FORT MCMURRAY (660NEWS) — It has been a challenging year for students and educators forced to work from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, the superintendent of the separate school division in Fort McMurray is looking for help from parents to define what September might look like in the classroom.
Some schools have reopened for in-person learning while others are using a hybrid mix of classroom and remote learning.
Parents and caregivers may still be wondering whether it’s safe to send their kids back to school in the fall.
The superintendent of the Fort McMurray Catholic Division said there’s been a shift in education in Alberta.
George McGuigan said in the past year they’ve been preparing strategies for the school division that highlight a model to provide an opportunity to have plans in place by May 31.
He said they always want to hear from stakeholders in the community in terms of how they’re doing, so they can have good baseline data in preparation for September
McGuigan said parents have a lot of things to consider when thinking about the needs surrounding education and childcare and that there are four key areas they look at when determining curriculum.
These include the different types of instruction, faith development, the mental health of staff and students as well as students’ overall success rate.
Many parents have been forced to stay home during the past 12 months as younger children learned to navigate their courses online.
Parents and caregivers now face new and difficult choices about how their child will return to school in the fall, such as deciding between in-person and virtual learning.
Alberta Health Services (AHS) said when weighing these decisions, it’s important to consider your family’s unique needs.
Some considerations should include specific risks to members of your family, if a child were to become infected.
