Jul. 21, 2020
Today, Premier Jason Kenney and Education Minister Adriana LaGrange announced that all schools across the province will return to classes under Scenario One – which means that in-school classes will resume on Tuesday, Sept. 1 with health measures in place. We are very excited to welcome our students back to school, while keeping everyone as safe as possible.
Strong staff/student relationships are crucial for student learning and in the fall, staff will be focused on rebuilding strong connections with their students, particularly following a prolonged absence from school. Learning will begin starting from each student’s current level of achievement.
Students, staff and parents can expect a near-normal school experience under Scenario 1, but we must still be prepared to move between all three potential scenarios as the COVID-19 situation evolves. No matter which scenario is in place, the CBE will strictly follow Alberta Health guidelines to minimize risk of disease transmission. To do this, we will need everyone’s cooperation to stay home when they are feeling unwell, and to follow all health protocols as they evolve over time.
In-person learning is preferred for all students, but we acknowledge that there are some students who may not be able to return to in-person learning right away. For these individuals, the CBE will offer access to an online learning approach in the 2020-21 school year until such time as they are able to return to in-person learning.
Next week, we will share our re-entry plan with our families, which will include the changes we will implement in our schools. Throughout the month of August, we will provide regular updates with details and information families will need before sending their children back to school.
Thank you for your understanding as we work together to ensure the safety of our students and staff.
Sincerely,
Christopher Usih
Chief Superintendent of Schools
