Dear Parents/Guardians,
As we come to the end of a very unusual school year, I wanted to take a moment to thank each of you for your efforts over the past several months.
Since government suspended in-class instruction over spring break, our various partner groups have made exceptional efforts and sacrifices to ensure that PCS was able to continue to provide missionally focused Christian education to our many students. Staff pivoted quickly from a traditional brick and mortar school model to fully online and then in June to a hybrid multi-modal model involving both in and out of school learning. The effort required in pivoting twice and supporting multiple modes of delivery was extraordinary and a testament to the quality and dedication of our staff. Parents became more directly involved in the education of their children, with many needing to quickly become experts in various online delivery systems such as Google Classroom and Meet. We are profoundly thankful for the efforts of all Pacific Christian community members – parents, staff and students. The experience this spring has been a testament to the depth of our community.
As teachers and students have left for the summer, our leadership team has been fully engaged in planning for the return to school for the 2020/21 school year in September. It is a preparation cycle like no other in that we are planning both for a return to ‘normal’ as well as the possibility of some form of continued hybrid model. The Ministry of Education continues to hope that circumstances will support a return to full in-class instruction, while developing more detailed plans and guidelines around ensuring student and staff safety and a continued effort to ‘flatten the curve’.
As a leadership team, we’ve been meeting frequently to plan for the various possible return scenarios. We want to assure you that although we are hopeful for a full return, we are planning for and will be prepared for a number of scenarios. Attached is a copy of our planning document “Re-entry Planning”. I would encourage you to read it. Regardless of where we find ourselves after Labour Day, this document outlines our continued commitment to provide “Educational Excellence to the Glory of God” in the coming year. Our mission and purpose continue to drive everything we do.
Pacific Christian School is a faith-based learning community. Although we can make our best efforts to plan for the coming year, the pandemic has been a reminder that ultimately we are called to surrender and trust in God’s plans for us. As a leadership team, we would continue to ask for your prayers as we seek God’s purposes in the way forward.
We pray that you might experience renewal and a sense of God’s shalom this summer.
Yours truly,
Darren Lewis
Superintendent