Announcements

Dear families,

As the school year gets underway, I am writing to share with you a back to school update from Fraser Health. Much of the information in this update will not be new for you, as I spoke to it in my August 27 letter. The update does address, however, the revised provincial notification process for school exposures. While Fraser Health will continue to work with schools to identify close contacts and to share targeted self-monitor and/or self-isolation notices with the appropriate students and staff, there will no longer be general school-wide exposure notifications to school communities. This decision was made by the provincial health officer.

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Registration is now open for September for courses in School District 42’s Continuing Education program.

For a complete list of offerings, go to the Continuing Education website.

You can register now online or come to a drop-in registration period on Sept. 2 (11 a.m. to 7 p.m.), Sept. 3 (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.), and Sept. 7 (11 a.m. to 7 p.m.). After September 8, registration is offered online or by making an appointment with an academic advisor by calling 604-466-6555.

Continuing Education at Riverside Centre will continue to follow Provincial Health guidelines as they are updated throughout the fall by the Ministry of Education.

For more information, email ce@sd42.ca or call 604-466-6555.

Dear families,

I hope you are enjoying a bright, restful, and safe summer! We are looking forward to welcoming your children back to school. As we prepare for the beginning of the 2021/22 school year, I am writing to let you know about an important change to this year’s district school calendar, to provide information about the schedule for the first day of school, and to update you on the health and safety measures that will be in place across all our schools and facilities. (more…)

At its August 25, 2021 special public meeting, the Board of Education approved the recommendation that the 2021/22 District School Calendar and the 2021/22 Kanaka Creek School Calendar be amended as follows:

• The statutory holiday National Day for Truth and Reconciliation has been added for Thursday, September 30, 2021;
• The non-instructional day scheduled for Tuesday, September 28, 2021, has been moved to Friday, October 1, 2021.

The change will be communicated to families and made to calendars on school websites in the coming days.

A special public meeting of the board to approve the 2021/22 amended calendar will be live-streamed at https://www.sd42.ca/online-board-meetings/ on August 25, 2021 at 6 pm.

All parent and student MyClass accounts will be shut down at midnight, July 31, 2021, to allow for year-end clean up and next year scheduling. Parents and students will be unable to access their MyClass accounts until these accounts are reactivated for the 2021/22 school year.

MyClass accounts will be reactivated on the following dates:

• Students in grades 8-12: Friday, September 3, 2021, at 3:00 pm
• Parent accounts: Wednesday, September 15, 2021, at 3:00 pm

Please note that your login ID and password will remain the same. For technical assistance or support, please contact myclass@sd42.ca

Dear families,

Today is the last day of class for most of our school communities in this exceptional year. While the last ten months have not been without their challenges, they have also offered us countless opportunities to celebrate the amazing achievements of our staff and students. I am always impressed but not surprised by the passion, dedication, activism, and care shown by students and staff in our school communities. I encourage you to read through our online 2020/21 District Highlights magazine, which captures some of the achievements from this school year. Attached to my message (below) you will also find a year-end message and expression of thanks from Minister of Education Jennifer Whiteside.

I want to reiterate my deep gratitude to all staff, students, and families for following health and safety protocols and protecting our schools during the pandemic. There is much hope – both locally and provincially – that the next school year will bring a return to more familiar routines.

The provincial government shared an update last week on what protocols are likely to look like in the fall. Some of the key anticipated changes include the following:

• students will no longer be grouped into cohorts allowing for normal timetabling;
• restrictions on gatherings, extracurricular activities, and sports may no longer be required;
• guidance on wearing masks in school settings will be confirmed later this summer and in alignment with broader provincial direction for the fall and winter.

Current measures that will remain include daily health checks and diligent hand hygiene. The Ministry of Health has prepared a helpful document that outlines some of the anticipated changes for next school year. You can access this document here: Public Health Guidance for K-12 Schools: Outlook for the 2021-22 School Year. We will, of course, share with you the finalized guidelines as soon as they are developed and released closer to school start.

All our work in the school district – from the preparation of school growth plans to the development of our budget document – is rooted in our vision, mission, and values. This school year, we have taken important steps in actioning our commitment to the celebration of many cultures and the appreciation and embracement of diversity. We know, however, that there is much more work to be done. The devastating discoveries of unmarked children’s graves at sites of former residential schools in Kamloops and Saskatchewan serve as heartbreaking reminders of the need for ongoing education, reflection, and social change. Education is key to creating social change. We must continue to cultivate a culture of care in our schools and take every available step to ensure our classrooms and communities are equitable, supportive, and inclusive spaces for all. I look forward to continuing this work with your support.

Thank you again for your resilience and support during this unusual school year.

Wishing you a warm and restful summer,

Harry Dhillon
Superintendent of Schools

2020/21 District Highlights

Message from the Honourable Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Education

Please see below the press release from the Ministry of Education.

VICTORIA – Students, families, teachers and staff should plan for a near-normal return to school in September.

The Province is providing $43.6 million to support ongoing health and safety measures, First Nations and Métis students, mental health services, rapid response teams, and to address learning impacts to students. (more…)

Dear families and staff,

Last week, Tk’emlúps te Secwe̓pemc First Nation announced the devastating discovery of the remains of 215 Indigenous children buried in unmarked graves at the site of a former residential school in Kamloops, BC. The discovery speaks of unimaginable horror and deep loss. It is a painful reminder of the profound, lasting harms on Indigenous communities, and of the heartbreaking and ongoing intergenerational trauma suffered by Indigenous families. (more…)

Regular Student Transportation 2021/22

Registration deadline: June 30, 2021

Please note that the COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 School Settings are encouraging private vehicle use and active transportation (biking, walking, etc.) by students where possible to decrease bus transportation density. (more…)