Students return to classrooms this September
Guidelines to minimize risk will depend on situation at the time
The Saskatchewan government is planning to have students return to their classrooms for the 2020-21 school year.
It is also creating “contingency plans,” if the risk of COVID-19 transmission is too high and elementary and high school students can’t go back for the start of the normal school year.
“Our plan is to ensure that schools are fully open and that children are fully attending . ... It will really depend on what the infection rate is and whether or not there’s some significant community transmission as a result of going back to school,” Education Minister Gord Wyant said Tuesday during the government’s regular COVID-19 update.
Schools across the province were closed and classes suspended in mid-march, days after the coronavirus pandemic first hit Saskatchewan. In late March, teachers had the option of returning to their classrooms, but students remained at home.
On May 7, the government announced schools would be closed for the rest of the school year.
Wyant said while there has been “some success” in online learning in recent months, in class is the best way for children to learn.
“We’ve certainly heard from many teachers and many parents across this province that they want to see their kids return to school.”
The next school year is set to start as early as Sept. 1, based on local school division calendars.
The Ministry of Education and chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab are developing public health guidelines for schools, in consultation with the Education Response Planning Team (including Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation and Saskatchewan School Boards Association representation).
Guidelines should be finalized and available to school divisions as early as next week.
They could include separate entrances at schools, staggered classrooms and flexible schedules.
“This really all depends on what the state of affairs is when school returns in September,” said Wyant. “If the ongoing risk is significantly minimized, then things will be a little bit different than if the risk factors are higher.”
Saskatoon Public Schools director of education Barry Macdougall acknowledged that “there are many questions about how schools will operate” in the new school year.
“The past three months have been a difficult time for all our families,” Macdougall said in a statement.
“We cannot wait to see students again in September,” he added.
If COVID -19 transmission risk is high in a community or region, students may be suspended from the classroom, with contingency plans including online learning and alternate delivery of education.
However, “If we see a second wave in the fall, we really don’t want to necessarily go into full lockdown as we did in March, April,” said Shahab, adding people might opt to use masks in homes shared by vulnerable people and school attendees.
Wyant recognized schools’ precautionary measures will take additional funding. He said there would be conversations within government and with school divisions to determine what resources are needed.
While school-specific guidelines have not yet been finalized, the government has published guidelines for childcare facilities.
As of June 8, they limit the number of children per space — 15 maximum. Children, toys and items must be barred from crossing into other spaces. Children and staff must be grouped together and cannot mix with other children or staff.
These guidelines also state that COVID-19 infections in children tend to be mild and similar to other viral respiratory infections.
The University of Regina has announced its fall courses will be taught online.
At the University of Saskatchewan, there will be limited classroom, laboratory, clinical and physical instruction “where warranted and where circumstances permit,” although most classes will be held online.
TWO NEW CASES
Two new cases of COVID-19 were reported on Tuesday, one in Saskatoon and one in the Far North. There are currently 19 active cases across the province, and 656 total reported cases to date.
One person in Saskatoon is currently in intensive care.
Shahab referenced a second wave, as Saskatchewan continues to reopen — Phase 3 was implemented Monday.
“Even what’s classified as a small wave would be much larger than we saw (this spring),” said Shahab.
“I think we were so successful in our public health measures and everything we did individually that we never really saw a significant wave in Saskatchewan except in the northwest, in La Loche and area. That’s a good example of what a significant small wave can look like.”
COVID-19 testing is available to anyone working outside their home or anyone returning to work as part of the Re-open Saskatchewan plan.
VEST VALIDATION
Regina silversmith and jewelry designer Megan Hazel was inspired to make a sterling silver sweater-vest pin for the province’s top doctor after reading the recent newspaper feature about Shahab. Sweater vests are a longtime staple in his wardrobe.
Hazel made the pin “as a ‘thank you’ for all of his hard work for our province during this time,” she posted to Facebook.
Shahab said the pin “actually recognizes all of us who are working ” in the health sector and other industries during the pandemic.
He saw an added symbolism in the token: “Vests are very practical; we can use them in all four seasons in Saskatchewan, even on chilly summer nights. So we are a province which is pragmatic and practical, that’s how we’ve addressed COVID and other issues in the past, so I appreciate the symbolism there as well.”