The unique school year is underway across the city.
Westmount Public School played host Tuesday to Grades 4-8 along with the ninth and eleventh graders.
New Principal Mark Moorhouse says the older kids were receptive to the new measures.
“We were delayed in starting, just with getting everybody into the building. Kids did have their masks on and were able to navigate the hallways and into their classrooms so everyone was very cooperative” says Moorhouse.
Grade Six teacher Jamie Murdoch was excited to get the new year underway, stressing no one gets into teaching to not be with their students.
“There’s been a lot of elbow bumps. Normally there would be hugs and fist bumps so we’ve making sure to maintain that contact level with the kids. That’s so important for them and for us” Murdoch adds.
Among the physical measures in place: enhanced security, floor signage to help out younger kids and lots of hand washing and sanitizing throughout the day.
Murdoch notes some of the new steps were tried out a week ahead of time.
“We would have a door that we would all enter at the bell for buses and nutrition breaks. We’re really lucky here, we have four doors inside the school and we’re using all of them to get everyone in safely” says Murdoch.
Approximately 900 students have opted for remote learning, which includes separate teachers and a remote principal. Murdoch adds she has no contact with her five kids, which has taken some getting used to.
In the event that a child gets sick or may exhibit symptoms of coronavirus, Principal Mark Moorhouse says there is a protocol in place: “We have an unwellness room that students are placed in until their parents are able to pick them up and bring them home”.
Both Moorhouse and Murdoch re-iterate that if an outbreak occurs the Lakehead District School Board has a plan to continue the school year online.
Both also indicate that they’re better prepared if that happens.
