The suspension of in-person schooling in March has been hard for many students and their families. Kindergarten to Grade 12 education changed significantly as a result of COVID-19, and I know that students, parents, teachers and school boards did their best to adapt to these different ways of learning. However, we all know that many students who attend schools learn best in the classroom with their teachers and peers, and our goal is to get back to classroom learning as soon as possible.
This week, Alberta’s government announced that students will be returning to classrooms in September. This is great news for many families in our community. The decision to re-open schools has been made with the safety of students, teachers, and other staff members being the highest priority. For in-person learning to proceed, health measures are being put in place for their safety. Each school will implement public health measures, including frequent cleaning of surfaces, introducing hand sanitizers to school and classroom entrances, grouping students in cohorts, and adjusting schedules to allow for greater physical distancing.
To help prepare families, Alberta’s government has developed a re-entry toolkit to help prepare parents and students for what to expect in the new school year. This toolkit includes videos for students explaining some of the health measures, a guide for parents, frequently asked questions, school posters, a self-screening questionnaire in multiple languages, and links to health guidelines. The resources in the school re-entry toolkit will help families discuss changes with their children.
The re-opening of our schools, and our entire economy, is a result of the hard work of Albertans to slow the spread of COVID-19. As students return to school, we are making sure that each of us has the tools to ensure that we can safely return to daily life.
submitted by Mackenzie Blyth
Communications Officer
UCP Government Caucus of Alberta
Mobile: 1-780-913-5803
