Local family happy to have schools reopen Monday

Update: This story was updated Wednesday, after The Local went to press Tuesday, when the government released more information about back-to-school protocols.

Brenda Ferguson is one mother who will be happy to see her kids head back to school Monday.

Her three children attending St. Michael Catholic School will also be happy that the decision of the Ontario government announced Monday evening is to reopen for in-person learning on Monday, Jan. 17, sources with knowledge of the decision say.

And in a “fun turn of events,” her girls, who were not interested in online learning, made the decision to try to log on to school Tuesday morning.

“I think with the news that they are going back to in-class next week, they got excited,” she says.

Hearing school was resuming in-person Monday, Ferguson said, “Good news all around . . . let’s hope it stays this way.”

Last week, with surging COVID-19 cases fuelled by the omicron variant, Ontario Premier Doug Ford moved all public and private schools to remote learning. Since the return to school after the holidays in Niagara was to start Monday, Jan. 10, local students knew they would have at least one week of virtual learning before resuming classes, but until Monday night, weren’t sure if that would stretch longer.

Ferguson and her children were hoping for a decision to reopen Monday, so was pleased to hear the news.

She works full-time, with her husband able to work from home, but it has been difficult for her children, in Grades 3, 5 and 6. They’re smart kids, but they don’t like online working, she says, and she told their teachers she wasn’t going to force the issue.

The teachers have been great, she said, doing their best to keep students learning and engaged online, but it just wasn’t working for her family.

“When we heard school wasn’t going to resume this week, there was a ‘bit of a moment’ at home. The girls have their first vaccination, we’re all vaccinated, and when it comes to school, they need to be in class, with their teachers and peers. If everybody respects the screening and protocols, and I feel for the most part people do respect them, I feel it’s safe. And if kids get sick, we need to be smart and keep them at home.”

Ferguson said she was feeling privileged to be able to work full-time, and have her husband work at home while their kids were there, but realized it’s not easy for all parents, especially single mothers who have to work.

“This is a time in the world when mental health is a problem. I feel we’re living in luxury being able to make the choices we make.”

The province has also said Tuesday public school students will only be eligible for free PCR COVID-19 testing if they develop symptoms while at school, and kits will no longer be offered to children exposed to a symptomatic classmate, even if that classmate is confirmed to have COVID-19. Regarding testing, the government said Wednesday said it will distribute 3.9 million rapid tests to school boards, starting on Monday, which will be provided first to staff in child care and public schools, children in child-care settings, students in public elementary schools, followed by secondary students. The government also clarified Wednesday that parents will only be notified of a potential COVID-19 outbreak when approximately 30 per cent of staff and students in the school are absent.

Ferguson says she’s not sure what to think of that.

“I guess we will just have to continue to be diligent about washing hands and wearing masks, and if anyone is sick, stay home.”