Winnipeg: Back to School 2020
Posted August 22, 2020 6:27 pm.
Last Updated September 19, 2020 5:20 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
WINNIPEG (CityNews) – As schools plan to reopen across the country over the next few weeks and cities and governments announce plans for student and staff safety, CityNews is here to help navigate the new rules and practices as you send your kids to class in the middle of a pandemic.
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Here’s everything you to know regarding Back to School 2020.
SEPTEMBER 18
Alleged mixing of cohorts on school buses
A Winnipeg mother is calling for more transparency from a Winnipeg school division after she says they aren’t following provincial transportation guidelines in the return to school plan.
SEPTEMBER 16
Winnipeg school moved to ‘orange’ level after six new COVID-19 cases
An elementary and middle school in Winnipeg has sent several of its students home after six more people tested positive for COVID-19. John Pritchard School is reporting a total seven COVID-19 cases, including one identified on Sunday.
Schools must stay open during pandemic to protect future female leaders: Canadian teachers
Schools need to stay open despite some declaring isolated cases of COVID-19 or working mothers will suffer, suggests the head of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation.
Here’s a look at Back to School across the country.
Back to School Alberta (Calgary)
SEPTEMBER 15
Community group calls for police-free schools
After some cities have voted to remove police from schools, one community group is calling for Winnipeg to do the same. The group and a criminal justice expert say the school resource officer should be scrapped, while school administrators disagree
SEPTEMBER 14
Five schools now impacted by COVID-19 in Manitoba
At least five Manitoba schools have now been impacted by COVID-19 after the announcement Monday by Manitoba Health that Beaverlodge school in Winnipeg is the latest. Jonas Gilbart has more on this and our latest numbers across the board.
SEPTEMBER 10
Health officials address concern over school COVID-19 case
After a Winnipeg student tested positive for COVID-19 the first day back, Manitoba’s top doctor says “everything was done right” and is urging an end to the stigma. Stefanie Lasuik reports.
Fewer active COVID-19 cases in Manitoba, first case found in school
Manitoba health officials are reporting a sharp drop in the number of active COVID-19 cases.
SEPTEMBER 9
Winnipeg school division drivers officially on strike
Winnipeg school division bus drivers took up official strike position Wednesday. Stefanie Lasuik has the latest on the action affecting about 2,300 students.
SEPTEMBER 8
Back to school reactions
Parents and students weigh in on how they feel about being back to school. Marie Gomez talks to parents and students about their experiences on the first day back.
Thousands of students return to schools as new COVID 19 cases emerge
Thousands more students returned to class amid myriad pandemic precautions touching nearly every aspect of school from the lunch room to the playground, with officials stressing Tuesday the need for vigilance as school-linked cases of COVID-19 continued to emerge.
Bus drivers walk the picket line on the first day back to school
Bus drivers in Winnipeg’s largest school division walked the picket line Tuesday morning, forcing about 2,300 students and their families to find other ways to get to school. As Stefanie Lasuik reports, some parents were left with few options.
SEPTEMBER 7
School bus strike leaves some parents stranded
The union for Winnipeg School Division bus drivers is set to strike on Tuesday, but some parents are now trying to figure out ways to get ther children to school. Marie Gomez talks to one parent who is now stranded due to the strike.
Story No. 1: WATCH
Story No. 2: WATCH
SEPTEMBER 4
The uncertainty of back to school during COVID-19
With the number of cases on the rise over the last month in Manitoba, and with students set to return to the classrooms in a few days, Alex Karpa talks to a local virologist to see if it is safe to go back to school.
SEPTEMBER 3
Manitoba schools prepare for new normal
Manitoba teachers are preparing their classrooms for back-to-school during a worldwide pandemic. Reporter Stefanie Lasuik goes for a tour to see what awaits students next week.
Back to school in a second language
For many, back-to-school this year brings extra anxiety. For many in Winnipeg’s Filipino community, they are also doing this in a second language, which brings its own unique challenges.
SEPTEMBER 2
Bus drivers threaten to strike next week: Winnipeg School Division
The already hectic back-to-school period could become a little trickier for some Winnipeg parents. The union that represents bus drivers for the Winnipeg School Division (WSD) says a bus-driver strike could be imminent.
Province looks to address back-to-school uncertainties
As Manitoba students prepare to return to school in less than a week, the province looks to address some questions and concerns.
Father worries about entire family when kids head back to school
Teachers and staff returned to school Monday in Manitoba and students are soon to follow. One family in Winnipeg living with compromised immunity is concerned about what might happen if their children catch COVID-19 at school and bring it home.
SEPTEMBER 1
Concerns rise over mental health of children amid COVID-19 pandemic
A report is highlighting the mental load students are carrying into the new school year. The Raising Canada 2020 report shows children are struggling across the board.
Yearly school zone speed limits begin
School zone speed limits are back in effect starting Tuesday. Mike Albanese reminds you of the rules, and speaks to one group who wants to see changes made.
AUGUST 28
Families should expect COVID-19 cases in schools, says Canada’s top doctor
Families should expect to see cases of COVID-19 in schools, warns Canada’s chief public health officer. Dr. Theresa Tam said Friday that such cases would be a reflection of what is happening in the community surrounding them.
AUGUST 25
More universities to make masks mandatory
The University of Manitoba is the latest post secondary institution in a growing list of schools to make masks mandatory for all students, staff, and visitors on campus grounds.
AUGUST 24
Community transmission levels, back to school plans in focus
Our province’s top doctor, addressing the amount of community spread we have been seeing in our recent run of COVID-19 cases on Monday while Manitoba’s education minister took on the status of back to school plans.
