Dec. 30, 2021: Letter from Superintendent Dhillon regarding return to school

Dear parents/guardians,

The Provincial Health Officer issued an order yesterday to delay the full return of school for students in kindergarten to Grade 12 until Monday, Jan. 10. The delay will allow additional time for public health and B.C. schools to adapt to the impacts of the Omicron variant and implement enhanced safety plans to support the continuation of in-class learning.

On Monday, Jan. 3, district leadership will meet with principals and vice principals to review the existing and enhanced measures set out by the BCCDC and Ministry of Education. Principals will then meet with school staff to begin planning for full implementation of enhanced measures effective January 10.

During the period of Tuesday, Jan. 4 to Friday, Jan.7, schools will be open for a limited number of students in particular need. The Ministry of Education has asked school districts to accommodate attendance on these four days for children of essential service workers and children with exceptional needs. If your child meets these general criteria and there exists a need for school attendance Jan. 4-7, please contact the school office by phone or email between the hours of 8:30 am and 2:00 pm on Monday, Jan. 3, so that appropriate planning is in place.

The news release issued by the Ministry of Education provides further information. It includes a summary of the existing safety measures that will be reinforced and a list of enhanced safety measures that school staff will be planning to fully implement effective January 10. We will be providing you with additional information next week.

While I recognize the delayed re-opening is a challenge for many families, taking a few extra days now will set us up for the safest possible start to the new year. We thank you for your ongoing support and we look forward to welcoming your children back to school.

Sincerely,

Harry Dhillon
Superintendent of Schools