‘Kids need that socialization:’ Performance arts postponed for Saskatoon schools

Sports aren’t the only school activity affected heading into the upcoming school year.

Performing arts such as musicals, plays and band concerts will be postponed indefinitely for Saskatoon schools.

In an email from Derrick Kunz of the Greater Saskatoon Catholic School Division, he said the division is reworking plans in those areas to maintain student groups, limit exposure and ensure the health and safety of students and staff.

There has been no word from any other school divisions, aside from the ones in the Saskatoon area, about postponing or cancelling extracurricular activities for schools throughout the province.

Megan Dormuth, a Saskatoon piano and voice teacher, is worried about the mental health impact the decision has on students that are affected.

“It’s just like sports, for the kids that need that outlet in musical theatre or band, or plays, it’s very important to them,” Dormuth said. “When you can’t do what you enjoy, you need another outlet.”

According to Dormuth, it’s more than just an outlet for some.

When it comes to musical theatre or drama productions, the senior year is when students typically get larger opportunities.

“This very impactful on some of these grade 12 students. This is the year when they get leads or bigger parts, this is their year,” Dormuth said. “Different organizations around Saskatoon are trying to figure out ways to get performers on stage, it might be different for high school students.”

“There are virtual shows, but it’s just not the same.”

In a release by the Saskatoon Public School division, they described the situation as a ‘postponement.’

“I think using the word postponed gives people hope, gives us something to cling on to,” Dormuth said.

Despite the impact on Saskatoon students, Dormuth says she understands the decision.

“Even though it’s disappointing, I think its the right decision. Singers project a lot, for the safety of all the kids I think it’s a good decision.”

For parents with kids impacted by the decision to postpone performance arts, the decision is not resonating well.

“It’s very unfortunate that education is being limited. Kids need a larger spectrum of activities and education,” said Saskatoon parent Rochelle Sinclair, as she described how her son couldn’t wait to start grade 10 band. “Kids need that socialization, they need some time with their friends if the schools are going to open. Why are there so many limitations? I think we are robbing our kids of some things.”

“It’s very frustrating.”

Patrick Maze, president of the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation, believes the decision made by the Saskatoon school divisions is all about minimizing the risk.

“We are talking about cohorting students when possible,” Maze said. “We are trying to minimize the interaction between large groups of students as much as we can.”

Maze believes that student safety needs to come first.

“The focus is to get safely back into the classroom, individual school divisions will decide what is safe,” he explained.

“If they are trying to run a drama program, there will be all kinds of issues there. It’s pointless to try to cohort students throughout the day, and then have a practice or rehearsal requiring students to gather together. It would undermine the efforts of keeping people safe if we offer these programs.”