COVID-19: Classes Suspended

Dear Families,

The Minister of Education announced today that, in consultation with the Ministry of Health, classes are cancelled throughout our province in order to reinforce the social distancing strategy that is known to be the best way to reduce the impact of the current pandemic. It is unclear when this situation will change as we learn more about the best way to move forward.

We will develop strategies in the near future, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, for what education will look like for our students and staff during this period of social distancing. Students in grade 12 may feel particularly anxious as they are anticipating graduating as well as considering what the next steps after this year will be for them. We will work carefully to meet their needs and work toward their successful graduation as well.

We don’t have all of the answers today. However, we are working hard to ensure our students do well in the current circumstances. The staff in all of our schools are fully dedicated to their students and will be deeply concerned about their learning and their well-being during this pandemic.

I encourage families to discuss classes being cancelled with their children. Consider talking about how suspending classes has happened in order to protect them, their grandparents, elders, and other vulnerable people and that they live in a close, caring community that can best take care of each other by staying apart right now.  A helpful resource to discuss this with your children is provided by the BC Centre of Disease Control is at: http://www.bccdc.ca/Health-Info-Site/Documents/COVID19%20QA%20for%20kids%20Feb%202020.pdf.

Please check www.sd46.bc.ca for updates as we move forward on this journey.

Thank you, once again, for taking care of your children, yourselves, and your community.

Sincerely,

Patrick Bocking

Superintendent of Schools