School District 69 has clarified that its students will return to in-person instruction and will not shift to online learning.
Peter Jory, school district superintendent and CEO, said he wanted to clarify this information because local media mistakenly reported students would be learning online when classes resume on Jan. 10.
Staff will prepare for the possibility of closures in the week before students return to class, Jory said in an email.
“If and when these occur, they will be short term in nature in response to staffing shortages, with the intention to return to in-person learning as soon as possible,” he said.
Schools across the province will delay reopening by one week to Jan. 10, following direction from B.C. public heath officials. The extra week will provide staff an opportunity to plan and implement new safety protocols, as well as increase system readiness for potential functional closures should classrooms or schools need to be excluded in the event of extensive staff illnesses.
District 69 schools will be open for K-12 students whose parents are deemed to be essential workers (with those in healthcare being prioritized) and for students who have unique needs whose parents believe they require the support of school staff.
Parents and guardians with questions regarding whether or not their child can access school this coming week can contact their school principal via email prior to Tuesday morning.
