A number of Ottawa’s French schools opening Thursday

Students in kindergarten through grade 8 in the capital's Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est (CECCE) board are back to school Thursday.

First day of school at École Horizon Jeunesse for students at the French catholic board. #ottnews @1310NEWS @OttawaMatters pic.twitter.com/gkmWcwwVts

— Chris Kurys (@ChrisKurys) September 3, 2020

High school students at the four schools listed below will also start on September 3:

• École Ange-Gabriel  in Brockville
• École Marie-Rivier in Kingston
• Académie Notre-Dame in Kemptville
• Centre scolaire Jeanne-Lajoie in Pembroke

All other students in grades 9-12 at the CECCE return to class on September 8.

Board officials say they have spent months preparing for a safe return for students during the global pandemic.

Masks are mandatory for students in grades 4-12 while on the bus or in school. However, CECCE students in kindergarten to Grade 3 are not required to wear a mask, but the board strongly recommends all students do.

Elementary students are limited to direct and indirect contact with 50 students from the same cohort, and students in grades 9-12 will also have reduced class sizes of around 15 people.

In-class students at the Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario (CEPEO) board have a staggered start beginning Thursday, and will continue until September 9. Students who chose remote learning will begin class on September 8.

Preparations still underway at Maurice Lapointe elementary school in Kanata, in the French public school board, will be ready when children go back to school tomorrow #ottnews @OttawaMatters @1310NEWS pic.twitter.com/vAtjaejAeM

— Chris Kurys (@ChrisKurys) September 2, 2020

Students in grades 4-12 at the CEPEO are required to wear masks indoors, in the hallways and in the classroom. Masks are mandatory for Grade 3 students registered in a split grades 3/4 class. The board also recommends masks to be worn by students in kindergarten to Grade 3.

While on the bus, all CEPEO students are required to wear a mask.

French public students in grades 1-3 will have around 20 kids per class with one teacher, while grades 4-8 will have about 24 students per teacher. Secondary schools in the CEPEO are able to limit each cohort to about 15 students per class.

Teachers with the Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario and parents with children in that board are required to fill out a self-assessment form each day before attending class. The form can be found on the board's website.