The Calgary Board of Education prepares for scenario 1 school re-entry come September with an online option for students.

On July 30, The CBE board of trustees held an online conference discussing how this scenario 1 re-entry would effect the school year for students returning to class.

Most importantly in the release, the CBE made it clear this plan is “subject to change as more information becomes available from the province.”

CBE’s Chief Superintendent Christopher Usih said in an online conference that this plan is a “dynamic document” that can pivot to adjust for changing conditions within schools.

The three school re-entry scenarios

Education Minister Adriana LaGrange has previously outlined the three scenarios that Alberta was expecting back in early May, before this announcement.

• Scenario 1: Near-normal operations will resume and students will return to daily in-school class with some restrictions.
• Scenario 2: School classes will only resume partially with additional health requirements.
• Scenario 3: At home learning will continue.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney announced on July 21, the province would move to a “near normal” reopening or scenario 1 for all Alberta schools.

In response, the CBE has moved forward with preparing for that re-entry plan with some virtual options for Grades 1-12.

“While we want to see most of our students back in class, we acknowledge that there will be some students that won’t be able to return to in-person classes right away,” Usih said.

“For those individuals, the CBE will offer access to an online learning approach in the 2020-21 school year.”

What to expect for 2020-21 year

Within the in-class plan, hand washing and sanitation atop this compressive list, with a detailed account of how it will be applied to all students and staff.

Students aren’t required to wear a mask when attending schools but the CBE recommends that students and staff wear protective masks.

Students will be required to wear a mask if they show symptoms of illness while in class and will be segregated from the student body until they can be taken home.

As of Aug 1, all students will also be required to follow the City of Calgary mandatory mask bylaw on Calgary Transit to and from school.

To deal with the onset of COVID-19 and related common cold symptoms, the CBE plans to issue a self- screening test that parents/guardians must fill out for their child daily before sending them to school.

Adults and employees must also fill out this self -screening form before entering any CBE school.

Under the CBE, if a student or staff falls ill with COVID-19 or related flu symptoms, they must stay home for a maximum of 10 days. The student or staff can return to school if they have been cleared by a health professional.

As well, social-distancing protocols will be in place to plan for all movements within the school. It will include everything from where the students sit to eat lunch and learn in the classroom, to where the student can or can’t go within the school.