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It’s time for back to school, and this’ll be a new reality for many students. While the world is still up against a global pandemic, students who’ll head back to school will now need to do so with a new level of safety in mind. From riding the school bus to socially distant classrooms, this new reality will be an important change for kids to get back to in-class learning. 

Across Canada

Provinces across the country are approaching back to school differently but the goal is to get kids back as safely as possible. Some common safety measures being taken by all provinces include the use of mask wearing especially in common areas such as in the hallways and on the bus; capping student learning groups to a maximum number of people (this varies by province), appropriate physical distancing efforts to reduce the space between students and the effort to minimize physical contact, alternate-day learning, reduced class sizes, regular COVID-19 screening, and no sharing policies of lunches and snacks. Another option is distance or remote learning for those who’d prefer this. Schools are also planning for staggered start dates across regions of Canada’s provinces. 

Teachers

There was so much uncertainty for teachers making it hard to plan classroom layouts that will account for optimal health and safety. 

A second wave

The cases are starting to get higher and health officials have stated a second wave is definitely not out of the question. A second wave of the virus and possibilities of outbreaks within schools could mean sending groups of students or entire schools home to keep students safe. Teachers will have to wait and see how things go within the first few months and make adjustments as needed.

Keeping kids healthy

As kids begin getting back to classes, parents will want to keep their children as healthy as possible by ensuring they get enough sleep, their backpacks have all personal protective equipment including masks and hand sanitizer, and that they bring a safe lunch box to school.

Parents balancing kids and work

To reduce the spread of the virus and with the need to manage childcare and work, many parents will continue to work from home well into 2021. Our own Jennifer DeFrenza talks about the extreme work life balance involved in working from home and getting the kids back to school. Another thing to keep in mind, if you are working from home you may be eligible for insurance discounts. Now is a great time to compare quotes and see if you can get a cheap car insurance rate! Reach out to a  licensed insurance advisor to see what your options are.

Dealing with back-to-school anxiety

This is a challenging time for everyone faced with the event of going back to school amid a pandemic. It’s important to know there is help out there for those who need it. A professional counsellor from Kids Help Phone is available 24/7 and can be reached at 1-800-668-6868. Children shouldn’t hesitate to call if they need help during these unprecedented times.

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