Red carpet

There wasn't a swarm of paparazzi, but students of Franklin Town Primary strolled down the red carpet like movie stars as school administrators welcomed them back on Monday.

In adherence with protocols of the COVID-19 era, students washed their hands and had their temperature taken on entry, then proceeded to walk along the carpet where they were greeted by the school's guidance counsellor.

Schools were shuttered in March 2020 to contain the spread of COVID-19 and children have been receiving instruction online and via other modalities.

Some 376 small primary and infant schools, with students aged six to 12 years, have been granted permission to reopen for in-person sessions, but dozens of them have delayed resumption until they are better prepared.

Principal Rohan Treleven said that the school has a population of 132 students, 24 of whom are preparing to sit the Primary Exit Profile (PEP).

With a teacher-student ratio of one to 15, all students can be accommodated, with the required social distance.

“I am very excited. I am happy that we were chosen as one of the schools to reopen. The learning loss has been great and I'm sure we will do all that we can to help them to catch up, but I'm very happy that they are back at school,” he said.

Treleven told The Gleaner that most staff members have been vaccinated and that immunocompromised students would be facilitated online.

“We are in the grade three classroom now, where one student has the flu and is unable to come. The teacher has set up her laptop, so that he can join in the teaching and learning process,” he said, adding that teachers have been encouraged to keep their Google Classrooms active.

Armani Tullonge, a grade four student, revealed that she missed seeing her friends and teachers.

“Online is difficult for some of us. I am looking forward to classes this week so I can learn and get a better understanding of the work,” Tullonge said.

For Chyna Barrett, online classes were a breeze, but she longed to interact with her teachers, principal, and guidance counsellor.

“School is great and I love to be face to face,” the grade five student said.

Rayonna Williams, a grade six student, said she was happy and excited to be back in the classroom.

“It was nice. It was welcoming us back to school,” she said of the red-carpet experience.

“I missed the socialisation and I get more understanding when I am face to face than online. I had Wi-Fi issues, not every day, but it bothered me,” Williams said.

Guidance counsellor Denise Reid-Drisdale explained that when she learnt that Franklyn Town was among the schools to be reopened, she knew she had to do something unique.

“I wanted them to feel a little bit more special. For them to come back and let them know that we are happy that they are here,” she said.

Patrina Rhooms, a hairdresser, breathed a sigh of relief when asked how it felt to have her two children back at school.

“I am overwhelmed. It was really difficult to do housework, do errands on the road and assist them with the schooling,” said Rhooms.

“... Sometimes that really got into the way of me assisting my seven-year-old.”

Sophia O'Reagan has two children - grades two and five - attending Franklin Town Primary and is grateful to have her older child back in school.

O'Reagan said that her older daughter is normally focused during online classes but the mother is wary about whether she will maintain concentration during in-person classes.

“It has been tedious for the teachers, especially when students are disruptive and that is mainly because they were not under supervision,” the mother said.

Another parent, Jacqueline Walford, has a son in grade six who is preparing to sit PEP.

Walford lauded the teachers for their efforts online but said that the classroom is the best place for her son to learn.

“He's easily distracted, so I had to supervise him and ensure that he was online and participating in the class,” she said, adding that he will require additional attention in mathematics.

judana.murphy@gleanerjm.com