6 Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the local community has remained #DurhamStrong through our resilient spirit. As we look to the future -- and economic and community recovery -- the Region of Durham is calling on residents to share their unique experiences on a new, interactive platform: durham.ca/PandemicStories. You can write a story, share a photo, video or artwork; and connect with other members of the community to learn about their pandemic experiences. STORIES OF THE PANDEMIC: CHRISTIAN PRITCHARD Brooklin-based chef Christian Pritchard has an optimistic take on the COVID-19 pandemic. What's the recipe? Add a bunch of time to family! Pritchard is fortunate that no one in his family contracted the virus. However, his work provided him with challenging new opportunities, which he welcomed. Here's his pandemic story: "I will always look back fondly of the time we -- my wife Kim and I -- got to spend with our kids and dog. "Every Friday night at 8 p.m. my son Lochlan and I jammed live online. During 'Friday Night Funk,' I played bass, my son played drums and Kim and Liléa (our daughter) used their iPhones to live-stream the event. "When the warm weather came, we moved out front of the house. Within a few weeks, we had other amazing musicians join in! The neighbours would get angry if we DIDN'T play! It provided a chance for everyone on our street to reconnect through music and friendship. I will never forget it. "I'm happily still working with a food importing company. I have been lucky to have had fantastic work and opportunities through the pandemic. While the world turned upside down, I was busy innovating new products, within our larger organization, to help bridge some of the problems that arose. "One of our companies worked with multiple international airlines. With that business pretty much seizing up overnight, there was some tuning that needed to be done to keep business going. So, multiple new products were created quite rapidly. It was exciting and scary all at once. "I want to get back to travelling. I really miss that a lot. But if anything, the pandemic was a time for family. I will always cherish the time I got to spend with everyone." Story collected by Will McGuirk on behalf of the Region of Durham's Stories of the Pandemic project. Read more local stories and submit your own at durham.ca/PandemicStories. BROOKLIN CHEF MAKING MUSIC, SPENDING TIME WITH FAMILY Brooklin chef Christian Pritchard doesn't let the COVID-19 pandemic get him down. He relishes the opportunity he's had to spend more time with his family. Christian Pritchard Facebook photo OPINION CHRISTIAN PRITCHARD STAYING POSITIVE THROUGH PANDEMIC The pandemic was Durham's education newsmaker for 2021. We look back at the top five stories from the past year when Durham schools navigated the pandemic. 1. OUTBREAKS FORCE LOCAL SCHOOLS TO CLOSE FOR THE FIRST TIME There were many COVID-19 outbreaks in Durham schools in the fall of2020 and the early months of 2021 -- but none that forced a school to close to in-person learning. That happened for the first time on March 29, when the health department ordered five schools to close -- Glen Street P.S., Westcreek P.S., Vaughan Willard P.S., St. Josephine Bakhita P.S. and École élémentaire Ronald- Marion. By mid-April, 10 schools in Durham were closed to in-person learning. At publication time, fall 2021 had seen three Durham schools close due to escalating outbreaks. 2. SCHOOL BOARD JOB POSTINGS CALL FOR UNCERTIFIED TEACHERS In November, the Durham District School Board released a job posting for "emergency uncertified- supply teachers" in response to a provincewide teacher shortage and an increase in pandemic-related staff absences. "This will help ensure that classes are not cancelled and that students are not sent home," the board said in a statement. Other boards followed suit with similar job postings. Some local parents were surprised by the postings, calling the situation "worrying." 3. SCHOOLS PROVINCE- WIDE CLOSE TO IN-PERSON LEARNING AMID WORSENING THIRD WAVE As spring break started on April 10, there was a record-high number of 239 active COVID cases in Durham schools and 19 active outbreaks. "We have seen in the last three weeks an escalation in terms of cases within our schools," Norah Marsh, director of education for the DDSB, told trustees. On April 12 the province announced the "difficult decision" to move to virtual learning after the break in response to a "rapid increase" in COVID-19 cases and the risks posed by variants of concern. On June 2, Premier Doug Ford announced schools would not reopen to in-person learning before the fall. 4. BELL TIMES FOR DURHAM HIGH SCHOOLS SPARK ANGER AND FRUSTRATION FROM STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES The Durham and Durham Catholic district school boards implemented bell times of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. for high schools for 2021-22, as a result of a school bus driver shortage that has been aggravated by the pandemic. The 4 p.m. dismissal time is later than usual and students say this impacts their ability to work at part-time jobs, participate in extracurricular activities and care for younger siblings after school. "I've heard from quite a few students that they have to leave class early just to get to work on time," says DDSB student trustee Kayla Malcolm. The bell times are up for review this winter. 5. APPROVAL OF A COVID-19 VACCINE FOR CHILDREN FIVE TO 11 SETS OFF ONLINE RUMOURS THAT KIDS COULD BE VACCINATED AT SCHOOL WITHOUT PARENTAL CONSENT Information circulating on social media in October and November suggests vaccine clinics are taking place in Durham schools during the school day -- and that children could be vaccinated without the OK from their parents. Local school boards stress this is false, with one official calling the rumours a "co-ordinated misinformation campaign." Vaccine clinics are taking place at some schools in Durham outside of school hours -- and like all other clinics, parent or guardian consent is re- quired for a child to be vaccinated. STORY BEHIND THE STORY: COVID-19, and in particular its effect on students, parents and guardians, was the major story of 2021 in Durham. Reporter Jillian Follert looked back at the year. DURHAM'S TOP FIVE COVID-19 EDUCATION STORIES OF 2021 JILLIAN FOLLERT jfoller t@durhamregion.com NEWS Glen Street P.S. in Oshawa was one of six Durham schools that closed at the end of March due to a COVID-19 outbreak. Jason Liebregts/Metroland