Online learning efforts reach creative highs, but infrastructure remains big issue
Remote learning has become the norm instead of the exception amid the pandemic, but it’s also showing the cracks in northwestern Ontario’s infrastructure.
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Internet hubs, sticks given to students that need them, but they don t always do the trick
Posted: May 06, 2021 5:42 PM ET | Last Updated: May 6
Sherri-Lynne Pharand, director of education at Keewatin Patricia District School Board, is shown in a classroom before the pandemic. She says the board has spent up to $35,000 on devices like hubs and sticks to get connected for remote learning. (Submitted by Sheena Pilipishen )
Rainy River District School Board is projected to receive about $43.3 million.
That is $120 thousand more than what it will get this school year.
The funding is based on the board having about two thousand students at its schools.
The Northwest Catholic District School Board is projected to receive just under $25 million, based on the enrolment of about 1,200 students.
That is a nearly $600 thousand increase over this year’s funding.
School boards are also receiving funding specific to deal with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Here’s a breakdown of the funding as provided by the province.
Rainy River District School Board:
Open Roads Facebook from March 21
A financial shot in the arm for local school boards as a cloud of uncertainty surrounds the 2021 and 2022 school years.
The province is promising another year of COVID-19 support totaling $1.6 billion.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce says the funding is for such things as transportation, special education, reading support, summer programming, mental health investments, health and safety upgrades and help for students who have become disconnected from school and learning during the pandemic.
The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board can anticipate $3.9 million with $1.15 million earmarked for hiring temporary staff.
Director of Education Sherri-Lynne Pharand says, “We are grateful for the investment in intervention, mental health and well-being, The continued focus on student learning and student safety will help boards support students as we return from the pandemic.”
Northwestern Ontario school boards get $10.5M from province, Ottawa for COVID-19 response
The federal and provincial governments are providing $10.5 million in total to seven northwestern Ontario school boards to support efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19.
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Posted: Apr 19, 2021 8:30 AM ET | Last Updated: April 19
The federal and provincial governments are providing funds to seven northwestern Ontario school boards to help them slow the spread of COVID-19.(Carlos Osorio/The Canadian Press)
The federal and provincial governments are providing $10.5 million in total to seven northwestern Ontario school boards to support efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce. Photo courtesy of the Ontario Government.
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A combined multi-million dollar investment from the provincial and federal governments will aim to keep students in northwestern Ontario as safe as possible from COVID-19.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce, Infrastructure and Communities Minister Catherine McKenna and provincial Minister of Infrastructure Laurie Scott announced the combined $656.5 million investment on April 14.
Leaders say the funding will support ventilation projects to improve air quality in classrooms, new water bottle refilling stations, network and broadband infrastructure improvements to support remote learning, and new walls and doors to enhance physical distancing spaces within schools.