Dear Parents / Guardians,

I was contacted late last night by the Vancouver Island COVID-19 Rapid Response Team about a letter they had crafted with Island Health for distribution to all parents and guardians on the island.  

The purpose of the attached letter is to remind parents and guardians of the importance of remaining vigilant in reducing possible exposures to COVID-19 and as well as doing daily health checks of your children before sending them to school.  You can use the COVID-19 Health Check App to determine if you or your child should stay home and be tested for the virus.  If your child is not feeling well please keep them at home and call 811 to speak with a health professional.  If necessary, COVID-19 testing appointments can be made by calling 1-844-901-8442 (8:30 am – 8:00 pm).

Thank you for your continuing efforts at helping to keep our community safe.  

Respectfully,
Dave Eberwein

Dear Parents / Guardians,

It seems almost unbelievable that it was a year ago since the pandemic was proclaimed and our school experiences changed dramatically.  One year later and I will say again that I am extremely proud of our staff, our students and our community as we found ways to overcome the challenges before us.  Thank you for your ongoing support and patience as we travelled this road together.  And while we are not yet out of the woods, we can begin to see some light at the end of the pandemic tunnel. 

As we head into Spring Break I want to provide you with a few updates:

• Spring Break (March 15th – 26th)
  • All neighbourhood schools (Elementary / Middle / Secondary) and Remote Learning will be closed during Spring Break
  • SIDES courses will remain ‘open’ in Brightspace for student access.  However, SIDES staff will be available again beginning the week of March 29th
  • Please make sure your children take home any personal belongings they may need during this time
• Province-wide COVID Safety Protocols
  • Avoid non-essential travel where possible
  • Adhere to the PHO’s Order on Gatherings and Events – no social gatherings of any size at your residence with anyone other than your household or your core bubble
  • Follow the EPA Order on wearing masks in public indoor spaces
  • Updates can be found on the provincial website: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/info/restrictions#restaurants-bars
  • Keep safe and enjoy Beautiful BC – go for a walk or hike, take a stroll along a beach or enjoy some time in your back yard
• Parent/Guardian Survey – The 2020-2021 School Year in Reflection (March 11th – April 8th)
  • We have recently posted a survey for all staff, students and parents to gather feedback on your educational experiences this year
  • As we head into spring we are looking to hear from you – your thoughts on what has worked well and what was particularly challenging
  • Our goal is to learn from this year as we prepare for next fall
  • We hope that you can find a few minutes to share your thoughts with us: https://www.sd63.bc.ca/2020-2021-school-year-survey

Wishing all of you a wonderful Spring Break filled with family as you enjoy the glory of spring and its message of renewal.

Sincerely,

Dave Eberwein
Superintendent & CEO, Saanich Schools

Please see the Early Learning page for updated StrongStart information.

Dear Parents / Guardians,

This morning the Minister of Education, the Honourable Jennifer Whiteside, and the Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, announced changes to some safety protocols in our schools.  In their joint address, they re-emphasized that schools continue to be safe places where virus transmission remains very low throughout BC and where the provincial safety protocols already in place are working very well.  Dr. Henry stated that these changes to some safety protocols have been introduced to fine tune our practices to ensure that our learning and working spaces reflect the most current scientific understanding about the COVID-19 virus.

Provincial Announcement Topics:

• Federal funding grant allocation in BC;
• Updated non-medical mask requirements in schools;
• Enhanced cleaning protocols for things like equipment and tools;
• Money for regional health authorities to establish rapid response teams for school outbreaks;
• Updated health and safety checklists for schools; and
• A new mobile Health Check App that has been developed for students and their families (Parents and students are encouraged to download this app and use it daily -- see below)

With regard to mask requirements, students in middle and secondary schools are now expected to wear masks while in school except under the following situations: when at their personal desk or workspace, when eating or drinking, or when separated by a physical barrier of some kind.  Students unable to wear a mask due to health or other reasons are still permitted to not wear one.  For elementary students, wearing a mask remains a personal choice.   

Our district is committed to implementing provincial guidelines in a timely fashion and also communicate these changes to our staff, students and parent communities.  We will be updating our district Safety Plan to reflect these recent changes.  You can expect additional information to come out from the district or your child’s school over the next few weeks.

For further information about today’s provincial announcement please visit the following sites:

• Ministry of Education News Release (Feb 4, 2021): https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021EDUC0011-000201
• BCCDC K-12 Schools and COVID-19 website: http://www.bccdc.ca/schools
• BC Health Check App: https://www.k12dailycheck.gov.bc.ca/healthcheck?execution=e2s1

Thank you for your continued support and understanding as we work to provide your children with a safe, enriching and welcoming school environment.

Respectfully,

Dave Eberwein
Superintendent & CEO, Saanich Schools

Starting February 1st, 2021 Registration for Middle (Grades 6-8) and Secondary (Grades 9-12) levels will take place at the schools.  Please visit the  Registration page for information on how to register students in Kindergarten to Grade 5.  

We look forward to welcoming you to Saanich!