Maritime students, parents prepare for 'mostly normal' return to school

HALIFAX -

On the eve of the return to classes for most Maritime students, parents and children are going through some last minute preparations.

While the experience will look a bit different this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, experts say there are some things parents can do to help their children ease back into the routine.

Troy Ginter’s and his daughter spent a rainy Labour Day visiting the school grounds where she will begin grade primary on Tuesday.

“We’re just giving her a walk around right now and prepare her for tomorrow, give her a chance to check it out. She’s going to go on the bus for the first time tomorrow and she’s super excited,” says Ginter.

Both daughter and father are excited for school to begin. Ginter says he’s happy his daughter will be in a ‘mostly-normal’ learning environment, and that the school has helped them prepare for what to expect.

“We’ve been telling her about it, what to expect and the school has been really good about giving us prompts and things to talk to her about,” says Ginter.

”Tomorrow is a big day for a lot of kids, we’re hoping to return to the most normal school we’ve seen since 2019,” says Lorelei Burgess, director of the Oxford Learning Centre.

Burgess says preparation and positivity are key to setting the tone for the upcoming year.

“Really focus on what's going to be great about this school year,” says Burgess. “Put a routine in place so the kids know what they do in the morning when they wake up, where they grab their bag, where their lunch is to avoid those early morning rushes.”

Burgess says the last year-and-a-half has also been difficult from a social perspective, making learning to interact with others an important part of returning to school.

“Making new friends is going to be a great theme this year,” says Burgess. “Meet some new friends and really encourage those relationships, and encourage kids to get involved.”

While parents may be nervous about their children going back to school, Burgess says that adults tend to forget how adaptable kids can be, and that for the most part, they’ll be able to return to the day-to-day routine.

An important reminder, as back-to-school grows closer.