Catholic division teachers given OK to work from home; public board says principals' choice

EDMONTON -- Teachers at Edmonton Catholic schools who are delivering their classes online will be allowed to work from home beginning Monday.

Edmonton Catholic Schools released its decision in a memo sent out to schools this week, saying it wants to help keep people safe and support the province's new public health measures.

• READ MORE: Alberta bans all gatherings, closes most businesses and makes masks mandatory

"Staff that are able to effectively do their job from home may do so," the memo reads. "You may have some staff that feel they are unable to work from home. They may work from school/site but must make every effort to remain distanced, even isolated from all others, within the school."

The work-from-home plan does not apply to elementary schools.

 “If there are K-9 schools, then obviously we would have Grade 7-9 teachers working from home as of Monday, but as in-person is still continuing for grades K-6, that would continue in an elementary/junior high,” said Edmonton Catholic spokesperson Lori Nagy.

Custodial staff and one administrator will remain on site at each school. Students with special needs who require support will also be allowed to continue to go to school.

All staff will return to their schools on Jan. 11, 2021. 

The province announced a new public health state of emergency on Nov. 24. All students in Grades 7 to 12 moved to at-home schooling for the rest of 2020. All Alberta students will do a week of online school after the December break before returning to the classroom on Jan. 11.

Premier Jason Kenney announced new restrictions on Dec. 8, banning all social gatherings, closing restaurants, gyms and hair salons, and making masks mandatory across the province to curb the spread of COVID-19. He also announced that effective Dec. 13, it will be mandatory for workers who can do so to work from home.

Nagy said the move will help the board achieve that measure.

“When the province released the new restrictions we felt it was very important that we be part of that solution,” she said.

The Edmonton Public School Board said each school in its division will have its own approach.

Principals have been asked to do what works best for their school and can allow staff to work remotely when possible, the division confirmed in an email to CTV News Edmonton.

EPSB has also continued with some in-school learning to support students with complex needs and has maintenance and custodial staff on site.