In consultation with the Department of Education and Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, Chief Medical Officer of Health, the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District (NLESD) is preparing to resume full-time in-class instruction (Scenario 1) for K-9 schools in the Avalon region. They will join their counterparts in Labrador, Central and Western regions, who returned to in-class instruction last week. 

Meanwhile, high schools throughout the province which cannot operate in Scenario 1, due to an inability to cohort and recently revised Public Health protocols, will all operate under the Scenario 3 (full-time online instruction) model. This includes those in Labrador, Western and Central regions previously identified as entering a Scenario 2 model, with blended in-class instruction/at-home learning environment. 

These models will remain in effect until at least Thursday, April 1, and will be re-evaluated at the end of the scheduled Easter Break on April 9. 

After discussion with Provincial Government officials, it was determined that with the evident success to date of online instruction at the high school level, coupled with complications presented by the Covid-19 variant, the District will continue with full-time online instruction in all high schools at this time, said Goronwy Price, Chair of the NLESD Board of Trustees. The District will continue to adapt and adjust to Public Health recommendations as they evolve in order to maximize instructional time for students.

In Avalon Region:

• All K-9 students will begin full-time in-class instruction under Scenario 1 (near normal) on Thursday, March 18, with recently-updated health and safety protocols in place. These students will remain within their class cohorts throughout the school day.
• All high schools will continue to operate under Scenario 3 (full-time online instruction), with the exception of a small number of schools which can operate under Scenario 1, as students are able to cohort within a small school population. 

In Labrador, Western and Central Regions:

• All K-9 students will continue in-class instruction within their schools.
• Schools with high school grades which can operate in Scenario 1 will continue to do so. 
• All schools previously identified as operating in Scenario 2 (blended in-class instruction/at-home learning) will revert to Scenario 3 (full-time online instruction), on Thursday, March 18.

More information is provided in the Backgrounder attached below.

Please note: In schools where in-class instruction has resumed, teachers will be engaged in face-to-face instruction, and online classes will not be available.

The District will continue to work closely with the Department of Education, educational partners, the Chief Medical Officer of Health and Public Health officials in the various regions of the province, to adhere to the recommendations and advice provided as the school year continues.