Tories Announce Plan for Reopening Schools
With no legislature or committee meetings for debate, the leader of Nova Scotia’s Progressive Conservatives is taking his party’s message directly to the people.
Tim Houston stood in front of Province House yesterday to outline his plan for opening Nova Scotia schools in September.
Access to technology, establishing mental health supports, and reduced class sizes highlight the plan.
In a series of letters, the PCs presented over 30 recommendations to Premier McNeil, that focused on preparing classrooms with supplies, supporting teachers through professional development, and equipping students for a new reality with hygiene protocols.
Houston says, “Parents have the right to know that there is a thoughtful plan for September that keeps students safe and delivers a robust core curriculum.”
Nine provinces have already released plans, but Nova Scotia is the lone province that has yet to deal publicly with the issue.
The Tories offer distinct plans for grades pre-primary to 5, and grades 6 to 12, with standards set for each group, including:
- 15-child cap for grades pre-primary to 5
- facilitating at-home learning where ach school takes stock of students’ capacity for Internet access and devices
- providing teachers with professional development opportunities surrounding online learning and new classroom protocols
- each school must submit a plan to Public Health that includes cleaning protocols
- educational hygiene videos supplied by Public Health
- ensuring protective equipment and cleaning supplies
- starting the school year with busses running at half-capacity
Houston says, “No one saw this pandemic coming. But if we act now, we have time to prepare the system for a successful 20-21 academic year and any potential second wave.”
A copy of the recent letter to the premier and the PC plan is available at www.pcpartyns.ca/ready-education.
The photo shows, L to R: Tim Halman MLA, PC Leader Tim Houston, and MLA Barbara Adams.
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