Northland School Division

Dear Parents and Guardians:

Our priorities throughout this pandemic have been ensuring everyone is healthy and safe and creating a new learning model while in-person classes are cancelled. On Saturday, March 28, 2020, Northland School Division received information from Alberta Education which will result in operational changes. We understand and respect the difficult decisions that our Provincial Government has made in these trying circumstances. While funding for teachers and most other aspects of the K-12 system is being maintained, funding for transportation and some services not being utilized in an at-home learning environment, is being temporarily reduced while in-person classes remain cancelled. Any savings from these adjustments will be re-allocated to support Alberta’s COVID-19 response. 

When we received further clarification from Alberta Education, senior administration carefully reviewed and discussed creative solutions to this new challenge. Through a combination of mainly volunteers, identification of program needs, seniority and attrition, we were able to make the reductions required. On Thursday, April 16, 2020, Northland issued temporary layoff notices to bus drivers, hot lunch program cooks and some school-based and central office staff. Northland School Division will continue to pay the health and wellness benefits for affected staff during the temporary layoff period. 

The Board of Trustees would like to once again express their appreciation for the hard work that all staff have exhibited. They would also like to thank the numerous staff who volunteered to a temporary layoff during this challenging time. The Board looks forward to seeing all staff when schools reopen and classes resume. We want to reassure you that your child’s education remains our top priority. We will work together to ensure that we continue to support your children.

Thank you for your continued patience during this challenging time. We will provide more information when it becomes available. Thank you.

Stay safe and healthy.


Sincerely,


Dr. Nancy Spencer-Poitras
Superintendent of Schools
The Northland School Division