Back to School?

August 31, 2020

It’s that time of year again… summer is coming to an end and the kids are heading back to school this week. Back to school 2020 is going to look much different this year, with many families choosing homeschooling or online options for their children due to the unknowns of the current pandemic.

“The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows” ~Sydney J. Harris

No matter your preferred method of school for fall 2020, there is always a lot of preparation involved in getting ready for back to school. We thought it may be helpful to share some tips for getting ready for the busy weeks ahead:

Practicing a morning routine, including getting back to a regular sleep schedule. This always proves to be a challenge for our family with too many late summer nights!
Grabbing school supplies and any necessary new clothes, including stocking up on masks and hand sanitizer for those students returning to the classroom.
Choosing extracurricular activities for the kids to take part in, while remaining socially distant and trying not to overload schedules.
Designating a space in our homes where the kids can have quiet time to work on school or projects. This will be especially important for those families who have chosen homeschooling or online learning.
Finding a spot to store backpacks, lunch boxes, and all of the things!
Visiting the school for orientation (if applicable) so the kids are familiar with their classroom and teacher.

“Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself” ~John Dewey

We would also like to remind everyone about the change over from School Zones to Playground Zones that took place in the City of Calgary in August 2015. All zones have been converted to Playground Zones which are enforced from 7:30AM – 9:00PM every day, year-round. For more information, please visit the City of Calgary’s website.

“An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest” ~Author unknown

For those of you with older children who may be studying away from home, most property Insurers will extend a certain amount of coverage from your homeowner’s policy to cover their belongings. Please contact your broker to learn more.

Important Notice

For those parents who are considering setting up a “pandemic pod” in their home to home-school a small group of children, we recommend reviewing your homeowner’s insurance with your broker or agent. If you get sued because of the transmission of COVID-19 as a result of hosting a group of students (or any type of event, for that matter), your homeowner’s policy is not likely to cover the liability.

And this one is for the teachers out there. This comic seems even more relevant this year.