P.E.I. students back in the classroom for summer school

The first week of summer school has wrapped up on Prince Edward Island, and it's the first time many students have been back in a classroom since before the March break.

There around 160 students registered for the in-class learning being run out of Charlottetown Rural High School.

The classroom model is delivered for the morning, or a portion of the morning, depending on what courses students are enrolled in.

Based on interest and what they expected during pre-planning, this year's offerings were various levels of English, physics and English as an additional language (EAL).

Erin Johnston, assistant director at the Public Schools Branch, said the classroom sizes were slightly smaller than a typical year.

This was because the Department of Education and P.E.I. Public Schools Branch had plans written and approved for summer school programming with the Chief Public Health Office around late May.

"What we have done is we have spaced folks out inside the classroom and depending on the physical size of the classroom space, of course, that determines how many students we would be comfortable having within the classes," Johnston said.

"We have removed extra furniture from the classes so that allows for greater spacing as well."

'Very valuable experience'

Johnston said the usual number of teachers were hired to deliver the learning, with only an additional custodian added to help ensure the required extra cleaning could take place.

She said behind the scenes, officials with the Department of Education are working on a curriculum for the fall while staff in the Public Schools Branch are looking into operational matters while following public heath guidelines.

That has been a bit of a heartstring tug for most educational staff, myself included.— Erin Johnston, Public Schools Branch

"This has actually been a very valuable experience, even just this initial week, to try and work through some of the challenges that that we've faced and try to figure out how to how to manoeuvre around those in a safe way," Johnston said.

"You know, a few things have come along that we've just had to figure out how to get around and that will be extremely helpful for our planning for September."

Adjusting as needed

Little things, like disconnecting water fountains so students don't try and grab a drink while walking by.

Johnston said that may not be the solution when all students return, but finding the little challenges like that is the first step in looking for the best course of action.

She said they have been and will continue working with the Chief Public Health Office to ensure each small step is done in a way to keep everyone safe.

So far, she said, it has been fabulous to have staff and students back in the classroom after so long away.

"That has been a bit of a heartstring tug for most educational staff, myself included," Johnston said.

"What we do is we teach youth and when we can't do that in the way that we're accustomed, that poses challenges for our own heads and our own hearts."

The summer school programming will run from July 6 until Aug. 14.

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