The Chair for the Border Land School Division Board of Trustees says he wasn't surprised by Education minister Kelvin Goertzen's announcement this week that the province is mandating a two week remote learning period for grades 7 to 12 students immediately following the winter break.

The two-week remote learning period will begin January 4, 2021, with students slated to return to school Jan. 18.

Optional remote learning will also be available to kindergarten to grade 6 students during this period, should families wish to keep their children at home following the break. Regular, in-person classroom learning will be available during this period for kindergarten to grade six students, as well as for any grade 7 to 12 students with special needs that must be accommodated in the school or classroom setting.

Craig Smiley says there'd been rumblings of a move like this for a while.

Smiley says there'd been rumblings of a move like this for a while."I'm glad the Minister came out with it early enough so that parents can plan now and decide what they're going to do," said Smiley.

He added however, this does create more work for staff who will need to determine what, if any, elementary students will take advantage of the remote learning option.

Smiley adds balancing these two scenarios just adds to teachers' already full plates but he is confident they will find a way to make it work.

As for the division's senior administration team, Smiley feels they are better prepared for this latest round of remote learning compared to the short notice announcement back in March.

As part of back-to-school preparations, the province asked school divisions to come up with three scenarios based on its pandemic response system should any of them be impacted by heightened public health restrictions and require a swift return to remote learning. As a result, Smiley says administrators in Border Land have been examining the issue since fall and are now working out the finer details of that plan to get it in place for January.

Meantime, Smiley offered a shout out to the remainder of the division's staff, including bus drivers and custodians, who he says have been working hard since the school year began to make all of the new guidelines and requirements work.

"As a Board, we wish them a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I know it's not going to be a normal Christmas, but we truly appreciate all of the work those people are doing too in our division," he said.