Heading back to school will look different for students, parents, teachers and support staff at public and private schools this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Many are asking if in-class schooling is more important than the health and safety of the community at large, and whether not heading back just yet is the right answer.
It doesn’t matter what side of this debate parents are on or what the return to learning may look like for their families, there will still be some commonalities: the crisper cool fall air, and the collection of learning supplies such as shiny new pencils, fresh notebooks and binders.
Whether learning in the “new normal” classroom or at home, organization and routine are soon to be back in order for most.
Everyone loves their children and are doing the best they can with what they have.
There is no right or wrong answer to these tough decisions; what might work for one family may not work for someone else, and finding ways to support and understand each other’s circumstances and choices could be what makes this year’s eclectic approach to learning work best.
Even with BC’s plan for increased health and safety measures and funding for protective equipment, there is still a lot of anxiety and unknowns as to how situations for students, teachers and support staff at each location will all play out.
Powell River teachers want students back in the classroom, safely. Do you, as a parent or educator, feel that masks for anyone over the age of 10 and the new learning group numbers will be enough to keep everyone safe?
