Edmonton Public Schools says it is waiting for clarity on what the Alberta government has planned for students when they end a winter holiday break that was extended due to a surge in COVID-19 infections.

The school board's chairwoman, Trisha Estabrooks, says parents prefer more information soon, particularly if it includes the possibility that students may return to online learning.

Education Minister Adriana LaGrange announced late yesterday, just days before students were to return to school, that the holidays were being extended to Jan. 10.

LaGrange says the highly contagious Omicron variant of COVID-19 poses additional risk to health and resources.

The minister adds that the longer break will allow school authorities to plan for a successful startup.

Estabrooks says parents are juggling kids, work and the pandemic so any changes can be challenging for families.

The government has said school authorities can use the extended break to prepare for potential in-person and at-home learning scenarios as they have done earlier in the pandemic.