'It's such a huge anxiety for them': Maritime students return to online learning after extended holiday break

Classrooms and playgrounds were empty at public schools throughout the Maritimes on Monday, as students returned to learning online after their extended holiday break.

Concern over the COVID-19 Omicron variant has meant the first day back-to-school has marked a return, not to classrooms, but to remote learning.

Parent Lorena Forrest says getting her eight-year-old daughter, a French immersion student, back online wasn’t easy.

She says because of staffing shortages at schools due to the virus, there was less support for families and their children on this first day back.

“It’s such a huge anxiety already for them,” she says. “Trying to get prepared to go onto this platform that they don’t really know how to navigate themselves.”

On top of that, the single mother is now trying her best to support her child, while at the same time self-isolating as best as she can, after testing positive for COVID-19 Sunday.

“We're both vaccinated, but still my concern is being so close to her when I know that I’m not well.”

For many caregivers, remote learning is a balancing act between work and home.

“We had to choose who was going to stay home based on who makes the most money,” says parent of three, Cassidy Bellefontaine.

That means Bellefontaine is at work at a Dartmouth pharmacy, while her partner is staying home with the kids. Two of her children are of school-age. Bellefontaine says she knows not being at school has had an emotional effect on her sons.

“It’s the socialization,” she says. “They’re so used to being at home, that they just, that's what their normal is now, and that's scary for being five and seven.”

Families in the Halifax area who don’t have options when it comes to staying at home are getting support from the YMCA of Halifax/Dartmouth.

The YMCA is running a free program for kids called the “Y School”, giving children the space to physically distance, wear masks, and yet still be with their peers, while online learning.

The program also provides laptops, Wi-Fi and educational support at the same time.

Chief Development Officer Lorrie Turnbull says the program, which is taking place at two YMCA locations, is accommodating about 100 students for the week.

“Parents needed something to help them out during this time, so this is what we did, we pulled this together inside of 24 hours,” says Turnbull.

College and university campuses on the east coast are also quiet. Most post-secondary students in Nova Scotia aren’t expected to resume in-person classes until later this month. Some, such as Dalhousie University in Halifax, are waiting until Jan. 31 to bring students back for on-campus lectures.

“I don't think anybody's surprised that we've landed here, given the state of COVD,” says Dalhousie Faculty Association President David Westwood. “But everybody I think was really hoping to be back face to face for so many reasons.”

Saint Mary’s University (SMU) in Halifax is currently scheduled for in-person learning to resume Jan. 24.

The president of the SMU Students’ Association says students are managing as best as they can.

“The transition from online to in-person to back online can be quite exhausting,” says Franklyn Southwell. “But we're just doing the best we can to provide all the resources that students need and encouraging students to continue to follow public health protocols.”

As for when public schools will shift back to in-person learning, students in New Brunswick are expected to learn online for the next two weeks, after which the province will review the situation.

In Nova Scotia and Prince Edward island, the current plan is to return next Monday, Jan. 17.

Some parents in Nova Scotia say they aren’t sure that will happen as planned.

“I don’t know how I feel about whether or not I want it to happen,” says Cassidy Bellefontaine. “I don’t think we will until we get the kids vaccines up or the boosters rolling out.”

“I hope we can find a new normal to make parents’ lives just roll a little bit easier,” she adds.

The idea of children going back into the classroom also makes Forrest anxious.

“To say that I’m ready for her to go back into the school next week just like that, too, would be a lie,” she says.

Forrest hopes solutions to staffing issues and COVID-19 safety in schools can be addressed.

“I would rather her be in school, she misses her friends and her teachers, but is it safe? Not 100 per cent. Do I worry? 100 per cent,” Forrest adds.