Third Wave is Here...

[pigletto]

I think Lecce's letter said schools were safe and today Ford said they weren't.

yep typo on my part! I had meant to say "were safe".

 

[DiaryofaDisneyKid]

I think they are just going to wait and see . Given that the education minister sent a letter out yesterday saying schools weren’t safe, it appears these are by the minute decisions.

We didn't see very many cases in our schools at all but we had 2 teachers out last week because they were exposed to someone who had covid and had to self isolate. I think this would be a big problem with so much community spread. I am not so worried about it spreading in class as much as I am about having to constantly have to self isolate one of my three kiddos for 2 weeks. (The variant could of course change how I feel about spread in schools). Williams said we are seeing the result of lots of people gathering for Easter. I think they are hoping to take this time to vaccinate teachers etc. and bring down the community spread. I would to have to rewatch the announcement but I am pretty sure they said the would be watching the numbers and taking a regional approach to reopening schools.

 

[DiaryofaDisneyKid]

My Grade 8 child just told me something his teacher shared with his class this year that I think would be a great idea! She read somewhere about an idea that was proposed about summer being only 6 weeks and the rest of the time off would be spread out throughout the school year. This would help lesson the "summer slide" and it would take less time in September to catch kids up. My son mentioned he would much rather have the school year extend into the summer instead of going back to online learning. This is from a kid who excelled at online learning but would just rather be in class. With so many working parents having to juggle helping their kids with online learning this might alleviate some of that stress.

 

[MoreTravels]

My Grade 8 child just told me something his teacher shared with his class this year that I think would be a great idea! She read somewhere about an idea that was proposed about summer being only 6 weeks and the rest of the time off would be spread out throughout the school year. This would help lesson the "summer slide" and it would take less time in September to catch kids up. My son mentioned he would much rather have the school year extend into the summer instead of going back to online learning. This is from a kid who excelled at online learning but would just rather be in class. With so many working parents having to juggle helping their kids with online learning this might alleviate some of that stress.

I hate to be skeptical... but I do not think any teacher union would support shorten their member's vacation from 8 weeks to 6 weeks. When there was no pandemic, they did not want virtual classes. When the pandemic started, they did not want in-person classes. I know it is a difficult time but I just heard their frequent radio ads attacking the current government. Those ads were going on non-stop last week. I support them but do not support their politics, at the expense of my kids.

I think the decision should be made on medical sciences, and not politics from either side.

 

[DiaryofaDisneyKid]

I hate to be skeptical... but I do not think any teacher union would support shorten their member's vacation from 8 weeks to 6 weeks. When there was no pandemic, they did not want virtual classes. When the pandemic started, they did not want in-person classes. I know it is a difficult time but I just heard their frequent radio ads attacking the current government. Those ads were going on non-stop last week. I support them but do not support their politics, at the expense of my kids.

I think the decision should be made on medical sciences, and not politics from either side.

I never said shorten their vacation just spread it out. Summer break would be 6 weeks and the other 2 weeks would be added some where else in the school year. My sons teacher actually suggested adding 2 weeks onto Christmas break or one more week off for Christmas and March break being 2 weeks instead of one. I agree with you the politics have to stop and both sides have to learn to work together better for the sake of all the children who are the ones suffering from these decisions.

 

[MoreTravels]

I see your point. However, most teachers will not see it that way. Most salaried employees do not consider long weekend every second week as the equivalent of getting one month off consecutively, although the number of days off are exactly the same.

 

[quandrea]

With our climate, I would not want to trade any summer time off. That summer weather is precious to our family. Time off elsewhere in the year isn’t as valuable. I hope there are no changes to the calendar. Dd starts back with the Catholic board next week.

 

[azrivest]

It's how they plan their calendar year elsewhere, like in France. French children have a total of 5 long breaks (at least 1 week) during the year, around Halloween, Christmas, February, Easter and end of May. And they finish school in July.

I've always heard the problem with implementing this here is our out-of-date schools that don't have A/C and stuff like that. Kids are already baking around the 20th of June as it is.

 

[mshanson3121]

I see your point. However, most teachers will not see it that way. Most salaried employees do not consider long weekend every second week as the equivalent of getting one month off consecutively, although the number of days off are exactly the same.

Nope, they won't, and they won't go for it, guaranteed. This is what was forced upon my husband's job. Instead of a March break, which gives you 9 consecutive days off (including the weekends), so you can actually go somewhere and do something, or REALLY have time to unwind... They were given those same 5 days off, but they had to take them as individual days spread through the year. It was basically pointless.

