With nearly a two-year-long pandemic threatening the reopening of face-to-face classes, Alley Primary School in Clarendon has recently announced that classrooms will be opened to students for the resumption of face-to-face classes on Monday, November 15.

Principal of Alley Primary School, Judith Richards shared that preparation is being made to facilitate scheduled classroom time for students, by implementing a hybrid system.

“The normal preparations, getting the tank ready, the classroom to facilitate a certain number based on the protocols, having the three to six feet with the students in masks, putting in the markers and the signage; having an area as a checkpoint for them to be screened, we have handwash stations that were put in before. So, we’re just basically kind of reorganizing ourselves, as where we would’ve done this sometime over last year when we had a certain amount of students coming out for face-to-face classes,” she explained.

Richards also mentioned that although preparations are being made to accommodate students…

“Last school year, nearer down to the end of the school year, we would have given permission to have the grade six and the grade five students, and we did have some here for summer school. So, we would have put those things in place, so we’re just reorganizing ourselves based on the fact that we were kind of out part of the summer and the place would have run down. So, we got the place treated for termites last week and so cleaning up has been done over the end of last week into this week. The yard was cut, so it’s the regular maintenance of the ground. So, we’re not doing anything extra special.

She also mentioned that students will be required to come in the office on specific days to prevent a cluster.

 “We would have procured our sanitation items, cleaning materials, and all of that and we would have had basically most of the things in place. The only difference is that we will not be able to bring in all the students all at once, so we would have to rotate them. So, we have a set coming in Monday and Tuesday, and another set coming in Wednesday and Thursday; Friday, they will be online and so any day that the children will not be coming in, they will be online. We’ll rotate them based on the numbers and how we can hold them in the space. So, we would have like grades one, three, and six coming in on Monday and Tuesday, and grades two, four, and five coming in on Wednesday and Thursday,” she explained. 

Richards shared that several online interactions with stakeholders at Alley Primary School provided the assurance that members of staff, as well as parents and students, are ready for the resumption of face-to-face classes.

 “Well, it’s favorable because we would have had our sensitization meeting last week, so we met with them based on lower and upper grades. We met with them in google meets and we also sent out bulletins on WhatsApp and they are anticipating, and they are eager to the point where I heard that two students came on Monday and two came this morning as well. I guess probably they did not get the memo. But it is favorable because we would have had meetings with the different stakeholders: the board, the senior staff, the junior staff, the ancillary workers. So, we would have had meetings with everybody and so everybody is apprised of what is to expect. So, we’re just waiting now on to get satisfactory from the health to just tell the parents that it’s a go for Monday” she said.

Meanwhile, Shevanize Dyer, mother of 6-year-old Nickayla Mitchell who was recently enrolled in first grade at Alley Primary School has expressed mixed reactions to having her daughter attend face-to-face classes.

“I wish that school would reopen though; I can’t manage the teaching. I’m a little bit worried because of the virus. She play a lot, very (very) active especially when she see children. So, me worry ‘bout that part of it,” she said.

Dyer expressed that she believes that the resumption of face-to-face classes should do more good than harm, but she is still worried about the safety and well-being of her daughter, as she expects her to interact with other students in the coming weeks.

“They will learn much more at school because at school they have like more than five hours to learn everything, and teacher more interact with them and everything; Being at school is much better. Her playing with children is the only thing I’m worried about. She will wash her hands, wear her mask, everything except the playing, she will do,” she said.