March 31, 2020
School Update March 31, 2020
Dear Howay Families,
In spite of the challenging and uncertain times, I’d like to welcome you back after spring break. I hope that you are well, staying safe, and taking good care of each other. The last few weeks have been a very difficult and challenging time as it brings a high level of uncertainty and many unanswered questions. We are all trying to work through our new realities of staying at home and learning new ways to work and support our families. This is an unprecedented time and we appreciate your patience as we navigate how we can best support you and continue giving your children quality education. This week staff will be working remotely and begin the process of how to plan and develop quality learning experiences while students are at home. We all have many questions and the Howay staff appreciate your patience as we begin to understand how to keep on supporting students through this difficult time.
This week, March 30 – April 3, is a planning week and a time to connect with each other. Teachers will be reaching out to families and connecting either through email or phone calls. The initial communication may not have all of the information you are looking for but in the coming weeks you will begin to have more of your questions answered regarding supports available for your families and children. Regular communication from the district, myself and your classroom teacher will be on-going so checking email will be important.
The district will continue to keep families informed of matters related to the COVID-19 response on the website at www.newwestschools.ca. In addition, you will find learning resources on the website to assist you in getting started with remote learning including how to establish a daily routine for your child.
We also realize that not all families have access to the technology needed to fully participate in remote learning (eg. Laptops, iPads or Chromebooks) so we are working on a plan to help and support families with these challenges. Please communicate with your classroom teachers any challenges you may have accessing technology.
We are focused on student and staff safety so access to the school will be restricted and controlled to maintain a safe environment for all. Parents, guardians and students should not come to school or access school grounds unless there are special circumstances and arrangements. It is important that families contact the school office in advance to set up a time if there is a need to enter the school for critical personal supplies (e.g. medications). We are in the process of developing safe entry and exit plans for all of the Howay community.
I would like to thank all of the families for your on-going support in keeping students and staff safe. This will continue to be our priority and we will be making every effort to ensure that we keep our school environment a safe and healthy place. If you have any immediate concerns please contact me at sphelan@sd40.bc.ca.
Take care.
Sincerely,
Sarah Phelan