Last day of class for Calgary public schools

CALGARY -

Tuesday marks the final day of in-person learning for the largest school board in the province as the Calgary Board of Education is winding down an academic year unlike any other.

"The resilience of our staff and students has been incredible. I am so grateful for the cooperation of not only students and staff but our families," said Christopher Usih, chief superintendent for the CBE.

Over the course of the school year, students experienced multiple shifts from learning in classrooms to remote learning that required spending the day in front of a device at home.

When on school grounds, a mandatory mask policy was in effect.

Teachers had the added challenge of monitoring extra public health rules like keeping students spaced apart and became contact tracers, sharing info in the event of an exposure or outbreak.

The head of the provincial teachers' group says, despite some reported exhaustion, members have completed the year with a sense of pride.

"There were little moments where creativity and resiliency of staff and students has been unique and I've never been prouder to be a teacher (as) I've seen the work that my colleagues have done this last year," said Jason Schillling, president of the Alberta Teachers' Association.

During Alberta's second and third waves of COVID-19, Schilling often spoke out about the shortage of substitute teachers when a high number of faculty were in isolation.

Details as to what school will look like in September have yet to be sorted.

Usih says any potential amendments to the safety rules, such as mask wearing, will be decided over the summer break and made in accordance with provincial guidance depending on the state of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a board-commissioned survey, 87 per cent of parents and guardians indicated their plans to send students back for in-person learning while seven per cent were undecided due to concerns about the pandemic.

Currently there is no COVID-19 vaccine approved for children aged 11 or younger in Canada.