Langley School District released a preview of their Education Restart Plan, which outlined that in-class instruction is set to begin on Monday, September 14 on a proposed quarter system comprised of online and in-class learning.
Site-specific plans are to be shared between Aug. 26 and Sept. 4, with staff returning on site to learn safety measures and protocols on Sept. 8 and 9.
Students will learn safety measures and protocols on Sept. 10 and 11 – more details will be released closer to the date, including start and end times.
“It does look like they [the district] are looking at the quarter system for secondary schools, and trying to minimize the cohort system,” said Tanya Kerr, president of the Langley Teachers Association (LTA).
She said that on behalf of the LTA, she’s been consulting with senior district staff including superintendent of schools Gord Stewart and Barry Bunyan, the assistant superintendant of human resources.
In developing the plan, the Langley School District said they aim to follow the provincial health and safety guidelines, maximize in-class instruction, keep students in their learning groups, limit the movement of students on-site, and manage traffic flow on-site.
On the proposed quarter system, Secondary Schools would be comprised of 10 weeks per quarter, with students taking eight courses in a year, two classes per quarter, and in varied learning group sizes.
Halfway through the quarter (five weeks), students would switch the morning block with the afternoon block to ensure there is an equal amount of face-to-face learning in all courses.
In the morning, students would be in-class daily for the morning block and are separated by their learning groups.
Students would then alternate days between in-class and online for the afternoon block except Wednesday – a designated online day for all students.
Half of the students are in-class, mixed with students outside of their learning group but classes are small enough that physical distancing will be achieved.
Secondary Schools
- Quarter system (10 weeks per quarter)
- Students take 8 courses in a year
- Students take two classes per quarter
- Students in learning groups under 120
- Students in smaller class sizes
- Staggered break/lunch/end time (varies among schools)
- Separate entrance and exit points (varies among schools)
Middle Schools – Grades 6-8
- In-class instruction for all students
- Students take explorations
- Students in learning groups under 60
- Students in classes no more than 30
- Supervised break/lunch/outdoor time
- Separate entrance and exit points (varies among schools)
Elementary Schools – Grades K-7
• In-class instruction for all students
• Students in learning groups under 60
• Students in classes no more than 30
• Staggered start time/break/lunch/end time (varies among schools)
• Separate entrance and exit points (varies among schools)
READ MORE: B.C. teachers’ union calls for remote learning option, stronger mask mandate
The number of teachers uneasy about returning to a classroom in Langley is unknown, but a BCTF study in June found about 10 per cent of B.C. teachers don’t want to go back for medical reasons, Kerr said.
In Langley, Kerr said two different teachers recently approached her about retiring early to avoid returning.
The plan must will be submitted to the Ministry of Education for final approval.
A full Education Restart Plan is set to be released on Aug. 26.
People can visit www.sd35.bc.ca/alerts/education-restart-plan-update for more details.
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Email: ryan.uytdewilligen@langleyadvancetimes.com
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