By Troy Gillard

SCHOOL RE-ENTRY

Local districts preparing for nearly all students to return to class

Aug 13, 2020 | 4:39 PM

It’s shaping up that an overwhelming majority of local students will be back in classrooms starting later this month.

Education Minister Adriana LaGrange announced on July 21 that Alberta schools would re-open to start the new school year under near normal conditions with additional health and safety measures in place to help prevent COVID-19 spread. On August 8, she announced that face coverings will be mandatory for teachers, staff and students in grades 4-12 in school areas outside of the classroom.

Last week, both Red Deer Public Schools and Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools sent letters to families asking their intentions for students returning for the 2020-21 school year.

“We are happy to report that to date, 94% of respondents will be sending their children back to school and we look forward to welcoming them,” Red Deer Public Schools Superintendent Chad Erickson said in a letter to parents on Wednesday.

“It is important to note that many of the decisions for school re-entry are made by Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health and Alberta Education. Red Deer Public Schools will follow all guidelines set out by these authorities,” Erickson added. “The success of this year’s re-entry will depend on the great partnership we have with our Red Deer Public families.”

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Red Deer Public Schools has scheduled Sept. 1 as its return date for all students.

Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools expects to have its parent survey results early next week. Interim Superintendent Kathleen Finnigan has previously said that parents “definitely want their children back in class this fall,” and that a survey of students showed they, too, want to be back.

The division has scheduled a staggered entry for the first week of school to allow students to “experience the changes in their school with less congestion.” Students will begin returning Aug. 31 with the first week of regular classes to begin Sept. 9.

Chinook’s Edge School Division Superintendent Kurt Sacher says they’re expecting fewer than five per cent of students will be staying home when classes resume.

Chinook’s Edge is also going with a staggered re-entry with only half of its students being in classrooms on alternating days for the first week. The first day that all students will be back in school at the same time will be Sept. 10.

At Clearview Public Schools in-school learning will begin Monday, August 31, with staggered entry.

Wolf Creek Public Schools is holding a Virtual Town Hall to discuss its re-entry plans with parents on Monday, August 17 at 7 p.m. through their YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmFJVutXRgLwGWonQcE3kcQ/featured