In just over a month students will be heading back to school, and the province plans the return will be close to normal.
The province released its 2021-2022 School Year Plan, and Minister of Education Adriana LaGrange has an optimistic tone when looking forward to the school year.
“I’m pleased students can expect a return to a normal school year in September. With the continuation of Alberta’s Open for Summer plan, Alberta’s government expects the extensive health measures currently in place in schools will be eased or lifted. We have a detailed plan for next school year that includes contingency scenarios for continuing student learning in case there is a significant change in the COVID-19 situation. Alberta Education together with Alberta Health will provide more details about the upcoming school year in the summer,” she said.
Bevan Daverne, Superintendent of Schools at Golden Hills School Division says many of the COVID restrictions will not be in place if the province continues with keeping COVID at bay.
“It would look as though a lot of the things we had in place are going away,” he said. “We are still a little unsure about things like extra hand washing and extra cleaning in the schools. It looks as though mask use will not be a thing.”
He adds there was some good learning during the pandemic that can be applied when the pandemic runs its course.
“We will be incorporating some things in the classroom that were coping mechanisms we really liked, but we don’t know what it will look like,” said Daverne.
There are some protocols they are still waiting to see what will look like such as procedures for screening and contract tracing.
Prairie Land School Division Superintendent Cam McKeage says they will follow Alberta Education guidelines.
“It is anticipated in-school learning will resume in September 2021 under normal conditions. If need be, we are ready and have the ability to transition back to online learning.”
Scott Morison, Superintendent of Christ the Redeemer School Division said there are strategies they learned during the pandemic that are still applicable.
“We think a return to normal is both possible and probable. However, many principals will maintain some pandemic practices that proved effective, including more frequent desk cleaning by the students, a continued focus on handwashing/sanitizing, and reinforcing proper respiratory etiquette (i.e. sneezing into sleeves rather than hands). If the Ministry makes any changes due to a rise in COVID cases, we will respond as we did over the course of the pandemic,” he said.
He also adds teachers and students also became well versed in alternative delivery during the pandemic.
“Our teachers’ technological proficiency rose incredibly during the pandemic and I think teachers will continue with improved communication and organization via the use of technology,” said Morrison. “I do not foresee the continuation of the extensive use of Zoom or Google Meets. There is fatigue with these platforms and their use will be both limited and at the teachers’ discretion.”
With the return to school, many students who opted for online learning are making their way back, however, the Centre for Learning@Home remains popular.
“The majority of students are coming back to our traditional schools. We are currently projecting St. Anthony’s to rise in enrollment by about 40 students, and are also projecting the highest St. Anthony’s enrollment ever. It is important to note virtually all our students who chose online education or home education stayed with Christ The Redeemer (CTR) at our Centre for Learning@Home (CFL). The CFL is an excellent school and some are choosing to stay there. It’s even more pronounced for CTR’s non-resident CFL students, as the CFL is actually ahead of last year’s enrollment numbers compared to this time last year,” Morrison said.
