Day 1 of an extraordinary start to the school year

We can’t be fearful of COVID but we need to be respectful of it _{– Lorel Trumier, PACSD}

“All of the students really complied with what was required today and didn’t have any hiccups… that’s going to keep us in school longer,” she told paNOW.

Trumier credited the extensive preparations of teachers, staff and families for ensuring things worked well. She also explained having no parents enter the buildings and arranging a transition area outside played an important role in allowing everyone to get settled in and literally show their faces before they moved inside.

“[That] also allowed us to say ‘Hey, look at me, this is who I am without a mask’ and they could take it off briefly then put it back on. That helped our children get more comfortable with who the other person was on the other side of the mask,” she said.

Respect not fear

Trumier has some key messages as children go through this alien initiation to their new school year.

“We can’t be fearful of COVID but we need to be respectful of it. When you’re respectful then you understand the protocols that are required,” she said.

And she’s advising all students to be cautious beyond the school gates as well.

“It may be a bit too early to try sleepovers with people you haven’t had sleepovers with over the last five months. Phase in very safe precautionary processes for rekindling those relationships with friends,” Trumier said.

Meanwhile, principals with the Saskatchewan Rivers Public School Division reported the obvious excitement among children who haven’t seen each other for months, but that was tempered by an understanding about the need to do the responsible thing.

Students understand what’s needed

“One of the principals told me it feels like having distant family back for the holidays… but also lots of indication that students are interested in the routines and want to practice them,” Director of Education Robert Bratvold told paNOW. “There didn’t seem to be a lot of strain in terms of kids keeping their distance despite not having seen each other. That’s a testament to the support families have provided.”

Bratvold said it was important for the school division to not be naïve about the challenges ahead and more work needed to be done regarding the protocols around when and where facemasks should be worn among the Grades 4 to 12 group. He said that remained a key concern of parents. Also, he was keen to remind the community that only Carlton Comprehensive High School is slated for the initial voluntary in-school COVID testing next week. No other schools are currently part of that provincial decision.

[Teachers] have responded heroically _{– Robert Bratvold, SRPSD}

On a non-COVID related matter, Bratvold added because of the staggered start to the school year this week, Wednesday would be another ‘first day’ for bus drivers so it was important to ensure the transportation set up goes smoothly.

Not lost in all of the preparation for this extraordinary start to a new school year is what Bratvold conceded were the “undeniable demands” that have been put on teachers, administrators and support staff. They now have the huge layer of health and social distancing monitoring to perform on top of their usual educational duties.

“They have responded heroically,” he said. “And I don’t mean that in an exaggerated sense. They really have done great things and it has been difficult and hard.”

He said one of the comments from a principal Tuesday was that students were excited to be back at school and staff had fed off that energy and excitement.

“It speaks to how our teachers are there for kids, and when they’re doing great things with kids that helps to provide them (the teachers) with some of the support to get through the challenges,” he said.

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glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow

by Glenn Hicks

Day 1 of an extraordinary start to the school year

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