News release

In-person Classes to Resume in Most Regions, Licensed Child Care Returns to Full Capacity

COVID-19
Education and Early Childhood Development

NOTE: More details on schools that will remain in at-home learning follows this release.

In-person classes will resume Wednesday, June 2, at all Nova Scotia public and private schools outside of Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) and Sydney.

Also on June 2, licensed child-care centres and family daycare homes across the province can return to 100 per cent capacity.

The reopening decisions are based on advice from public health and pediatricians at the IWK Health Centre. All public health measures as outlined in Nova Scotia’s Back to School plan will remain in place.

At-home learning will continue for students in HRM and Sydney, but there will be some exceptions for students with highly complex needs. School officials will contact those families early next week with additional details about a June 2 start date. Public health, in consultation with the province, will continue to assess in-person classes for other HRM and Sydney students.

“We know that in-person schooling is best for children, and thanks to Nova Scotians following the rules, we can safely reopen schools to many of our students,” said Premier Iain Rankin. “We want students in their classes with their peers, finishing the year strong.”

Families will receive more information from their schools or regional centres for education/Conseil scolaire acadien provincial later today.

“I want to thank child-care staff, operators and families,” said Derek Mombourquette, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development. “The lockdown has been hard on everyone and the people in this sector have done a fantastic job of adapting to new public health guidance. They have succeeded in keeping centres open, supporting those needing to work through the third wave. Now, with COVID numbers going down, we can ease restrictions safely.”

Families whose circumstances mean they are not ready to access their child-care space may continue to keep their child home and have their space held until June 30 without paying fees. Families are encouraged to talk to their providers regarding timing of re-enrolling their child in licensed child care.

As of July 1, families must pay their fees or withdraw from child care.

The province will continue to support the child-care sector with emergency funding as needed until June 30, including operational and staffing costs incurred as a result of a delayed return by some families. The province will also continue to provide personal protective equipment to centres.

Quick Facts:

  • all school gyms provincewide will remain closed to community use
  • at schools that are open, school teams will be allowed to practice inside the school but there will be no games
  • current emergency funding to the child-care sector is estimated at $850,000 per week
  • as of May 28, $4.8 million in emergency funding has been deposited into the bank accounts of approximately 300 child-care centres and 14 family home child-care agencies.
  • last year, the province supported the child-care sector through a complete three-month shutdown with $30 million in emergency funding; that was in addition to regular annual sector funding of $70 million.

Additional Resources:

Nova Scotia’s Back to School Plan: https://www.ednet.ns.ca/backtoschool

At-home learning will continue for students at:

Halifax Regional Centre for Education:

  • all schools

Cape Breton-Victoria Regional Centre for Education:

  • Sydney Academy
  • Sherwood Park Education Centre
  • Whitney Pier Memorial Middle School
  • Brookland Elementary School
  • Shipyard Elementary
  • Cusack Elementary School
  • Harbourside Elementary School
  • Adult High School
  • Riverview High School
  • Malcolm Munroe Middle School
  • Sydney River Elementary School
  • Riverside School
  • Marion Bridge Elementary
  • Mountainview Elementary
  • Coxheath Elementary
  • Robin Foote Elementary

Chignecto-Central Regional Centre for Education:

  • Uniacke District School
  • Elmsdale District School
  • Enfield District School
  • Maple Ridge Elementary
  • Riverside Education Centre
  • Hants East Rural High School

Conseil scolaire acadien provincial schools in HRM and Sydney:

  • École des Beaux-Marais
  • École Bois-Joli
  • École du Carrefour
  • École secondaire Mosaïque
  • École secondaire du Sommet
  • École Mer et Monde
  • École Beaubassin
  • École du Grand-Portage
  • Centre scolaire Étoile de l’Acadie

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