N.B. COVID-19 roundup: Teachers see hundreds of hours of work ahead to prepare for fall

Teachers need more information now about what will be expected of them in the fall, says union president Rick Cuming. 

Schools were closed March 13 to reduce the risk of spread of the coronavirus, and there is no plan to reopen them by the end of the current school year in June.

"It is really crucial that if teachers need to start preparing for a different September, and we know they do, they need to have as much of that information ahead of time," Cuming told Information Morning Fredericton on Thursday.

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On Wednesday, the province announced the delivery of 500 laptop computers and 300 mobile internet hubs to help students learn during the COVID 19 crisis and future emergencies.

Education Minister Dominic Cardy said the devices are intended mainly to help students when the new school year begins in the fall. It's still not clear to what extent students will be back in schools and whether that will be combined with continuing home-based learning.

Schools may open and close, and teachers may have to "flip back and forth" between in-person and online teaching, depending on whether there is a second wave of the virus, the minister said.

Cuming believes it will take hundreds of hours for teachers and school teams to plan a broadened and consistent online component to their curricula. 

This means adequate training for online learning has to happen before the start of the new school year.

"It's really working with teachers to get them ready, so they know now we're looking for some component of online delivery next year," he said.

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"Teachers can start collaborating with each other, identify what gaps are needed."

He said the union, school districts and the Department of Education have also been working together to develop a uniform report card system for this school year.

No new COVID-19 cases Thursday

The province has announced no new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, keeping the total at 120 confirmed cases of the virus. 

Dr. Jennifer Russell, New Brunswick's chief medical officer of health, reported two new cases of COVID-19 in the province earlier this week.

One case in the Saint John area was travel-related, and a case in the Fredericton region is still being investigated.

Russell and Premier Blaine Higgs had been hosting daily news conferences throughout the work week. 

But the province has decided to reduce the number of news briefings to three times a week, on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays, although Russell held a briefing on Tuesday when the first new case was announced. 

J.D. Irving parks to reopen this weekend

J.D. Irving parks are expected to reopen Saturday. This includes The Irving Nature Park and Wolastoq Park in Saint John and La Dune de Bouctouche. To help stop the spread of COVID-19, the following rules have
been implemented.

•  Respect physical distancing by keeping six feet apart at all times.
•  Trails are one way, and residents are asked to consult a trail map and signage.
• The Bouctouche boardwalk can support two-way traffic. Residents are asked to "keep to the right."
• Gatherings are not permitted.
• Washrooms, visitor centres and barbecue sites are closed.
• There will be no interpretive programs until further notice.
• Parks are to be enjoyed at your own risk.
• Parks will close if provincial guidelines cannot be maintained

Play equipment will also remain closed because of the provincial policy that playgrounds remain closed.

Fredericton launches website to help residents locate resources 

The City of Fredericton has a new resource available to connect residents to services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

People Helping People, a website launched Wednesday, aims to showcase a variety of resources available to people who may have had difficulty finding them on their own.

Sebastián Salazar, community liaison for the city, said the idea for the website came from similar websites offered by federal and provincial governments.

"People have been wanting some sort of I guess like a help hub because it makes it easier," said Salazar. 

"There's so much information out there and we're hoping that this helps."

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The website consists of four sections.

The first section includes links to food resources. It offers information about local food banks and community kitchens for people struggling with food insecurity. It also offers information about local retailers and restaurants offering pick-up and delivery.  

Another section includes volunteer opportunities and charities in need of donations. 

A third section is dedicated to upcoming virtual events and active challenges.

The final section offers links to physical and mental health resources in the city.

Parlee Beach is open — but the provincial park isn't 

Residents in the Shediac area have been upset over a jump in traffic after the province announced the reopening of parks and beaches last month, including Parlee Beach.

Although the beach is open, the main road to Parlee Beach is still closed. This is forcing people to travel through smaller residential streets to get to the beach.

Tourism Minister Bruce Fitch said that's because Parlee Beach Provincial Park itself is still closed to the public.

Technically, Parlee Beach isn't part of the provincial park, meaning people can still visit the area, Fitch said. 

A decision was made to avoid restricting access to parking lots at the park to prevent New Brunswickers from parking on local streets, which would compound the problem, he said.

What to do if you have symptoms

People concerned they might have COVID-19 can take a self-assessment on the government website.  People with two of those symptoms are asked to:

• Stay at home.

• Immediately call Tele-Care 811 or their doctor

• Describe symptoms and travel history.

• Follow instructions.