Nearly two weeks into a school year like no other, some high school students in New Brunswick are trying to keep up with the demands of blended learning.
That’s the term used by Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Dominic Cardy in the summer when, as part of New Brunswick’s COVID-19 return to school plan, he announced high school students would attend school on alternating days and learn online from home when not physically in class.
At the time, the department said it was important to allow students to continue to learn while being able to promote physical distancing within a high school setting.
The province announced in July it would subsidize the purchase of laptops through the government, but some students still do not have their devices.
Zoë Watson, superintendent of Anglophone School District South (ASDS) said more laptops were delivered to high schools on Monday, meaning “all schools have most of their laptops.”
But she admitted it’s been a learning process for everyone.
“I would just ask that everyone be patient,” Watson said. “Our teachers are trying to find the best way to work with students in the classroom and know, at the same time, they need to connect with students who are at home.”
Watson said it will likely be another couple of weeks before everyone who needs a laptop has one.
“The laptops that students ordered through the Province are starting to arrive today in schools,” said Anglophone School District East Director of Communications Stephanie Patterson, in an email to Global News.
“They should all be distributed by the end of the week.”
The other school districts did not respond to requests for information.
The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development received about five thousand applications for laptops through the province’s Laptop Subsidy Program, according to spokesperson Tara Chislett, in an email to Global News.
Chislett said about f4,000 devices had been delivered by Sept. 18, with more due by Sept. 25.
Any student who had not yet received a laptop is eligible to receive on one loan, she said.
The department did not indicate how many students are still waiting for devices.
Watson said about 200 ASDS students will likely use laptops on loan from the district this year.