Schools

Principal Marie-Claude Carrier has overseen the opening of the Cowichan Valley’s first francophone school. (Citizen file)

Registration now open for Duncan Francophone school

École francophone de Duncan opened last fall with six students

Principal Marie-Claude Carrier has overseen the opening of the Cowichan Valley’s first francophone school. (Citizen file)
Police and fire crews at work at a fire scene at Ecole Mount Prevost School on Feb. 15. (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 Ecole Mount Prevost School on Feb. 15. (Kevin Rothbauer/Citizen)
Police and fire crews at work at a fire scene at Mount Prevost School (Kevin Rothbauer/Citizen)

Classes cancelled for Mount Prevost students today

Second school fire in five days for North Cowichan schools

Police and fire crews at work at a fire scene at Mount Prevost School (Kevin Rothbauer/Citizen)
Kindergarten registration begins Jan. 18 for the nature and French immersion schools and on Jan. 25 for the rest of the district. (School District 79 photo)

Cowichan Valley kindergarten registration begins Jan. 18

Lottery system may be used for in-demand French and nature schools

Kindergarten registration begins Jan. 18 for the nature and French immersion schools and on Jan. 25 for the rest of the district. (School District 79 photo)
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
Fifth-grader Riley Morris is hoping to pair seniors with bird feeders and seed as part of his passion project at school. (GoFundMe screengrab)

Grade 5 student looking for help to bring birds to seniors

“A bird feeder to put up outside their window will give them something to look forward to”

Fifth-grader Riley Morris is hoping to pair seniors with bird feeders and seed as part of his passion project at school. (GoFundMe screengrab)
The old Stanley Gordon school. (Gazette file)

Mayor: Old school demolitions at Lake Cowichan not coming soon enough

“We’ve been sitting around looking at those for quite some time now”

The old Stanley Gordon school. (Gazette file)
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 SFU professor 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)
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 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)
The Cowichan Valley school district has a new logo. (Submitted logo)

Cowichan Valley school district adopts new logo

Logo the creation of Cowichan Tribes artist Stuart Pagaduan

  • Nov 16, 2020
The Cowichan Valley school district has a new logo. (Submitted logo)
Surrey teachers demonstrate what classrooms look like in their school district amid the COVID-19 pandemic in November 2020. (BCTF)

B.C. teachers’ union calls on Horgan to limit Fraser Health class sizes to 15 students

Three schools have temporarily shut down in Fraser Health due to COVID-19 outbreaks

Surrey teachers demonstrate what classrooms look like in their school district amid the COVID-19 pandemic in November 2020. (BCTF)
Candace Spilsbury continues on for another term as the Cowichan Valley Board of Education’s chair. (Submitted)

Spilsbury acclaimed as Cowichan Valley School Board chair

Barb de Groot remains vice chair

Candace Spilsbury continues on for another term as the Cowichan Valley Board of Education’s chair. (Submitted)