Extracurriculars available at both elementary and secondary

One of the surest signs of a return to approaching normal at the schools in the Trillium Lakelands District Secondary Board is the availability of extracurricular programming at both elementary and secondary schools right across the district.

Superintendent Jay MacJanet, responsible for extracurriculars in the elementary panel, told trustees at the Oct. 12 board meeting, “Elementary schools are participating in interschool athletics. With the help of the local health units we have put safety protocols in place. Cross-country and soccer have happened or are going to happen by the end of the month.”

MacJanet also said that within schools chess and reading clubs are up and operating.

Superintendent Kim Williams told the board involvement in extra-curriculars is important to the development of our youth “as they learn transferable life skills.”

Williams told trustees that band, choir, chess, Gay-Straight Alliance, comedy-improv, intramurals, Outer’s Club, Reach for the Top, robotics, Student Council and Truth and Reconciliation are groups that are all meeting.

“We are grateful to staff and administrators for the time and effort they have put into ensuring these important programs run,” Williams said.

Williams also informed trustees that girls’ basketball, cross country, field hockey, football, golf, girls’ rugby, tennis and boys’ volleyball are up and operating with badminton and swimming already gearing up for their seasons.

Trustee John Byrne wanted to know if interested fans could watch outdoor sporting events from property adjoining schools and was told there was nothing the board could do to prevent that.

The board is still not budging on allowing fans onto school property or into the building to watch friends and family compete, citing COVID-19 concerns.