Superintendent Update for Parents - March 24, 2020
To: All Parents/Guardians
From: Darryl Seguin, Superintendent
On Friday, Minister of Education Adriana LaGrange announced guidelines for continuing student learning in Alberta. We were pleased that her recommendations aligned so closely with what our principals and teachers in Livingstone Range School Division were already working on for our students.
Here are some details that I want to highlight for you:
Student Learning
- Kindergarten-Grade 3: Focus on language/literacy and math/numeracy. Teachers will assign an average of 5 hours of work per week.
- Grades 4-6: Focus mainly on language/literacy and math/numeracy, with some time spent on social studies and science. Teachers will assign an average of 5 hours of work per week.
- Grades 7-9: Focus on language arts, math, science and social studies. Teachers will assign an average of 10 hours of work per week.
- Grades 10-12: Focus on core courses required for high school graduation (English, math, social studies, biology, chemistry and physics). Teachers will assign an average of 3 hours per subject of work per course per week. CTS courses, such as cosmetology or automotive classes, often require specialized equipment. As such, CTS courses will be looked at on a course-by course-basis and may continue to some degree.
Exams
- Grade 6 and Grade 9 Provincial Achievement Tests are cancelled.
- Grade 12 Diploma Exams are cancelled.
Grade 12 Students
- Students on track to receive 100 or more credits will still be eligible to graduate.
- Principals will have the ability to award up to 15 credits to students in Grade 12 whose program has been negatively impacted by class cancellations, to ensure eligible students graduate.
- Many students and parents wonder if graduation ceremony events will happen. At this time, it is too early to know. More information will be shared as it becomes available.
Beginning this week, students will start their education continuity with blended learning that includes online and offline experiences. Each school will determine the best way to deliver curriculum, and your child’s teacher or school will contact you with further details.
For parents who want to help supplement their child's learning, more than 4,000 resources aligned with Alberta's curriculum are available on www.learnalberta.ca.
Although this is an uncertain time for families and students, we are confident that learning will continue in Livingstone Range School Division. I thank the administrators, teachers, and staff who spent last week working and planning with students’ best interest at heart, and who will continue to be passionate educators even with social distancing.
Please continue to check www.lrsd.ca and your school’s website for updated information. This is our official website where you’ll find authoritative, trusted information. Livingstone Range School Division does not have a Facebook profile, although many of our schools do. Please visit legitimate Division and school websites and social media for current official information.
Parents, students, and staff all have a responsibility for continued learning during this pandemic, and together we will do great things.
Darryl Seguin
Superintendent, Livingstone Range School Division