A few more students might be attending Richmond schools as the school district looks to support “vulnerable learners.”
Children of essential workers are attending class at three elementary schools, but the ministry is also asking the school district to provide face-to-face instruction for some vulnerable students.
This could begin already next week for students with significant special needs who need one-to-one support, students with severe emotional difficulties at home, and students in Grade 12 who are not passing some courses needed for graduation, explained board chair Ken Hamaguchi. This instruction would be in the form of small group tutorials.
Hamaguchi was giving an update to the Richmond COVID-19 Community Task Force on how the schools are coping with the pandemic.
While COVID-19 has shut down schools to most in-class instruction, the loss of international students and the revenue they generate in tuition fees is having an impact on the school district’s bottom line.
“We are anticipating a larger than expected budget shortfall,” Hamaguchi told the task force.
Hamaguchi said there’s been some talk about re-opening schools in general but there have been “no firm details” how that would happen.
A public board meeting is being held this Wednesday, April 22, and the public can listen via Zoom and send questions by email. Information can be found at www.sd38.bc.ca.
