Foothills Composite High School students will switch to at-home learning from April 19 to May 2 as a result of increasing cases of COVID-19 connected to the school.
“We saw a little bit of a surge in positive cases that were impacting the students and the staff,” said Comp principal Vince Hunter on April 18. “We came to the conclusion this would be an opportune time with the end of the quarter – there is a bit of a transition period that we could do what is referred to as a circuit breaker to slow things down and make sure the kids and their families are safe.”
All Grade 10 to 12 students will switch to at-home when classes resume from the quarterly break on April 21. There are approximately 1,150 students enrolled at the Comp. There were some final exams scheduled for April 19-20.
A letter was emailed to parents on April 17 stating there have been 17 cases associated with the school since March 28.
Six of those cases have been reported since students returned back to school on April 11 from the Easter break.
School and Foothills School Division administrators have been in contact with Alberta Health Services concerning the number of cases at the Comp.
“This was a decision that was made at the school and divisional level,” Hunter said. “It’s an effort to make sure our students and families are safe.”
Hunter said he received several phone calls from parents concerning the decision on Saturday.
“It’s been kind of both ends of the spectrum", he said. “I have families who are very grateful and thankful and families who are really frustrated and are advocating very hard for schools to be open for their kids.
“I can easily sit on both sides and appreciate everything they have to say.”
He’s proud of the students who have gone through a tough year.
“Our kids have done a heck of a good job at the school following all the policies and procedures that we have in place, I am really proud of them,” Hunter said. “I feel awful for them. I know they don’t want to be at home but it’s a reality for them right now.”
It’s also been hard on the staff, Hunter said.
“No one understands how hard this is, especially on the quarter-system,” Hunter said. “There were a lot of sad faces yesterday because the teachers have been removed from their kids.”
Families needing technical support for their children’s learning during the at-home situation can contact the school.
Alberta Health Services reported 199 active COVID-19 cases in Okotoks on April 18.
