The Rosenfeld School is once again teaming with eager students who are glad to back in school after an almost six-month hiatus.

Principal Barb Rempel says the kids in the K-6 school have adjusted well to the COVID-19 guidelines in the first few weeks of the new school year.

"At our staff meeting, we were talking about how easily children adapt to changes and routines when there are clarity and visuals. In our school there are dots everywhere for people to stand on, there are signs on how to wash your hands and where to sanitize, so with those kinds of visuals along with the routines and consistency, they have adapted so well."

Rempel notes that a lot of time and effort went into preparing a plan and protocols that would allow staff to deliver the curriculum in a school environment that is safe for everybody under the current pandemic conditions.

She says that plan appears to be working well in the early going, but they are still approaching the situation one day at a time.

Students use the warm fall weather to enjoy their class assignment outside.

"The words for me for the year are "flexible" and "gentle." So, be gentle with each other, have lots of grace and if we're asked to change things or do things differently then we have back-up plans and ... we will adapt as we need to. That's the mindset we have in place."

Jackie Nickel is a teacher and guidance counsellor at Rosenfeld School. She also feels that students are happy to be back and have adjusted well to the new COVID-19 protocols, but even so, faculty and administration are still keeping a close watch on the overall well-being of their kids.

Nickel says as a guidance counsellor she gets to meet regularly with students in each classroom and check to see if they have any questions or if they are worried about anything. She also receives feedback from teachers on their assessment of how their students are faring.

"As time goes on we're going to be looking out for behaviour that's different than normal or that's typical. All of us are very conscious of that too, recognizing that we have all these rules and protocols to follow, but we're primarily concerned about their mental health and how they're doing in that way."

Nickel says she appreciates the support teachers and administration have received during this challenging time.

"A shout out to the community of Rosenfeld and to the parents who are choosing to have their kids at school, who trust us with their kids and support the things that we're doing."