The New Westminster school district says it will likely be too costly to go ahead with a proposed elementary online learning program next year – but parents are still hoping the school board can make it work.
In March, the district had outlined plans for a proposed Grade 2 to 8 online program in 2021/22, which it said it would offer if interest was high enough.
Superintendent Karim Hachlaf told trustees at the Tuesday, April 27 school board meeting that numbers are too low to make that happen.
He said only 52 families expressed interest through a recent application process, and those numbers simply wouldn’t be high enough to make the program feasible. Given the need for two teachers, a full-time education assistant, a part-time resource teacher and clerical support, Hachlaf said the district would need to top up available Ministry of Education funding to the tune of $75,000.
“I completely understand the need from our families, but at the same time … we simply cannot do everything at once,” Hachlaf said. “We are in a structural deficit. We still want to advance key priorities but we, simply put, can’t do everything.”
Hachlaf said a proposed change in the program’s format didn’t seem to resonate with families. This year’s online program – which attracted more than 400 students – has emphasized real-time “synchronous” teaching, with students divided into virtual classes. The 2021/22 program was planned to shift to “asynchronous” learning; that is, while work would still be planned and assigned by a teacher, families would be expected to do most of the learning independently, on their own time.
But Hachlaf said this year’s model was only feasible because of extra COVID-19 funding the district received from the federal and provincial governments and, without that money, the virtual, real-time model would be too cost-prohibitive.
Trustee Maya Russell said the news was disappointing.
“I think we had all hoped that somehow the dollars would work out, but I would have to agree the amount of subsidy required is not going to be possible, given the other pressures,” she said.
TRUSTEE, PARENTS URGE BOARD TO SAVE PROGRAM
But trustee Mary Lalji urged the board not to make a final decision to cancel the program without looking at it more closely. She asked how much funding the district stands to lose if those families choose to leave the district in search of other programs, and she said it would be disappointing to not provide an online alternative locally.
“The way the world is moving, online should be a format that our children should be able to access,” she said.
Two parents also turned out at the meeting to urge trustees to save the program.
“Please don’t ever underestimate how amazing this program is, in so many different ways and on so many different levels,” said Sue Kenny, who said her Grade 2 daughter has gone from struggling to thriving because of it. “I am one voice today, but I represent many parents that are part of the online community.”
She said the option of shifting into the Hume Park Home Learners Program isn’t feasible for many parents because, with home learning, the child’s education plan must be led by the parents, and that isn’t viable for parents working full time.
She said cancelling the online program now would leave parents in “quite a lurch” because online learning programs offered in other districts are already full.
‘GIVE US ONE MORE YEAR’
Kenny said the loss of the “synchronous” learning focus was a big part of what caused some families to opt out.
“If there was an option for some form of synchronous learning, you would have seen a vastly different response,” she said. “I think a critical question to ask is, would families return if there was an element of synchronous learning? It doesn’t have to be every day. …
“I want to plead with you to give us one more year, just one. I’m not asking for a lifetime.”
Anne Whitmore agreed with Kenny that the home learners program isn’t a viable option for many families, particularly those with diverse learners.
She suggested that if the district takes into account the funding it could receive for several students with identified special needs, the online program could bring a significant amount of money into the district. If the district were to expand it as a full distributed learning program, she said, it could likely bring in enrolment from outside New Westminster and thus generate additional income.
“New Westminster school district has an opportunity to continue to lead with online programs,” she said.
Superintendent Karim Hachlaf told trustees the district is committed to following up with all the families who indicated interest in the online program next year, and he’ll report back on the outcome of those conversations at the May 11 committee meeting.
Follow Julie MacLellan on Twitter @juliemaclellan.
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