Classrooms across Alberta are quiet this week after the provincial government suspended all K-12 schools indefinitely amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Discussions are now ongoing as to what the move will mean for teachers and students in the coming months. Jason Schilling, president of the Alberta Teachers’ Association, says there will be no loss of income for full-time teachers, but there is a concern when it comes to aiding substitutes. “We are in conversations with the government on how to address the loss of income, potentially, for substitute teachers,” he said. “And that is a worry of ours and our colleagues right now.” Schilling added that he wants teachers to know they have support in dealing with the change of format. “We’ve