school, please visit:

www.tdsb.on.ca/returntoschool

The attached google document has all the information students need for the first day of school.

Please read carefully! Only some students need to come to the building on Thursday.

First Day of School Instructions

For parents/guardians interested in receiving insurance coverage beyond OHIP, please click on the following link to learn more about purchasing personal optional Accidental Insurance:    

Today, the Premier and Education Minister announced the Government of Ontario’s guidelines for the
return to school in September. School boards across Ontario are being asked to prepare for three possible
scenarios that will depend on the public health situation at the time.  To learn more, please click on the following link:

Ministry Letter Return to School

Mackenzie’s very own Cyber Security Team finished third in a virtual national cybersecurity competition. The contest started a year ago with 203 teams from across Canada and culminated with the top 10 teams competing for the national title.

The CyberTitan III National Finals took place June 8. Because of the pandemic, the competition was a virtual event, where all 57 student competitors participated from their homes. On June 9, a virtual summit was held where students heard from cybersecurity experts; the official award celebration was held June 10.

Click on the following Toronto.com article for more information:

Toronto.com Article – MAC Cyber Security Team finishes number 1 in Ontario and 3rd Nationally

Dear Parents/Guardians,

We hope that you remain well. The Ministry of Education has requested all school boards in Ontario share the following information with regard to the Province’s plan for COVID-19 testing.

Thank you.

Message from the Ministry of Education

We are writing to let you know that the province released its testing plan on Friday May 29, 2020, Protecting Ontarians Through Enhanced Testing. Ontario now has the most open testing criteria in the country.

Ontario’s testing guidance now indicates that you should visit an assessment centre if you:

• have at least one of the symptoms of COVID-19
• do not have symptoms but are concerned you might have been exposed
• do not have symptoms but think you are at risk through your employment (for example, if you are an essential or health care worker)
• would like to be tested

To support Ontarians who have identified the need to get tested, as of May 24, 2020, people will no longer need a referral to go to any of the more than 130 assessment centres across Ontario for testing. No Ontarian will be declined a test.

Given this expanded guidance, if you do choose to get tested, here are a few important notes:

• Testing is voluntary.
• You do not need an OHIP card to be tested. It is a free service.
• Some assessment centres may require you to book an appointment first or have certain restrictions (for example, some are unable to test young children). Find out more about an assessment centre near you.
• You can also take an online self-assessment to help determine if you should get tested.
• If you are free of symptoms and have not had contact with anyone confirmed to have COVID-19 when presenting for testing, you will not be required to self-isolate. However, you should self-monitor for symptoms for 14 days regardless of your test result. If you begin to develop symptoms, self-isolate and contact your local public health unit for further advice.

Stay informed and visit Ontario’s website to learn more about how the province continues to protect Ontarians from COVID-19. Local information is also available from your local public health unit.