A sneak peek inside N.S. classrooms before school reopens

Regional centres for education around Nova Scotia gave a glimpse Wednesday of what the first day of school is going to look like for students this year.

Media were invited into schools to see some of the pandemic measures that have been put in place in an effort to allay some fears about the return to class.

"I think it's okay for people to have feelings of anxiousness. None of us have ever gone to school in a pandemic," said Doug Hadley, spokesperson for the Halifax Regional Centre for Education.

While there are schools of varying ages and sizes, all are following the same guidelines from public health as they prepare to reopen, he said.

"What we want to try and do as much as possible, including with opportunities like today, is to assure parents that our schools are on this, that they're ready to welcome their children back on Tuesday," said Hadley.

Sneak peek inside N.S. classrooms ahead of school reopening

4 years ago

Duration 3:18

We were given a sneak peak on Wednesday of what schools will look like next week. Two schools, one in Sydney and one in the Halifax area, were opened up to the media. The tours offered a glimpse at the many changes students will have to deal with. The CBC's Matthew Moore has the story.

The Cape Breton-Victoria Regional Centre for Education offered up Sherwood Park Education Centre, a middle school in Sydney, as an example of what a typical school setup will look like.

The first thing that stands out as out of the ordinary is the spray paint on the pavement outside, indicating where each classroom grouping is to gather before entering the building.

Inside, the floor is also marked with red and blue arrows dictating the direction of flow in the hallways.

A key strategy in reducing the risk of virus transmission will be to keep students isolated within their classroom cohort, said Lewis MacDonald, co-ordinator of facilities management with the centre for education.

He said there will be no intermingling of classes during the day.

"Services come to the students, students don't go to the services. So that includes a music teacher, a science teacher, they come to the students," said MacDonald. "Food at lunch time, that comes to the students. So students are in their class for the majority of the day."

Those classroom cohorts will remain separated outside during recess, and the minimal comings and goings in hallways will be staggered, he said.

Class sizes will remain at normal numbers and excess furniture has been cleared out of classrooms in order to maximize space for desks.

The classroom MacDonald showed off Wednesday had desks spaced about a metre apart, meaning students will be required to wear their masks throughout the day.

"I think the question that's on everybody's mind is, 'Is it safe to return to school?'" said MacDonald. "And with the measures that public health has put in place, that we've followed, as far as getting our classrooms set up, getting our materials in school for disinfection and sanitization, I think we've achieved those measures."

In a news conference Wednesday, Education Minister Zach Churchill said complete physical distancing won't be possible in schools, which would go against their full in-person plan. He said the "vast majority" of checks on school ventilation systems have also been done, and there will be no outstanding ones left by next week. 

Dr. Robert Strang, the chief medical officer of health, also outlined what schools can expect if a case of COVID-19 is found. He said managing a COVID-19 case in a school depends on the level of exposure, and there will be communication to families and staff right away.

Public health has grouped three risk levels as high, moderate and low that each have corresponding responses and rules.

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