With our climate, I would not want to trade any summer time off. That summer weather is precious to our family. Time off elsewhere in the year isn’t as valuable. I hope there are no changes to the calendar. Dd starts back with the Catholic board next week.

See, I disagree. I think an extra week on March/spring break would be great. Many Canadians travel during the spring break - the winter loving folk go skiing, snowmobiling, to winter festivals/resorts (Val du Neige for example) etc... The winter haters hop a plane and head south.

Fall would be another great time. Start school a bit earlier, and then have a week off at Thanksgiving. That is a beautiful time of year to travel anywhere - especially in Canada. And for the most part, the weather is really good.

I mean we enjoy summer, but at the same time, the mosquitos, blackflies and humidity are so horrendous here in late July/August, that fall is definitely a nicer time of year.

 

[momof2gr8kids]

Our district has had online learning since February. Two weeks out of the stay at home order, then to grey. At least it's getting warmer out, but I'm worried about my older kids' mental health. Hard to drag them out with us to do something. I'm bribing with lots of treats like hey lets get starbucks and walk around marina, etc. Saturday I'm bribing a long hike with a stop at a favourite restaurant for take out.
I don't see the holidays changing for schools, not in Ontario especially with a provincial election next year. Although I doubt the current government is winning any points with teachers anyways, so who knows. Maybe they figure they hate us already, so there's no loss.
My husband's work is taking advantage of legislative changes due to covid and changing around all the rotations at the LTC home and making everyone reapply according to seniority. So, who knows what kind of loophole there might be in some legislation somewhere that would allow them to do it.
Anyways, looking forward to fishing season, outdoor hiking kayaking, golf season (for my hubby, get him out of my hair! lol). It's funny people would complain about living here where there's nothing to do and wanting to move to Toronto, etc. But now, I'm sure many are grateful for the amount of outdoor activities that aren't packed with people that can be enjoyed very close to home.

 

[badiggio]

I hate to be skeptical... but I do not think any teacher union would support shorten their member's vacation from 8 weeks to 6 weeks. When there was no pandemic, they did not want virtual classes. When the pandemic started, they did not want in-person classes. I know it is a difficult time but I just heard their frequent radio ads attacking the current government. Those ads were going on non-stop last week. I support them but do not support their politics, at the expense of my kids.

I think the decision should be made on medical sciences, and not politics from either side.

Unfortunately ,imo,I think politics has been the major deciding factor,in keeping schools open,all along .Their explanations, to me,how schools were safe, never made sense,and the numbers that were coming out just weren't realistic from what i was reading and hearing from people with kids in school.I think the numbers were getting too high to ignore and hide anymore.JMO

 

[mshanson3121]

Unfortunately ,imo,I think politics has been the major deciding factor,in keeping schools open,all along .Their explanations, to me,how schools were safe, never made sense,and the numbers that were coming out just weren't realistic from what i was reading and hearing from people with kids in school.I think the numbers were getting too high to ignore and hide anymore.JMO

Public education policy always has been and always will be driven by politics.

 

[DiaryofaDisneyKid]

Nope, they won't, and they won't go for it, guaranteed. This is what was forced upon my husband's job. Instead of a March break, which gives you 9 consecutive days off (including the weekends), so you can actually go somewhere and do something, or REALLY have time to unwind... They were given those same 5 days off, but they had to take them as individual days spread through the year. It was basically pointless.



See, I disagree. I think an extra week on March/spring break would be great. Many Canadians travel during the spring break - the winter loving folk go skiing, snowmobiling, to winter festivals/resorts (Val du Neige for example) etc... The winter haters hop a plane and head south.

Fall would be another great time. Start school a bit earlier, and then have a week off at Thanksgiving. That is a beautiful time of year to travel anywhere - especially in Canada. And for the most part, the weather is really good.

I mean we enjoy summer, but at the same time, the mosquitos, blackflies and humidity are so horrendous here in late July/August, that fall is definitely a nicer time of year.

My sons teacher is an avid international traveler and longer breaks throughout the year would give her more opportunities for travel other then just in the summer. I do think the unions would fight this idea though.

