Teachers, staff and students prepare to return to in-person learning in N.B.

With restrictions just hours away from being eased in New Brunswick, teachers, school staff and students are preparing to return to in-person classes on Monday.

Students have been learning from home since last year due to a spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.

Nick Mattatall, a principal at a New Brunswick middle school, says his staff is busy preparing for the return.

"We’ve done our best to try and reassure the parents that we’re going to do everything we can to try and keep their kids safe," said Mattatall. "Because we don’t want anybody taking something home to their family, to their children, passing it through the community."

Mattatall expects some students will be uncomfortable with yet another switch to their studies after weeks of learning from home.

"We have our guidance counsellors; our teachers are ready to support those kids who are feeling some anxiety, who are feeling a little overwhelmed by coming back into a school of close to 650 people," he said.

Jenna Morton is a mother of three. She says learning from home has kept her busy.

"I went from having one alarm set on my phone each day, to check to see whether or not school was open because there might be an exposure, to having nine alarms set on my phone every day to make sure my three kids logged on to their appropriate classes," she said.

During the recent period of at-home learning, Morton says she noticed the impact on her children's mental health and their academics.

The New Brunswick Teachers' Association submitted a list of safety protocols to the province, which they expect to be in place by Monday. The list includes access to quality masks for teachers, available rapid testing kits and improvements to ventilation.

"At this point, we trust that that’s the case, but we certainly will be monitoring next week as students return to 100 per cent occupancy of buildings to see how that unfolds across the province," said Connie Keating, the president of the New Brunswick Teachers' Association.

Keating also stressed the need for supply staff if, and when, staffing shortages arise due to COVID-19 outbreaks and isolation requirements.

"It is our understanding that additional personnel are being mobilized, and so we’re trusting that certainly it will be as smooth of a transition as it possibly can be," said Keating.

Since Sept. 7, 2021, the province says 193 schools have been impacted by COVID-19.