Richmond School District will be “better prepared” in the event COVID-19 cases rise this fall.
“We’re working really hard with our teachers to help them develop their tools around using Zoom and remote learning tools, because, just like a lot of other areas, this (COVID-19) sort of hit everybody unexpectedly, and a lot of folks were not prepared,” said district Superintendent Scott Robinson during Tuesday’s Richmond COVID-19 Community Task Force meeting.
“I think we’re going to be better prepared if we have to return back to Stage 3.”
B.C. is currently in Stage 2 under the Ministry of Education’s five-stage descending framework for returning to in-class instruction – meaning a return to in-class instruction with a learning group or cohort system.
Stage 3, meanwhile, is where schools were at prior to the summer, with a mix of in-class and remote instruction.
The question of a “worst-case scenario” was raised by Matt Pitcairn, president and CEO of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, citing situations in the U.S. where schools have seen a rise in COVID-19 cases after students returned to in-class learning.
According to Robinson, all districts or “at least districts in impacted areas,” would be instructed by public health to roll back to Stage 3, for example.
“So the educational plan would then be adjusted to fit that,” he said.
“What we tried to do is build into our planning some flexibility, and…to be somewhat nimble, so that if we need to go back and have some kids, or all kids, learning from home we would have the ability to do that.”
However, there are some challenges associated with returning to remote learning, Robinson added, such as whether families are able to access the technology needed.
“But the district’s going to continue to work with families as we go and make sure that, where possible, they’ve got the skills and the tools they need,” he said.
