Update on student learning and school re-entry engagement

By Janet Kanters, Editor

While teacher-directed at-home learning continues for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year, the province is engaging the education system on a re-entry plan.

With in-person classes cancelled, teachers continue to work from the at-home learning guidelines established on March 20, with subject matter and workload varying by grade level.

Schools are using multiple approaches to deliver content to students. More than 90 per cent of school authorities are offering online learning, while about half are also emailing, telephoning and sending paper-based work to students.

School authorities and the government have provided about 60,000 devices, including laptops, Chromebooks, tablets and iPads, to students as they learn from home. School authorities have prioritized providing devices to students based on need, focusing on students who do not have access to devices, have complex needs or are high school students.

A provincial education helpline is now available to parents through which Alberta Education staff will address their questions and direct them to their school authorities, where applicable. The intent is to provide advice to families, particularly to parents of children with disabilities, who have questions about their child’s program now that the traditional delivery process has changed. Parents can reach the helpline by calling 780-422-6548 (toll-free by dialing 310-0000, followed by the 10-digit phone number) or by emailing studentsupport@gov.ab.ca.

Additionally, more than 4,000 curriculum resources to support parents and students are available on the LearnAlberta.ca website. School authorities have also made various resources available on their own websites.

Re-entry plan engagement

According to the government, no decisions have been made on school operations for the 2020-21 school year starting in September. The province is working with school authorities and education system partners on developing a comprehensive re-entry plan that considers three scenarios, which could exist by September. This includes: normal school operations resume; schools are partially re-opened, with some level of restrictions; or, teacher-directed at-home learning continues.

In addition to the feedback gathered from the education system, the plan will honour collective bargaining agreements, and will be informed by Alberta’s Relaunch Strategy and advice provided by Alberta’s chief medical officer of health.

“The challenge of reopening schools is very complex,” noted Jason Schilling, president of the Alberta Teachers’ Association in a news release. “We appreciate the efforts of the minister and department officials to meaningfully engage us on these important issues. The health and safety of students, teachers, staff, families and the broader community are paramount in these discussions. We are using input from provincial ATA teacher representatives and a recent COVID-19 related survey of over 2,000 teachers to share the views of the profession.”

According to Bevan Daverne, president of the College of Alberta School Superintendents and superintendent of Golden Hills School Division, the College of Alberta School Superintendents is “pleased to be working with Alberta Education as together we develop a re-entry plan for the 2020-21 school year.

“We understand that students, teachers and staff are anxiously awaiting to return to class; however, any return to in-person schooling must prioritize a successful transition for our students while ensuring the health and wellness of everyone attending our schools,” noted Daverne.