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Wetaskiwin Regional Public Schools prepare for transition back to online learning

Grades 7-12 will are mandated to transfer to online learning starting Nov. 30, 2020.
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Wetaskiwin Composite High School. Shaela Dansereau/ Pipestone Flyer.

WRPS junior and senior high schools are preparing for a transition back to online learning, much like the end of last school year.

This transition follows the announcement made by Premier Jason Kenney on Nov. 24, 2020 regarding the new mandates being put in place across the province with Alberta officially in a State of Public Health Emergency.

At the beginning of the week, Wetaskiwin Composite High School had five positive COVID-19 cases. One has finished their isolation making WCHS’ current positive cases a total of four.

From exposure to the COVID-19 positive individuals, 140 students and 12 staff from WCHS are currently isolating.

READ MORE: COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the City of Wetaskiwin

At the beginning of the school year WCHS changed their timetable from two morning blocks and two afternoon blocks to one block in the morning and one in the afternoon. This change was to limit the interactions among the students and staff in the school and create the safest and most isolated scenario should there be positive cases in the school and need for isolations.

“Our goal has been zero cases but this is our current scenario,” said WCHS Principal Kris Denney.

Denney says that WRPS and WCHS specifically weren’t given any official warnings from the Government of Alberta ahead of the new mandates announcement on Nov. 24, 2020 including moving Grade 7-12 learning online for December.

READ MORE: Kenney declares state of public health emergency as COVID-19 cases rise

“I watched it on Tuesday just like anyone else,” Denney said. However, WRPS schools have been preparing for a possible move into scenario three when the provincial numbers began to climb in order to be ready for a quick turn-around from in class to virtual learning.

Students with disabilities that require support and services in any grade and students in outreach programs will still be able to receive supports and services in-person at school and are not required to shift to at-home learning before or after the winter break.



shaela.dansereau@pipestoneflyer.ca

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