April 22, 2020
March 31, 2020 Letter to Families
Dear Tweedsmuir 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. By now you will know that on March 17, 2020, under the direction of the Provincial Health Officer, the Provincial Government directed all K-12 schools to immediately suspend in-class instruction until further notice. With spring break now at an end, I know that many of you will have questions about what comes next. While there are still many questions to be answered, I wanted to provide you with an update for this week. The suspension of in-class instruction will mean that the way in which we do our work will be different. Still, I want to assure you that we are working hard to develop plans so that learning can continue while your children are at home. During the next week or two, our dedicated teachers will be collaborating with colleagues and developing thoughtful plans for how remote learning will move forward. We thank you for your patience during this time and assure you that teachers will be reaching out to students soon.
Maintaining a focus on relationships in this time of physical distancing is paramount and I am confident we will meet this challenge together. I’d like to thank you for responding to the request to complete the district wide survey. Your responses will help us in understanding your family’s needs, especially as they pertain to childcare, food security and access to technology. Over the next week, we will be reviewing this information and I will be in touch with you directly if you identified specific needs. If you did not have a chance to respond to the survey and have immediate needs, please contact me to discuss your situation.
As we move forward, communication will be key. To that end, I will share information and keep you informed through email and you can expect a weekly update from me. In addition, please don’t hesitate to contact me should you wish to connect. For this week, I’d like to share the following update:
March 30 – April 3:
- The health and safety of our community of staff, students, and families is the top priority and we ask that you not visit the school at this time. Next week, you will receive information on how to arrange an appointment to come collect belongings that your child may need while at home;
- Your child’s teacher(s) will reach out to you and your child with an initial communication this week;
- 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.
I hope this message provides you with some clarity regarding what to expect this week. Our school community is a place of caring and belonging. Together, I know we will manage the uncertainty and challenges together. Take care of yourself and your family, making health and wellness your number one priority at this time.
Kind regards,
Jen Richter
604.517.6070