Regina high school students deal with changes in return to school

It’s more than just new classes high school students are facing in 2020.

Restrictions are in place in schools across the province due to COVID-19.

“We have to wear masks everywhere and everything like that is a big change,” said Seven Kuliechenko, a Grade 12 student at Balfour Collegiate.

Along with masks, social distancing protocols are in place at many schools.

One of the biggest changes facing high school students is the adjusted schedules to their classes.

Regina Public Schools will be using a “quint schedule,” where students take two classes per day — one in the morning and one in the afternoon — in each of the five learning terms during the year.

Each period is 160 minutes long with staggered 10-minute breaks.

The Regina Catholic School Division announced it will use a block schedule, comprising four terms of three periods each.

Each of the first two periods of the day will be 128 minutes long, with scheduled break times and staggered lunches. The final period will be 64 minutes.

“It’s a big change but I think it’s going to keep a lot of people safe. It’s really confusing and it takes a lot of getting used to, just the fact that instead of going to different classes, you’re stuck in one,” said Dylan Mcrury, a Grade 11 student at Balfour.

Kuliechenko agreed that staying in the same class will be an adjustment.

“It’s a little confusing and hard to get around. Having pretty much two hours for your first class is a lot. I feel like I’m going to get bored real quick having two hours in the same class,” Kuliechenko said.

Students across the province returned to school on Tuesday.