Students in Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools will remain at home as the district develops a learning plan to account for the COVID-19 pandemic. (Nanaimo News Bulletin file)

Students in Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools will remain at home as the district develops a learning plan to account for the COVID-19 pandemic. (Nanaimo News Bulletin file)

Nanaimo school district to develop learning plan to account for COVID-19

Nanaimo-Ladysmith school district superintendent advises parents keep kids at home

  • Mar. 29, 2020 12:00 a.m.

Parents of Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools students are being asked to continue keeping children at home as the school district drafts a learning plan to account for COVID-19.

The B.C. Ministry of Education indefinitely suspended in-class instruction due to the coronavirus crisis earlier in the month. Students are on spring break until Monday, March 30 and in a letter to parents, Scott Saywell, Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools’ superintendent and CEO, said the district will proceed slowly with coming up with a course of action.

“During the week of March 30, NLPS principals will be reconnecting remotely with their staff, planning and building capacity to provide learning opportunities for students,” Saywell said. “You will hear from your child’s teacher during this week to share more detail concerning their plan for the continuity of learning. Staff will also be preparing a plan to reconnect vulnerable students with food programs.”

Saywell also asks parents not to return to school to pick up any of their children’s personal effects, unless authorized by their principal or teacher. Students are asked to stay away from school until they are invited to return, Saywell said.

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In a press release Friday, the ministry announced it has launched a Keep Learning B.C. online tool, www.openschool.bc.ca/keeplearning, to aid children in learning at home, while plans are being developed. It is “a central place where families can find ideas for everyday educational activities, annotated links to free learning resources, as well as how to help children learn and how to ensure their well-being while they are at home,” the ministry said.


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