Students in School District No. 74 (Gold Trail), including those at Clinton’s David Stoddart School, are expected to be back in class starting Monday, Sept. 14, according to the district’s plan, which has been sent to the Ministry of Education for approval.
SD74 Superintendent Teresa Downs says the district is looking forward to getting the plan approved and sharing it with families. The ministry has told schools that all plans would be approved and publicly released on, Aug. 26.
“We realize it’s very important for families in making the decision to return to school. The plan will outline all the health and safety regulations in the classrooms, outside the schools, and on the buses, and will describe what learning groups will look like and what the day will look like.”
The Province initially announced that students across B.C. would be back to school on Tuesday, Sept. 8, but the start date was rolled back to Sept. 10 in order to give teachers and staff more time to prepare. Downs says in SD74, Sept. 10 and 11 will be orientation days, with half the students in school on the 10th and the other half on the 11th.
“Different grade populations will be allowed back to school for a full day of health and safety orientation, so they can see what the school day will be. Then, on Sept. 14, we look forward to welcoming all students back.”
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The majority of the district’s students have not been in school for almost six months after classes were suspended province-wide in March. While the district did re-open schools in June, attendance was voluntary, and Downs says that only 20 percent of the students in SD74 returned to school then. However, the reopening in June did allow the district to see what a return to class would look like in the era of COVID-19.
Over the past two weeks, the district has been engaging with community leaders in the development of the reopening plan, asking and answering questions. The district has also been fielding questions from families. “We find that when people understand what’s being put in place there’s a decrease in fear and anxiety.”
She notes that school is not voluntary and that the plan is for all SD74 students, Kindergarten through Grade 12, to be back in school full-time, five days a week as of Sept. 14.
“What families have before them, is an option: regular brick and mortar schools, homeschooling, or distributed learning. There are different public and private organizations that can enroll students [in distributed learning], so parents would need to find an institution in the province that can provide that, as Gold Trail doesn’t have it.”
She notes the Board of Trustees for SD74 prioritized the universal school lunch program in the 2020/21 budget, so that will be returning, albeit with a few differences. There will be no trips to the cafeteria or a central lunchroom; instead, meals will be individually wrapped and brought to students in their classrooms.
“If people are interested in seeing what measures are being put in place and what school will look like in the era of COVID-19, they can reach out to their school principal,” she said. “We’re very hopeful that we’ll see students back, and show all the steps and measures we’re taking to make schools healthy and safe environments for students, staff, and families.”
