Coalition of Nunavut DEAs supports school closures but wants restricted travel for teachers
“We prefer if they would be given an option to work remotely, so that they have the option to not travel”
The Coalition of Nunavut District Education Authorities agrees that schools in Nunavut should be closed for the rest of the school year. In a news release, the CNDEA also said teachers should be given the option to work remotely. (File photo)
The Coalition of Nunavut District Education Authorities says it supports the recent decision to close schools in Nunavut during the COVID-19 pandemic, but wants teachers to limit their travel.
At an April 15 board meeting, the coalition passed a motion that all schools in Nunavut should remain closed for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year.
James Arreak, the CNDEA’s executive director, told Nunatsiaq News the motion passed unanimously.
“The board felt that it was important to continue supporting the closures for health and safety reasons,” Arreak said.
David Joanasie, Nunavut’s minister of education, announced on April 17 that Nunavut schools would be closed for the rest of the school year.
Before that, a letter sent to Nunavut school staff from the Department of Education on April 7 ordered all school staff to return to their home communities by April 21.
At that time, Joanasie said 93 school staff were out of the territory. He also said his department would assess requests from teachers to work remotely on a case-by-case basis.
In a news release, the CNDEA said that teachers who are currently out of Nunavut should have the option to work remotely.
“We understand some teachers have travelled to southern Canada for various reasons, and we prefer if they would be given an option to work remotely, so that they have the option to not travel,” Jedidah Merkosak, CNDEA’s chair, said in the release.
“We understand that some teachers have travelled outside for various reasons. And as a result, options should be provided so that teachers can have the option to not travel,” Arreak told Nunatsiaq News.
When asked by Nunatsiaq News how many of the 93 staff had returned to the territory, the education department said, “Addressing plans for their return, or establishing remote work options, is an operational matter that the Department of Education is managing on a case-by-case basis.”
All teachers returning to the territory must complete a mandatory 14-day isolation period in one of four designated hotels.
The department said it could not say how many teachers had asked to work remotely to date due to privacy reasons.
Arreak also said some DEAs felt they were not included in the department’s discussions about schools during the pandemic.
“Decisions have to be made quickly sometimes. We acknowledge that. Not every decision should be carried out that way…. They didn’t feel they were adequately participating and involved in some of the decisions taking place about schools. Those were some of the other comments and concerns raised by some of the other DEAs,” Arreak said.
GN says all eligible Grade 12 students will graduate
The CNDEA also said it “continues to work with its stakeholders to figure how to most effectively come up with a way to implement learning plans that would allow students, particularly Grade 12s, [to] be able to meet standards.”
The department said all eligible Grade 12 students will graduate.
“The Department of Education wants to assure Grade 12 students that principals and teachers will work with them to ensure they complete any necessary requirements. The department is there to help students succeed and realize their goals. Every student who is eligible to graduate from Grade 12 this year will graduate,” the department said in an email.
Assessments will be based on marks up until March 16, the last day before schools closed, the department said. With final exams cancelled, exam marks will be exempted.
“Students on track to receive 100 or more credits will still be eligible to graduate and receive a high school diploma. For any courses that have started, schools will complete them with the student to the best of their ability, provide a final mark, and award credits,” the department said.
The department also said students moving on to post-secondary studies will not be penalized.
“Many post-secondary institutions are adjusting their application process to the new reality of school closures. The Department of Education is working with post-secondary institutions to address graduation requirements, marks, and pre-requisites, and make this information accessible to staff, parents, and students to facilitate transition to post-secondary programs in the fall.”
“When asked by Nunatsiaq News how many of the 93 staff had returned to the territory, the education department said, “Addressing plans for their return, or establishing remote work options, is an operational matter that the Department of Education is managing on a case-by-case basis.”
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The Department of Education did not answer this simple question. The answer should have been a number between 0 and 93. Maybe no one at the Department of Education knows how math works?
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“The department said it could not say how many teachers had asked to work remotely to date due to privacy reasons.”
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Another non answer. Again the answer should be a number, and since there is no report on “who” left, unless all of the teachers have asked to work remotely there would be no way to tell who had or had not asked. Another B.S. answer.
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The easiest way to build trust with the public is to be honest, and ANSWER THE QUESTIONS!
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The quickest way to lose the trust of the public is to evade answering the questions from the public and from the news organizations.
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Nunatsiaq News please please press the GN to provide real answers to crucial questions.
Old trapper ,you know the answer very weak leadership at all levels in Nunavut and terrified of answering a question and their handlers just don’t want to give them the answers
Some staff scrambling to get ‘learning’ packages ready, and to plan and even get ahead a bit in preparing the next batch of packages -most teachers are able to do this themselves.
As predicted, there are a whole lot of staff coming in, who do nothing. There is no reason for them to be at the school . . . there is also no reason for them to be getting paid. SSAs drinking coffee and doing FB, sewing teachers making a new parka for her daughter, learning coach, who did little before is now doing facetime with friends & family on the phone and surfing the internet, school counsellor . . . relaxing in the computer room — these people are doing nothing and should be on leave with out pay. School staff who are not presently in quarantine (ie. making an effort to get back to their communities) should be LWOP –yes you may spend a couple hours collecting things and creating some work to ben in PDF files to email to your principal –but that doesn’t really count. Other people should not be taking on your responsibilities because you are hiding out in the south. These people are trying to have a 4 month summer holiday. Staff: office managers, admin, janitors, teachers, etc who are actually reporting to school and doing work (and some are continuing to put in additional hours from home later in the day) should be receiving a salary. Now, if/when there is active and increasing numbers of COVID in Nunavut . . . that will be time to really tighten things down — that’s when the school year should be cancelled for staff. Staff wanting to leave to go south, should then be allowed to without issue (following proper isolating procedures of course)
Why are you so bitter against school staff? And since you are so full of energy and enthusiasm why don’t you go teach the kids? Perhaps volunteer to have a couple students at your house that probably needs thorough cleaning. I can tell you have been in schools where there is lack of action. However, of the 40+ schools in Nunavut and over 700 educators, some of us actually do work while others are so proactive with our workload that we often have nothing do because we overwork ourselves to get our tasks done. Where were you when we were staying up late nights to plan, assess, and report? Were you lobbying for us to be paid overtime? I believe bitter is really an understatement here!
Nunavut schools are closed for the 2019-20 year.
How will they reopen in about 100 days should be the question needing action.
Our schools started the present year short by 80 odd teachers. The previous year I believe that number was about 60.
The DEAs through their Coalition need to look forward to staffing and OPENNING for the 2020-21 school year.
I know teachers who have filled out the GN document hatched over night in order to work from home and have submitted it days ago. There hasn’t been any news. The GN is about as competent as Joes flying abilities.
Why aren’t all teachers be made aware of this form. Where can teachers find this form?
It was distributed to all GN emails a while back.
In mydepartment there has been no reply to people who submitted it about ten days ago.
There is a bottleneck somewhere for sure, unless it is deliberate. You know, the usual Nunavut making a decision by indecision way of doing things.