Community schools cancel fall programs over COVID-19 uncertainty

Three of the six community schools on P.E.I. that had been planning to offer courses this fall have cancelled their programs, and organizers are still waiting for confirmation from the other three.

Stratford, Donagh and Summerside Intermediate have decided not to go ahead this fall, because of the uncertainty involving the COVID-19 pandemic.

The community schools offer people the opportunity to pick up a wide variety of skills, from playing musical instruments to knitting to wood carving.

Donagh made its decision three weeks ago.

"The biggest factor for us was the uncertainty about how the regular schools were going to be operating or even if they were going to be operating at that time," said Barb MacFarlane, a board member with the P.E.I. Association of Community Schools and the chair for Donagh.

"There was so much uncertainty about how it would all work."

Tight budgets

Cleaning was a big issue. Classes would have had to shut down to allow volunteers to clean the classrooms, or people would have had to be hired.

The organizing committee did not like either option, MacFarlane said. The community schools operate on tight budgets, with 10 weeks of classes offered for $20 a person or less.

The health of instructors and students was also an issue, she said.

"Many of our instructors and many of our students as well are in the older demographic, so we don't want to be putting them at risk," said MacFarlane.

'An evening out'

It is unfortunate that they are unable to proceed, said MacFarlane, because the schools are about more than just learning.

"It's also an evening out, and the social aspect, I think, is very important," she said.

At Donagh, all the classes have a mid-evening break and people gather in the school's all-purpose roomfor a lunch and tea.

The Donagh committee will be watching to see how things go in Island schools this fall before making a decision about classes after Christmas. As it stands, more than a dozen schools have courses listed for the winter.

The P.E.I. Association of Community Schools is still waiting for confirmation of the fall term from O'Leary, M.E. Callaghan and Vernon River.

More from CBC P.E.I.