Some BSD families opt for remote learning
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 28/01/2022 (1514 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
At least 23 Brandon School Division families have signed their children up to learn from home for the rest of the semester, according to Supt. Mathew Gustafson.
Gustafson told the Sun Friday afternoon these students are remaining in remote learning until the end of the term (June 29), with much of their instruction being facilitated through the online Manitoba Remote Learning Support Centre.
An additional 88 students have decided to undertake remote learning over a shorter period of time, he said.
Student enrolment at BSD currently sits at around 9,500 pupils.
“We still believe that in-class learning can provide the best environment for student learning,” Gustafson said. “But we also know there can … be reasons for when that may not be the most appropriate [approach] and we strongly believe that the best way to support our families is through having those conversations.”
While BSD students returned to full in-person instruction on Jan. 17, division officials started floating a new remote learning option at the same time.
It was designed to accommodate kindergarten to Grade 8 families who don’t feel comfortable sending their children back to in-person learning as the COVID-19 omicron variant continues to spread throughout the province.
After consulting with all interested parties, Gustafson and his team discovered these families were interested in a remote learning option for a variety of reasons.
“There’s kind of a range of things,” he said. “It can be somebody in a family waiting for surgery, it could be a health condition that’s maybe changed.”
While division officials were hoping to usher in a return to full in-person learning for the whole 2021-22 academic year, the emergence of omicron forced school officials to change course following the holiday break.
Most BSD students kicked off their 2022 winter semester with a week of remote learning throughout Jan. 10-14 and only just returned to the classroom the following Monday.
Despite this attempt at a return to normalcy, BSD officials continue to report much higher rates of student absenteeism than normal due to COVID exposures, severe winter weather and other factors.
While these new remote learning options add yet another wrinkle into this year’s winter term, Gustafson said the school community will remain resilient throughout these trying times.
“What I’ve been encouraged to see is, even with the pandemic, our families and our staff and our students are all trying their best to make the best of a bad situation.”
More information about the Manitoba Remote Learning Support Centre is available on its official website at mbremotelearning.ca.
» kdarbyson@brandonsun.com
» Twitter:@KyleDarbyson