Joanne McQuarrie, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter | [email protected]
Since the province's announcement on July 21 that schools will be open to on-site classes, administrators and staff have been finalizing plans to put COVID-19 protocols in place and at the same time provide continuity each day at school.
The senior team with the Grande Yellowhead Public School Division (GYPSD) emphasized at a meeting August 20 they understand the trepidation people may have about their children and teenagers returning to school in the midst of the pandemic.
"We are parents, we have children ourselves, we are parts of families," said Kelly Harding, assistant superintendent at GYPSD. "We absolutely understand, have the same concerns as our families."
Measures to avoid the spread of COVID-19 have been put in place: staff and students have to do daily health checks before going to school, there are stay-at-home protocols for those not feeling well, physical distancing where possible, students will be in cohorts, and masks are mandatory for students from grades four to 12 and for all staff in settings where physical distancing isn't possible.
Three learning options are available including in-person classes, virtual learning, and, for students in grades 10 to 12, a "hybrid" arrangement with digitized packages that allow two subjects to be learned in class and two at home. This will be available at Jasper High School.
Harding said every family received an email earlier asking them to identify what option they wanted to take.
"We followed up with social media reminders as well," Harding said, and added school principals have been working with parents through the summer to figure out the best plan of action for them to take.
In deciding what option is the best, parents and guardians have been asked to make a five-month commitment, which enables the schools to put teachers and student supports in place as needed. Students may switch learning experience options beginning on February 1, 2021. Decisions are required in December to allow for student programming and staffing in the next semester.
Later in an email, Harding said, "In following up with parents, there was a request that if the at-home, parent-led learning option wasn't working, that parents could have their children shift back to traditional, in-class learning sooner than the mid-year point."
Harding said principals are welcome to collaborate with families to determine the best options for students.
"So, if parents at the elementary level begin with the at-home option and need to return to traditional in-school learning, they can reach out to the principal at any time to discuss the return," she said.
A week's notice is required to allow the transition for the following Monday. For high school students in academic courses - which are densely delivered over a semester - re-entry into courses will be determined in collaboration with the principal.
Work experience and the Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) will resume. Schools that plan to offer work experience will work with the Division Occupational Health and Safety team to make sure all placements have appropriate COVID-19 safety protocols in place.
"We are feeling the anxiety as educators and parents," said Carolyn Lewis, GYPSD superintendent, at the meeting. "Conflicting information is causing a lot of anxiety with our parents."
Lewis said the school division is "constantly communicating with the Minister of Education and Minister of Health" about the COVID-19 pandemic. Adjustments will be made as needed, to the school re-entry scenario with information about local school-based and zone information.
Lewis praised "our amazing staff - our principals in particular".
She noted, "We'll be a lot more formal going into this school year, than it was in the spring."
With elementary and junior high school students, "We are good to go now, for students to participate in virtual learning," Lewis said, and added, "It needs to be parent-led."
Lewis described a typical day at virtual school, what she called "an interactive virtual learning experience”: students and staff will be onscreen in a Zoom format.
Students will be tasked with assignment, leave the virtual classroom to do it, and return when they are done. If needed, students can book a desk at the school to work with a staff member; the parent and a child come in, work one-on-one or in a small group when they need clarification.
Lewis noted students can't be enrolled in more than one school division. Since school divisions are funded on student enrolment numbers, there's a ripple effect.
If families pull their children from GYPSD schools, the school enrolment number will decrease this year and thus have a negative impact on the school budget next year.
Lewis said is important to keep rural local schools open.
"We are 100 per cent committed to education,” she said. “They have the right to outstanding education."
