By Steve Klamkin WPRO News
The Providence Teachers Union is hosting a series of back-to-school events to help reassure parents and students that schools will be safe as they reopen this fall.
Kids and parents flocked to the Youth Woods Elementary School on the South Side Wednesday, for a carnival-like gathering. Another, similar event is planned Thursday at the Harry Kizirian Elementary School.
“We’re looking forward to a fabulous day with our kids, we’re giving them all the books they want, we have food, we have music, we have bouncy houses,” said Maribeth Calabro, President of the Providence Teachers Union.
“It was important to create some type of an event where we could talk with parents directly,” said PTU Vice President Jeremy Spencer, adding that parents had asked for this kind of a gathering in the wake of the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
“We’ve been out in the communities, talking with families, knocking on doors to see how they’re feeling about having their kids come back to school,” Spencer said.
A covid vaccination clinic was set up at the site, and thousands of books distributed to children, provided by the national American Federation of Teachers.
“I travel all over the nation, and I have to tell you this today warms my soul,” said national AFT Vice President Evelyn DeJesus.
“Listen, there’s been learning interruptions, there’s been a lot of stuff, but kids are ready to come back, parents are ready to let them go, as long as there’s a safe environment,” DeJesus said.
“I couldn’t be more proud of this group of volunteers from the Providence Teachers Union … for putting this together,” said Frank Flynn, President of the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals. “We’ve been working all summer on these events, we had one in Pawtucket earlier. This isn’t a one off.”
Calabro said that with a new contract and new, interim superintendent of schools in place, along with a state mandate that masks be worn in schools, things are looking up for the start of school.
“This is a much better start to a year than we could possibly have imagined,” she said.
