Regina Public Schools warning parents to be ready for changes

Regina’s public school division is warning parents that, thanks to a staffing crunch caused by COVID-19, there could be rapid changes to learning coming.

In a letter sent to parents on Monday from the division’s director of education, Greg Enion, the division said there were 526 self-reported school cases of COVID-19 last week alone — and 53 of those were among staff in schools. Seven classrooms have also been moved to remote learning.

“To date, school operations have been strained as teaching, administrative and facilities staff have had to cover for absent colleagues. At the same time the availability of substitute staff, for both teaching and support, have also been in very short supply,” Enion wrote in the letter.

The letter told parents they should be prepared for changes to be made to in-class learning on short notice.

Classes and entire schools could have to be moved to remote learning if there isn’t enough staff available. But also, classes already on remote learning could have to stay that way for longer, and bus service could be suspended because of a lack of drivers.

Parents would be quickly contacted if any of those situations came to pass, according to the letter.

Enion wrote the division looks forward to returning to a learning environment without risk.

“For now, increased vaccination, frequent use of Rapid Antigen Tests, careful mask use, hand hygiene, and keeping students home if they test positive or are not feeling well may help us see a reduction in the number of cases in schools,” wrote Enion.

On Monday afternoon, in the second of its twice-daily updates, Regina Public Schools reported one class at Marion McVeety School would go to remote learning on Tuesday, and one class at Ecole Wilfred Walker would do the same — in both cases because of multiple COVID cases reported in the class.