Parents switch to remote learning in Gimli

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This article was published 23/04/2021 (1636 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

THE transition to remote learning for about 800 students in Gimli has largely been welcomed by families, the school division superintendent says.

Roza Gray said the Evergreen School Division has been “super-transparent” with parents about the spread of the virus in schools, and has received feedback that the community appreciates it. The division continues to report cases involving more infectious variants even though the province doesn’t require it.

As of Wednesday, half of the 14 cases in Gimli schools involved highly contagious variants. About 73 families are listed as close contacts to the 14 cases.

“We’ve been sending letters out to families identifying cases even when the cases weren’t in our schools during the infectious period, and parents really appreciated that additional level of transparency that we’ve provided as a school division,” Gray said.

About 800 students switched to remote learning Monday because COVID-19 cases had spread to all three of the town’s schools (Sigurbjorg Stefansson Early School, Dr. George Johnson Middle School and Gimli High School).

The division issued an updated case count to parents and caregivers Thursday evening. Provincial data, updated Thursday morning, showed 32 active cases in Gimli.

Only four of the confirmed cases involve school staff, but more than 20 school employees in Gimli are isolating at home. Most of them are a close contact of someone who’s tested positive, Gray said.

She said teachers who aren’t sick are running virtual classes for remote learners, and other school staffers are working with families who haven’t been able to keep their kids home because they don’t have child care.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @thatkatiemay