SURREY, B.C. -- After two days of preparation, schools are ready to welcome students back to the classroom on Thursday and Friday.
"I think it’s fair to say there is a lot of wondering about how this is actually going to pan out," said Sean Chambers, the principal of Lena Shaw Elementary School in Surrey.
"No one’s going to say that everything is perfect, however, there’s a lot of positivity amongst teachers. There is a lot of excitement and flexibility among staff. We want students to come, and we’re looking forward to having them back in the building."
Lena Shaw education assistant Wendi Causey agrees, saying "I feel excited because I miss my kids so much. I love being an EA. But a little nervous. I’m old,” she said, laughing. “But I think we can do it, we’ll get there.”
Chambers has spaced out desks in his large classroom, expecting most of his students will return.
"Definitely with the uncertainty about what's going on in the world, it's a lot different,” he said. “So I think besides that feeling of excitement, there is that feeling of unknown, and perhaps nervousness.”
Students at Lena Shaw will have a one-hour session on Thursday and another on Friday, where teachers will go over protocol and answer questions.
“We just want to field any questions that they may have, or any uncertainties or anxieties they may be feeling. We want to give them an opportunity for them to be able to share that,” said Chambers.
The full return to in-person learning will begin on Monday.
