If you’re a parent with questions about back-to-school, you’re not alone – and the New Westminster school district is giving you a chance to get some answers.
The school district is hosting a townhall talk with superintendent Karim Hachlaf on Monday, Aug. 24. The 7 p.m. meeting will be held via Zoom, and parents can join in online or by phone.
Parents are asked to submit questions for the townhall ahead of time to [email protected].
Hachlaf, in a letter to school district parents, students and staff on Aug. 18, noted the district has been working on its return-to-school plans against the backdrop of Ministry of Education guidelines.
Those guidelines have continued to evolve since the school restart plan was first announced July 29 – including a recent directive for mandatory mask use in shared and busy spaces for middle school and secondary school students.
“We know you still have many questions,” Hachlaf said. “We know the uncertainty, particularly around this next stage, can be challenging.”
Hachlaf said the district is working to craft a plan that provides as much flexibility as possible, using the small size of the district to “capitalize on opportunities, while acknowledging where it also presents limits.”
The district’s back-to-school plan must be submitted to the Ministry of Education for review and approval by Friday, Aug. 21. The plan will then be publicly released no later than Wednesday, Aug. 26.
“While we work hard to build the plan for our district’s schools, we know that each family faces its own set of individual challenges in this crisis, from acute and existing health concerns to the varying levels of caution being taken,” Hachlaf said. “Next week’s communication will also outline the alternatives we’re working hard to provide for families, including defining relevant information people will need to consider when deciding what will be best for their kids and individual household needs.”
The district is also organizing a student townhall for Aug. 27.
Staff will return to schools on Tuesday, Sept. 8 for two days of orientation and set-up before students return on Sept. 10. Both Thursday, Sept. 10 and Friday, Sept. 11 will be shortened days for student orientation, and regular schedules will begin on Monday, Sept. 14.
Kindergarten students will still have a gradual entry process, as usual; individual schools will send out those plans to parents.
For the latest updates on the back-to-school situation, see www.newwestschools.ca or follow the district on Twitter @newwestschools.
To attend the Aug. 24 townhall, you can find the link and phone-in options online: https://newwestschools.ca/planning-the-return-timelines-and-whats-to-come/
