Minister of Education Gordon Wyant released the province's guidelines for schools Thursday. (Brady Lang/650 CKOM)

By Michael Joel-Hansen

Returning to class

Local teachers’ group responds to provincial plan

Jun 19, 2020 | 3:02 PM

The organization representing local teachers is responding to the province’s guidelines to reopen schools in the fall.

Prince Albert and Area Teachers Association President Ted Zurakowski said the province’s guidelines, released on Thursday leaves many specifics in the hands of local school boards. He said there are some unanswered questions.

Specifically, Zurakowski wants to know who is responsible for the enhanced cleaning protocols in the classroom.

“How does that practically happen? Who does that? Do we want our teachers teaching during the day or do we want them wiping down surfaces every half hour to 15 miniates to an hour?” he said.

The provincial guidelines lay out procedures on a range of issues from transporting students to school to limiting physical contact.

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With the province issuing broad guidelines Zurakowski speculated this could lead to a range of different protocols between divisions and schools.

The Prince Albert Catholic School Division did not return messages Friday. The Saskatchewan Rivers Public School Division in a statement posted on its website thanked families and said it plans to release details of its plan June 30.

Zurakowski said he reached out to both of the school divisions in P.A. and offered to meet with them to relay teachers’ concerns.

“I am hopeful [that] in order to strengthen those guidelines and protocols that teachers’ voices will be at the table,” he said.

Overall, Zurakowski said right now no one is able to answer all the questions. He added it is important when the fall rolls around there can’t be any uncertainty.

“When those kids come back to school in August, we have to get it right,” he said.

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MichaelJoel.Hansen@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @mjhskcdn