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
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
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.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.