Teachers, educational assistants, support staff and administration are supporting your child's learning during these uniquely complex times. While teachers continue to be the primary guide for students, the partnership with parents and caregivers is essential in providing needed assistance and home support for learning, especially for younger children. Throughout the remote learning processes, it is important to remember that we all have the same goal: to support children's growth and development by working together with patience, kindness, and respect.

Opportunities will vary from class to class - some may utilize a digital learning platform, and some may be offered through other means. Teachers will work with families and will make decisions based on available resources, access to technology and what they believe to be in the best interests of their students and the most important curricular and core competencies. 

The following table indicates learning ideas and time frames for elementary and secondary instruction. Please note that these may be adjusted over time and will need to be responsive to student and family needs. Teachers may also suggest other activities for the day including physical activity, helping out at home, etc.

​Areas of Learning ​K-1 Suggestged Lengths of Time
Daily Total: 60 min
​Gr. 2-3 Suggested Lengths of Time
Daily Total: 90 min
​Gr. 4-7 Suggested Lengths of Time
Daily Total: 120 min.
​Gr. 8-12 Suggested Lengths of Time
​Literacy (Reading, Writing, Oral Language) ​20-30 min daily ​30 min daily ​40 min daily

​​Daily learning/work time for students should not exceed 3 hours per day.

Wherever possible, departments will coordinate to offer cross curricular inquiry learning.

Numeracy ​20 min daily ​20 min daily ​40 min daily
Core Competencies – setting and reflecting on goals
​Embedded weekly
Curiosity/Questions to investigate ​Embedded weekly
Maker Time/Design Time ​Embedded weekly
​Integrated curricular content ​Embedded weekly as applicable and appropriate

We understand that many parents and caregivers are seeking ways to keep their children occupied and engaged. Many learning opportunities present themselves in everyday activities at home. For example, there are math, reading, and applied skills to learn in preparing a meal. Everyday activities like going for a walk, or planning a garden can be enhanced with observations of the natural world, learning about the animals and plants in our city, and what might grow well in our climate. Helping with cleaning and organizing chores around the home can help deepen understanding of organizational and lifelong skills as well as build core competencies. Writing and talking about experiences during this time will help to build oral and written literacy, and writing a thank you to an essential service worker will help to build social awareness competencies. The district has also developed a page with various resources to help supplement the learning provided by your child’s teacher. Please visit Parent Resources for more information.

The Ministry of Education has also set up a website with a collection of valuable resources, and ideas such as those above, to help support learning while families are home due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the suspension of in-class instruction. Please visit: www.openschool.bc.ca/keeplearning/ for more information.