The Cowichan Valley School District is working hard to ensure it’s well prepared for September, with the end of the 2019-20 school year now in the rear view mirror.
Hundreds of students safely and successfully returned to schools in the Cowichan Valley in June, and the lessons learned from the transition will help staff prepare for September.
B.C.’s Educational Restart Plan has a five-stage approach, and will be active throughout the 2020-21 school year. The Ministry of Education may move the education system through stages to ensure the safety of students, their families and employees, while maintaining continuity of learning.
The Minister will announce the starting stage for all schools in the province later in the summer. No matter what stage of BC’s Educational Restart Plan is rolled out province wide, the Cowichan Valley District will be ready.
While education continued in class in June, the support for Essential Service Workers and Food for Kids program still ran. The Food for Kids program continues to deliver more than 400 food baskets a week to families across the Valley.
The Board of Education also created the COVID-19 Transition Committee which has actively worked to review the situation and develop effective plans for the safety and high-quality education of students. Regular updates to the community are a part of the planning to ensure everyone is well-informed.
“Our staff were able to deal with the rapid change towards online learning and back into the classroom, adapted to support the Food for Kids program and ensured support for our Essential Service Workers.” said Candace Spilsbury, chair of the Board of Education. “Staff at the District were dedicated to ensure that everyone received what they needed to thrive during this time, and for that we are so very grateful. We know how difficult much of this work has been and we thank them for their dedication and hard work.”
Later this summer, the Ministry of Education will announce what stage of BC’s Education Restart Plan districts around the province will be at for September.