In Rezé (Loire-Atlantique), the deconfinement operation has not started well. On May 6, the directors of 10 schools are alarmed in a joint letter sent to the Mayor of the organization and the means put in place by the municipality on the day of the reopening of classes on May 14. An even worse feeling when they learned that the Education Assistant had reserved the information for parents of students in a letter addressed to families.
At the Château Sud school located in a working-class district, tensions did not subside until Monday evening May 11 when the school council was held.
“The Mayor came in person, him that I had never seen attend a council here” says Dominique Avril, the director of the elementary school.
In front of the representatives of National Education and the parents of pupils, Gérard Allard (PS) gave a full update on the back-to-school scheduled for Thursday.
“I understand the nervousness and the concerns expressed by all but it must be understood that the town has been approached from all sides for two months” he declares before recalling that “It is the State which decided the methods of resumption of the school, it is the National education which established the protocol of 63 pages. We received it in town hall on April 28 and we had 5 days to work it in the services to then validate it with the union organizations of the personnel before presenting it to the municipal office of the elected officials “. As for the lack of communication with the teaching teams, the elected official returns the ball to the camp of the Academic Inspection …
20% of students present at the reopening
The contours of the reopening are now known. In Rezé, a city of 46,000 inhabitants, the 17 public schools are able to accommodate 1,200 students out of the 3,600 enrolled according to the established criteria. But for this first week, “We will be close to 800-900 children, says Allard, or 20% of the usual workforce.”
For his part, the director of Château Sud made the account at the elementary level: “We are going to open half of the classes, 4 to accommodate 80 students (instead of 201 in normal times) on the basis of the volunteering expressed by the families.”
Due to the constraints imposed on a maximum of 15 students gathered in class, the children will come alternately Monday-Tuesday or Thursday-Friday. The 9 teachers are mobilized: “While 4 are in class, the others continue distance education or come on site to help and ensure the reception, recreation and movement of students within the school”.
The restart is on, but the question arises already: how will the school be organized in the coming weeks?
“We will already see if the organization that our team has set up within the school holds up, observes Mr. Avril. On May 29, in theory, the other families will be able to send their children but there clearly in l “As things stand, we have no additional classes available given the means.”
He is joined by Elise Briand from the parents’ association of the school (APCES): “Many families feel that the start of the school year is difficult to organize and are waiting to learn more. If they have not entrusted their children this week, it is neither out of need nor desire, on the contrary, but because they also want to protect the school and the teachers. And unfortunately, I’m not sure that the reception conditions will be better in June. “.
Especially since the period of confinement did not help to maintain contact with certain families already disconnected socially and economically in the neighborhood: “We went so far as to ring the intercoms of the buildings to get news. I estimate 8 or 9 the number of families where there are great difficulties for the educational follow-up” emphasizes the director.
Concern about extracurricular
Everyone agrees, the conditions are far from optimal for this particular school year. Teachers and parents are now worried about the organization of extra-curricular time concerning the reception and activities of pupils outside of education. And together, they turn in the same spirit towards … the mayor of the town. Because it is he who employs the personnel working in maintenance, cleaning, the canteen as well as the animators. However for reasons of health protocol imposing the least possible human presence in the buildings, we already know in Rezé that the extracurricular reception service before class is canceled in the morning.
The canteen with a hot meal, it can resume from Monday, May 18 with rules for lunch in groups in turn.
One of the ultra-sensitive points remains the cleaning and the new sanitary rules. “The cleaning agents work from 6 am to 12 pm, says Dominique Avril, but none from 2 pm. While there is an obligation to regularly clean the contact points like the door handles.”.
A concern shared by the parents of students: “If there are not the necessary personnel, if the sanitary conditions are not met, shouldn’t we close the school in the afternoon?” asks Elise Briand.
The current mayor, who came second in the first round of municipal elections in March, does not hide his embarrassment: “I have at my disposal 400 agents who can be mobilized in normal times. In the cleaning services, education and catering. Like everywhere, there are people who are fragile in terms of health, others in childcare. J ‘wait for the availability returns to adapt the means to the schools’.
At all levels, the reopening of schools on Thursday will be a test day.
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