Superintendent’s Office
May 10, 2021
Dear Parents/Caregivers,
Yesterday afternoon the Education Minister announced new COVID-19 measures for schools in Manitoba, some of which will immediately impact Hanover School Division.
Effective Wed. May 12, and until May 30, all Kindergarten to Grade 12 schools in the City of Winnipeg and the City of Brandon will move to remote learning. View the official news release and provincial backgrounder for more information. The shift to remote learning is a proactive measure designed to mitigate the increase of COVID-19 transmission in these regions.
For schools remaining open in other parts of Manitoba, including HSD schools, the province will implement the following additional measures during this period:
- Schools with multiple cases may be moved proactively to remote learning (outside of the same household cases) as per existing guidance and upon the direction of Public Health.
- If students and/or staff are symptomatic, school officials can require that they stay home for ten days. The symptomatic student or staff should be encouraged to seek testing. Household members without symptoms should also self-isolate (quarantine) until the sick individual’s test result is received.
- All extra-curricular activities, organized sports and off-site activities are suspended, excluding walks/runs in the local community.
- No indoor singing and no indoor use of wind instruments.
- All other public health measures in effect.
Public health officials and Manitoba Education will actively monitor the situation and move additional schools to remote learning if and when needed.
HSD schools remain open for in-class learning. Public Health will make the decisions (move to remote learning) based on individual case counts across cohorts in schools. Depending on when we become aware of confirmed cases and the circumstances surrounding close contacts, HSD may need to take action on short notice while we wait for further consultation with Public Health. Please consider this if your situation involves arranging for childcare.
If a school is transitioned to remote learning, HSD will accommodate Kindergarten to Grade 6 children (who are not required to self-isolate) of critical services workers who cannot make alternative care arrangements, as well as high-risk students and those with special needs. While at school, these students will participate in and receive support for the same teacher-led remote learning that their classmates receive from home.
Once again, thank you for your support. We appreciate your continued partnership and willingness to adapt and respond to these evolving conditions.
Respectfully,
Shelley Amos, Interim Superintendent/CEO
Hanover School Division