It’s been a busy and challenging year for School District No. 57 (SD57) amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Not only did 2020 present unprecedented challenges for the students, teachers and parents but it also saw changes within the school district itself.
The school board has also welcomed a new Superintendent, Anita Richardson in January 2020 following interim Superintendent Rod Allen, and more recently a new chair for the Board of Education.
On Nov. 3 SD57 board trustees elected Trent Derrick to serve as board chair, after former Chair Tim Bennett decided not to seek another term as chair after serving the past four years as chair, and four years before that as vice-chair.
“It’s been a learning experience for sure. It’s always a learning experience when you step into a new role,” says Derrick in an interview with PrinceGeorgeMatters. “But in a pandemic and with everything that is going on it definitely had its challenges.”
It’s been a roller coaster of a year for schools throughout the province.
On March 17, because of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, B.C. Premier John Horgan and the Minister of Education Rob Fleming, suspended in-class instruction.
While a continuation of learning took place online, when students returned from spring break, school district’s throughout the province worked on return to in-class learning plans and SD57 eventually welcomed students back to classrooms on June 1.
When students and staff returned in the fall they were also met with further changes, as secondary students saw a shift in the semester system to accommodate smaller learning groups.
However, Derrick says he’s proud to see the creativity of staff who worked hard for the betterment of students.
“I think the planning and the health and safety to our staff and students has always been paramount, so making sure that our health and safety plan are up to par and that it was embraced,” says Derrick, of the challenges COVID-19 has presented to the district.
“I think the biggest success story according to the health minister is that the schools are some of the safest places to be right now and that is due to the strict health and safety plans.”
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has repeatedly stated that despite many COVID-19 exposures in B.C. schools as transmission events within schools are low.
As cases in the north continued to climb before the Christmas holidays, and with growing delays in contract tracing, anxiety around COVID-19 exposures in schools grew.
On. Dec. 16, for example, the Prince George District Teacher’s Associations wrote an open letter to Dr. Henry calling for further safety measures in schools.
“It is a pandemic and we do need to be very cautious and aware and as we channel that into following the instructions of the health minister — when it comes to the schools what has made them safer is the health and safety plans that are in place and it is a controlled environment as well,” says Derrick.
“That is the message that we have that overall it is safer in schools than in the general public and to be are aware of where the transmissions are happening and that it is in the small unmanaged social gatherings.”
The pandemic also created initial budgetary challenges for the SD57, as September saw withdrawal of about 400 students which led to an expectant funding shortfall of $3.2 million from the Education Ministry.
However, in a public Q&A in September, SD57 said it is receiving $2.4 million of the federal government’s $242.3-million back-to-school funding for B.C. to help purchase much-needed materials and supports as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
“We are monitoring it at this particular time,” says Derrick in regards to the district’s finances.
“We have to be aware that our numbers are going to be potentially lower and to see what the funding is there. We have to keep our budgets tight and watch what we spend and it is really keeping an eye on our financial situation right now as we are moving into an unknown year.”
In terms of the successes SD57 saw in 2020, Derrick highlighted the revamp of the district’s food programs, new concussion protocols, working toward the ad hoc committee on Truth and Reconciliation as well as welcoming the new Superintendent, Anita Richardson.
“Our staff have really come together and you have to appreciate their hard work and dedication to their students especially during this time so you have to acknowledge the good work of the administration, the good work of the teachers and the good work of the support staff and I could not echo that enough,” says Derrick.
Looking ahead to what’s coming in 2020, Derrick says he’s looking forward to developing the SD57’s strategic plan.
“That really sets the tone and direction of the district for the next four or five years and I think its important that we will hear from our stakeholders and community and other partners throughout the district to see what is working and what is not. I think that is the big push that is coming forward outside of this,” says Derrick.
“Even though we are in the pandemic we have to continue our everyday work as the board. I am also looking forward to seeing how it moves forward with the pandemic in the new school year with the hope of the vaccine.”
The Board of Education is already back to work as it is hosting a special public meeting on Jan. 5, 2021 at 6 p.m. which will be available to view through livestream on the district’s website.
On the agenda for the meeting is a motion to archive video recordings of the board meetings on the website, as well as revise the terms of reference for the Ad Hoc Committee on Truth and Reconciliation.
