INNISFAIL - Although classes throughout Chinook’s Edge School Division (CESD) have been cancelled in response to the unfolding pandemic, as of last week the plug had not yet been pulled on graduation.
“We’re not cancelling graduation. We feel it’s too early to make that call,” said Kurt Sacher, CESD superintendent of schools, adding the school division wants to gather accurate information before making any final calls.
The chief medical officer has said it could be another four to six weeks before the pandemic’s impact peaks, said Sacher.
“We don’t know what that will mean for restrictions on gatherings in the future,” he said, adding the division awaits direction from Alberta Health.
“We’re seeking clarity from the minister, relative to exactly how that is to proceed.”
In the meantime, he said educators are encouraging students to engage with their teachers to continue from home their course work “that they got a good start on in the second semester.”
Otherwise, a lot of learning will be missed over the coming weeks and months if students don’t stay connected, he said.
“It’s important to engage as we seek to find out what the expectations for graduation are in Alberta under the circumstances,” he said.
“It’s our intent, as well as the (education) minister’s undoubtedly, to help each Grade 12 student graduate. We want to make sure they’re fully prepared for post-secondary, the workplace, or wherever they’re headed.”
Facilitating that effort at Sundre High School is an online platform that was set up to provide a line of communication between teachers, students, and families.
“Across the school division, we’re utilizing Google and some of the platforms there in multiple ways,” he said, adding there are varying methods from “school to school, grade to grade, teacher to teacher.”
But one way or another, the division is committed to providing a continuation of learning that is reasonable and practical for everyone, he said.
“‘What’s the best we can do in this environment?’ — that’s the lens that all of our staff are looking through,” he said, expressing pride for the division teaching staff’s tireless efforts in delivering “on really short notice some really solid plans and supports so that our students can continue their learning over the coming weeks and possibly months.”
Sacher said plans were expected to be in place early this week for students throughout the division, including Sundre.
The pandemic has presented an unprecedented challenge for everybody. Teachers and staff are also facing their own concerns and stress with regards to the uncertainty and economic impact while also attempting to find balance with their own family lives at home, he said.
“It’s a difficult time for our staff and families as well.”
Extending patience, understanding and kindness to one another will help the process along, and Sacher is optimistic that students will be able to put to good use the time they have at home.
“We know it’s not easy for families to support teaching at home,” he said, adding nobody is “expecting perfection.”
But he hopes parents will “join us when and if they can with learning at home under these rather unusual circumstances.”
Looking back over the decades, Sacher said many adults today would likely recall dealing with school closures as a result of past teacher strikes, for example.
“As a kid, I experienced that in the ’80s,” he said.
“But we still had activities in the evening,” such as pools, arenas and other recreational amenities to keep busy, he said.
“Our kids today don’t have access to any of that. We’re concerned for them.”
Plus, many families have elderly parents that they are worried about on top of trying to support their children’s learning at home, he said.
“We’re trying to be sensitive to what families are going through during these uncertain times.”
On Friday, March 20, the provincial government cancelled diploma exams as well as Grade 6 and 9 achievement tests. But students who are so inclined can under special circumstances request to write a diploma exam, and may discuss the matter with their teacher and school administrator.
As of Monday, March 23, Sacher said during a phone interview that no final decision had been made regarding graduation ceremonies.
“It’s just too far away to get into that,” he said.
“One way or another, there’s going to be a strong need in each of our communities to have graduation at some point, even in a worst case scenario if it had to be postponed.”
The school district plans to do everything possible to come up with a way to hold graduation ceremonies, he said.
“It’ll be our intent in every community to figure out how to have a graduation if we can. Graduation is an absolute key part of every school year — it’s as important to us as it is to the kids.”
Of course the utmost priority at this time is the safety of students, staff and families, he said.
“There are moral and legal obligations there.”
So the outcome will hinge on recommendations and restrictions outlined by the provincial government as per the chief medical officer’s advice, he said.
However, he said there simply is not yet enough information to make a call on the ceremonies, which are not typically held until June.
“In the next few weeks, hopefully we’ll have a little more clarity as to how that’s looking. At the moment, we’ve made no decision relative to graduation.”
Although diploma exams are cancelled, the government has granted some flexibility to principals, who per their discretion can award students upwards of 15 credits towards the 100 required to graduate.
With the effort to continue delivering course material online to support student learning and essential outcomes, the Sacher expressed confidence that there would still be high rates of graduation and that students with enough credits will get their diplomas.
