‘Good thing’: Kingston, Ont. students back to school for in-person learning
Global News
After a snow day Monday, Kingston, Ont., students returned to the classroom Tuesday, marking their first time back to in-person learning since before the Christmas break.
A cold yet sunny morning greeted returning elementary and secondary students on Tuesday. It was their first time back in the classroom since before the Christmas break.
Most schools in Ontario moved to online learning the first week of January in an effort to halt surging Omicron COVID-19 cases. With some revised safety measures in place, students across the province were to return to in-class learning Jan. 17. A severe weather event, however, made Monday a snow day.
“I think it’s a good thing that they’re going back,” says parent and teacher Brooke MacKinnon. “Obviously there’s some risk and we don’t really know how long they’ll be there. I think socially and academically it’s really good for them.”
For parent Eric Connell, he says there isn’t much apprehension about going back to in-class learning.
“I mean, we’re close to having it being an endemic and let’s just get it over with,” Connell says. “We’re going to be stuck with this forever so let’s get on with it.”
And while one day does not a term or quadmester make, back to in-person learning and what that brings with it, for some, sure beats doing everything online.
“It’s been a challenge, but I feel like this time around they had a better handle on it than last time,” Connell continues. “I was really impressed with the primary teachers and how they handled it.”
The vast majority of students returned to in-class learning Tuesday, and Limestone District School Board (LDSB) Director of Education Krishna Burra says there are many benefits to that model.
