Superintendent’s Weekly Update: 04/08

Weekly Update: April 8, 2020

Dear Sunshine Coast families,

I have deeply appreciated the support of our students and families as we have been re-visioning the personal connections, the learning opportunities and the supports for our students during the Coronavirus pandemic. Our staff are making a comprehensive effort to check in with each of our students to monitor their well-being as well as considering the opportunities for the continuation of their learning. I have been inspired by their energy and commitment as they perform a 180 degree turn in their professional duties to accommodate our students’ learning.

This update is organized based on our district’s priorities:

1. Safety and Wellness:
   46. With in-class learning suspended, the change for our students was abrupt and unprecedented. Many students and families have questions and worries. Our district support staff are developing strategies to support our students. They have created an excellent local family resource on the district website (https://sd46.bc.ca/families-and-students/covid-19-sharing-information/).The Ministry has also provided an online “Keeping Healthy” resource to support BC students and families. (https://www.openschool.bc.ca/keeplearning/).
   47. Our facilities staff are focused on actively supporting effective hygiene and sanitation practices. We have extensive processes in place for when staff need to go into schools, and for when we begin allowing the retrieval of school and personal items in the near future. Watch for updates from your school for more detailed information.
2. Essential Support Workers:
   1. We have developed two centres for the care of the children of Essential Services Workers in Gibsons and in Sechelt.
   2. Our first priority is for Tier 1: health care workers and/or emergency responders. We will enhance the program in the following weeks as need requires for Tier 2: workers supporting vulnerable populations, utilities workers and workers supporting key supply chain functions.
3. Vulnerable Student Support:
   1. We are working with our community partners to develop supports for food programs for our vulnerable students.
   2. Our resource teachers, counsellors and principals are reviewing all of our vulnerable student priorities to determine the best strategy to support them.
4. Continuation of Learning:
   1. Teaching staff are using the information from their discussions with students and families to design learning activities that will match the opportunities that we have before us. There are wonderful online and technological tools at our disposal as well as the technical challenges that come with them. Many of our learning opportunities are not online, and much interesting learning can take place in ways other than through technology. Teachers will each have their own way of working this through based on their students and educational priorities.
   2. Learning will continue to be assessed by our teachers during this time and a final mark based on the work from the entire semester/ year will be a part of that mark.
   3. Our district website has digital learning links that we have vetted and are appropriate for our students. This will be regularly updated. https://sd46.bc.ca/families-and-students/covid-19-sharing-information/
   4. The Ministry has everyday learning activities and resources available as well. https://www.openschool.bc.ca/keeplearning/
   5. What is the parents’ role in the continuation of learning? Taking an interest in what your child is learning is the best support that you can provide. No one is expecting education to look normal, nor do we expect our students’ parents to be their teachers. Our teachers know that there is a wide variety of opportunities as well as challenges to learning in the home environment.
   6. How much time should my child be engaged in learning? We will be sharing district guidelines for elementary students in the near future. Secondary schools are developing schedules and timelines that will meet our students’ and families’ needs.
   7. We will get better at this over the next weeks and we will move gently forward with you. Talk to us. We are in this together.
5. Communication:
   1. If you have questions or comments about your child’s learning, please contact their teacher. If the matter is more school related, please connect with your child’s principal. If the matter is more related to the direction of the district, please email me. If you don’t know who to talk to, contact any of us. We are here to help.
   2. All contact information is available on our school and district websites.

I look forward to providing you with an update each week as we move through this new context.

All of us at School District 46 wish you well as you take care of your family and your community.

Sincerely,

Patrick

Patrick Bocking  

Superintendent of Schools