ST. PAUL - A year into the COVID-19 pandemic, and many lessons learned, St. Paul Education superintendent Glen Brodziak offered a thank-you to the school community for working with the division throughout the many changes that have occurred.
March 15 marks one year since classes were cancelled by the provincial government in 2020 in response to the pandemic, said Brodziak during the March 10 board meeting.
Throughout the school year, parents and students have been given some flexibility in moving between at-home learning and in-person learning. The division simply requested 30 days notice be given before a student made a change from one stream to the other.
Now, the division is asking families to make a decision and stick to it for the rest of the school year. As of April 6, which is just after spring break, students will be asked to stick to whichever stream they are in, to allow for a strong finish to the school year for both staff and students.
Brodziak said there would be some flexibility in case something unique occurs.
Following three months of at-home learning last spring, in-person classes resumed in the fall of 2020, just in time to start the 2020/21 school year, but the year hasn't been without its challenges. The school division continues to deal with positive cases of COVID-19 cases in its schools, resulting in students and staff being required to isolate.
At Ashmont School, Kindergarten to Grade 6 students are expected to return to in-person classes on March 15, according to an update provided by the school division on March 11. The elementary students switched to at-home learning following a number of positive cases connected to the school in February. Grade 7 to 12 students have continued to attend in-person classes in Ashmont.
Last week, a handful of cases were linked to another K-12 school in the area, Mallaig School, resulting in a number of staff and students having to isolate in that community.
St. Paul Elementary School was also in alert status, with a couple cases linked to the school earlier in March. As of Friday, Racette Jr. High School was also on alert but no new cases had been reported over the past few weeks.
