Seamless Reopening At Somerton Primary And Infant School

Principal of the Somerton Primary and Infant School in St. James, Glendon Brydson, says that the return to face-to-face classes at the school has gone well so far.

Mr. Brydson told JIS News that the school, which pushed back its reopening from Monday (November 8) to Tuesday (November 9) due to inclement weather, welcomed more than 80 per cent of its students. He added that the expectation is for more students to turn out in the next week.

He noted that the school, which has an enrolment of 260 students, is employing stringent COVID-19 protocols to protect staff and students at the institution.

“They are met at the gate by a team of support staff where they are sanitised, their temperatures taken and they [students] are guided to their classrooms,” he noted.

“Students from the infant department are taken down to their classes where their hands are washed after their temperatures are taken at the gate,” he said.

The principal noted that consultation was held with parents prior to the resumption of face-to-face classes and “most of the parents are on board with what is happening, they support the entire face-to-face reopening and we probably have one or two parents who want to come on the compound because they want to see what is happening in the classes, where their children are sitting and so on. However, because of the protocols, we don’t allow them on the compound”.

He noted that, soon, some of the parents may be permitted to enter the school compound to see what is happening, “but for the time being, we are not allowing parents to come in, they leave the children at the gate and we take it from there”.

Consultations were also had with the school’s teachers prior to its reopening and they were charged with getting in touch with the parents to advise them of the resumption of face-to-face classes.

Mr. Brydson outlined that, so far, compliance with the protocols by students has been good, noting that teachers and support staff at the institution constantly remind them to adhere.

He told JIS News that large classes are split into two groups, group A and group B, with the former coming into face-to-face school on Mondays and Wednesdays, and the latter coming to school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. All students attend classes virtually when their group or class is not attending face-to-face school.

Meanwhile, the principal encouraged parents to continue sending their children to classes and he is appreciative that they have been supportive of the reopening process.

He added, further, that the students are enjoying being back at school “because there are some students who we weren’t able to see or hear from any at all while we were online, but they are coming out now face-to-face and we are happy for that”.

Grade-six student Dejanaye Malcolm told JIS News that she was happy to be back at school.

“I am very happy and grateful because it [face-to-face classes] helps me to learn more. During online school, it was a little bit shaky for me because some of the topics taught, I didn’t understand, so it is better I was here where the teacher can teach and understand us in the physical space,” she said.

Grade-five student Shavan James told JIS News that it was great to interact in person with his teachers and friends once again.

He noted that he much prefers face-to-face classes, as he was often plagued with device issues during his online classes.

Meanwhile, grade-six student Zachary Watson said that while online was “OK”, face-to-face was where he was comfortable.