Sorry kids… summer vacation is officially over!
Posted September 3, 2019 6:50 am.
Last Updated September 3, 2019 6:51 am.
Summer may “officially” end on September 23rd, but the season is essentially over for students across Metro Vancouver as they head back to class today.
Day One of the school year is being met with mixed reaction from kids.
Dante says he is okay saying goodbye to vacation-time. “I kind of miss my friends. I’m ready to start school,” he tells NEWS 1130. “I’m excited to see my friends again. Also it gives me something to do rather than spending my time on TV, video games or stuff like that.”
But Madeleine is not happy. “I’m not ready for school yet. It’s going to be a tiring process.”
Yes, it is September! Summer may "officially" end 20 days from now, but the season is over for students across Metro Vancouver as they head back to class today. We're talking preparations, mental health and driving on Day One of the school year. https://t.co/ozoDhBZiJ9
— Mike Lloyd ☕️ (@llikemoyd) September 3, 2019
Meanwhile, it is an emotional back-to-school for families in Langley dealing with the death of 14-year-old Carson Crimeni, apparently of a drug overdose at a local skate park over the summer. Crisis counsellors are on hand today across the school district to help children and staff come to grips with the loss.
Mental health is also a focus in school districts like Coquitlam, which aims to teach kids how to recognize emotional overload and when to ask for help.
The Tri-City News reports SD43 is incorporating a number of strategies to help students and staff deal with stress. According to the paper, one of the programs — the Everyday Anxiety Strategies for Educators (EASE) — will help teachers working with elementary students bring anxiety-prevention strategies into their classroom routines.
Older students are also getting some help as post-secondary schools like UBC and SFU have been steadily increasing free mental health services.
On the labour front, teachers are back to work with contract talks up in the air. Both sides have been told by their mediator to take a break from negotiations and regroup by the end of the month.
And a reminder that back-to-school also means to back-to-school-zones for drivers. Police are launching a September enforcement blitz targeting speeders, aggressive and distracted drivers and illegal parkers.
