Manitoba’s Education Minister has confirmed that in-classroom learning will resume on September 8th for K—12 students across Manitoba.
In-classroom learning will be full time for students in kindergarten to grade 8 — and for special needs students of all grades — with five days of instruction per week.
For high school students in the province, some remote learning may be required, based on the ability of high schools to implement the necessary public health measures, such as physical distancing, and the use of smaller designated groups of students.
The Education Minister says the goal for high schools is to achieve 5 days a week school schedule if those schools can ensure health protocols, related to physical distancing and cohorting.
Goertzen says we can expect some variation between schools, with differences in physical space, equipment availability, and depth of substitute teaching rosters.
Going forward, Manitoba school divisions will digest these provincial guidelines, and are expected to finalize and share plans with students and parents by mid-August.
At this time, the province is not requiring students wear masks.
Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen says “Manitoba Education and Public Health are working with divisions and individual schools to ensure that as many students as possible return to classroom learning full-time.”
This announcement comes shortly after the province of Ontario also revealed their elementary students will be in the classroom five days a week — with the majority of high school students in class at least 50% of the time in the new school year.
