By Lyonel Doherty

Remember, don’t bring your child to school on Monday, March 30 as new guidelines are being introduced to support B.C.’s K-12 students while in-class education is still suspended.

“This is a challenging time for families in B.C. as we work together to stop the spread of COVID-19, but it is vital students have a sense of routine and continued opportunities to learn while they are at home,” said Rob Fleming, Minister of Education.

While in-person classes are suspended, the B.C. school system remains open to continue to support students and families in a variety of ways.

Rob Zandee, chair of School District No. 53, said parents should receive contact from their school principal indicating expectations for students during the first week.

“Students may need to get textbooks and resources from their lockers, but we ask that you adhere to the instructions of your school principal as to when this can occur.”

During the week of March 30 to April 3, teachers will plan for remote learning. Parents will be contacted by their child’s teacher(s) with information on how they plan to provide instruction under these circumstances.
During the week of April 6 to 12, families will have the resources, information and contacts needed to proceed with learning from home.
“Our staff and admin have been doing an amazing job and pulling long hours to get things ready and we feel pretty positive that we will be well situated come Monday,” Zandee said.

Fleming said essential frontline health care workers who need urgent care for their school-aged child are advised to contact their school principal as soon as possible to discuss care arrangements.

Other parents who are deemed an essential service worker and who may need child care for their school-age children can expect to hear from their school regarding care options.

Since there are many students who will have challenges working online, schools have been directed to look at alternate approaches for continued learning that will fit with individual needs and circumstances. School leaders are actively working on these plans.

While teachers and schools will have primary responsibility for continuous learning, government has launched Keep Learning BC. This is a central place where families can find ideas for everyday educational activities, links to free learning resources, as well as how to help children learn. Keep Learning BC is available at www.openschool.bc.ca/keeplearning/

This website will have helpful guides to maintain routines and stay safe online, giving parents information about how talk to their children about COVID-19, along with other mental health resources to manage stress or anxiety.

“While it’s important for kids to keep learning, there is no expectation that we can duplicate a normal school day at home, and every family will need to figure out what works best for them, in discussion with their children’s teachers,” Fleming said.

“I understand that many children are experiencing anxiety, while also missing their teachers and friends, and that’s why it’s important they know the actions we’re taking are designed to keep everyone safe, and we will return to regular school life down the road.”