Ontario's education minister faced a slew of new questions Thursday about the school year restarting in September, but focused on the government's goal of getting students back in class every single day.
The government has laid out three options that school boards have to prepare for in September, from normal in-class instruction to remote learning to a hybrid of both (which must be submitted to the ministry by early August.)
But the Globe and Mail reported Thursday about a memo from the government to boards telling them to "maximize" time kids would have in a classroom, prompting concern about true flexibility boards actually have.
Speaking to reporters, Lecce emphasized what the province is hoping for based on current health trends.
"The government's preference is every day, day-to-day delivery, five days a week in class," he said. "We do not know what will happen in August (when boards must submit their plans) and so out of an abundance of caution to ensure kids are not, there's not a gap in learning, we're going to be ready for every circumstance."
Making the matter more difficult for the fall is the uncertainty of child care and it's unclear how many child care centres have since reopened since they were allowed to last month.
Lecce was asked twice if parents should begin having conversations with their employers now if they haven't already about work flexibility, but reiterated the goal of having kids in class every day.
He was also asked if the government is planning on mobile and portable classrooms in the case there's more classes made up of smaller numbers of children to meet physical distancing needs.
Again, he reiterated having students back in a conventional setting.
"We have confidence that we can get there, that we can get kids in class each and every day, it just will require the continued collaboration with the chief medical officer of health," he said.
As for potentially hiring more educators, Lecce says the government has already given increased funding to all boards and as for a possible regional reopening, again pointed to what the boards will come up with.
The government's goal to get back to normal classes is the same for child care capacity, but Kim Yeamen with the Association Daycare Operators Ontario, as well as an operator of two buildings in Simcoe, says that's impossible given the new regulation of a 10-person cohort system for daycares.
"We had about 250 families in both of our child cares and now we are looking at a maximum of about 76 at the current regulations," she said. "I have parents asking me every day when will the next spots become available, I do not, we do not have answers about that."
One board in Ottawa is proposing half of students on Mondays and Tuesdays, the other half on Thursdays and Fridays, with Wednesday reserved for cleaning.
The option is also being discussed at the Toronto District School Board, but that hybird model Yeaman says creates more strain.
For example, Yeaman says in one program under normal circumstances, they would have around 80 kids for a certain age group, but now they can only take 24.
"On Wednesday, if they're all off, where are those other children going?" she said.