Calgary Herald

CBE survey asks about options for reopening schools

Plan will have to be flexible, respond to changing conditions, superinten­dent says

- EVA FERGUSON eferguson@postmedia.com

Parents, students and staff in the public school system are being surveyed on a wide range of complexiti­es surroundin­g a possible return to class this fall as school boards and the province continue to weigh the risks of COVID-19.

Stakeholde­rs have until June 11 to answer a series of detailed questions on how comfortabl­e they are with a return to “in-person learning,” along with a range of safety protocols like having students and staff wear masks, increasing cleanlines­s and physical distancing protocols.

“I think it’s a good survey, it seems to approach things fairly. But parents are still feeling very worried about what things will look like so they will need to have some choices,” said Sarah Bieber, spokeswoma­n for the Kids Come First parent advocacy group.

“Either way, the return to school will be very difficult, with so many complexiti­es and challenges no matter what.”

The Calgary Board of Education survey focuses several questions on a “blended” return to school, which could include a variety of scenarios, like having some students attend school in the morning with others attending in the afternoon, assigning different students to different days, or staggering class start and end times to minimize the numbers of students in shared spaces at the same time.

Parents are even being asked to consider having their students attend school at a different location than their current one, introducin­g the possibilit­y of filling up unused school space at less-crowded schools.

“The problem is that because there are so many options, and the CBE will get a huge variety of responses ... it will be difficult to please everyone,” Bieber added.

“But it will be really important to give parents the option to choose, to choose to either stay home and continue online learning or go back.”

Students and teachers are also being asked about how successful online learning has been so far, whether they have access to technology, and whether they are able to build relationsh­ips with teachers. Teachers, support staff and custodians are also asked how comfortabl­e they are with returning to class and having close contact with students and the public.

Staff can rank the level of importance of a variety of safety measures including personal protective equipment, engineered controls like Plexiglas barriers and physical distancing protocols.

Bob Cocking, president for the Alberta Teachers’ Associatio­n Local 38 representi­ng Calgary public school teachers, said staff he has met with in recent weeks would like to approve certain protocols as a group before heading back to class.

“Safety is number one for staff. Teachers are really worried,” Cocking said. “And all staff groups are going to want to be satisfied and signed off on protocols before they go back.”

Cocking said in addition to safety protocols, teachers will also need a better plan from the school board around blended learning because delivering both online and in-class teaching could be unmanageab­le by September.

“Teachers are already exhausted, they’ve had to learn a whole new way of teaching, planning, presenting lessons, putting them into software, it’s a lot.

“But to have to continue doing that, and then also working in class will be really hard.”

Questions are also asked about comfort levels around transporta­tion, whether it’s by yellow bus for younger students, or by Calgary Transit for older students or commuting staff.

Parents are asked if they have the flexibilit­y to continue supporting their children in online learning.

“I think parents have been very patient with online learning so far,” Bieber said. “But if it continues in September, there needs to be a better plan in place.”

Christophe­r Usih, CBE chief superinten­dent, said the school board has created an internal task force to consider all aspects of a return to school.

“We will need to be flexible and responsive to the changing conditions and guidelines that come from the province as this situation continues,” he said. “We are also working with Alberta Education and other school boards to develop a re-entry plan that is in line with best practices and ensures the highest level of health and safety while enabling the delivery of quality learning.”

The survey is available on the CBE’S home page until June 11 with results to be released by June 30.

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