1. Safety: School districts are working to implement guidelines for a safe return to school, and will all have enhanced cleaning, hand-washing stations, reusable masks and other safety measures. Government has provided over $45.6 million for health & safety measures in schools. +

2. Expert advice: Science guides our decisions. Whether it's about transmission in kids or the benefits to in-class learning, we believe in seeking out expert advice in all fields before making a decision. +

Plans for a safe return to school are made with the input of educators, parents, support workers, school leaders, trustees, Indigenous communities and public health experts. +

3. Learning groups: Groups reduce the amount of contacts staff and children have in the school day, limit shared spaces, and allow for efficient contact tracing in the event of a positive case. +

For elementary and middle schools, the maximum is 60 people. For secondary schools, the maximum is 120 people. +

4. Options: If you'd rather your child learn at home, you have options available. Families can choose distance learning or homeschooling as alternatives to in-class learning if it best serves the needs of their children. +

5. Flexibility: We all have to remain flexible when it comes to planning for this upcoming school year. Our knowledge of COVID-19 is rapidly evolving and public health measures can quickly change depending on the spread of the virus. +

School districts and individual schools have unique needs, and have the ability to make additional changes to their in-schools protocols.
Learn more: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/covid-19-return-to-school
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