At-home learning best option: Regina Public Schools chair

As students throughout Regina begin two weeks of at-home learning, the chair of the Regina Public School Board says it is the best option for everyone right now.

Remote learning started on Monday for students in public and Catholic schools in Regina. Both school divisions cited reasons like higher transmission rates in the city, decreased student attendance and trouble with getting substitute staff.

Speaking to the Greg Morgan Morning Show, Regina Public Schools chair Adam Hicks said it was not an easy decision to make.

“Our staff care so deeply about our children’s learning and again, it goes back to the No. 1 way to teach children is in front of them,” said Adam Hicks. “I wish there was something else we could have done. (With) the numbers, we had to make a decision.”

Students will receive their two-week holiday break from Dec. 21 to Jan. 1. That will be followed by at least one more week of remote learning Jan. 4-8.

Hicks acknowledged that the switch will not impact all families equally. There are some parents and guardians, like his own sister, who cannot work from home.

Remote learning also requires equipment that not everybody has access to.

“They can talk to their teacher or principal and we are allowing technology to be loaned out, such as laptops,” Hicks said.

Hicks said teachers will also stagger the programming so students “are not sitting in front of a computer for six, seven hours a day.”

The public division plans to resume in-class learning on Jan. 11.