(rdnewsNOW file photo)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

temporary situation

St. Patrick’s Community School going to traditional school calendar for 2020-21

May 28, 2020 | 3:05 PM

The situation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing St. Patrick’s Community School in Red Deer to adjust its calendar for the 2020-21 school year.

August 31 will be the first day of school at St. Pat’s, should Alberta Health eventually give the go-ahead for students to return to classrooms.

The school typically runs a year-round calendar with classes beginning in mid-August but is moving to a traditional calender for the upcoming year.

“We know that families choose St. Patrick’s Community School for a faith-based year-round educational experience, but in this unprecedented time, we cannot be sure that all safety measures will be in place for them to start on schedule in early August,” says Anne Marie Watson, board chair for Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools.

“So for this year, we have made the difficult decision to operate St. Patrick’s Community School on a traditional calendar. The September start will allow us more time to work with Alberta Education and the Chief Medical Officer of Health to figure out how to keep our students and staff safe when schools reopen.”

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Kathleen Finnigan, interim superintendent, adds that St. Patrick will re-open at the same as other schools under a re-entry plan used across the division.

“We are adhering to the guidelines set out by the Chief Medical Officer of Health and Alberta Education,” she says. “We appreciate the understanding of our staff, students and parents on this decision to move St. Patrick’s Community School to the traditional calendar for the 2020-2021 school year.”

Last year classes at St. Patrick’s started on August 12.