Mixed feelings for students returning to class

CALGARY — The first day back to school after weeks of online learning and there are mixed feelings about returning in a year that’s pulled students in and out of class for closures and COVID-19 exposures.

And experts believe the instability is creating long term effects for mental health, learning and development.

“I was not looking forward to coming back because I was enjoying online life, and there are only a few weeks left, so I don’t really see the point in coming back,” said Ethan, a grade 12 student at Western Canada High School.

“A lot of it messed up our sleep schedules, so there’s a lot of us kind of tired. But personally, I guess I’m glad to be back. It seems like the school is doing a good job of supporting students struggling a little bit,” said Harmeen, another student from Western Canada High School. “There’s a lot of people protesting saying we should either stay online or come back to school and stay here. Personally, I don’t mind it, I haven’t had a lot of troubles.”

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The province approved requests from the Calgary Board of Education and Calgary Catholic School District to move online late last month before the Alberta Government sent all students home while introducing stricter public health orders.

Most Alberta students returned Tuesday, except those in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, which includes Fort McMurray, where there’s still a higher number of cases.

And paediatricians say this constant cycle over the last year can impact development.

“Part of that is a disruption to schooling, school is just a really important place to socialize, to learn, to access resources for those kids that might need special help – either with their learning or special care – and without school being in session, all of those things are lost,” said Dr. Michelle Bailey, the Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Calgary.

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And with final exams coming up, some grade 12 students aren’t sure how final exams, with no marks counted and other changes, will impact university studies.

“Last year it wasn’t really coordinated as much as it should have been, our marks were frozen, I didn’t really have the incentive to work because if anyone was satisfied with their mark they didn’t have to learn the rest of the material, which would probably be useful for them in post-secondary,” said Harmeen.