As announced by government on July 20, the Minister of Education has changed the start date of the 2020-21 school year from Tuesday, September 8 to Wednesday, September 2. Under subsection 27(1) of the Schools Act, 1997, the Minister has sole authority to determine the opening and closing dates of the school year and is under no obligation to consult with the Association in this regard. It is unfortunate that the Minister chose to wait until after teachers and administrators had been dismissed for the school year to announce this decision.

Not surprisingly, this decision has given rise to numerous questions among NLTA members. While individuals should make contact with NLTA staff for advice/assistance on issues related to their personal circumstances, please read the attached memo for responses to some of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) received by Programs and Service staff.