AUGUST 21
Keeping your kids safe as they head back to school
There are a lot of concerns surrounding children’s health as they head back to school. We chat with Dr. Leighanne Parkes, infectious disease specialist and microbiologist at the Jewish General Hospital, for tips and tricks to help kids stay safe.
AUGUST 20
Parents concerned about poor ventilation in schools
“We’re not hysterical parents. These are real concerns based on data,” says Olga Maria Ruiz, a parent concerned that her daughter could be at risk for COVID-19 due to the poor ventilation in schools. Sharon Yonan-Renold has more.
Is the internet going to fall down when the kids go back to school?
A school year relying heavily on kids being connected may see some left behind if they can’t get online.
As parents and school boards try to get kids connected there’s also a chance the internet may not be able to keep up.
AUGUST 19
Province to make masks mandatory in schools
Manitoba is now making masks mandatory for most students in grades four to 12. Exceptions will be made for medical reasons.
First Nations COVID-19 back-to-school innovation
As schools across the country struggle with how to keep students safe, a First Nation school near Regina has come up with a unique solution which combines traditional knowledge and cutting edge technology. Nigel Newlove reports.
Books, computers and face masks! Safety top of mind for back-to-school shoppers
It’s the back-to-school shopping season and a new survey shows where parents’ priorities are and what they’re willing to pay to keep their kids safe.
This year’s back-to-school shopping will look different as face masks become the new must-have fashion accessory with parents stocking up on safety supplies in addition to books and bags.
AUGUST 18
At-risk youth face extra barriers during COVID-19
Community groups are concerned for inner city teens who will see fewer days in the classroom this fall due to COVID-19. While they understand the health reasons for reducing in-school learning, they say it creates even more barriers for at-risk youth. Stefanie Lasuik reports.
How COVID-19 is changing back-to-school shopping and budgets
Vonny Sweetland has yet to decide if he will be sending his 12-year-old sister Josephine back to class in September, but just in case he does, he’s been stocking up on supplies for months.
He picks up hand sanitizer when he sees it in stores, grabbed new masks last month, bought a fresh uniform and has been testing out Josephine’s muscle power with some new lunch containers.
Many parents nervous about return of school, plan to send kids anyway: poll
With only weeks until classes resume, a new survey suggests the majority of Canadian parents plan to send their kids back to school but most would want classes cancelled if there is a new COVID-19 outbreak in their community.
The survey by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies is the latest to take parents’ temperature as provinces prepare to reopen schools after sending children home this spring when the pandemic arrived.
AUGUST 17
Manitoba school divisions prepare for back to school
Amid a spike in COVID-19 numbers, Manitoba school divisions have released their plans aimed at keeping students safe when they return to school.
From masks to cohorting, a guide to back-to-school rules across the country
Plans are being made across the country for how to safely send students back to school in the fall as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
AUGUST 16
Comparing Manitoba Back to School protocols to other provinces
The countdown is on. In three weeks, kids return to the classrooms in Manitoba. But how do our COVID-19 protocols compare to other Canadian jurisdictions? Jonas Gilbart reports.
Teachers say they’re preparing for online and in-class lessons with little guidance
Rachel Rosen doesn’t even know what classes she’ll be teaching in three weeks, let alone how she’ll juggle preparing in-person and online lessons.
An ever-fluctuating set of back-to-school guidelines from Ontario’s Ministry of Education has left Rosen with little information about how to approach delivering learning materials both in class and online.
AUGUST 14
Mixed reaction about returning to school during COVID-19
The Manitoba Teachers Society says they’re disappointed with the governments plan to restart schools in the province. As Mark Neufeld reports, some are calling for mandatory face masks and smaller class sizes, while others say they don’t want to subject their children to wearing a face mask everyday.
‘It’s OK to not be OK’: How to help kids cope with COVID-19 school stress
It’s normal for kids to get back-to-school butterflies as the bell ring draws near. But on top of the familiar concerns about fitting in and getting good grades, kids need to deal with a new set of stresses this fall as they head back to class in the thick of a pandemic.
From the social pressures of being sorted into class cohorts to fears about bringing the novel coronavirus back home, experts say returning to school will likely provoke some anxiety for students of all ages.
AUGUST 13
Manitoba requiring masks on school buses, recommending them in classrooms
The Manitoba government is strongly encouraging parents to send their children to school in masks come September, but masks will not be required in classrooms.
“The safety and health of students and staff, and their families, are the priority as Manitoba returns to in-class learning,” Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen said Thursday.
Dr. Brent Roussin and Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen provide a plan to reopen schools in Manitoba
AUGUST 11
Back to school or not?
Some parents are considering homeschooling this September, but that also comes at a cost.
AUGUST 10
Are plastic shields a school solution?
Ken Franczek knows that parents are worried about sending their children back to school in the fall. That led him to coming up with what he says is a possible safety solution. Darcy Ropchan with more.
JULY 31
Parents have plenty of back to school questions
The uncertainty of the age of COVID-19, not helping ease the minds of parents, who still have plenty of questions over how this new school year will shape up. Alex Karpa reports.
The “new normal” of COVID-19 and schools
While kids will be going back to school here in Manitoba this fall, the message from our province’s top doctor is clear – we need to expect to see COVID-19 in our communities and even in our schools. Jonas Gilbart has more.
JULY 30
Back-to-school: Why each province’s plan differs
When it comes to back-to-school every province is doing their own thing to send students back to class in the fall. Rachelle Elsiufi has details.
In-person classes to resume in the fall
Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen announced Thursday afternoon that K-12 students will be going back to classrooms in September.
However, Goertzen says this coming school year won’t look like school years we’ve seen before. Many new cleaning protocols will be put in place for both schools and buses.
Dr. Brent Roussin, chief provincial public health officer & Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen provide details on reopening Manitoba schools
