The Honourable Tom Osborne, Minister of Education, provided an update today on measures to support the safe reopening of schools.
Masks will be required to be worn by students in grades 7 to 12 in classrooms where physical distancing of one metre face to face is not possible. One metre distancing is recognized by the World Health Organization as an accepted standard for physical distancing. The province’s school districts have advised that a one metre distance is largely achievable in most classrooms.
Public exams scheduled for January 2021 will be canceled, recognizing the loss of some instructional time when schools closed in spring 2020.
Other measures taken within the last two weeks to support a successful return to school:
- Additional busing;
- Hiring 70 substitute teachers on term contracts for specific schools;
- Increasing custodian hours from five to seven hours per day;
- Hiring up to 25 custodians;
- Adding 15 administrators (principals);
- Adding 25 guidance counsellors;
- Providing cleaning supplies to busing contractors; and
- Continuing conversations on such things as ventilation, along with other initiatives that will improve the delivery of education.
Further information is provided in the backgrounder below.
Quotes
“Providing the safest possible return to school for students, teachers and staff has been one of my government’s top priorities since taking office. In consultation with stakeholders and listening to concerns, we will continue to make tremendous headway.”
Honourable Andrew Furey
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
“Much work is being done, in consultation with our education partners, to address challenges. These are challenges that are being experienced by jurisdictions across the country. We are finalizing analysis and details on other areas, such as busing, supports for students and family members who are immunocompromised, student assistants, public health resources and occupational health and safety resources. I look forward to providing more details in the coming days.”
Honourable Tom Osborne
Minister of Education
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Media contacts
Meghan McCabe
Office of the Premier
709-729-3960, 725-9231
MeghanMcCabe@gov.nl.ca
Tina Coffey
Education
709-729-1906, 687-9903
tcoffey@gov.nl.ca
BACKGROUNDER
Additional positions will be funded under the Federal Government support package announced for the reopening of schools. Newfoundland and Labrador will receive $26.1 million; $13 million will be provided immediately and the remaining $13 million in January 2021.
The above-noted measures are on top of those already in place:
- Purchasing 5,100 laptops and 30,000 Chromebooks to support digital learning;
- Providing masks to students, teachers and staff;
- Putting safeguards in high traffic areas;
- Adding safety measures to protect all staff and students;
- Hand sanitation, hygiene, cleaning and disinfection;