Following a press conference on Aug. 26 with deputy Premier and minister of education Gordon Wyant, all schools in both Moose Jaw school divisions have now released their detailed return-to-school plans for parents.
Individual schools in both Prairie South School Division and Holy Trinity Catholic School Division published details of their plans on their respective websites, following a directive from the Ministry of Education.
Plans may be updated as the school year begins, said Wyant, but are meant to help parents and staff feel more prepared for the return to classrooms on Sept. 8.
Both school divisions are beginning the year using safety protocols designated at Level Two.
High schools in both Moose Jaw divisions will be implementing block schedules for students and encouraging students to spend their lunch hour at home if possible. Lockers will be unavailable at Central Collegiate and Peacock Collegiate, and limited in other schools.
Elementary schools will also be cohorting classrooms to minimize contact and help contact tracing, and arrival and dismissal times are being staggered at each school in individual ways.
Masks are required for students from grades 4 to 12, and both school divisions are asking parents to make sure students have a personal bottle of hand sanitizer and mask on them at all times.
Holy Trinity has pledged to provide masks for students and staff. Prairie South has not indicated it will be doing so, instead asking parents to ensure their children are prepared.
Holy Trinity is offering students a distance education option through the Enhanced Digital Classroom program, while Prairie South will have a live Zoom feed set up in all classrooms for students at home to watch in real-time with their classmates.
More information on plan details can be found by visiting each individual school's website.
Funding for safe reopening announced Tuesday
Wyant also used the Aug. 26 conference to address funding now available to school divisions, following an announcement from the Government of Canada earlier in the day.
The federal government has committed $200 billion across the provinces and territories to aid in a safe return to schools in September, with $74.9 million pledged to Saskatchewan.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that it will be up to the provinces to decide how to spend the funding, but that it can be used to help adapt classroom spaces, upgrade ventilation systems, increase hand hygiene stations, and purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) and cleaning supplies.
The federal funding will be added to $40 million already provided by the Government of Saskatchewan from the COVID contingency fund and $40 million available through school division savings from the previous year, for a total of $150 million in funding available.
School divisions will have to apply to receive the funding, but intake for applications will continue throughout the year. The first deadline is on Aug. 28, with another already set for October and then on a quarterly basis.
“As we work with our sector partners to ensure a safe return to school, we know that there will be increased costs associated with staffing, preparation and supplies,” said Wyant.
Wyant said that there are already two applications submitted, and he expects to see more as the year progresses. Divisions that request funding will be required to report on how the provided money is being spent, due in December.
Wyant also shared an update on the first shipment of PPE which was delivered to school divisions this week, as well as a shipment of full-face shields manufactured and donated by an Ontario company. A second delivery of PPE to divisions is expected during the first week of school on Sept. 8.
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