A planned protest by high school students in Manitoba today was a non-event in Steinbach.

A group encouraged students across the province to walk out of class at 11:30 this morning and demand public health and the government reinstate at-home learning. Steinbach Regional Secondary School has a student enrollment of approximately 1,700. Several students were seen leaving the school at 11:30 am, but none of them stated they were doing so in support of the protest.

Hanover School Division Superintendent Shelley Amos suggests this school walkout might be a bigger deal in Winnipeg.

"I would say most of the correspondence that I received, most of the conversations that I am part of, our community really wants our students to be in school, they want sports and extracurricular activities to continue," notes Amos.

Having said that, Amos says she is happy to hear that students are bringing their voices forward.

"That's what the education system is about isn't it?" she says. "So, happy to hear that there is critical thinking going on."

Amos says she acknowledges there are a few different opinions when it comes to student learning these days. One opinion is for students to learn in-person, another opinion is for students to learn remotely and then there is the opinion that a hybrid model should be offered. She asks that anyone planning to protest today, to do so in a safe, respectful way.

Meanwhile, Amos says staff has been looking forward to having students back in class today for the first time since Christmas. She notes they have done everything asked by the province with respect to guidelines and protocols.

Amos says right now they are in the restricted orange level. Medical masks are required by all staff, while three-layer masks are expected to be worn by all students. The division continues to perform additional cleaning in all of its buildings as well. She says Hanover School Division has a good track record of not a lot of school-wide transmission or outbreaks.

Amos notes attendance within their schools was average Monday morning.