Education Minister Adriana LaGrange. (Government of Alberta)

By David Opinko

In-person K-12 classes resume May 25 in Alberta

May 19, 2021 | 3:01 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – There might be just over a month left of school, but students will be able to enjoy it with their classmates and teachers.

Education Minister Adriana LaGrange says, starting May 25, all students in K-12 schools will be able to return to in-person learning with the exception of those in the M.D. of Wood Buffalo.

“I understand it has been a challenging two weeks for students, parents, teachers, and other school staff across all divisions across this province. I know you had to adapt, once again, to learning at home during a school that has been like no others.”

“I’m confident students will finish this challenging school year learning in their classrooms.”

LaGrange says it was not an easy decision to have to move students exclusively to online learning a few weeks ago, but at the time, it was necessary.

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Since then, however, Dr. Deena Hinshaw believes the situation has improved.

“We have seen a sharp decline in cases in school-aged children in Alberta in recent weeks from an average of 60 new cases a day for every 100,000 children and youth in early May, we are now down to 31 cases per 100,000.”

With youths set to return to classes after the long weekend, the minister says mask requirements, cohorts, screening for symptoms, and seating arrangements will continue to be in effect.

Starting on Tuesday, rapid COVID-19 testing will start in schools in Lethbridge, Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray, and more schools in Calgary and Edmonton.

So far during the rapid screening pilot, just under 11,000 tests have been conducted in Alberta’s two largest cities, producing 44 positive tests among youths.

For schools in areas with higher rates of COVID-19 transmission, extracurricular sports, recreational, and performance activities will remain closed for the time being.

You can watch the education update with LaGrange and the COVID-19 update with Dr. Hinshaw below.