Students at Beattie Elementary School in June when School District 73 returned to finish the year (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

RETURN TO SCHOOL

Kamloops parents excited, worried about their kids returning to school in September

Jul 29, 2020 | 4:47 PM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops schools performed a dress rehearsal for a return to school in June. Come September, the production will be live in the classroom for most students.

The province announced Wednesday (July 29) a return-to-school plan. Kindergarten to Grade 7 students will return full-time, while Grades 8 to 12 will learn in the classroom at least twice a week. However, School District 73 is trying to push high school students to full-time as well.

“Our goal is to have every child connected to school, so school is not voluntary as it once was,” noted SD73 Superintendent Alison Sidow. “The expectation is students come back to school.”

There are contingency plans for online learning. For students returning to the classroom, they will work in their own ‘bubbles.’ For elementary and middle school students, each bubble will be comprised of 60 students — the equivalent of two full classrooms.

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High school students will learn in a bubble of up to 120 people.

“So those two classes will be able to interact, to do physical activity, to have recess together, lunch together,” said Sidow. “But they won’t be able to interact necessarily with the other students in different cohorts.”

The idea of kids returning to school in September garnered mixed reaction from parents.

“I think it’s a little silly to be thinking about my kids going back to school,” noted one parent. “I just think it’s an experiment that I don’t want my kids to go through.”

Another parent added, “I’m worried to be honest. I don’t know how it’s going to affect my oldest in high school, especially class sizes.”

One parent said she’s happy the kids are going back, saying “my kids went back to school when it was optional and I could tell how important it was for their social and mental being.”

Students like Liam Betker are excited to be returning. Entering Grade 12, he’ll learn better in the classroom.

“I think it will benefit me because it will help me to learn easier, because I have a harder time with studying and understanding some of the curriculum,” he said.

The district has put extra safety measures in place. It’s installed no-touch faucets in the bathrooms and hired 17 additional daytime custodians. Sidow says it will provide extra surface cleaning.

“Following the provincial health guidelines is critical, and we’ll do that to the highest standard,” noted Sidow. “We want to reassure parents that we would never ask students to come back if it wasn’t safe.”