It’s hard to believe we’re already one month into the 2020-2021 school year.

Classes resumed on September 2, with staggered re-entry for all those who went back to in-class learning. Some parents and students opted for Online learning or one of the other home-based learning options offered by RVS due to the pandemic.

We asked our readers how the school experience is going so far for them based on the different options they chose.

For one family, it’s a mix of at-home and in-school learning. Crystal Roach says her three kids all have very different needs and desires when it comes to learning and how they do it best. She has three children, one in Elementary, one in Middle school and the other in High school. Her youngest and oldest are both back in the classroom, while her middle child is doing online learning from home.

“We let the kids all decide what routes they wanted to go. [Mason] really wanted to do online and I was all for it because he does have some medical issues and he has autism as well and school has always been a bit of a struggle. So we kind of had nothing to lose at this point,” said Roach.

Roach says so far, it’s all going phenomenally well. Her kids who are back in class are thriving and enjoying being back in the classroom setting. She adds that she’s been blown away by the success her son Mason is seeing with online learning.

“When he was in school, the biggest problem was we had to deal with more behaviours and he didn’t get a lot of the academics done. But, he’s totally capable of it, he’s very smart, but trying to overcome social cues and everything that would get him overwhelmed in person, he doesn’t have to deal with that now,” she explained.

“He’s actually completing all his work even better than he was before because now he can see: ‘I have to do A, B and C and then if I finish this in time I get some extra time for lunch.’ So there’s kind of a payoff for him to get his work done.”

Roach says she’s happy to see her kids all thriving in their choices.

Cheryl Peters sent her kids back to class. While she says the teachers and schools have been great she’s been dealing with some frustrations when it comes to the health side of things.

She said she kept her oldest son home from school a week into school after he complained about a sore throat and had a bit of a cough. She went and had him tested for COVID-19 and the test came back negative so he went back to school. Three days later he was sent home after he was coughing while running around during recess.

Peters said she’s okay with the abundance of caution, but it’s frustrating waiting so long to get the results from the latest COVID test in order for him to return to class.

“The school has been great, but it’s the results. The first time we got the results it was in 36 hours, but this time, it’s been five days now,” she explained. “My doctor is waiting as well so that he can write the school a doctor's note stating that he has asthma so they have a baseline but it’s just so frustrating and my poor kid just wants to go back to school.”

Parents will have the option come January to switch their children from online to in-person learning or vice versa. Peters said despite some of the frustrations she’s definitely going to stick with the in-person option.

“I think the schools have done a fabulous job and I’m not too worried at all, it’s just the testing portion that is the frustrating portion for sure.”

Most of the parents we spoke with had nothing but positive things to say about the teachers and schools who are all adapting to a very different learning environment and requirements.

Tracey Ferguson who went with in-class learning said her children’s mental health has greatly benefitted from being back in class.

“We have been impressed with the communication from the schools about COVID and everything else,” said Tracy Ferguson. “Everyone has been very approachable and kind. Even when Croxford had a confirmed case it was handled very well and dealt with immediately. Huge kudos to the staff and administration for Rocky View schools for sure.”

 

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