 

[DiaryofaDisneyKid]

Unfortunately ,imo,I think politics has been the major deciding factor,in keeping schools open,all along .Their explanations, to me,how schools were safe, never made sense,and the numbers that were coming out just weren't realistic from what i was reading and hearing from people with kids in school.I think the numbers were getting too high to ignore and hide anymore.JMO

I have to disagree with you a little on this. I agree that politics definately play a part but I think schools were safe. I think this however might depend on where you live. Larger cities like Ottawa, Toronto etc. there is larger community spread and more denseley packed schools so it might be different than what was seen throughout the year in the smaller regions in Ontario. The Niagara region has seen a rise in cases lately but up until recently there has not been alot of community spread and schools have not seen many cases. I have friends and family that are teachers and they have not seen cases in the schools until recently. Low community spread has kept schools in many smaller regions safe with quite a few not having any cases at all so far. My children's school just had there first 2 cases in the school a couple of weeks ago and it did not spread in the classrooms. So from September until the end of March NOT 1 case in our school! I strongly believe community spread equals more cases in the school. We need to get community spread down so the schools can open back up safely!

 

[mshanson3121]

My sons teacher is an avid international traveler and longer breaks throughout the year would give her more opportunities for travel other then just in the summer. I do think the unions would fight this idea though.

Agree. Summer break is the end all be all.

 

[Debbie]

Interesting discussion. One that, as a teacher, we were having in the 80's and again in the early 00's. Year round schooling isn't a new idea, but the biggest problem is the state of the schools. I taught in a school that is over 100 years old. I was on the third floor, and once that heat hit (mid-May) there was NO going back. The sweat pours down everyone's backs and the kids are exhausted from the heat by noon. The afternoons are dreadful and it is very difficult for the kids to learn .That heat stays until late September for sure. If the windows could stay open at night then the cool night air would help. But, obviously, they can't (not even on the third floor).

One other issue, which we have seen through the pandemic, schools are the expected daycare. Most parents don't have the same resources and help to look after their children several times a year, as for the summer holidays.

As a teacher, I was always excited to hear the year-round learning talk. To be able to travel when it is not summer, or prime time would economically be a benefit.

 

[Pumpkin1172]

Well , there it is . All Ontario schools closing indefinitely.

I was very surprised our students (gr7-12) went back to in class learning after Spring/Easter break in Alberta. I guess we will see what happens. The week before Easter. they closed the school and went to virtual classes because of a shortage of too many teachers needing to isolate. Everyday is a roller coaster.

 

[DiaryofaDisneyKid]

Interesting discussion. One that, as a teacher, we were having in the 80's and again in the early 00's. Year round schooling isn't a new idea, but the biggest problem is the state of the schools. I taught in a school that is over 100 years old. I was on the third floor, and once that heat hit (mid-May) there was NO going back. The sweat pours down everyone's backs and the kids are exhausted from the heat by noon. The afternoons are dreadful and it is very difficult for the kids to learn .That heat stays until late September for sure. If the windows could stay open at night then the cool night air would help. But, obviously, they can't (not even on the third floor).

One other issue, which we have seen through the pandemic, schools are the expected daycare. Most parents don't have the same resources and help to look after their children several times a year, as for the summer holidays.

As a teacher, I was always excited to hear the year-round learning talk. To be able to travel when it is not summer, or prime time would economically be a benefit.

I know it would probably be too expensive to add air conditioning to all the schools but it sure would be nice. For the kids to have a longer break in the Fall and be able to travel then would be awesome!

 

[LittleFlounder]

A little update: a couple weeks ago I posted that I was upset about the postponement of elective surgeries in Ontario because I was in a wait list for surgery. Well...this past Thursday I got a call from my surgeon to say that I am having surgery(back surgery) on Tuesday April 20...this Tuesday!! Mine is day surgery, so I won’t be occupying a bed or needing a room. I was as very surprised by the news, and SO happy to be having the surgery so I can get back to my normal activities, without pain!

 

[Aladora]

Update from BC today:

BC issues orders restricting people’s abilities to leave their health authorities; BC Ferries will no longer permit recreational vehicles to travel to and from the islands

Premier Horgan says the province is restricting travel to health regions, effective this Friday. Residents will no longer be permitted to travel beyond health regions for non-essential reasons. Random stops of individuals will take place with the new restrictions to assess travel reasons. Fines will be levied to those breaking new rules.
Tourism organizers are being asked to restrict bookings and transport/travel plans. BC Ferries will no longer permit recreational vehicles and campers to board vessels headed to or from Vancouver Island and the islands, as of this Friday.
The province will also install signage at borders advising individuals from out-of-province of the new restrictions.
The current phase of restrictions are planned to remain through at least May Long Weekend.