Manitoba has changed the province's return to school from the holidays, going with a partially remote first week back starting next week and full in-person classes as of Jan. 17.
Starting Jan. 10, the province will begin what it calls a "phased-in approach", with kids from Kindergarten to Grade 6 whose parents or guardians are deemed "critical service workers", students with special needs from K-12 and all high-risk students able to come in to in-person class. All other students will go to remote learning for the first week back.
Manitoba Education's list of critical service workers includes health or health service workers, education providers from K-12 and school administrators and support staff, child care workers, law enforcement and corrections officers, firefighters, paramedics and child protection and social services workers. If a student's parent or guardian works in these fields and cannot find short notice child care, their kids are able to come back in to class starting Jan. 10.
Parents or guardians who work in critical services who plan to send their kids in for in-person classes starting next week are asked to call school administrators and notify them in advance.
The change buys the province an extra week before all students head back into school, which provincial education minister Cliff Cullen said would be spent sending up to half a million rapid tests and medical-grade COVID-19 masks for Manitoba schools and staff. It is unclear if those supplies are ready to be deployed or if they will reach all Manitoba schools in time for Jan. 17.
"This phased-in approach will allow school divisions and schools to have more time to prepare operational plans, including planning for potential staffing shortages and expected absenteeism because of isolation requirements," said Cullen.
Child care facilities are expected to remain open, including centres in schools, with both year-round facilities and ones who follow the school year calendar "strongly encouraged" by the province to offer care for children of critical service workers if needed. Licensed child care facilities can apply for funding, starting Jan. 10, to offset any loss in parent fees relating to the staggered start.
“We know in-person learning is best for students but we are still learning about how the omicron variant will affect our health care system and Manitobans in the longer term,” said Manitoba deputy chief provincial public health officer Dr. Jazz Atwal.
“This change will allow us more time to study the data we have and provide any needed additional advice to the education sector and families as we go forward.”
