'I'm still nervous': Teachers across Alberta gear up for the return to the classroom

Students back on campus Monday Alberta students are going back to school after weeks of holidays and at-home learning. CTV News Edmonton's Amanda Anderson has more.

EDMONTON — As teachers across Alberta gear up for in-person class on Monday, a local elementary school teacher says despite her nerves she’s looking forward to seeing her students again.

“It’s so impersonal online and just being in-person and hearing them laughing and they’re at least able to talk with their friends and laugh and interact,” said Cassandra Christen, a grade two teacher.

On Thursday, Dr. Deena Hinshaw announced that in-person learning will resume saying data from the fall showed in-school transmission of COVID-19 was not the main driver for positive cases in schools.

“In fact analysis of all of our cases in school-aged children only about 6 per cent of all of these cases were determined to have been acquired at school,” Hinshaw added.

Christen even co-created a book last year, titled Can’t Mask Our Excitement, to help students with the additional health requirements.

“I’m really impressed with how the kids wear their masks all the time for seven year-olds they’ve been so great about it. They hand sanitize, they try to remember their distancing,” said Christen.

She added that despite her eagerness to welcome her students back, anxiety still exists with COVID-19 transmission, a view shared with fellow instructors she has spoken with.

“It’s nerve-wracking yeah. There’s still that anxiety I would say and I know some of the teachers I’ve talked to, they’re feeling the same thing,” quipped Chirsten.

“There’s that I’m glad to be back in the classroom but I’m nervous about, I’m still nervous about the contact and the exposures.”

On Sunday, Alberta 811 new COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Amanda Anderson