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By Dylana Kneeshaw

KAMLOOPS SCHOOL CLOSURES

SD73 working on alternative education plan for students and teachers during closures

Mar 18, 2020 | 4:19 PM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops-Thompson School District officials are working on an education plan for students in the area, after the province announced all schools would be shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic.

While in-person classes have been suspended, School District 73 Superintendent Alison Sidow says teachers will be returning to work in some capacity. She adds that the district isn’t sure when exactly that will happen, but it will be a gradual return to freshly sanitized buildings.

“The vast majority of our teachers are already using platforms to communicate with their students and support their learning,” she explains, “so we’ll be looking at what kinds of platforms we can use for online learning to support that. The younger students — we’re still developing a plan. That might look very different.”

Students in Grade 12 will be a top priority to ensure they can still graduate, and Sidow says the district is also looking into how it could still provide food for students who rely on meal programs.

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She notes that for now, parents should be taking time to make sure their kids are keeping up on reading, and ensure they have ways to stay positive amidst constant online and social media news streams about COVID-19.

“We really need to reassure our young people that the adults are managing, that they are safe, and we all have their best interests at heart,” she adds. “This too shall pass, and that’s a really important message for our young people to hear.”

Work is underway to determine what will happen with students whose parents work in essential healthcare roles, and cannot stay home to mind children during this time.

Sidow says an update is expected sometime next week with firmer plans for students and teachers impacted by the closures in Kamloops.