According to Eastern Townships School Board Chairman Michael Murray, the first day back to school for elementary students in the Townships went well.
“It’s all part of a learning process,” Murray explained, adding that most of the day was devoted to learning the new rules and understanding the importance of keeping a distance.
Before schools opened several schools prepared videos to walk students through what a school day would look like when they went back. Murray said the purpose was to break in the idea that school would not be how the students remembered it. The videos were also made to show that despite the masks and the lining up and the new rules, the students are still welcome. “We’re happy to see them,” Murray said, not wanting the children to feel alienated or stressed out by the safety measures in place.
Murray said parents are still free to choose to send their kids to school at any time provided they give a week’s notice. Many of the ETSB schools are below capacity. With the exception of a few smaller schools like Drummondville, space and maintaining two metres distance is not an issue. “The most serious constraint will be transportation,” the chairman said. “Bus routes will only be reorganized once a week,” he said. If a parent gives notice on a Monday, transportation can be arranged for the following week. But if a parent notifies the school on Wednesday, transportation won’t be set up until the next Monday for the following week.
Back to school: So far, so good, ETSB says
By Matthew McCully
