The Department of Education is working quickly to finalize operational plans, school schedules and the movement of experiential programs in time for the beginning of the school year on Aug. 20, according to department officials.

“These are very interesting times – we have not been through this type of experience before,” David Wipf, the assistant deputy minister of Schools and Student Services, told the Star Tuesday.

“Our goals have been to, first and foremost, follow the health and safety guidelines … and get as many students back to face-to-face learning as possible.”

On July 9, the government announced its plan to send Grades 10-12 students back to classrooms half-time, with the remainder of learning happening remotely.

Grade 8 students will move to the Wood Street Centre and experiential programs will shift from Wood Street to other high schools.

Full operational plans will be available for families on Aug. 12. Whitehorse schools will begin classes on Aug. 20, the government announced Tuesday.

The first day of classes was pushed back to allow a professional development day for teachers on Aug. 19.

French First Language students will also start on Aug. 20. Individual Learning Centre students will begin on Aug. 26, not Aug. 25.

The health and safety guidelines for schools are already posted to the government’s website.

Wipf said students attending school for half-days will receive their schedules on Aug. 12. He conceded that there won’t be much time for families to plan around those half-days, and the tight timeline is challenging.

“Nobody wanted this; we do not have the luxury of a lot of time for the planning, we’ve been under tight time constraints all along,” Wipf said.

“What we do promise is that all of the details parents need will be provided by Aug. 12, so parents should look for that information.”

Last week, the Star spoke with parents who are concerned that Grades 10 to 12 students might lack the motivation to complete all the remote learning required, and will only receive half their education.

Some said remote learning was challenging and ineffective for their kids during the spring.

Wipf said the Yukon’s “blended learning” model will ensure that students receive their full education.

“We must provide a full year of learning and we are committed to doing that,” Wipf said.

Every student will receive face-to-face instruction to support remote learning.

Wipf said he is confident that students’ learning will be better supported than the entirely remote programming that was provided last spring.

“We understand that there were challenges for students, staff and families as we adapted to distance learning for spring, but the Grade 10 to 12 learning for students now will not be like the end of last year,” Wipf said.

Teachers will collaborate on supervised study halls to ensure students don’t fall behind on their coursework, he explained.

Multiple parents told the Star last week they are considering hiring tutors to keep their children up to speed.

Wipf recommended that parents consult with their children’s teachers to address concerns if they feel their kids are falling behind.

“What we would really encourage is that parents stay in very close contact with their classroom teacher to be aware of how their child is doing,” Wipf said.

“And then, in a very timely manner, address concerns; it will be the teachers that are the experts.” 

Wipf provided some details on the plan to move experiential programs from the Wood Street Centre.

OPES (Outdoor Pursuits and Experiential Science) and PASE (Plein Air et Sciences Experientielles) will move to F.H. Collins Secondary School.

All other experiential programs, including MAD (Music, Arts and Drama), will relocate to Porter Creek Secondary School.

Staff began moving equipment from the Wood Street Centre this week.

“What we’ve asked teachers at Wood Street to do is identify what equipment they’re going to need immediately,” Wipf said.

Experiential students can expect all the equipment they will need to be ready and available to them at the new location, Wipf said.

The experiential programs will be “closely monitored” at their new locations.

“We highly value those programs,” Wipf said.

“We’re working with school principals at these high schools and school staff responsible at these programs to ensure that the program integrity is intact.

“We will support that, and ensure that, not only with our experiential programs but with all schools as we work together on this very challenging and I’m sure very exciting school year.”

See related story and letter ode to the Wood Street Centre.