What changes can your kids expect as they start a new school year?

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Another school year in the era of COVID-19 is getting underway Tuesday across B.C. for most students, and there are a number of changes to take note of.

This year, unlike last, will see no exposure notices for single cases handed out — they’ll only be issued for clusters or outbreaks. Students will also be back to school physically full-time this year with no cohorts.

The BC Teachers’ Federation has been raising concerns, saying there continues to be a lack of safety measures, as well as data. On Monday, the BCTF once again called for changes to COVID-19 safety measures at schools, saying ventilation continues to fall below expectations, and that B.C.’s mask mandate doesn’t go far enough.

"Teachers are feeling the responsibility of keeping everyone safe in the system without the tools to do so" says @bctf's @TeriMooring hours before classes resume at most #BC schools and kids –not yet eligible for vaccines– are at risk of exposure to #DeltaVariant.#bced #bcpoli https://t.co/HuK1xONEzs

— Marcella Bernardo (@MBernardoNews) September 6, 2021

The province announced last month that students in grades 4 and up will be required to mask up, as will all staff from K-12. That leaves students in Grade 3 and below who will be able to choose whether they want to wear a mask or not.

Related video: Masks mandatory for B.C. teachers, staff, some students starting September

“There are actually fewer safety measures in place in the coming school year than there was last year,” said BCTF President Teri Mooring.

According to the province’s plan, in addition to the aforementioned changes, there will be no strict physical distancing requirement, with schools told they can continue to create space by managing the flow of people in common areas, preventing crowds at pick-up and drop-off, using signs and issuing reminders, and using any and all available space to spread people out, when possible. Schools are also encouraged to get students outside as much as they can.

Daily health checks will also become the norm for students and staff, with parents and caregivers responsible for assessing their children before they are sent to school.

Students will be able to participate in music and physical education programs, which will be required to have additional safety measures in place. While students will be required to wear masks while singing, they won’t be required for activities that can’t be performed with one on, like for high-intensity sport or wind instruments.

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Shared equipment will be cleaned and disinfected, and students will be asked not to share equipment that touches a person’s mouth.

Under the provincial plan, activities like sports team practices and games, as well as sports academies and events can continue while following local, regional, and provincial public health recommendations and orders around gatherings and events.

While all eligible students and staff are being encouraged to get vaccinated, no mandate has been brought in.

Meanwhile, general cleaning of schools and the cleaning and disinfecting of frequently touched surfaces is required to be done at least once in every 24-hour period, as well as when it’s visibly dirty.

School meal programs will return to normal operations this year, and playgrounds will be open for students to use. Any and all assemblies, concerts, or gatherings must follow the PHO’s directions.

In-school vs. online

The province insists schools are safe for kids, and that they are better for their overall health. Remote learning is no longer an option as it was last year, though parents are able to enroll their kids public or independent online learning schools if they are available.

“Students in kindergarten to Grade 7 must take a full course load at one school, while students in Grades 8 to 12 may learn from home entirely, or learn at school and take some courses online,” the province says.

Jason Ellis, associate professor of educational studies, agrees there are countless benefits to students learning in schools as opposed to virtually.

“More learning takes place then was taking place under the online, blended, certain emergency options, especially in the younger grades. It’s not easy to teach — especially teach things like teaching kids how to read — over Zoom,” he explained.

“Where kids have parental support, that’s great. But where they don’t, it becomes a very big problem. There are substantial benefits to in-person learning in that respect.”

Related video: Students going back to ‘near normal’ school in the fall

The benefit of being at school in-person doesn’t just apply to learning, either. Ellis says when students are in school physically, they are able to access certain services and programs that they otherwise may not be able to or may find more difficult doing so from home.

Ellis says students in general will feel excited and anxious heading back to school. He believes that is true of this year, with COVID-19 also adding to some of the anxiety, perhaps.

The main difference this year, he says, is there is likely less uncertainty than there was last year, given we’ve already been through an entire year of schooling amid a pandemic.

Tuesday does not mark a full school day for most students.