It used to be reading, writing and arithmetic for students when they returned to school after summer holidays.
However, when students return to school on Aug. 31, it’s going to be wear a mask, don’t touch the front of the mask and wash those hands.
Sure, it’s going to be different as students, teachers and parents meet the COVID-19 protocols for the 2020-21 school year, but the good thing is students will be back in school.
In recent surveys by both the Foothills School Divisions and Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools, parents overwhelmingly indicated they wanted their children back in the classroom and not learning from home, which has been the case since COVID-19 stopped the traditional way of school being done.
And for those families who are uncomfortable with their children back in the classroom, the divisions have upped their on-line home schooling programs.
It’s not quite the traditional classroom for those students going back.
Students from Grade 4 to 12 will have to include a mask as part of their school gear. And teachers, who have one of the most important jobs in the world in teaching and stimulating young minds, now are virtually front-line workers — as are custodial workers, bus drivers and other key members of the education community.
Hopefully, the divisions are ready and there is no reason at this point to think they won’t be.
It’s important that students be back in school and start getting back to the normalcy — or as close to normal — of the prior COVID-19 days.
It’s not going to be easy. Students, teachers and families will have to work together to keep the schools open and COVID-19-free as much as possible.
But is there any better lesson for a student than working with others to make their community better?
