It’s back to school time

In this September 2015, file photo, Cornwall police Const. Brian Synott and Const. Matthew Dupuis stand next to a school bus as they get ready to enforce the law as students return to class. (CCPS via Newswatch Group, File)

SD&G – It’s time for reading, writing and arithmetic.

Thousands of students across Cornwall and SD&G in the English Public and Catholic school system are heading back to class today (Tuesday).

Teachers and students will be navigating a new set of rules at school with the coronavirus pandemic and a fourth wave of the virus developing. There will be various screening and masking rules in place.

For the Upper Canada District School Board, it’s made up a screening form that parents will fill out at home daily and send with their child for the first two weeks of school (Sept. 7-17). It will also happen after a long weekend for holiday break.

For the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario, a majority of the students will be doing in person classes. The board will be providing virtual learning at least for the first half of the school year.

Both boards have mandatory masking indoors for Grades 1-12.

As for getting to school, Cornwall police say they will be targeting back-to-school safety this month and taking a zero tolerance approach when it comes to making sure drivers stop for school buses and crossing guards and catching speeders in school safety zones.

“One of the most common violations we see is drivers failing to stop for school buses, as well as speeding,” CPS Traffic Unit Const. Patrick Depratto says.

The French Public and Catholic boards welcomed students back last week.