Charlotte Tremblay and Mavis Top, Ottawa
Ottawa Gr. 12 Students Mavis Top (from left), Charlotte Tremblay and Yingting Ou gather with their friend Nichole Le (facing away from camera) on the first day of school on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022. (CBC News) Charlotte Tremblay was nervous about the first day of Grade 12 on Tuesday morning because “a lot of the future depends on how well we do this year.” Still, the Ottawa student was happy to be reunited with friends and for the prospect of a “normal” term after the confusing experience with condensed pandemic schedules. “We had fours for a while and then we had two classes a week and that kept changing. Now we’re back to four classes. I’m definitely happy we’re back to a regular schedule,” said the 17-year-old. Although she and her friends hadn’t planned it, they all arrived wearing masks and aiming to remain cautious in the absence of previous pandemic protocols. For example, teenagers talked about eating lunch outdoors, said fellow 12th-grader Mavis Top, “just because it’s the time to take off your masks.” When her family contracted COVID-19 this summer, Topp said it opened her eyes to how differently the disease can affect members of the same household. “I think COVID needs to be taken a little more seriously by everyone.”
Subashini Thangadurai, Calgary
Calgary student Subashini Thangadurai admitted to feeling nervous on the first day. “Even though I’m in Gr. 11, I’m still feeling it,” he said. (Youna Ahn) “Back to normal” was a common theme that plagued the start-of-school experience for Subashini Thangadurai. The 11th grader’s first two days last Thursday and Friday were filled with the smiling faces of friends, classmates who were now more comfortable gathering in a school assembly, and excitement from teachers who wanted to learn in person. Bringing back more clubs, extracurriculars and events is what Thangadurai is personally most excited about — and she’s heard the same things from her peers. “I’m really excited to start the Earth Club. … I think there’s going to be a lot more student involvement this year. I feel like people really want to be a part of something,” noted the 16-year-old senior, who believes the pandemic helped build a greater sense of community at her school in Calgary. Despite feeling some first-day jitters, Thangadurai said she feels “comfortable in the new environment” because of fewer restrictions, though she noted that students do go through a strange culture change after the coverage, guideline changes and unpredictability of recent years. “Covid is always a bit of a worry, like it’s always there. I think a lot of my peers feel that too,” she said.
Aysha Yaqoob, Regina
Teacher Regina Aysha Yaqoob’s top priorities as she begins this school year are focusing on students’ mental health and building strong bonds with students. (Matt Duguid/CBC) For Aysha Yaqoob, preparation for previous school years usually involved lesson outlines, rules and expectations documents, and gathering informational brochures to get to know each other. This year, the high school English teacher began by building and rekindling relationships with her students and emphasizing student mental health — making sure students know they are a priority for her and their Regina school. “The last few years of school have been difficult for so many students, but also for the staff, so I’m really focused on bringing joy back into our classroom,” she said last Thursday, shortly after the end of the day. rang the bell on the students’ first day of classes. While the day went on for Yaqoob, she ended the school day happy to be around students and colleagues again and heard the intercom buzzing all day with announcements about extracurriculars like soccer and soccer practice. WATCHES | Pediatrician and parent Dr. Ayisha Kurji on health issues as students return to school: This is the 3rd school year starting under the shadow of the pandemic. What has changed and what to look out for in Saskatchewan? Pediatrician and parent Dr. Ayisha Kurji discusses this, and more, on CBC News Network. Although Yaqoob remains a little nervous about keeping her students healthy and safe this year, she is comfortable with the measures teachers are already familiar with, such as wearing a mask when needed, distancing “as best as I can” and good hand hygiene. write down. “It’s day one right now: I know there’s a lot of energy, a lot of adrenaline running through everybody’s bodies, but there’s also a little bit of anxiety and nervousness. [from some students],” Yaqoob acknowledged. “It’s just something that helps balance the students [to] feel safe in the space and return, somewhat, to the routine of things before the pandemic.”
Marilyn Bosnjak, Mississauga, Ont.
