Announcements

Dear parent/guardian,

Please see below a letter for families from Fraser Health. This update is also available in PDF format.

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Dear parent/guardian,

Last week, we provided you with an update from Fraser Health, which included information about changes to contact tracing for COVID-19 in K-12 settings. We are writing to answer some of the common questions we have received and to provide further clarification about this shift to a self-management system.

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Dear parent/guardian,

Please see the message below from Fraser Health regarding a return to in-person instruction. (more…)

Dear families,

As you know, the return to school for students in K-12 after winter break was phased in to give school communities time to implement updated safety guidelines and for staff to plan for potential disruption to in-school learning. I am writing to share with you our contingency planning to ensure continuity of learning in the event of a functional school closure due to staff shortages, and to provide you with information about some of the enhanced health and safety measures that are being implemented in schools across the district. (more…)

Dear parents/guardians,

The Provincial Health Officer issued an order yesterday to delay the full return of school for students in kindergarten to Grade 12 until Monday, Jan. 10. The delay will allow additional time for public health and B.C. schools to adapt to the impacts of the Omicron variant and implement enhanced safety plans to support the continuation of in-class learning. (more…)

Dear families,

On behalf the Board of Education and all Maple Ridge – Pitt Meadows School District staff, I want to wish you and your family a joyful and relaxing holiday season.

I recognize this last year, like the one before, has been a challenge for students and families. Despite these obstacles, your patience and perseverance has helped bring a sense of normalcy to our school communities and I look forward to following with great pride the continued success and accomplishments of our students in the new year.

If your family is planning to travel during the holidays, I encourage you to review the latest federal guidance on travel restrictions and/or quarantine measures. Because these rules and restrictions are subject to change, I would recommend that you visit the Government of Canada Travel website directly at https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid. More specific information regarding travel-related testing and quarantine requirements for unvaccinated children under 12 and unvaccinated youth before a return to school can be found on this page: https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/covid-vaccinated-travellers-entering-canada#children.

Finally, I have included below an important message from the Ministry of Education regarding a safe holiday season.

As we get ready for some much-needed time off, I want to wish all of you a safe and happy holiday. Our school communities are looking forward to welcoming students back to their classrooms on Monday, January 3, 2022, after this well-deserved break.

Sincerely,

Harry Dhillon
Superintendent of Schools

Message from the Ministry of Education: Following Public Health Guidance for a Safe Holiday Season

 COVID-19 continues to circulate in our communities. Amid emerging evidence about the Omicron variant of COVID-19, it is imperative that everyone continues to follow BC’s public health guidance and use layers of protection to keep everyone safe throughout the holiday season.

It is also important that everyone receive all doses of COVID-19 vaccine for which they are eligible, including booster doses when available. If you haven’t already, register now to book a vaccine appointment and receive an invitation when you are eligible to get another dose.

The Provincial Health Officer strongly encourages everyone to limit holiday gatherings to family and trusted friends who have been vaccinated, and to avoid non-essential travel outside of Canada. Connecting with the people we love and care for is important and we encourage everyone to have a small, safe and happy holiday.

Dear SD42 staff and families,

As you know, a significant recovery effort is underway following widespread flooding last week that covered highways, washed out bridges, and cut off vital railroad links. To conserve fuel for essential service vehicles, the province has implemented two temporary emergency orders to restrict non-essential travel in some areas. The province has also declared a state of emergency, which will remain in effect until December 1.

On Sunday, November 21, the Ministry of Education confirmed educational staff are considered essential service workers and requested that school districts explore ways of eliminating non-essential travel to support conservation efforts. The ministry provided school districts with the following guiding principles to support this work:

• Keeping students and staff safe, as well as those in the broader community; 
• Maintaining access to in-person instruction and educational continuity; and
• Reducing fuel usage within the sector to the greatest extent possible to contribute to the provincial fuel and travel restriction measures.

To ensure we do our part in eliminating non-essential travel and reducing fuel consumption, SD42 is implementing the following measures:

• Deferring field trips and sporting events until after December 1 (where possible);
• Moving in-person meetings requiring travel online (where possible);
• Offering elementary teachers participating in scheduled online student reporting conferences with families the option to work from home provided they have a private/confidential work space; and
• Encouraging district-based staff who are able to work from home to do so.

Additionally, we encourage both staff and families to explore other ways of limiting travel. Where possible, this may include relying on public transportation, carpooling, cycling, or walking.

We appreciate all of your efforts and thank you for your ongoing support of our schools and our communities.

Sincerely,

Harry Dhillon
Superintendent of Schools

The Maple Ridge – Pitt Meadows Board of Education re-elected trustee Korleen Carreras as chairperson and trustee Elaine Yamamoto as vice-chairperson during its November 17, 2021 regular meeting. Both positions are elected annually.

After careful deliberation, the School District 42 Board of Education has decided against mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for staff.

The decision follows a careful review of considerations outlined in the provincial guidance document and consultation with public health officials, who stated the benefits of a mandate are limited in communities like Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows, which already have high vaccination rates. (more…)

As part of the Strategic Facilities Plan consultation being undertaken by the Maple Ridge – Pitt Meadows School District Board of Education this year, we would like to invite you to participate in an online survey at https://letstalksd42.ca/facilities-of-the-future. (more…)