LAKELAND - Reported COVID cases are down at NLPS schools across the Lakeland, but pandemic planning continues.
In recent weeks, Northern Lights Public Schools (NLPS) has seen a massive reduction in reported COVID-19 cases as the provincial government removed mandatory masking in schools and eased restrictions in recent months, said NLPS’ Associate Superintendent Bill Driedger, during the school board's most recent meeting.
“We have no significant updates that have come down to us at this time. We have no grades or classes that have been shifted to an online learning format since our last meeting—and for some period of time which is truly good news,” he said.
Attendance booster
Since the school board currently has fewer reported cases, Driedger says it has improved student attendance —across the board— in recent weeks bringing back most students to in-person learning regularly with only a handful of reported cases throughout all of the divisions schools across the Lakeland.
“There is not a lot that’s being reported to schools at this point,” from both staff and parents, he says according to a report from March 23.
Currently, school officials are informed by families about possible COVID cases and close contacts. Provincial health officials stopped passing on contact tracing information to schools at the height of the pandemic. The information from families continues to help guide the division’s response and action plan with the continuing pandemic. Currently, that information is showing that less cases are being reported, and more students are regularly attending classrooms.
“We know that attendance for our students has improved, I’m not going to say it’s perfect — but it certainly has improved over several months and we're happy about that,” he said.
NLPS challenges
While student attendance is on the increase, one obstacle that still remains— but is improving—is staff attendance, said Driedger.
NLPS schools continue to have issues garnering substitute teachers and staff. And while the problem is nowhere near as difficult as it was during the height of the pandemic—it is still a concern.
“Our administration and our staff need to work harder to ensure that the students’ learning needs are met, even when we are having those substitute challenges,” he said.
Despite the steady improvements and reduced amount of cases, NLPS board chair Karen Pritchard says the issue remains a priority for school officials and division administration.
NLPS Cold Lake trustee Mandi Skogen agrees. She says that just because the current data looks promising, it is still important to encourage families to provide information, and to continue to provide updates on COVID-related information across the division.
“I understand that things have opened up, but by no means has COVID gone away. I think we would be remiss to not at least continue having these updates—at least until the end of the school year.”
Throughout upcoming NLPS meetings, the school board will discuss COVID updates and respond to the situation as need be.
