The Superintendent of the Quesnel School District says it will be good for students to go back to class on June 1st, even if it is just part-time and for less than a month.
Sue Ellen Miller says school is important for them for many reasons…
“We know that some children don’t do as well when they don’t have their connections with friends and school. We know that all kids need routines and this is an important part of that, we also understand this time coming back is optional for families and they will make a decision whether it’s right for them at this time.”
Miller says it’s also important that we try to get life back to normal in the province and allow parents to go back to work.
She says the health and safety of their students and staff will be the focus in determining what classes will look like…
“Guidelines to make sure that health and safety remain our highest priority, that we are able to look at how we can keep the numbers of students in the school building lower to lower the density, so that we can really make sure that we do everything we can as we take a slow return to school so that students are safe, but we are also trying to meet their educational needs.”
That work will take place between now and May 25th when a plan has to be approved by the Ministry of Education.
For the most part, Miller says children from K to grade five will go to school two or three times a week, and students in grades 6 to 12 will go just once a week, although she says there may be some exceptions, if approved by the Ministry.
Miller says they hope that classes are back to full operation by the fall.