Summer schools take a twist

Summer school will look different in the Greater Victoria School District this year to help students whose marks might have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rather than credit courses, which are often taken by students wanting to get ahead in their studies, the district is offering only “completion courses” — courses students were not able to finish during the school year, or want to redo to improve their grades.

“For those students who found the online or the remote learning more challenging, they might feel that some more face-to-face instruction would be helpful to them,” said associate superintendent Colin Roberts.

“We want to make sure that there’s enough room for all of those students who want to upgrade to be able to do so.”

The courses are being held at Mount Douglas Secondary and will combine in-class instruction and remote learning. In-class instruction will conform with physical-distancing requirements.

Online registration opens Monday at 8 a.m. and runs until 3 p.m. on June 25. Priority goes to Greater Victoria School District students, with out-of-district students needing to apply at summerschool@sd61.bc.ca.

Sessions run from June 29 to July 9, and July 13 to July 23.

To register online or for more information, go to www.sd61.bc.ca/schools/ summer-school/.

The Saanich School District doesn’t have summer school, but offers courses through its South Island Distance Education school all year.

The Sooke School District is still determining whether summer school will be feasible given physical-distancing guidelines.

In-person classes across B.C. were cancelled by the province March 17 to help stop the spread of COVID-19, with schools offering remote learning in their place.

Schools reopened on a parttime, optional basis on Monday.