This Week | Thursday, February 24,2022 durhamregion.com | 28 our changed world JENNIFER FRENCH jfrench-co@ndp.on.ca (905) 723-2411 Serving all Oshawa community members MPP Jennifer French Jennifer French was first elected to serve Oshawa at Queen's Park and in the community in June 2014 and was reelected in 2018. Despite the partisan nature of elections, the MPP's constituency office is non- partisan and serves all community members in the riding of Oshawa. "Our community office works hard to support constituents as they navigate provincial programs and systems. Constituents reach out to our office when they get tangled in a government program, or need help getting answers or resolution to concerns and challenges they may have with Ministry issues," Jennifer says. Like other organizations and services, the constituency office has pivoted due to COVID-19 to support and engage with folks and families online, as appropriate. Agencies and community groups meet often with the MPP to discuss needs and challenges in online meetings, community conversations and townhall meetings are being coordinated online as well. "My staff and I continue to meet new constituents and build relationships through various platforms. The volume of correspondence and concerns is staggering, but so too is the importance of supporting families, workers, and businesses to keep our community strong and healthy. It has been immensely important to proactively reach out to agencies and community service partners to best serve constituents and connect themwith community resources that are ever-changing," Jennifer says. The provincial election will be in June of 2022 and Jennifer and her office staff are hoping to continue to do the work they have been doing for 8 years. "It has been a privilege to serve folks across the community and it would be an honour to continue such important and personal work." 78 Centre Street North, Oshawa www.jenniferfrench.com Advertorial Register at www.algonquincollege.com/pembroke Protect. Assess. Lead. Gain in-demand specialized training with our Applied Nuclear Science and Radiation Safety diploma program! Attend our Virtual Open House Saturday March 12 Register at algonquincollege.com/pembroke In March 2020, students across Ontario felt a sense of anticipation: they were told school was going to shut down for two weeks while we "flattened the curve." It was the same excitement they felt from getting a snow day -- having bonus time off from assignments, homework, gym class, bus rides, early morning practice, cold recesses and packed lunches. No one could have predicted the tremendous losses they were about to experience, or how this would shape their identities as students. As we enter the third year of learning during a pandemic, we're still only realizing the full impact of these losses while also understanding the call to reimagine the roles schools play in the lives of our children. There are kindergarten students who have never sat for circle time, visited a public library or brought in a stuffed animal for show and share. There are primary students who don't know how to hold a pencil, what an office is or where to find the gym. There are high school students who relied on screen learning without a camera or microphone turned on and just two letters -- their initials -- displayed on screen to mark their presence. And there's the engagement counsellors trying to reach children who have powered off and simply not returned. Schools are the cornerstone of our communities. Each time they open their doors after a shutdown, teachers are greeting changed students. There are fights in playgrounds fueled by anger and anxiety, loss of social graces, nutrition and athletic ability. There are children who are disengaged, frustrated and sad. COVID kids who have thrived have had strong parental support and/or highly skilled teachers with a strong understanding of technology and how to use it to engage and inspire. Many kids who weren't succeeding in a traditional school environment have done well, as have those who are self-motivated, resilient, curious and have engaged in informal learning communities, like online gaming and esports networks. The pandemic has devastated families and communities. It has also revealed longstanding inequities and challenged us to reinvent learning. The big questions before us are, how must school transform to help the COVID kid? Support the COVID educator? Rebuild a sense of community? Serve everyone more equitably and effectively? As we "build back better," we need to recognize, support and celebrate the role our schools, educators, caretakers, librarians, office staff, bus drivers, cross walkers and coaches play in ensuring that our children are nurtured, cared for, academically challenged, engaged and happy. Without their efforts, none of this work is possible. Martha Jez is CEO of a Canadian-based education company, Fair Chance Learning, committed to elevating opportunities and learning experiences for all. Jez, a mom to four young learners, is passionate about knowledge mobilization and creating networks and conversations between innovators and educators across Canada. EDUCATING THE COVID KID OPINION: OUR CHANGED WORLD PANDEMIC REVEALED LONG-STANDING INEQUITIES, CHALLENGED US TO REINVENT LEARNING: JEZ MARTHA JEZ Column There are kindergarten students who have never sat for circle time, visited a public library or brought in a stuffed animal for show and share.