Schools

An early morning fire on Jan. 11 forced classes to be cancelled at Drinkwater Elementary School. (Kevin Rothbauer/Citizen)

Cowichan Valley school fires deemed suspicious

Two fires in one week

 

Police and fire crews at work at a fire scene at Mount Prevost School (Kevin Rothbauer/Citizen)

Classes cancelled by fire at a Duncan-area school for the second time this week

Fire this morning at Duncan area middle school follows Monday blaze at nearby elementary

 

Staff at Artemis Place Secondary were shocked to find that one of the student-built greenhouses on the campus was stolen overnight on Jan. 11. (Artemis Place Society/Facebook)

Saanich school hopes to catch greenhouse thief red-handed

Student-built greenhouses stolen from Artemis Place Secondary on Jan. 11

 

Students from another school board a bus outside Thorncliffe Park Public School in Toronto on Friday December 4, 2020. Toronto Public Health closed the school due to a COVID19 outbreak. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

Experts call for community sacrifices to ensure COVID-19 safety in schools

Kids in British Columbia returned to public school after a two-week winter break last week

Students from another school board a bus outside Thorncliffe Park Public School in Toronto on Friday December 4, 2020. Toronto Public Health closed the school due to a COVID19 outbreak. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
FILE – Children walk with their parents to Sherwood Park Elementary in North Vancouver for the first day back-to-school Thursday, September 10, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

BCTF blasts ‘one size fits all’ school COVID plan, calls for transparency from Henry, Dix

Most students returned from the winter holiday break on Jan. 4

FILE – Children walk with their parents to Sherwood Park Elementary in North Vancouver for the first day back-to-school Thursday, September 10, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
An online petition has been launched urging the province to extend the winter break by two weeks, as students prepare to return to classrooms Monday, Jan. 4, 2021. (Black Press Media files)

COVID-19: Petition calls on B.C. to extend students’ winter break

Students are set to return to classrooms Monday, Jan. 4

An online petition has been launched urging the province to extend the winter break by two weeks, as students prepare to return to classrooms Monday, Jan. 4, 2021. (Black Press Media files)
Olivia Meleta, a high school math teacher, is photographed near her Thornhill, Ont., home on Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020. From texting friends on the sly to downloading apps that spit out answers, educators say the pandemic-induced move to an online classroom has offered up a wealth of tech-driven workarounds to actually doing the work. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Cheating a ‘free-for-all’ at virtual high schools, Canadian teachers say

Stress from the pandemic has collided with the pressure to get good grades

Olivia Meleta, a high school math teacher, is photographed near her Thornhill, Ont., home on Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020. From texting friends on the sly to downloading apps that spit out answers, educators say the pandemic-induced move to an online classroom has offered up a wealth of tech-driven workarounds to actually doing the work. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
A physical distancing sign is seen during a media tour of Hastings Elementary school in Vancouver on September 2, 2020. The British Columbia government says it is now releasing about $12 million to school districts across the province to further support the COVID-19 response.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

$12 million in reserved federal funds released to B.C. school districts: ministry

The money is part of the $242.4 million in one-time federal funding for pandemic safety measures

A physical distancing sign is seen during a media tour of Hastings Elementary school in Vancouver on September 2, 2020. The British Columbia government says it is now releasing about $12 million to school districts across the province to further support the COVID-19 response.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
The School District 70 administration office in Port Alberni. AV NEWS FILE PHOTO

Alberni schools struggle with attendance amid COVID-19 exposures

Numbers in SD70 have fluctuated everytime an exposure is noted: superintendent Greg Smyth

The School District 70 administration office in Port Alberni. AV NEWS FILE PHOTO
A physical distancing sign is seen during a media tour of Hastings Elementary school in Vancouver on September 2, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

B.C. teachers had no say in decision to rule out winter break extension: BCTF

Other provinces have moved to virtual learning for the tail end of semester

A physical distancing sign is seen during a media tour of Hastings Elementary school in Vancouver on September 2, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
The Walking Curriculum gets students outside and connecting with nature. (Amanda Peterson/Special to S.F. Examiner)

‘Walking Curriculum’ crafted by former Vancouver Islander surges in popularity

The outdoor curriculum encourages students to connect with the natural world

The Walking Curriculum gets students outside and connecting with nature. (Amanda Peterson/Special to S.F. Examiner)
The Fraser Institute’s annual report card on B.C. elementary schools ranks schools across the province based on standardized tests. (Black Press Media file photo)

Opinion: Fraser Institute delivers elementary schools the usual mixed report card

What we learn doesn’t change, but maybe how we react to it should

The Fraser Institute’s annual report card on B.C. elementary schools ranks schools across the province based on standardized tests. (Black Press Media file photo)
The School District 70 administration office in Port Alberni. AV NEWS FILE PHOTO

Four Alberni schools reporting COVID-19 exposures

Exposures occurred between Nov. 19 and Nov. 25 depending on the school

The School District 70 administration office in Port Alberni. AV NEWS FILE PHOTO
The Ballenas Secondary cinder track. (PQB News file photo)

Parksville running coaches remain firmly behind Ballenas track upgrade project

Scaled-down plan estimated to cost $1.5M

The Ballenas Secondary cinder track. (PQB News file photo)
Lake Trail Middle school in Courtenay. File photo

Courtenay’s Lake Trail Middle School given all-clear to re-open after threat deemed over

School will resume Friday morning

Lake Trail Middle school in Courtenay. File photo
BC Teachers' Federation President Teri Mooring is asking parents of school-aged children to encourage the wearing of masks when possible in schools. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)

LETTER: Teachers union encourages culture of mask wearing in B.C. schools

BCTF President Teri Mooring asks parents to talk with children about wearing masks in school

  • Nov 24, 2020
BC Teachers' Federation President Teri Mooring is asking parents of school-aged children to encourage the wearing of masks when possible in schools. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito)
A sign encouraging students to wear a mask in classrooms released Friday, Nov. 20, 2020. (BCTF)

BCTF asks parents to ‘create a culture of mask wearing’ as schools excluded from new rules

New indoor mask mandate does not include schools

A sign encouraging students to wear a mask in classrooms released Friday, Nov. 20, 2020. (BCTF)
A COVID-19 exposure has been reported at Lakeview Christian School in Saanich. (Photo via Lakeview Christian School website)

Island Health reports COVID-19 exposure at Saanich school

One member of Lakeview Christian School community tested positive

A COVID-19 exposure has been reported at Lakeview Christian School in Saanich. (Photo via Lakeview Christian School website)
A physical distancing sign is seen during a media tour of Hastings Elementary school in Vancouver, Wednesday, September 2, 2020. British Columbia’s education minister hopes the government will be able to entirely avoid school closures under any scenario but it would defer to advice from public health officials should COVID-19 cases worsen. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

B.C. education minister wants to avoid school closures completely

Four out of 643 schools in the Fraser Health district have been closed

A physical distancing sign is seen during a media tour of Hastings Elementary school in Vancouver, Wednesday, September 2, 2020. British Columbia’s education minister hopes the government will be able to entirely avoid school closures under any scenario but it would defer to advice from public health officials should COVID-19 cases worsen. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
Fairview Elementary in Maple Ridge is closed as of Nov. 16, 2020 after a weekend break-in left the school with “significant” damage, the district says. (Google)

RCMP identify 12 and 10-year-old in connection to weekend break-in at Lower Mainland school

Community is raising funds for Fairview Elementary in Maple Ridge

Fairview Elementary in Maple Ridge is closed as of Nov. 16, 2020 after a weekend break-in left the school with “significant” damage, the district says. (Google)