Comox Valley Superintendent of Schools, Tom Demeo, says students will be heading back full time when September rolls around.
Demeo explains that the focus will be on smaller groups of kids in classes, with the most amount of time possible allowed for learning.
“What they’re doing now is they are moving to a cohort model, which is smaller learning groups. At elementary and middle schools, you’re looking at groups of 60 maximum and in secondary about 120.”
“Now cohorts are designed to reduce the number of in-person close interactions a person has with the school without requiring physical distancing to be in place,” added Demeo.
He says the district is still waiting on updates from the provincial government but staff are actively working behind the scenes to make sure students can return to school safely.
“Our district and our school leaders have been working since the announcement was made on what will these cohorts look like, specifically in secondary school because it is a change from where we were at in terms of a regular timetable.”
“I know it’s going to require some changes in secondary schools no question, elementary not so much. They’re suited to work within the cohort structure but it will still require some changes to things that they’ve normally done.”
He says the biggest thing parents and kids can remember is that Comox Valley students will be going back to school full time this fall.
“The key point is that we’re going back full-time instruction at this point in time for all our students. We expect to have a full plan made available for the public by the 26th of August.”
For more information on SD71’s return to school plan, or for the most updated information from the province, visit the Comox Valley Schools website.
