Ontario schools will be re-opening in September, but the details have yet to be worked out. In June, Education Minister Stephen Lecce asked school boards to consider three scenarios: full time classes running five days per week with enhanced COVID-19 safety measures; full-time at home learning with enhanced remote delivery; a hybrid solution involving a combination of on-line and in-class situations, possibly involving alternating days or weeks at home and school.
At the time, Lecce suggested that the hybrid model would probably be the standard for most boards working with their respective health boards. But in recent days, both Lecce and Premier Ford have indicated they prefer the full-time model. "We have to be prepared for all scenarios. But our goal is to get every single child back in the classroom,” Ford told reporters last Tuesday.
As September draws close, many questions remain unanswered about how school districts will reboot. Halton District School Board (HDSB) is developing its own Re-opening Schools Plans for Families, but it won't be available until August 10. HDSB is also developing a survey to find out how many students will be returning and whether parents would prefer the full-time or the hybrid model.
If distancing guidelines and smaller class sizes are to be the norm, then the hybrid model may seem to be a logical path forward. This format, however, would play havoc for working parents who depend on child-care providers, among them employed single parents who least can afford to turn down scheduled work hours.
Moreover, a one-size-fits-all formula might not work for the whole province, especially in areas where higher incidences of the virus have been reported. But this may not be the case in Halton where numbers are relatively low at this time.
“I would assume there will be a definite in-class component in the fall,” according to Laura Henry-Greenshields, an Acton resident, educator and mother of a school-age youngster. “Whether or not that takes the model of the "cohorts" of no more than 15 will be released in August. That will require more class spaces, more personnel for instruction, and available PPE for educators,” she said.
However, Henry-Greenshields expects to see more on-line instruction, which she thinks may not necessarily be a good thing for some students and parents. “The online approach does not work. Our province has recently mandated that schools need to do better to reach marginalized and communities. Online instruction is often not accessible to marginalized communities, whose barriers include financial hardships, and limited access to necessary tech,” she said
“Similarly, parents who rely on shift work to pay the bills, are unable to facilitate the online learning aspect for younger children. They depend solely on the school system to teach their kids, and they are facing losing that opportunity. That creates inequity in access to learning. Never mind the fact that some children are home in abusive situations. Teachers can be a lifeline to supports to help these kids.”
Many parents are on board with sending their kids back full time, but not all. Shannon Mills is seven months pregnant and has some concerns. “I definitely think it’s too soon, I do have anxiety about them [students] returning. If they get sick and spread it around we will be just as bad as the USA in no time. Also with a new baby on the way, if Salem [her daughter] did contract COVID the baby would have no immune system to fight it off yet. It’s terrifying. I don’t want any of my children or the children I know to get sick.”
Logan Smerek has two sons, ages 12 and 15, enrolled at St. Joseph's Elementary and Christ the King Secondary School. “My sons are fine at home, but I don't want to do schooling with them, and they both want to go back. Both prefer in-school learning They found on-line schooling very hard, they could email their teachers but that's just not the same. We live out in the country and our wi-fi isn't always the greatest, either. I'm pretty sure they'll be fine when they go back.”
Most elementary school children Acton UP spoke to are delighted to be returning to class. Emmet Creary is 10-years-old and going into grade 6. “I want to go back because I really miss my friends. But actually, I like on-line school better,” he said. His sister Aurora, age seven, admits to being bored at times and also misses her teachers and friends. She is looking forward to attending school daily.
Their mother Kate Downes, however, has some qualms about enrolling her children this semester. “Emmet and Aurora quite easily adapted to on-line learning. I hope [too] keep doing what they're doing and keep the kids at home.” She stated.
On the other hand, Henry-Greenshields is hopeful her son will be attending public school full time in September. “He wants to be back with his friends. He thrives on routine and social interaction, so the past few months have been very difficult. It was also incredibly hard to motivate him to do his work because it wasn't being assessed. Teachers cannot "mark" work done at home, because there's no accountability for who is actually doing it. It’s all very inauthentic learning. If he can go back full time, I would like that,” she said.
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