After not seeing each other for close to half a year, a Christian school in Winnipeg is preparing to reunite with its community.

John Sawatzky, the principal at Calvin Christian Elementary school, says the school is prepared to have students come through their doors once again. 

"Some of these students have not been in class since March and every teacher has really made an effort to keep them engaged but that is very different for each family, depending on their circumstances," Sawatzky says.

Throughout the summer Calvin has been keeping tabs with the province, as restrictions and recommendations frequently changed. Now releasing its fall plan, Calvin's 2020-2021 school year will look different than usual.

"We are so excited to have our community back with us. We have also been doing things at a distance for so long, and I think every teacher and every administrator is really excited to have that noise of kids in the class (and) kids in the hall again."

The list of changes Calvin is making includes specialty teachers visiting classrooms instead of students in the usual spaces, and increasing cleaning procedures.

While the classroom will look different, recess will be a time for children to enjoy themselves.

"I think those kinds of times are going to be important for kids to just remember what the normal was and remember that this is only temporary until the bug goes away."

Sawatzky says that the many months away could be hard for students and that they, as a school, will be there for their students as they return from their break.

'"We cannot assume that everybody is back and happy about it. Some kids will be nervous," he says. "We want to make sure that they are feeling as safe as possible."

To combat uneasiness, Sawatzky says the school will be there for whatever their students need.

"We want to make sure all of the explanations we give to kids is on a kid-friendly and appropriate level."

Jumping back into a classroom setting will require recovery learning for students. Sawatzky says the school is excited to get to work with students in person and  the school is excited to be back with their community in September.