Local school boards better prepared for online learning this time

When class resumes on Jan. 4, Early childhood to Grade 6 students will also do online learning for that week before all students return to in-person class on Jan. 11.

While Medicine Hat Public School Board superintendent Mark Davidson says it’s a circumstance and challenge they’d prefer not to have to face, he feels the public school system is up to it.

“We have teachers and support staff who’ve worked incredibly hard under odd circumstances to do really good work for kids and we have a community that’s been very supportive right from the beginning of the year,” he said. “And so I feel good about how well we’ll do. And while I understand that it will be more difficult than normal and different than what we’re used to and certainly different from what we would prefer I feel good about how well we are positioned to handle it.”

It’s a similar feeling at the Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education.

Superintendent Dwayne Zarichny says that since schools and jurisdictions were asked to prepare for three potential scenarios in the summer, they were able to prepare in the meantime.

“Our teachers have received professional development in terms of working online and in Google Classrooms,” he said. “Additionally we’ve provided a day a few weeks ago interestingly enough where staff just had an opportunity to spend the entire day getting ready for the potential to move to an online environment and we have another day in December planned for them.”

Davidson agrees.

“So we really worked hard to make sure that we built as detailed a plan as we could around each of those scenarios and tried to communicate with our the community we serve and with our staff to be prepared for them and to understand what it means.”

Zarichny said with transmission rates creeping up among the older students moving junior high and high school students online next week makes sense.

He’s also in agreement with a week of online learning for everyone in January.

“Over the Christmas holiday, folks will be potentially visiting with different family members from different households if the current restrictions are lifted and so that does give us a bit of breathing room just in case some cases do pop up. If students are presenting symptoms, they’ll already be at home and the chance of bringing that to school is reduced.”

Prairie Rose School Division is also working on how it will move to online learning.

In a statement, the division says it has been actively working with school administrators and staff to ensure a smooth transition to Scenario 3 Learning from Home for close to 1,300 students in Grades 7-12 starting next Monday.

“This process involves confirming accessibility to online learning tools such as Google Classroom for students with internet connectivity, as well as working directly with families who require additional resources such as education assistant support and counselling services, the statement reads. “The school division previously purchased Chromebooks for students in Grades 4-12 at the start of the school year, so we are confident our students will have the tools they need to be successful at home.”

In some cases, timetables will be adjusted to better suit the online learning environment.

A letter has been shared with families further outlining the division’s plan to support all students through the Nov. 30 to Jan. 11 period

“COVID-19 may keep us from being in one building, but we will continue to learn together.”

by Chris Brown

Local school boards better prepared for online learning this time

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