Yellowknife parents appeared to have a mixed reaction to Yk1 and Yellowknife Catholic SchoolsSA国际影视传媒� decision to return to in-person learning this week.

Both boards stated in similar news releases on Jan. 19 that under the advice of chief public health officer Dr. Kami Kandola that itSA国际影视传媒檚 safe for students to resume studies in class.

One mother with an eight-year-old son attending Grade 2 at J.H. Sissons who reached out to SA国际影视传媒 ahead of the announcement said her boy needs to be back in class Monday because the constant back and forth between online and in-person classrooms since the pandemic started has negatively impacted his learning and disrupted her household.

SA国际影视传媒 has granted the woman anonymity to protect the reputation and source of her familySA国际影视传媒檚 livelihood.

SA国际影视传媒淚 suppose the biggest issue is, number one, the flip-flopping between in-person learning and online.SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭he second problem is that the online learning schedule often changes day by day and the work requirements change day by day.

SA国际影视传媒淜ids have very little access to physical activity. They have very little access to socialization, and this is worse for those families who have unvaccinated parents.SA国际影视传媒�

This year in particular, she noted, has been as difficult as it was between Aug. 30 and Sept. 13, at the start of the schoo year, when kids were in class.

When the fall Covid-19 outbreak happened in Yellowknife, students reverted to remote learning between Sept. 14 and Oct. 25.

Between Oct. 25 and Dec. 22 students were allowed back into school before winter break ran into Jan. 5. On Jan. 10, online learning resumed again.

While keeping her son engaged with school work is challenging enough, she said she also has to manage a toddler in the home to allow the boy to study.

SA国际影视传媒淢y sonSA国际影视传媒檚 frustration level today (Jan. 18), for example, was through the roof with flip-flopping between 30-minute online lessons, trying to get reading and making sure heSA国际影视传媒檚 getting his writing work done,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 also trying to see to a two-year-old who is rambunctious and drawing all over my furniture the second she gets a chance.SA国际影视传媒�

The mother said she constantly worries she might not be doing enough to help her son.

SA国际影视传媒淎s a parent, you go to bed thinking, SA国际影视传媒楬ave I done enough for my child?SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淪A国际影视传媒橦ave I done enough for their education today? Have I done enough to make sure theySA国际影视传媒檝e learned something? Have I done enough to make sure that theySA国际影视传媒檙e happy, healthy social active beings?SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淎s parents, I can honestly say that weSA国际影视传媒檙e exhausted. ISA国际影视传媒檝e had so many conversations with parents who just say, SA国际影视传媒楾hey cannot close school again. I will lose my mind.SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒�

Phone ringing off the hook

Great Slave MLA Katrina Nokleby said on Jan. 19 that her phone had been ringing off the hook all day with parents opposed to returning their children to school.

MLAs were expecting to be briefed further on Thursday evening on the reopening of classrooms.

SA国际影视传媒滻SA国际影视传媒檝e only been contacted by people against it (especially) while Covid numbers are rising,SA国际影视传媒� Nokleby said. SA国际影视传媒淭hey are worried about the whole house having to isolate when their child inevitably gets sick. In that case it would mean for someone working in the private sector, they would be in trouble. One constituent has told me they will lose their business if they have to isolate.

SA国际影视传媒淚f (chief public health officer) Dr. (Kami) Kandola doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 mandate children home then parents canSA国际影视传媒檛 go to an employer and be supported in working from home to accommodate their children if they choose to keep them home.SA国际影视传媒�

Nokleby said she has also heard concern from parents that most children canSA国际影视传媒檛 get vaccinated, that there does not appear to be a plan for responding to a school outbreak and thereSA国际影视传媒檚 been no communication to parents about risk.

SA国际影视传媒淎s well, if a parent is immunocompromised that adds another risk for them that they donSA国际影视传媒檛 want to take,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Dr. Cindi Vaselenak, superintendent and CEO at YK1, said she fully supports KandolaSA国际影视传媒檚 recommendations to reopen schools and that safety measures will be in place through masking, class bubbles, forward facing, symptom screening and other measures.

Vaselenak said feedback to the announcement from parents has been mixed, but she sympathizes with parents who insist that online learning doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 meet the quality of education of an in-person classroom.

SA国际影视传媒淚n-person learning and remote learning platforms are very different,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 hard to build relationships through a computer screen. Everyone has a memory of a favourite teacher and more often that experience speaks to the importance of the relationship versus a connection to subject matter.

SA国际影视传媒淪tudents are missing social interaction and learning with their peers so we are very happy to welcome students back so they can experience school in the way they had anticipated,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭he back and forth between the two platforms has been difficult for students, parents and teachers to manage.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒榃e have to live with CovidSA国际影视传媒�

Vaselenak said she also fears the long-term impacts of remote learning.

SA国际影视传媒淢y greater worry is about learning loss and mental wellness as a result of isolation and education delivery shifts during two years of a pandemic,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淲e have to learn to live with Covid and that includes opening schools and providing a consistent learning experience for our students. With Omicron, young people are not a high-risk population for severe symptoms.SA国际影视传媒�

Vaselenak said she is not committed, however, to ensuring schools remain open for the rest of the year.

SA国际影视传媒淚t is my greatest hope that we can complete the school year in-person,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚f at a later date with another variant, the CPHO recommended in-person learning created too many risks, I would make a decision based on the information at the time. On Monday, Jan. 24, with all the information given to me by the leading health and government authorities, I am confident we can open safely.SA国际影视传媒