The Cowichan Valley school board has changed the dates of future spring school closures to align with 56 other districts in the province.
The move comes after an online survey showed that of the 1,794 responses from parents of children attending School District 79 schools, 65.16 per cent were in favour of the change. The global coronavirus pandemic prompted the survey and resulting amendments. When COVID-19 showed up, the district found it wasn’t in line with the rest of the province and it proved difficult to coordinate the provincial response.
“With COVID-19 continuing to be an issue throughout the next 12 months, the change will allow the Cowichan Valley School District to be better positioned to respond, along with our provincial counterparts, if our district closure week and spring break dates aligned with the other school districts,” according to SD79 spokesperson Mike Russell.
The Cowichan district closure used to occur the week before spring break but now it will take place after.
The change will take effect for the 2020/21 school year and a new school calendar will be updated soon, Russell said.
