Back to the books: What to expect on the first day of school
Ontario students of all ages will once again be returning to school in a pandemic—but this time the majority will be learning in the classroom.
Children haven’t physically been inside a classroom since mid-April when the province shuttered schools to in-person instruction as a result of rising COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
While many may be looking forward to a return to normalcy this year, there is a lot that parents and students need to be aware of before heading to school on that first day. What safety protocols are in place currently? What happens if there is a COVID-19 case at a school? Will children need to play catchup when it comes to their studies?
In Episode 9 of Life Unmasked, the team hopes to answer some of these questions and look back at what teachers, parents and students have learned over the past year. Dr. Lana Parker, professor of education at the University of Windsor, joins the podcast to talk about why parents shouldn’t be too concerned about learning deficits and why in-class learning is invaluable.
We’re then joined by Ryan Bird, spokesperson for the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), who provides some insight into what parents should expect when they send their children back to school.In early August, the province released a 26-page back-to-school plan providing guidance on masking, cohorting, extracurricular activities, and infection prevention measures.
Since then, each school board has also been adjusting their own policies to deal with more local pandemic challenges. The TDSB has provided a few additional public health measures, including a ban on in-person assemblies and differences with extracurricular activities as well as cohorting. They have also mandated vaccinations for all staff, trustees and visitors.
Life Unmasked airs first on the iHeart app every Thursday morning before becoming available on other streaming platforms. If you have questions for the podcast team, or an idea for an episode, please email lifeunmasked@bellmedia.ca.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Still so much love between us,' Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Trump's lawyers grill ex-tabloid publisher as 1st week of hush money trial testimony nears a close
After prosecutors' lead witness painted a tawdry portrait of “catch-and-kill” tabloid schemes, defence lawyers in Donald Trump's criminal trial on Friday sought to dig into an account of the former publisher of the National Enquirer and his efforts to protect Trump from negative stories during the 2016 election.