Government to release schools' `health best practices' in August

The Alberta government is planning for a “normal” return to school, with in-class learning for the majority of students this fall.

The province's 2021-22 school year plan was released online Wednesday. It offers some information for what the year could look like when the majority of students go back to in-person classes, but also includes contingency plans if there is a resurgence of COVID-19 cases.

“I'm pleased that 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,” Education Minister Adriana Lagrange says in the document.

The government is expecting that instead of mandatory COVID-19 restrictions, schools will have “recommended health best practices” when the next school year starts. Those best practices are slated to be released in August.

“Routine measures to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses will continue to include promoting and facilitating hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, staying home when sick, maintaining ventilation, and ensuring regular cleaning and disinfection of high traffic/touch areas,” the plan says.

“Additional measures may be considered or recommended if a school experiences a COVID-19 outbreak.”

Those additional measures could include requirements such as screening questionnaires, increased cleaning, masking or localized rapid testing. Isolation, quarantine requirements and contact tracing are expected to “evolve” as immunization rates continue to increase.

“It is important to note that although isolation requirements may change, exclusion from school may still be required to support managing outbreaks (primarily in schools where children are not currently eligible to receive immunization),” the plan says.

The document offers contingency scenarios if Alberta sees another spike in COVID-19 cases.

If required, the decision to move parts of a school, such as individual grades or classes, to at-home, online learning due to staffing issues will continue to be at the discretion of the local school authority, the plan says.

If school authorities want to shift an entire school to at-home learning for the short term, they will have to submit a request to the ministry.

If cases get bad enough that inschool classes are suspended or cancelled, online classes will be offered.

“School authorities will work with families to ensure that learning will continue, and that the needs of students are met,” the plan says. It lays out specific learning expectations for each grade under this scenario.

The government says experience during the pandemic has shown that online learning is an “important educational delivery approach for students across Alberta.”

The ministry has developed an online directory listing the available resources in the province for online learning.

Provincial tests, which were cancelled or made optional due to the pandemic, are slated to return this coming school year.