School District 47’s teachers are working to prepare for resumption of school on September 10.
Izi Loveluck, president of Powell River and District Teachers’ Association, said teachers understand the school district is meeting the ministry of education’s requirements and the leadership team is continuing to communicate and collaborate. She said the district leadership team has been working tirelessly to develop plans at Brooks Secondary School and the elementary schools to make the ministry-mandated learning groups as controlled and safe as possible.
“However, the ministry plan does not take into account things such as siblings in different cohorts, which widens the number of their contacts,” said Loveluck.
British Columbia Teachers’ Federation president Teri Mooring has made statements recently about class sizes and stricter mask regulations in schools. Loveluck said local teachers are supportive of the president’s request.
“Reducing the density in classrooms is extremely important and making masks mandatory for students aged 10 and up aligns with federal health guidelines that recommend masks, and with World Health Organization guidelines,” said Loveluck. “In addition, the caseload in BC is increasing and we will have families returning from outside Powell River who might have inadvertently come into contact with the virus.”
Loveluck said teachers have been working with School District 47’s administration on the back to school plan.
“At this time, I am in daily contact with superintendent Dr. Jay Yule,” said Loveluck. “Last week, I was invited to the Zoom administration meeting, and this was followed up by a phone call with Dr. Yule's executive assistant, as well as another with the Brooks principal, all to discuss various aspects of the district plan and how it might be implemented at each school.”
In terms of modifying the back to school plan, Loveluck said it would be helpful to reduce the number of children in each classroom and learning group. She said this could be accomplished by having half the class attend in the morning and half in the afternoon.
“Additionally, in the first week, if students are separated into groups within the class, providing health and safety orientation will be more effective,” said Loveluck. “At this time, many teachers are hearing from parents that they are anxious about the return to school.”
Loveluck said many parents are requesting classroom teachers provide work so students can learn remotely at the beginning of the year.
“While this is an idea that teachers support, classroom teachers cannot take on the workload of teaching full time and of providing remote learning support,” said Loveluck. “However, if parents were willing to accept having a dedicated remote learning teacher, that would allow our most vulnerable teachers to work and would also allow parents a more flexible option.”
Loveluck said this would likely create additional work for the classroom teacher, but they could be provided time to collaborate with the remote learning teacher. However, with the ministry-directed, full-time stage two, these things are difficult to accomplish, she added.
“Powell River teachers want students back at school – safely,” said Loveluck. “It is very important, for many reasons, to have children back in schools. The federal government has released additional funds to help with reopening schools safely, but the [provincial] minister has not sought input on how this money should be spent.
“Unfortunately, the school district has to work within the ministry plan, and the ministry has not been very receptive to input from teachers on the working groups and on the steering committee.”
Loveluck said obviously, all perspectives need to be considered, but teachers are the classroom experts.
She said that as of last week, more than 20,000 emails had been sent to MLAs by teachers and parents concerned about the opening of schools.
“It is important for everyone concerned to contact Nicholas Simons, our local MLA, with their suggestions for a better ministry plan,” said Loveluck. “Hopefully, the government will be receptive to public pressure. Powell River teachers want to be back teaching, but teachers want everyone to be as safe as possible.”
