On Friday, parents with children attending school in the Hanover School Division (HSD) received official notice that the division would be implementing precautionary measures to help mitigate the potential spread of Covid-19 within their schools.
Only hours later, the notice was followed by a new one: all Manitoba public schools would be closed for a period of three weeks beginning March 23.
This came as a direct response to a decision made that same day by the Manitoba Minister of Education in consultation with the province’s Chief Medical Officer.
For school children, it will feel, at minimum, like an extended spring break, with the typical one-week break sandwiched in the middle of the initial three-week interruption. During the weeks before and after spring break, teachers and staff will be expected to report to work as usual.
“We have been encouraged by the province to find ways to provide work for students during those two weeks,” says HSD Superintendent Randy Dueck. “What that means at the Grade One level is very different than what it means at the Grade Eleven physics level. Teachers are going to have to sort that out in an age-appropriate way.”
Some consideration will need to be made for children who lack access to computer technology at home. Senior year students each have their own Chromebook, but some of these students may live in areas with poor internet connections.
“This is completely new territory for us, and so we are going to have to do a lot of learning in the next couple of weeks,” Dueck says.
Parents should be aware that the school closure is not immediate. Regular classes will remain in session from March 16 to 20, although HSD respects the rights of parents and guardians who wish to keep their children at home during the coming week. The division asks that parents inform school administration if they choose to do so.
In the meantime, HSD will continue to take its cues from the provincial health director. They acknowledge that, as with the sudden announcement to suspend classes, the situation could change overnight. Parents are encouraged to watch the HSD website for regular updates.
Without question, this sudden schedule change will cause much disruption for parents as they attempt to make childcare arrangements for their kids.
“I completely understand the challenges that will exist for parents who are going to have the kids at home,” says Dueck. “It’s going to be complicated and that’s something we’re hoping the province will be able to respond to.”
Already there have been stay-at-home parents lighting up social media sites with offers of childcare services for other parents who have few alternatives. But in many cases, parents may have no choice but to take a leave of absence from their job.
Calming Anxiety
Childcare is only one of the tough decisions that parents are having to make right now. Equally, or perhaps more important, is how they should respond to their children’s fear and anxiety in the face of a global pandemic.
According to a March 7 article in Psychology Today, during times of heightened anxiety and crisis, children look to their parents for stability and security. How parents respond during times like this is critical.
Dr. Nancy Darling says that kids pick up on radio and TV news that’s constantly on in the household.
“You may be able to tune it out and put the news in context, but your kids can’t,” Darling says. “Children’s ability to understand tragedy and put it in context is less developed than our own. Unfiltered media played in the background is not in their best interest.”1
Of course, parents need to stay informed. Some exposure to the news is important, even for the children, if only for brief periods of time. If media exposure is handled well, it can provide an opportunity for parents to speak to their children and work together as a family through the many difficult questions.
“Project calm safety, and let them know you're there for them,” Darling says. “Studies going back to World War II show that during times of uncertainty, kids look to parents for cues about how to feel.”2
Finally, she says, use this as a teaching opportunity. It’s a great time to reinforce basic hygiene, to model good media consumption behavior, and to source information from only qualified and trusted experts.
Hanover School Division officials hope to do the same, relying on local health authorities to guide them in their decision-making policies regarding COVID-19.
“We’re all working together to address something that is new for us,” Dueck says. “As a community of people, we all need to do our part… to minimize disruptions to the health community so that they are free to be as effective as possible in addressing this pandemic.”
