Preliminary Plan for 2020-21 School Year Released

Friday, 10 July 2020 14:19

All students in Rural schools will return to full-day in-class instruction five days per week. In Whitehorse, Kindergarten to Grade 9 students will also return to full-day, in-class instruction. Grades 10 to 12 students will return to half-day in-class instruction and half-day learning away from school.

The Government of Yukon announced preliminary operational and learning planning for Yukon schools for the 2020-21 school year yesterday. Planning for the 2020-21 school year is an ongoing process and education stakeholders will continue to be engaged. School principals will share finalized school operational plans with school communities in August before the start of the 2020-21 school year.

All students in Rural schools will return to full-day in-class instruction five days per week. In Whitehorse, Kindergarten to Grade 9 students will also return to full-day, in-class instruction five days per week.

Grades 10 to 12 students will return to half-day in-class instruction and half-day learning away from school five days per week. Students will continue to take four courses per semester and school staff will work with students and families to assign morning or afternoon classes in their school at the start of the school year. This arrangement for Grades 10 to 12 students will be monitored and assessed as part of planning for the second semester of the school year.

Resource programs for students with disabilities, transitions programs and other programs for students needing additional support will continue at school all day, five days per week.

Some school programming needs to be temporarily relocated for the 2020-21 school year. The Grade 8 classes from F.H. Collins Secondary will be moved to the Wood Street Centre for the 2020-21 school year. The Wood Street Centre programs will move into available space at Porter Creek Secondary for the school year. No other groups of students or programs are expected to need relocation.

As part of Yukon's modernized curriculum, teachers and students will continue to use technology as part of learning to develop digital literacy and skills they will need for their lives and careers. For the 2020-21 school year, educators will continue to build these skills with students through blended learning.

School bus services for the 2020-21 school year are being adapted based on recommendations of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, including fewer students riding the bus to support safe spacing. The Chief Medical Officer of Health and the Department of Education encourage families to arrange for students to walk, cycle, drive or carpool to transport students between home and school this year if possible.

Detailed school bus operational guidelines, including number of students per seat, loading and unloading procedures, and cleaning protocols will be released later in July. Further health and safety guidelines and planning details for the coming school year will be shared as they become available over the summer.

Minister of Education Tracy-Anne McPhee says, the wellbeing of students and staff is our priority and planning for the new school year will continue throughout the summer.

Finalized school operational plans will be shared with school communities in August before the start of the 2020-21 school year.

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