Grade 2 students at Dr. Ken Sauer School during their first day of classes in nearly six months on Monday. (CHAT News photo)

By Alex McCuaig

Excitement and concern

In-class school returns with new COVID-19 protocols in place

Aug 31, 2020 | 3:50 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – A new school year began on Monday with a number of new health protocols as students returned to the classroom after a nearly six-month break when education facilities across the city were suddenly shuttered due to the global COVID-19 pandemic in March.

Outside Dr. Ken Sauer School, elementary students, parents and teachers gathered outside for the first day of classes. But along with the normal jitters, COVID-19 was in the thoughts of many with a majority of students wearing masks on the lawn of the school whether they were of an age required to or not.

For parent Zabrina Harvey, going back to in-person classes was something that needed to happen as the online emergency lessons activated in the spring were difficult to jump into both for her and her daughter.

But while she’s glad to see kids back in school, there is a nagging feeling about COVID-19.

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“Anybody could have it,” said Harvey. “Kids are harder to tell if they have COVID and everything like that. So, it is nervous – I almost feel like we’re putting our kids into an experiment.”

For students like Hannah Streifel who is going into Grade 4, that nervousness is shared but is tempered by the chance to get reacquainted with her peers.

“I’m excited to see my old friends, get to know my new, other classmates and to get used to school again,” she said.

The focus on safety for the school is the cohort model, said principal Carla Carrier, adding that it’s designed to limit the spread of COVID-19 if there is a case.

“It’s going to be really important to create reassurances for parents and families during that time in order for them to feel confident that their kids are still safe,” said Carrier. “That is something that is in the back of our minds we hope doesn’t happen but feeling really confident that we have a good process to follow.”

But for Grade 6 student Jorja Cotton, the reality of living during a time of a global pandemic isn’t too far away.

“I really don’t hope anyone gets COVID. It’s not something you would hope for – for others or yourself,” she said.

For now, students up to and including Grade 3 will be required to wear masks while those younger will have the option to do so or not. Meals will be taken in the classroom as students maintain their cohorts with the same applying to recess and outdoor lunch breaks. Students are also required to keep their own school supplies labelled with their names such as pens, pencils and crayons.