Nova Scotia public school students will have an extended holiday break out of an abundance of caution.

The last day of classes will be Dec. 18 and classes resume Jan. 11.

School-based staff will be returning to schools on Jan. 4 for five days of professional learning. 

“This year has created unprecedented challenges for our school system. I want to thank teachers, administrators, parents and students who are all working hard to follow the protocols. As well, thank you to the cleaning staff who work tirelessly to sanitize our schools,” said Premier Stephen McNeil. “Out of an abundance of caution, we are extending the holiday break. We have seen COVID-19 cases rise in other provinces after holidays, and there is the potential for the virus to join even small gatherings of family and friends. This precautionary measure will allow us to identify cases before students return to class.”

During the week of Jan. 4, principals, teachers, support staff, specialists and early childhood educators will be in school for professional development, learning on behalf of their students in areas such as inclusive education, social emotional learning and technology.

“We have had a successful school year so far and we want it to continue,” said Zach Churchill, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development. “By setting aside five days of professional development for staff, we are giving them an opportunity to prepare for the rest of the school year, and to think about how they can support student learning and well-being until the end of June.”

“COVID-19 remains in our communities and it is vital that everyone continues following public health advice and practices. Keep washing your hands, maintain a physical distance when and where required, wear a non-medical mask everywhere you need to, and adhere to gathering limits. These actions have served us well through this pandemic and we cannot become complacent as we head toward the holidays.”
– Dr. Robert Strang, chief medical officer of health

Additional Resources:
To learn more about Nova Scotia’s Back to School Plan, and for FAQs about learning during the pandemic, go to: https://novascotia.ca/backtoschool

Nova Scotians can find accurate, up-to-date information, handwashing posters and fact sheets at https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus.

Source: Release #notw