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March 31, 2020
Dear parents/guardians of Holy Spirit Catholic School Division,
I hope that everyone is staying safe and healthy as we begin our second week of learning in this new reality, not to mention our fifth week of Lent.
As you know, the landscape of education in Alberta continues to evolve on a day-by-day basis.
On March 15, 2020, it was announced that all in-school classes would be cancelled indefinitely. At that time, we were informed that education funding would continue to be provided and we built our learning plans accordingly. Since then, our staff have worked diligently to implement these plans, often integrating the valuable skills of support staff to ensure the learning of all, particularly our most vulnerable students.
Unfortunately, this past Saturday, March 28, 2020, Education Minister Adriana LaGrange announced that education funding will need to be shifted so that frontline health workers can access the supplies they need to support Albertans during the COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve this, temporary layoff notices are to be issued by, no later than, April 30, 2020 “for services not being utilized in an at-home learning environment, such as substitute teachers and educational assistants.”
While we are disheartened by this news and concerned how this will impact our staff and students, we do understand that our society’s focus at this time needs to be on the health and safety of ALL Albertans. It is our sincere hope that this situation will be over quickly and that impacted staff will be able to return to work soon. They will be sorely missed.
Though many difficult decisions still need to be made over the coming days, we want to reassure you that your child’s education and safety remain our top priorities. We will work together to ensure that we continue to support your children as best we can.
In the meantime, please continue to pray for schools, students and staff, particularly those impacted by these lay-offs, as we continue to navigate these challenging times. Know that we continue to pray for the health and safety of you and your families as well.
Sincerely,
Ken Sampson, Superintendent
Holy Spirit Catholic School Division