Central Okanagan teachers will soon be returning to the classroom sa国际传媒� albeit, with a few extra spare periods.

An email sent to teaching staff on April 30 by School District 23 superintendent Kevin Kaardal explained the plan going forward in which teachers will attend school one-day per week. While students still have no set date to return to class, teachers will be returning to work on-site in a phased-in approach beginning May 5.

sa国际传媒淲e are asking principals and managers to organize one-quarter or one-third of their staff to attend one day per week,sa国际传媒� Kaardal wrote in the memo. sa国际传媒淭his means that over a four or three day period all staff who are not medically compromised will have worked one day on-site.sa国际传媒�

About 400 of the districtsa国际传媒檚 more than 23,000 students are currently attending school on-site, those being the children of essential services workers, many teachers will be without students.

sa国际传媒淲e feel staff will be able to physically distance if we start this phased-in approach to return staff to working on-site without students first and requiring that they follow the safety protocols that are in place,sa国际传媒� wrote Kaardal.

During a virtual town hall with school district officials hosted by Kelowna-Lake Country MLA Norm Letnick, Kaardal addressed the memo, saying staff have to return to school to provide services at some point.

sa国际传媒淭hat may be before the end of June, that may be in September, that may be in November, we donsa国际传媒檛 know yet,sa国际传媒� said Kaardal during the meeting.

While acknowledging some teachers may have concerns about venturing back into the outside world, theysa国际传媒檒l have to bring that up with their manager or principal. Kaardal assured the schools have ample space to allow for physical distancing.

All teachers, aside from those who are at a higher risk to catch the virus, will be required to show up to work when scheduled.

sa国际传媒淓mployees are being paid and it makes sense that they have to be doing meaningful work, and sometimes that may mean they have to work from on-site, and sometimes that means they can work remotely,sa国际传媒� Kaardal said.

While not mandatory sa国际传媒� nor provided by the district sa国际传媒� teachers are welcome to bring their masks and hand sanitizer, Kaardal said. The district has, however, implemented required hand sanitizer stations and strict safety protocols to protect all staff during the pandemic.

READ MORE: Virtual town hall with School District 23

READ MORE: City of Kelowna proposing tax hike slash to 2.05%

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michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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