Surrey schools to offer more at-home options amid COVID-19 fears

SURREY (NEWS 1130) – Return-to-school anxieties are ramping up in many homes, with parents worried about sending their kids back to class during the pandemic.

Many moms and dads have been asking for more options for at-home learning, and the province’s largest school district has been listening.

“We’ve heard clearly that some people are just nervous about going to school,” says Surrey Superintendent of Schools Jordan Tinney. “They’re not sure about the current pandemic situation, whether or not it’s safe or whether they even want their child to return to school.”

In a recorded message to parents, Tinney says the Surrey School District has decided to offer two “Surrey blended” options, on top of those already offered in the safe return plan approved by the province last week.

“In elementary schools and for students in Grades 8 and 9, these programs will provide the opportunities for transition back to school in a slower, more methodical way and include online learning.”

Video Message – Introducing Surrey Blended. Two transition programs for elementary and secondary. Registration begins today on our website. https://t.co/XAPOsPMXhw Also more details about opening week. #sd36learn #surreybc @Surrey_Schools @CityofSurrey @whiterockcity

— Jordan Tinney (@jordantinney) August 31, 2020

For K-7 students in Surrey, online learning will be available five mornings per week, comprised of structured time with a teacher attached to their current school.

In the afternoons, there will be dedicated teacher collaboration time, to allow instructors to connect and share strategies, along with dedicated opportunities for communication with parents.

“Parents will be supporting students at home and they will need tips, techniques, structures, strategies and tools for what this looks like at home,” says Tinney. “This is a big responsibility for parents to provide a majority of instruction for your student, so teachers will be given time to work directly with you to help you with strategies.”

Surrey’s blended model also includes a gradual increase of face-to-face instruction in the classroom through the fall.

“There will be the option for students to come in for, at first, one afternoon per week and then two and then three as we go through September, October and November. This is designed so that hopefully when students get more comfortable coming to school that they will make a decision to return fully,” he says. ” There will be one opportunity to return to school, into the regular classroom, and that will be on January 1st.”

Grades 8 and 9 — which were supposed to be in-class only in Surrey — are also getting a blended model, similar to the hybrid learning already outlined for Grades 10 through 12.

Tinney says parents will be getting much more information in the coming days.

For more back-to-school news amid the COVID-19 pandemic, click here.