The Regina Public School Division is preparing to move all of its high schools to remote learning temporarily.

All Regina high school classes will go online from Jan. 20 to Jan. 24, according to a letter sent out to parents.

The move is an effort to reduce the risk of high school students missing their scheduled final assessments, which are set to start Jan. 25.

Final assessments may be in-school or remote as determined by the requirement of the class and the teachers’ discretion.

On Monday, director of education Greg Enion sent out a letter to parents highlighting the continued challenges COVID-19 is placing on schools and staff.

Last week, there were 526 self-reported positive COVID-19 cases in Regina Public Schools with 53 of those cases being in staff. Seven classrooms had moved to remote learning.

“School operations have been strained as teaching, administrative and facilities staff have had to cover for absent colleagues,” Enion said in the letter.

“At the same time, the availability of substitute staff, for both teaching and support, have also been in very short supply.”

Enion is warning parents that changes to in-class learning may be made “on short notice” and families should be prepared for the contingency of remote learning.

School divisions across the province are reporting similar volumes of COVID-19 cases in classrooms.

Between Jan. 10 and Jan. 16, Prairie Valley School Division (PVSD) reported 212 positive rapid test results.

“We are in contact with public health several times a day. So far, they have not advised us to shut down any schools or classrooms,” said PVSD spokesperson Ian Hanna.

There are 39 schools in PVSD with 8,900 students. Hanna says COVID-19 has impacted all but three or four schools in the division.

The Greater Saskatoon Catholic School Division has temporarily moved a “handful” of classrooms to remote learning, according to its communication consultant Derrick Kunz.

Last week, 799 staff and students self-reported positive test results to the division.

Kunz says there are some staffing challenges, as teachers, education assistants and administrative staff get sick. He says if substitutes are not available, schools are finding ways to shuffle staff around. However, “some pockets are seeing strain.”

According to the Ministry of Education, there are no additional resources being offered to schools on top of what was given last year.

Kevin Gabel, executive director of the programs branch in the ministry of education, says $150 million was allocated to Saskatchewan schools last year to help with the COVID-19 response and implementation of remote learning. Gabel says $35.9 million of that funding is specifically to support increased costs during this school year.

According to Gabel, all schools work directly with their local medical health officers when deciding to move classrooms online. The government continues to make in-class learning a priority.

“In-class learning is the best way forward due to the mental health of students,” Gabel said.