News Strike information & updates

 

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Summer Learning

In previous letters we stated that the Labour Relations Board (LRB) had yet to rule on the status of our Summer Learning programs. We delayed our decision in order to consider all relevant information. The purpose of this letter is to update you on our Summer Learning programs and the implications for students.

On June 27th, the  LRB ruled that some aspects of Summer Learning are indeed "essential." In Surrey, we have students registered in a range of Summer Learning programs from elementary support to trades/technical, full credit, acceleration, distributed learning and remedial. Our programs span grades K-12. In total 11,000 students registered for summer school.

The LRB's Essential Services Order established a very narrow definition of students for whom summer learning is critical to graduation. That definition was narrowed to students in grades 10, 11 or 12 who have failed a course and "have no choice but to repeat the course in the 2014 Summer School." Then the definition was narrowed further to include only those students "who cannot take the course during the following school year." The remaining group of students is an extremely small subset of our original summer learning registration. The list, for Surrey, represents fewer than 50 students.

We have reached out and contacted each of the students directly and will be offering programs for them according to the LRB Order. We will once again rely upon the commitment of our principals and vice- principals to lead the learning and provide the required support to ensure that students graduate this summer. 

The LRB Order states that "the Union is to provide unrestricted access and egress for those persons covered by this order." Students can expect that there will be picketing,  but teachers know the students attending Summer Learning need these courses in order to graduate.

We wish to acknowledge principals and vice-principals who are stepping forward to teach these courses to our students. Their commitment means that graduation will become a reality for these students.

We regret that we cannot offer our full range of Summer Learning programs but the fact remains that the teacher strike continues to limit our ability to provide a full range of services at this time.
As always, we live in hope that there will be a resolution at the bargaining table. Sincerely,

Jordan Tinney
Superintendent of Schools/CEO