Given the changing global circumstances of the COVID-19 outbreak, including the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 pandemic declaration and the increasing risks of transmission at public gatherings, School District 57 is making adjustments to a series of planned public meetings regarding its plan to rename Kelly Road Secondary School.
“We believe it is our role and responsibility during this time to support the Provincial Health Officer’s strategy of social distancing, and prioritizing the health and well-being of our students, staff and public,” said Tim Bennett, Chair of the Board of Education.
The board had planned four public ’roundtable style’ public meetings for early April. Those meetings have now been scrapped. The deadline for the public to provide a recommendation to the board will still be April 17, due to construction constraints. In place of the public meetings there will be an extension of the questionnaire, available primarily online and through paper submissions for those whose online access is limited. Student engagement sessions will continue to go ahead until further notice.
“Our commitment to public engagement – while it may look different than what we originally proposed and released yesterday – is still a priority,” said Bennett.
The questionnaire will be available publicly on March 20, 2020, as planned. Continued updates will be available on the SD57 website: www.sd57.bc.ca.