It has been nearly six full months since students from across the province were sent home for an extended break due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, classes are set to resume for the school year in just a few days.  

The start of school always brings a flurry of activity for parents – buying supplies, ensuring kids have new clothes that fit since it seems all children grow 2-3 inches over the course of a summer, arranging daycare, getting sleeping schedules and wake-up times back in sync. This year, there is a little more to be prepared for, including covering what the changes to school thanks to the pandemic will look like, as well as making sure the needed supplies such as masks have been purchased. 

Over the past week, we have been asking here on Discover Weyburn if you are ready for the kids to head back to the classroom. The response was an overwhelming yes, with 73.8 percent of those who took part in the poll stating they are ready for school to start. Just 26.2 percent said they weren’t ready. 

We asked respondents for their comments, and we received a few. Here is a selection of those comments, unedited from the original posts to the poll: 

“I believe the school system isn't ready for the extra workload it will take to keep kids safe and organized. Plus with all the restrictions in place school will not be enjoyable and most kids won't want to learn as much because of the extra stress they will endure because of the social distancing and tight rules they must follow. I believe going back to school will be a down fall for most of the kids. Kids need to be kids and when thats taken away they lose who they are. They grow up to fast in serious situations like this. In times like this they still need to enjoy life and be kids while still being safe.” 

“Yes because I think kids need in-person teaching, socialization and some sense of normalcy . No because I think the school division should be mandating masks for Grades 4,5,6,7,8. In a typical class of 28 students , kids won’t be able to socially distance and why isn’t SECPSD concerned about 28 “bubbles “ mixing all at one time . If the school division was to be more proactive with mask wearing , school staffs and students would all be safer. Better to be safe than sorry .”