New Brunswick students will see big changes when they return to the classroom in the fall.
Education Minister Dominic Cardy unveiled Friday what the next school year will look like.
“Full-time learning will be mandatory. How this is going to look is going to vary based on grade level,” said Cardy.
Kindergarten to Grade 5 students will see reduced class sizes, with the aim being around 15 students per class. Grades 6 to 8 will have regular class sizes and students will be spread out in the classroom.
All students in kindergarten to Grade 8 will be grouped by class and stay within their grouping throughout the day.
“These groups, these classes, will be separated throughout the day. They’ll use separate entrances, may use staggered arrival times, along with having staggered lunches and breaks,” said Cardy.
Students in Grades 9 to 12 will not be grouped due to schedules but there will be smaller class sizes.
Cardy said high school students will be taught using “blended learning” methods, which means they may not always be in the classroom.
“That could include traditional distance learning, online courses, guided projects, experiential learning or co-op placements,” he said, noting students would be in the classroom at least every second day.
Cardy said the department will continue to work with school districts to ensure students have the tools they need. The province is working on a model to help increase student access to technology.
He said there may be changes to transportation and public access to schools will be limited to students, staff, and those who receive permission in advance from the principal.
Each of the province’s almost 300 schools will have to come up with their own operational plan, he said.
Cardy also announced they are pausing the co-ordinated rollout of some of the green paper initiatives for one year so they can focus on adapting to COVID-19.
“The pandemic situation is constantly evolving, and this plan will allow the education system to be responsive to the needs of educators and students throughout the 2020-21 school year,” he said.
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