New instructions sent to the school network by the Ministry of Education on how to manage the solar eclipse of April 8 are forcing schools to review their decision to remain open all day.
Just before spring break, Quebec sent schools its “orientations” for the afternoon of April 8, when the Moon will pass in front of the Earth to completely hide the Sun for a few minutes.
If it is recommended to keep schools open as a priority, as the Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville, has repeated in recent weeks, it is also specified that it is necessary to put in place “the conditions to ensure safety students and staff.”
Among these measures, we ask to “avoid the holding of outdoor activities during the period during which the event will take place, i.e. from 2:11 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.”, and to “ensure that the layout of the premises to ensure the safety of students during this period.
Citing the obligation to keep students until 4:45 p.m., several private schools wrote to parents this week to inform them that their school would close earlier on April 8, or that this day would be an educational day.
Observation activities are only offered to students who would like to stay at school; others will be able to return home.
“As we do not want to force all students to stay until 4:45 p.m., we have readjusted our plans,” writes for example the Pensionnat du Saint-Nom-de-Marie, a private school in Montreal, which cites the “ ministerial constraints”.
Collège Mont-Saint-Louis, which had decided to keep its school open, changed its plans due to “more explicit ministerial instructions”.
“The issues related to changing the schedule, requiring all students and school staff to remain on site until 4:45 p.m. and ensuring site surveillance in these particular circumstances are significant” , we write to parents.
Outside activities, at the discretion of the teachers
Several school service centers have made the decision to make April 8 an educational day, in order to avoid students being on their way home when the eclipse is at its peak.
The Marie-Victorin school service center (CSSMV), in Montérégie, has announced that its schools will be open. However, denounces a teacher, many of her colleagues will not “take the trouble” to go out with their students.
In this context, keeping schools open is just “fine talk,” continues this teacher, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals.
The fear of being sued if a student takes off their glasses takes precedence over the rarity of the phenomenon and the chance to observe it. I am disappointed, angry, outraged. Having known, it would have been better to close the schools.
A teacher from the Marie-Victorin school service center, who requested anonymity
In its instructions sent to schools, the CSSMV specifies that for classes which are located on the sun side, “curtains and blinds must be closed in the classrooms”. As for the desks, they “can be turned so that the students have their backs to the sun,” we read.
As for secondary school students, they will be able to leave school from noon and will receive a public transport ticket to return home, since school transport is cancelled.
At the Beauce-Etchemins school service center (CSSBE), which made the decision to keep its schools open, it is specified that it is up to each school to “make the choice on how to experience the eclipse”.
Many chose to do activities outside, but “if a teaching staff member wishes to stay inside with their class, that decision is at their discretion.”
“If students in their class wish to have the experience outside, the school will be able to integrate them into other groups, while respecting the ratios. Each school will contact parents to tell them what is planned in their class,” writes Joannie Demers, CSSBE communications development agent.
And daycares?
As for childcare services, the Ministry of Families indicated that they “will remain open on the day of the eclipse, April 8, 2024, a directive to this effect has been sent to the network.”
“The Public Health Department remains the only source for obtaining the safety instructions that apply to each region,” also mentions the Ministry of Families in its document, adding that daycare services “have the responsibility to ensure adequate supervision of children in their care to ensure their safety.”
All open, then? Not necessarily, indicates Geneviève Blanchard, deputy general director of the Quebec Association of Early Childhood Centers, directing us towards the rule on “days planned in advance”.
“For a maximum of five days per fiscal year,” the daycare service can be closed, but under certain conditions.
“The parent must be notified at least 15 days in advance if this day is not one of the closing days provided for in the subsidy agreement or the service agreement with the parent,” says the regulation.
The educational childcare service provider must also pay all of its staff.
With the collaboration of Louise Leduc, The Press