Two French Catholic elementary schools in Ottawa's Riverside South neighbourhood resumed classes Wednesday, for the first time since the pandemic shut everything down in March.
École élémentaire catholique Bernard-Grandmaître and L'École élémentaire catholique Jonathan-Pitre follow what's called a "balanced calendar" meaning in exchange for a shortened summer vacation, students get time-off in October and May, as well as two weeks off for March break.
Adding to the stress is the fact that Jonathan-Pitre school is a brand new school and Wednesday was its inauguration.
The Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est, which oversees both schools, allowed media access inside Jonathan-Pitre on Wednesday morning to get a sense of the changes implemented in response to COVID-19.
Here's what it looked like:
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Caption: The Lamoureux family drops off five-year-old Audrey at Jonathan-Pitre. “As a parent of a little one, I have no concerns whatsoever about it. I think she’s just excited and I want to be excited for her. It’s been six months of no school and I think she’s really excited to go back to it,” said Audrey’s mom, Isabelle Lamoureux, who is an intensive care nurse. (Francis Ferland/CBC)
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Caption: Physically separated desks are the norm at Jonathan-Pitre in Ottawa, where students have now started classes. (Francis Ferland/CBC)
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Caption: Staff at Jonathan-Pitre installed visual cues to help students maintain physical distancing when they line up to enter the building. (Francis Ferland/CBC)
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Caption: Plastic shields are installed in the office at Jonathan-Pitre and a public health nurse helped staff on the first day of classes, Aug. 19, 2020. (Francis Ferland/CBC)
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Caption: A student exits a school bus on the first day of classes at Jonathan-Pitre in Riverside South. (Francis Ferland/CBC)
Media Video | CBC News Ottawa : Some Ottawa parents ‘comfortable and confident’ about return to school
Caption: Isabelle and Mark Lamoureux say they’re confident in the school board and Ottawa Public Health regarding the process of sending their daughter to senior kindergarten this year.
Caption: In addition to being the first day of school for the new academic year, Wednesday was also the inauguration of L'École élémentaire catholique Jonathan-Pitre. (Francis Ferland/CBC)
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Caption: A student raises their hand during class at Jonathan-Pitre on the school’s first-ever day of classes. (Francis Ferland/CBC)
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Caption: Victoria Hefty drops off her five-year-old daughter Keatelle. “It’s just another layer of uncertainty. But she’s been really excited and so are we. So we’re balancing both emotions," said Hefty. (Francis Ferland/CBC)
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Caption: Students are not permitted to drink from the school’s water fountains, but they may use the fountains to fill their own bottles. (Francis Ferland/CBC)
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Caption: Arrows in the hallway remind students to respect physical distancing while they line up. (Francis Ferland/CBC)
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Caption: Specific bathrooms are available only to certain grades in an effort to limit the number of students at any given time. (Francis Ferland/CBC)
Media Video | CBC News Ottawa : Return to school brings ‘some sense of normalcy,’ superintendent says
Caption: Jean-François Bard, superintendent of education at the Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est, says some parents will be feeling nervous but the return to school represents a return to a new normal.