Students across School District 68 will return for orientation over the coming days, ahead of full-time classes resuming Monday, Sept. 14. (Kyle Ireland/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

CLASS IS IN SESSION

Nanaimo-Ladysmith students return to school for new, COVID-era learning

Sep 10, 2020 | 5:29 AM

NANAIMO — After nearly six months away from the classroom, students are returning to school.

School District 68 classes will resume full time on Monday, Sept. 14, however orientation sessions will take place Thursday and Friday to reacquaint students with their new surroundings.

Dale Burgos, Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools communications director, told NanaimoNewsNOW students can expect to be at school for around an hour either Thursday or Friday.

“What to expect this school year in terms of their learning group, wearing masks, how they walk through the halls…whether it’s a one or two way hall,” Burgos said. “Kids will quickly go in, receive some information and head out.”

Plans for students to return to cohorts were unveiled in late August. Students will be in groups of no more than 60 students in elementary and 120 at the secondary level.

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Schedules will be staggered for different grades to minimize interactions outside a student’s cohort.

The expectation is for a vast majority of children to return to in-class schooling come Monday.

“Monday is going to be our first official first day of full class. If you go back a couple of weeks we mentioned 83 per cent of respondents to a survey mentioned their child will be going back to regular, in class instruction,” Burgos said.

Also returning are school zone speed limits across the entire Nanaimo school district.

Police will again enforce a 30 kilometre per hour speed through school zones between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on designated school days.

“It’s got to be a change of habits for motorists,” Cst. Gary O’Brien said. “Motorists have to be aware when they’re approaching that school zone, they have to slow down, the have to look for children.”

O’Brien added children can be unpredictable and dart out into traffic unexpectedly.

“Motorists have to be slow and be prepared to react suddenly.”

Fines for speeding in a school zone range from $196 to $483.

alex.rawnsley@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley