While about 98 per cent of teachers back in classrooms across School District 73, the president of the Kamloops-Thompson Teachers Association says there are still some concerns that have to be addressed.

Laurel Macpherson says teachers are trying to do their best this month, as kids went back to school following almost three months of online learning.

“We were all told to go home and stay home and there was a lot of angst then, and people were told social distance even when you go to a store,” she said, on NL Newsday. “Then when you opened schools, definitely your social bubble gets opened really wide.”

With kids back in classes for the month, Macpherson noted that teachers are not going to say that everything is ‘rosy and wonderful’.

“Teachers I think for the most part are just taking a wait and see approach,” she added. “They are going in and doing as the Ministry expects them to do, but nobody really knows what this is looking like, and so far, we are addressing concerns as they come up.”

She adds teachers aren’t just focused on classes this month, they are also looking ahead to the next school year in September.

B.C.’s Education Minister, Rob Fleming, previously said the hybrid learning model is likely to continue in September when the new school year begins.

He added about 90 per cent of all B.C. teachers are back in classrooms in some form, noting that many of the teachers still working from home have been assigned to support remote, online learning.

(Photo via woodleywonderworks on Flickr)

– With files from Colton Davies