This year, many kids have had to add a few new items to their regular back-to-school shopping lists due to the pandemic.
BarrieToday recently stopped back-to-school shoppers and asked what was in their bags, what their return-to-school thoughts were, and how they’re preparing for the new normal COVID-19 has brought.
Carli-Anne Borysenko was shopping at Staples with her two kids for back-to-school essentials. Her son Benjamin Casault, 11, will be starting Grade 7 and her six-year-old daughter, Lilie-Rose, will be starting Grade 1.
“We have pencils, crayons, binders, hand sanitizer, masks and locker stuff for the future,” said Borysenko.
Both of Borysenko’s kids will be attending school in-class starting this coming week.
“The kids need to go. It will be good for them, for sure,” she said. “They’re both excited to go back.”
Borysenko says she has worked throughout COVID as a health-care worker, so she knows the risks and has been preparing her kids all along for the day they’re back in a classroom.
“They’re well aware of what they have to do: stay two metres apart, wash their hands and wear their masks,” she said.
Kendra Perry and her two daughters — seven-year-old Kaiah and four-year-old Charlie — were out picking up binders for her business, teaching dance.
“My main concern would just be if they end up with (COVID) symptoms, we have to all test or quarantine for 14 days,” said Perry.
Both of Perry’s daughters go to Maple Grove Public School in Barrie. After receiving a detailed email this week from the public board outlining more specifics about back-to-school procedures, Perry says she feels a lot better about her choice to send both her daughters back to in-class learning.
“They’re not doing recess, but they are going to do lots of outdoor learning, but with their class to make up for the no-recess,” said Perry. “They also all have different entrances. That all made me feel a little bit better.”
Both of Perry’s daughters said they’re “excited” to be going back to school.
Perry is also sending her kids with hand sanitizer and has bought labels so she can put their names on all their items.
“They have a mask for every day of the week. I’m still trying to figure out if I can get something that can attach to hold it around their neck,” she said.
Julie Howard and her two daughters, Cassandra and Victoria, were also out shopping. Cassandra is going into Grade 4 and Victoria is starting Grade 10.
Of Howard’s five children, three will be attending in-class learning, while her youngest, Andrew, will be doing remote learning. Her oldest son is starting college and will be doing online classes.
“We’ve got a bit of a mix,” Howard said. “Cassandra is going back with really no changes because she has a special-education program in place and is one-on-one.”
“I’m excited. I think everybody needs to be back in the classroom,” said Victoria.
Howard says she thinks kids benefit from socialization.
“Big time. They need to be with their peers,” said Howard. “We’re not overly concerned about COVID. We’re on the other side of the spectrum with it. I see it as a flu.
“I don’t agree with masking because I think it creates a culture of fear,” she added.
