The lack of physical distancing and masks, few options for distance learning and being cut off from their home school – these are some of the concerns parents have voiced to the Richmond News after the school district released its back-to-school plan.
Richmond School District spokesperson David Sadler told the News they have heard similar questions and concerns and compiled a frequently-asked questions document for parents, which was sent out Friday evening.
The school district is offering three options for secondary students: back to school in-person, home-schooling (which cuts the student off from the school district) or distributed learning through Richmond Virtual School (RVS).
Students in Grades 8 and 9 who enrol in the virtual school can’t complete their courses under a hybrid model – meaning some courses through RVS and others at their school, according to the frequently-asked questions document.
However, a hybrid option with RVS is available to students in Grades 10 to 12, although the district cautions there could be scheduling conflicts with their school.
Elementary students have four options: in-person learning at school, home schooling, distributed learning (something not offered by Richmond School District) and transition learning – temporary district-supported home learning for those not comfortable coming back in September.
Safety about returning to the classroom, however, remains the biggest concern of some parents, complemented by what they say is a lack of real alternatives.
The lack of physical distancing in classrooms is Dora Groumoutis’ biggest worry, and she doesn’t see how it would even be possible given the size of rooms in schools.
She said she can’t imagine how intermediate classes that have 28 students – like her Grade 7 twins would be in – can possibly physically distance. She doesn’t believe the classes are large enough, to say nothing of students in portables like at her kids’ school, McKinney elementary.
She said she can’t understand why everyone else – even members of the legislative assembly – are being told to physically distance but it is deemed safe to have 60 elementary students in a learning group.
“That doesn’t sit well with me,” she said.
Groumoutis also wishes there was more information about at what stage schools might shut down again, for example, if there were a certain number of active cases. This would give parents time to prepare as they watch the daily numbers announced by the provincial health officer.
In an ideal situation, Groumoutis would like to see a livestreaming set up for every classroom, so those kids who are sick or can’t attend in-person could just follow and learn from home.
“There has to be the technology (available),” she said. “Technology is so advanced these days.”
All parents are asked to complete a survey by Sunday indicating which option they prefer, but Groumoutis said it doesn’t give much time.
“It’s our kids – they’re asking us to make these decisions in four days,” she said. “I spent more time finding a fridge.”
The school district clarified to the News that the survey is to “inform program planning at the district level.” If parents want to adjust their plans after completing the survey, they should contact their school’s principal, Sadler explained.
Janet Wong, who has a teen going into Grade 9 in Richmond, said she believes government should continue online learning until the pandemic is under control but it seems “we have no choice but to send back our kids.” And since they have no options, she wants to see smaller classes, the school day cut in half and mandatory masks at all times at school.
In its frequently-asked questions document, the school district says it is considering “a number of scheduling designs including alternating days” for secondary students.
Health and safety plan
The school district has published its 20-page WorkSafe BC COVID-19 Safety Plan that outlines what measures are being taken to ensure schools are safe.
This includes cancelling all labs – science, foods and shops – and no instruction will take place in these rooms.
All students and staff will have to undergo a daily “health declaration process” to screen for COVID-19 symptoms, and there will be an isolation room in every school for any student or staff member who falls ill at school.
Furthermore, parents are not allowed at school without an appointment.
But the school district is not mandating masks in the classroom, only in high-traffic areas like hallways and buses.
The schools will be cleaned thoroughly every evening after school is over, cleaning high-touch-point areas.
The district says it will follow the direction of the Public Health Officer if a staff member or student is diagnosed with COVID-19. Families will be notified of possible exposure to the virus “when directed to do so by public health.”
Parents will not be allowed to bring food to school and students and staff are not allowed to share food.
Transitional learning
The school district is offering a transitional learning program for kindergarten to Grade 7, for “families who need more time at home.”
Parents can reassess placing their children in the program at any point before Jan. 29, 2021 – the date the program will come to an end – according to the district’s frequently-asked questions document.
Students in enroled in the program would meet with their transitional learning teacher over video-conference daily.
Under transitional learning, students could return to in-class learning prior to Feb. 1, 2021 on two designated “re-entry” dates, Oct. 13, 2020 and Nov. 16, 2020.
Furthermore, students would keep their class placement, which will be set Sept. 10, throughout the year.
Family health concerning
Many parents expressed their worries about their own health and that of family members.
Melanie Booth just lost her father last winter, making her elderly mother’s role that much more important to her and her children. But the risk of sending her kids to school and them bringing home COVID-19 could put additional stress on them.
“How will they feel if they bring home COVID and infect or even kill their families?” she told the News. “Our children are not lab rats or a sacrificial lamb. There needs to be another option.”
Booth is also worried about pulling her son out of the mini-school program at McNair he has been accepted into this year – it’s something he’s been looking forward to for two years and worked hard to get into.
“If I home school my son, he will lose his spot in his program, which he is supposed to have until Grade 12,” Booth explained.
Michael and Evelyn Mikulin, whose children attend a Catholic school in Richmond, are considering distributed learning or home schooling.
To consider sending their daughters back to school, they would like to see class sizes cut in half and some online options from their school.
‘We do not feel safe’
Vicky Chin said she’s “very disappointed” in the plan the Richmond School District has put out, especially how Grades 8 and 9 are being offered.
Chin wants to send her kids back to school, but she is not happy that masks and six-foot distancing aren’t required in the classroom.
“This is extremely concerning and we do not feel safe,” she said.
Joyce Coronel said she’d like to see a “genuine option” for students, and what the school district is offering isn’t really four choices. She sees it as either send kids back in September or later, or home school or do distance learning and lose their spot at their home school.
“Why do families have to be faulted for choosing to keep their children safe at home?” she said, adding “Let us not conduct a human experiment at the expense of our children to prove that COVID does not severely affect them.”
