Prairie Valley School Division moving to online learning

Another Saskatchewan school division is moving to online learning due to COVID-19.

In a letter sent to parents and guardians on Wednesday, the Prairie Valley School Division said it will be moving all 39 of its schools to Level 4 of the Safe Schools Plan starting Monday. Students will learn at home until April 1 and then go on their Easter break.

“Our hope is that this proactive intervention will permit all students to continue learning from home, while minimizing the risk of further COVID-19 infection, transmission and disruptions to students, families and staff,” the letter said.

The Regina public and Catholic school boards announced Friday they would be shifting to online learning. Students at the city’s public high schools started learning from home Wednesday.

In the letter, Prairie Valley director of education Luc Lerminiaux and board chairperson Janet Kotylak said the move was made in part because of new public health measures that were implemented in the Regina region on Tuesday.

There has been an uptick in cases of COVID and its variants in the area in recent weeks, prompting the provincial government to make the decision.

The division also pointed out 12 of its schools have reported a positive COVID case this week, including four that already had transitioned to online learning in communities that aren’t covered by the new measures in the Regina area.

“While we have been very successful in limiting transmission of COVID in our schools, thanks to everyone’s efforts and diligence, we felt it most prudent to transition all schools online at this time given the rapid spread and virulence of the new variants of COVID we are seeing provincially and take advantage of the upcoming spring break to interrupt further spread,” the letter said.

The division stressed that “school is not closed like last spring, nor is it optional.” Attendance will be taken and students are expected to participate in the classes.

Students are to be in schools Wednesday and Thursday, with no classes Friday due to parent-teacher-student conferences. In-person learning is scheduled to resume April 12 after the Easter break.

The division has schools in communities near Regina such as Balgonie, Pense and White City and some further away such as Broadview, Kennedy and Whitewood.