Ottawa area parents and students react to Ontario school plan
Starting this September, all Ontario students will be returning to class in person and full time under the Ford government's new back to school plan.
Mom Jennifer Bosch Gyuricska says she’s happy her kids are heading back to in-person learning. The bouncing from in-class to virtual learning has been a challenge, she says, something she does not want to repeat.
"I’m very happy that kids are going back to their classrooms and I know my children are very excited to be going back to the classroom," Bosch Gyuricska said. "I know that my children will not enjoy wearing a mask all the time but they know it’s the safest option."
Bosch Gyuricska’s daughter Emily is excited to be headed back to primary school in September. She found virtual classes a poor substitute for the things she liked best about school.
"I don’t like staring at a screen all day. It hurts my eyes and I prefer talking to my friends and going out with them at recess."
Some parents and students CTV News Ottawa spoke to expressed concerns about the possibility of assigning virtual work on snow or heat days, the fact that the government is not going to force all education workers to get vaccinated, and that busses will have few capacity limits.
Emily Patenaude, who has a daughter entering kindergarten this year, believes all school staff should be vaccinated to protect themselves and others.
"I think my biggest concern is not having everyone in the schools vaccinated that can be," Patenaude said. "My priority is making sure the staff that are interacting with my children, who are not yet qualified for vaccination, are vaccinated."
Returning high school students Liliaque Widdup and Emily Gilstorf say they are looking forward to getting back to classroom learning, but they are disappointed the cohort system is returning this year and have mixed feelings about anther year of quadmesters.
"I did pretty good with doing quadmester," Widdup said. "I feel like it’s a lot easier to do classes because you are only focusing on a few classes."
"I’m glad we are going back. I know it’s been really hard to do online school for a lot of people including me," Gilstorf said. "The cohorts--I can understand how we are splitting everyone up and why we are doing that--but it is still going to be hard to not have everybody that we usually do."
The government will be releasing more information regarding the return to school plan in the coming days.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.