Image Credit: CFJC Today

By James Peters

COVID-19

Province outlines optional return to school on June 1

May 15, 2020 | 11:26 AM

VICTORIA — Officials with the Province of B.C. say June 1 will be the day all parents will have the choice to send their children back to school.

Those who do return, though, will do so on a part-time basis.

Students in the Kamloops-Thompson School District haven’t been in regular classes since March 13, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a news conference from Victoria this morning, Premier John Horgan told parents the goal is to have children back to full-time, in-person classes by September, “provided it is safe to do so.”

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“Many people will welcome this announcement today,” Horgan said, “and I know that there are a number of young people who live in my neighbourhood who are desperate to get back to real teachers rather than mom and dad or big sister and big brother. This adjustment will take time. The online program has been, I would argue, successful.”

Safeguards in place within schools include a reduced number of students, with most kindergarten-to-Grade 5 students returning half-time, though individual districts are responsible for details.

Grades 6-to-12 students will go back to school about one day per week.

Horgan says families who choose not to send their children back to schools will have the option of continuing home learning with a significant online component.