Some Okotoks mothers are unsure whether to let their children attend school in the fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
One mother, with two autistic children, has mixed feelings about students returning to school.
“I have huge concerns — our youngest has problems social distancing, he is autistic and ADHD,” said Michelle Slomp.
Premier Jason Kenney announced on July 21 students will return to in-class study for the start of the 2020-21 school year. Students have been learning from home since mid-March due to the COVID-19.
While concerned about physical distancing when students go back to school, Slomp said teaching her youngest, Sam, who is entering Grade 6 at Dr. Morris Gibson School, at home was laughable.
“It was a joke,” Slomp said. “I do not blame the school. They did their utmost to try and support us and fluctuate his curriculum so he could do the best he could under the circumstances."
She said Sam would have done much better in the classroom setting.
The Slomps’ oldest daughter, now entering Grade 12 at Foothills Comp, did well at learning at home, while their middle son, a student at Okotoks Junior High School, who is also autistic, had mixed results.
Both Foothills School Division and Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools offer on-line learning for the upcoming year.
Slomp answered “Yes and no,” as to whether she was pleased students were going back to school.
“For Sam, he needs the peer support and social (interaction) and he gets it there (at school),” Slomp said. “But he does not understand boundaries.. We have not gone into a restaurant. We get takeout.
“Pre-COVID, Sam did not understand social distancing, now you are going to stick him in a classroom with anywhere from 25 to 28 other kids?”
If Sam does go back to school, Slomp said it appears at this time he will have an educational assistant.
She said she doesn’t know at this point what they will do in the fall, especially with their youngest.
“I don’t know yet, my husband and I are still trying to figure this out,” Slomp said on July 22. “I just got the information last night. I’m still angry and frustrated.
“But I know for Sam the Hub route on-line, did not work. It was brutal.”
She said she also has concerns about her daughter attending high school.
“I have heard of a math class of 35 kids... and they say hand sanitizer is enough — give me a break,” she said.
She said other concerns are how will courses like band, cooking and others be dealt with as well as the issue of students on school buses.
Parent Kristina Rauscher says she disagrees with the Province proceeding with opening school and is leaning towards keeping her child out of the live kindergarten class at St. Francis of Assisi Academy.
“I think it is a little reckless,” she said while taking a break from playing with her daughter at a playground (they were physically distanced). “I think when it comes to COVID, most of the children will be picking it up at school just like they would any other virus.”
Rauscher added she doesn’t understand how the classrooms will be structured.
“Is it going to be a reduced class size in order to maintain social distancing?” Rauscher said. “I would like to see them pursue other avenues.”
She said her family has been careful to ensure they practice physical distancing.
The family lives just outside of Okotoks, and while a large number of students are bused to St. Francis of Assisi Academy, Rauscher said they would choose to drive their daughter to school.
Febe Robart is on the fence as to whether to have her daughter go online or attend in person at Percy Pegler School.
“It depends on what precautions the school is planning on,” Robart said. “Right now the virus is going up (in Alberta) rather than going down.”
However, she added children going back to school and having social interaction with their peers is important.
Her daughter attended kindergarten at Percy Pegler School last year.
At present, there are four active cases of COVID-19 in Okotoks according to Alberta government statistics on July 24. That is an increase of one over the last 24 hours.
There have been 180 cases of COVID-19 in Okotoks. Of those,175 have recovered and there has been one death.
In High River, there are five active cases. There have been 536 cases reported of those and 525 have recovered. There have been six deaths.
In Black Diamond, there are three active cases. There have been 30 reported and 27 recoveries.
Recently, there has been a spike in the number of cases the Calgary zone and Alberta.
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