Smiles as Manitoba students, teachers return to a normal school year

Students and teachers alike were all smiles as classes resumed at Prairie Sunrise School, one of many Manitoba grade schools ushering in the 2022-23 school year.

“I think both staff and students are very excited to be back together in buildings and in classrooms right from the start,” said Lisa Boles, the superintendent and CEO of Pembina Trails School Division Wednesday morning.

Back-to-school 2022 is a return to normal since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020. Since then schools have either started with remote learning, mask mandates, and other pandemic-time requirements like class cohorts and social distancing.

Malaak Moustarzak is starting Grade 6 and is most excited to be in the same room as her peers.

“Getting to spend time with my teacher again because sometimes I couldn’t interact with them in the same way and it was hard,” she said, adding that remote learning was also boring because it’s not the same as being in class.

Leanne Olfert, a Grade 3/4 teacher, said schools have had so many restrictions for so long and she’s excited to be able to work together in small groups.

“The thing I am most excited about actually is to have all the students sitting on the carpet together and to be able to read a story together. It’s just not the same when everybody is spread apart,” Olfert told CTV News.

“As well as being able to see smiles, we haven’t been able to see many of those because the faces have been covered for so many years, and so that’s something I am really looking forward to. Even being able to see a frown is important because that’s important information for us as teachers.”

CTV News heard from all six Winnipeg school divisions ahead of the year’s start and all said there will be no required mask mandates in any schools.

“We will continue to build on the recommendations we had in place at the end of the last school year, with masks no longer required but strongly recommended. We feel optimistic as we move into this upcoming school year,” said Christian Michalik, Louis Riel School Division Superintendent.

“We expect to follow provincial guidance on COVID-19-related mask use,” said a spokesperson for St. James-Assiniboia School Division.

Wayne Ewasko, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning, said he’s hoping what people have learned throughout the pandemic will assure parents, staff and students about a safe return to school.

“We want to make sure we get vaccinated and boosted when we can, make sure we are staying home when we are sick, washing our hands, following the fundamentals and keeping in touch with public health and make sure we are listening to their advice,” he said during an interview with CTV Morning Live.

According to data provided to CTV News from the province, as of Aug. 24, 43.3 per cent of the 5-11 year age group and 79.1 per cent of 12 to 17-year-olds were fully vaccinated against COVID-19.