School district hikes budget to respond to COVID

An additional $10M will cover costs to keep schools COVID-safe

The impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has increased the Central Okanagan school district’s budget for 202021.

Originally approved last June at $287.5 million, the budget had to be amended earlier this week with an additional $10.23 million from the provincial and federal governments to cover costs associated with meeting B.C.’s requirements for kids who headed back to class under the Safe Return To School Program.

The school district budget now stands at $297.7 million.

According to Central Okanagan Public Schools secretary-treasurer Ryan Stierman, the extra costs funded include hiring more staff and support workers, as well as equipping schools to reopen under the stringent provincial regulations aimed at keeping students, teachers and other staff safe and stopping the spread of the virus.

Stierman said the additional money covers the cost of 31 more full-time equivalent teacher positions, online teachers, “significant” additional cleaning staff and more school bus driving time.

Issues such as social distancing at schools, mask wearing, cleaning, supporting remote learning, hand hygiene and cleaning supplies all had to be addressed for the 23,184 students who have now returned to school.

Stierman described the number of students who returned to class here as high and he praised district staff for helping make that happen.

“Teachers were a huge part of making all that work,” he said, calling their effort “exemplary.”

In a letter to parents sent out last week, superintendent of schools Kevin Kaardal said additional safety measures for schools announced by the province Feb. 4 will strengthen measures already in place.

It is now mandatory for all staff, middle and secondary school students to wear masks at all times indoors (including on school buses) except when sitting or standing at a desk in a classroom.

There are some exemptions allowed for staff and students who cannot wear masks for health or behavioural issues.

Elementary students are not required to wear masks.

All visitors to all schools must wear masks indoors.

“As always, we remind you masks are not a replacement for other prevention measures such as physical distancing,” Kaardal wrote. “They are part of the many layers of protection that we all used this past year to make schools among the safest places in our community.”

He said the best action residents can take is to follow provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry’s orders and guidance at home and in the community, and to stay home if they feel sick.

“A safe community means even safer schools,” he said.