Gr. 5 Teacher Marilyn Bosnjak is seen outside Dixie Public School in Mississauga, Ont., Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022. (CBC) Although her students are younger, that idea of creating a safe, welcoming space on the first day was also on the mind of 5th grade teacher Marilyn Bosnjak Tuesday morning. She planned to start with a community circle to get students talking: about their summers, what they’re looking forward to and even what they might be nervous about. “Some kids maybe wore masks last year. Some kids were online and now they’re coming back here, so I’m just making sure they’re OK, that they feel safe in my environment and that they’re just happy to be here,” the Mississauga, Ont., teacher said.
Diana Dacosta, Montreal
Alycia Dacosta had a successful first day of the Gr. 1 in Montreal, graduating in the schoolyard with “the big kids” and making new friends, said her mom, Diana DaCosta. (Submitted by Diana Dacosta) Diana Dacosta and her daughter Alycia felt a little worried about the youngster who will start 1st grade on August 26th. Firstly, it meant that the six-year-old was joining ‘the big kids’ in the main yard at recess rather than playing in the restricted zone of the nursery school. That the shy young man’s best friends were assigned to other classes in the first grade was also a concern. Later that evening, the Montreal parent felt some relief when young Alycia recounted a successful first day. “He told me he had new friends [and] that she’s still playing with her old friends in the schoolyard, so I was a little less worried,” DaCosta said. “She’s all happy because she’s a big girl.” The mum-of-two, whose youngest daughter starts kindergarten next September, hopes this new school year will “be more under control than last year”. He wants the sudden closing of the classroom and the shift to home learning to be a thing of the past. At this point, he feels good because of the clear communication with the school. “When I send [school staff an] e-mail, I know I’ll get a response in the next hour, so I’m pretty confident it’s going to be a good year,” Dacosta said.
Jay Harris, Ottawa
Socializing is “super important” this new school year, says Jay Harris, a parent of teenagers from Ottawa who recently moved to the city with his family. (CBC News) Jay Harris thinks it will be an exciting school year for his kids, with socialization “super important” to the Ottawa parent, whose family recently moved to the city. “The idea of getting back social — learning how to socialize again [after] to be so confined for so long — I think it’s going to be a big change for them, and hopefully a good one,” he said as he left his teens for their first day of school Tuesday morning. “Stop texting each other. Start talking to each other.”
Abishek Prasath, Regina
Regina Gr. 9 student Abishek Prasath is looking forward to everything about starting high school personally, including socializing and participating in extracurricular activities. (Jessie Anton/CBC) Starting Grade 9 in person, Abishek Prasath was full of excitement and optimism last Thursday, given the stints of online education the 14-year-old has experienced since his family moved to Canada from Qatar in 2020 at the start of the pandemic. Despite having a touch of nerves on his first day of high school, “I want to be around people and people want to be around me, because I’m kind of joking around,” the self-proclaimed social butterfly explained. “[Remote learning] it doesn’t work for me. So coming here, back to school, everything is so amazing.” The sunny teenager’s game plan this year includes making new friends, getting good grades and “embracing the high school journey,” including joining the robotics club and trying out for the badminton and volleyball teams. “I’m trying to fully embrace it and enjoy the journey.”
Jasmin Codiaman, Edmonton
On her son Ezayah’s first day of kindergarten, Edmonton parent Jasmin Codiaman was thinking about how fast he’s grown. (CBC News) Ezayah Codiaman was excited and excited as he waited to go to his school in Edmonton and start kindergarten for the first time last Wednesday. The five-year-old’s mother, Jasmin Codiaman, said her excitement for the milestone moment was tinged with thoughts of how quickly time has flown by. “It’s like she was just a baby — and now she’s going to school. That’s what I’m thinking about now,” she said as they lined up alongside other students and parents in the school yard.
Andrea Bove, Montreal
Montreal teacher Andrea Bove was so upbeat with her students on the first day of school: “We’re excited to be back, 100 percent.” (CBC News) Standing in a noisy Montreal schoolyard last Tuesday morning, Andrea Beauvais was in high spirits as were the students around her. “I am…
