Board chair worries at-home learning could be extended if teachers aren’t vaccinated

Remote learning to deal with rising COVID-19 variants has been extended in Regina once already, but the head of the city’s public school board of trustees is worried it could be required again if teachers aren’t vaccinated.

“We know that there’s a better chance, if our staff get vaccinated sooner, that we can return safely and that our medical officials will hopefully allow us back into the classrooms again,” said Adam Hicks, Regina Public Schools board of trustees chair.

Hicks said the move to online learning before the Easter break was done on the recommendation of public health officials. The Regina Catholic School Division made the same move.

“As non-medical officials and experts, it was pretty hard for us to not follow through on their request,” said Hicks.

In the public and Catholic divisions, remote learning was extended to April 26.

Hicks and the board are advocating for division staff to be vaccinated so they are more likely able to get back to class, and to be able to do that safer.

Hicks said when the board has to close the schools and go to remote learning, it affects more than just the teachers and students. He said when you add parents and family who have to rearrange schedules to stay home with the kids, remote learning affects between 30 and 40 per cent of Regina.

“Every day that we lose not in those classrooms is just another day that families and students are struggling in our city, so the sooner we can get back to in-classroom learning, the impacts for our city are substantial,” said Hicks.

It’s also in the kids’ best interest to be back, according to Hicks.

“We also know that children learn better in our schools and they can get better service and better teaching through in-class learning,” said Hicks.

Regina’s Catholic division is also pushing for its staff to get their shots as soon as possible.

“We would prefer to have in-class learning so, definitely, we want to advocate for our staff to be considered as frontline workers, and definitely to be considered for vaccinations as soon as possible,” said Vicky Bonnell, chairperson of that division’s board of trustees.

Bonnell couldn’t say whether kids getting back into the classroom would be affected by whether teachers are vaccinated. She just said the plan is for them to be back April 26, but things seem to be changing daily right now.

Hicks said if division staff were considered a priority for vaccinations, that would likely be fewer than 2,000 people from the public division. He said some staff have already had their shots as the eligibility progresses down in age.

Hicks said that many people really only amounts to one day of vaccinations.

“One-day priority and let our staff get vaccinated, and it just helps our city get back to somewhat of a normal situation here,” said Hicks.

The public division has also offered to help with the administration piece if staff were included as a priority. Hicks said the division has built up capacity around contact tracing in schools and so it would be able to use that ability and knowledge to administer this.

Hicks said he has spoken with government officials and understands they have tough decisions to make, but the impact that remote learning has on the city is substantial.

Bonnell similarly said she knows the government has choices to make, but given the circumstances the division is facing, she believes it’s important to consider staff frontline workers and treat them as such when it comes to vaccinations.