WINNIPEG -- The Winnipeg School Division (WSD) announced Monday it will be offering in-school summer session classes starting July 8 to July 31. WSD told CTV News students have already started to enroll. The classes will be for students who want to take Grade 9 to Grade 12.
Rob Riel, director of Indigenous education, said, “We’ve had multiple plans over the last little while, always adapting to the guidance and direction of our province and the chief medical officer. Currently, we are anticipating opening up our summer programming, both our summer school course and our ELA programming.”
Riel said class sizes will be limited to 16 students but that could vary class to class. The safety of both students and staff is a priority.
“We’re doing site visits actually tomorrow (Tuesday) to see how many students can actually be in the classroom using the six-foot social distancing that we’ve all been getting used to. Some classrooms might only be eight, if the classroom size is not adequate for 16,” he said.
Riel added if there are more than 16 students, they will figure out a way to get all the students what they need.
“The main thing is we have teachers who said they would be able to do, for example, if it’s an English course, Grade 9, 10, 11, and 12. They can teach multiple courses at the same time,” said Riel.
Grant Park High School and Andrew Mynarski V.C. School will host both repeater and non-repeater classes.
For students within WSD, the cost for repeater courses will be $210. Non-repeater courses will cost $350. For non-resident students, repeater classes will jump up to $350, and non-repeater $570.
“This will allow students the opportunity to be with a teacher, asking those questions with social distancing one-on-one,” Riel said.
Riel said some students are more successful in learning online and from home. He said InformNet will be available for repeater classes only.
Around the province, Michele Polinuk, superintendent for Lord Selkirk School Division, said they won’t be holding summer programming, but that’s not different from other years. She told CTV News they will be offering credit recovery for students who need additional credits for classes.
CTV also reached out to the Lakeshore School Division, which serves students in the Interlake region. Superintendent Donald Nikkel said there will be no summer programming.
“In our division, we service a very tremendously large geographical area with a relatively small student population,” said Nikkel. “So we have an area about the size of P.E.I. and in the area, we have about 1,000 students.”
Nikkel said many of their students come from agricultural families and may be needed to help on the farm.
“Our students are spread apart, so transportation could be an issue. And also there’s a lot to be from the seat of a tractor,” he said. “Although we really value classroom learning and what students get there. Reading and numeracy is obviously a major focus in our division. There’s also a lot more learning than can be done in a classroom."
Brandon School Division sent CTV News this statement:
“In partnership with Manitoba Education, Pembina Trails School Division, and St. James-Assiniboia School Division, the Brandon School Division will be using InformNet for summer school programming. The department has waived the fees for the summer online programming for the students in Grades 9-12.”
