School District 57 Board Chair Tim Bennett outlined what the voluntary return to in-class instruction will look like on Monday (June 1st).
Under the provincial guidelines, Kindergarten to Grade 5 classrooms will be at 50% capacity, with students attending two days per week while Grades six through 12 will only be at 20% capacity, meaning students will be in class one day per week.
Board Chair Tim Bennett spoke to MyPGNow.com.
“We recognize that these last few months have been anything but ordinary for families and families need to make decisions that are best for them, some parents are going to send their kids back on June 1st, some are not while others remain unsure.”
Bennett also outlined how students in K-5 will be divided once they return to class.
“There will be two groups attending with the first one attending Mondays and Tuesdays while the other will be in class Thursdays and Fridays with Wednesdays dedicated for teachers to focus on the online learning plans.”
Those attending secondary schools will follow a similar pattern but with much fewer density targets.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry stated playgrounds are considered low-risk for spreading COVID-19 but Bennett adds the board will work with their municipal partners to re-open them at the same time as local parks.
When students return, they won’t be able to access lockers or bins and SD 57 encourages parents to pick up and drop off their children so the volume of kids on school buses is lessened.
Essential service workers and students requiring more support can attend class up to five days per week if needed.