Richmond School District has approved parents’ appeal to launch a transitional, remote learning option for students in Grades 8 and 9.
Similar to what has already been offered to elementary students, Grade 8 and 9 students are now able to opt for a “transitional learning” program.
This means, if students don’t feel comfortable starting school on Sept. 10, they can remain enrolled in their neighbourhood school or program of choice, and return to in-class instruction at a later date, prior to Feb. 3, when the program would end.
The district announced the new option in an email to parents Thursday.
While full details of the Grade 8 and 9 transitional learning program weren’t provided, in the elementary program students would meet with their transitional learning teacher over video-conference daily.
However, the new transition program for Grades 8 and 9 is replacing the distributed learning option previously offered to parents, according to the district’s email.
Richmond parent Jennifer Gong said she and other parents felt glad the school district heard their concerns, while parent Wing Wang said they would send a thank-you letter to the school district later this afternoon for their efforts.
Both Gong and Wang are part of a group of Richmond parents with children in Grades 8 and 9, who petitioned the district over the weekend for more online learning options.
In the email, the district said some parents with students in Grades 8 and 9 had indicated to the Board of Education and superintendent that they “are not yet comfortable” with returning to in-person learning.
Parents had also expressed concern about their children not retaining their spot in their neighbourhood school or program, such as French Immersion, if they were to opt for the distributed learning option.
Rather, parents asked for a transitional learning option similar to what is being offered at the elementary level, which allows students to temporarily learn from home with the option to return to class on designated “re-entry” dates prior the end of January.
It’s an option the district is now able to provide for Grade 8 and 9 students, the email reads, explaining it hadn’t been on the table before because of funding requirements from the provincial government.
“Up to this point, the district has not been in a position to accommodate these requests due to Ministry of Education funding requirements,” reads the email.
However, earlier this week, the ministry “provided districts greater funding flexibility,” which allows students in remote learning programs to keep their spot at their neighbourhood school.
The flexibility is temporary and will require students to transition back to in-person learning during the school year.
“As a result of the ministry allowing for greater flexibility, the district is now offering a Remote Transition option for Grade 8 and 9 students,” the email reads.
Students will be scheduled in two courses at a time.
Gong said parents hope they can receive further details on the new program soon, so they can “help teachers and students better overcome the transition period.”
