How Saskatchewan parents are coping with noon supervision withdrawn in schools

Early this week, Saskatchewan teachers began the province-wide work-to-rule job action, in which it is required for all voluntary services including noon-hour supervision and extracurricular activities to be halted.

This forces parents and caregivers to scramble for a plan during their kids’ unsupervised noon breaks.

Regina mother Jodie Alecxe says it’s not much of a change for herself as she works from home. Although there’s a bit of frustration, Alecxe said she helps out other parents with their kids.

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“I just pick up a couple extra kids, take them home, they eat, and we come back,” she said. “We’re all understanding of what the classrooms are like right now.

“So, we’re supportive of the teachers. We want to be there for them, in any way we can. So that’s kind of why I’m helping out, with other kids.”

Local mother Michelle Hiibner considers herself lucky with the support she has with her kids during the withdrawal of all school voluntary services, but she sees how it’s been affecting some of her friends.

“I have lots of friends that are missing out on work, or their kiddos just aren’t going to school in the afternoon because they have no other options,” said Hiibner.

“They have jobs that don’t allow them, or they don’t have time paid time off, so they have to work. So, their kids just have to either go with them to work or stay home, and there’s just no option.”

Regina father Tim Paiko is barely adjusting to the new change as he works night shifts.

“I need to wake up earlier now than my usual time,” he said. “Then I have to pick them up, feed them, and bring them back to school … Very frustrating, to be honest.”

Parent David Lieffers agreed the withdrawal of voluntary services for teachers at schools is frustrating for parents.

“You look at the situations that are going on in the schools here. Teachers are doing everything that they can,” he said. “The administration has been really great with communication with the parents. But like we would like to see this resolved.”

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