Everyone at the Vancouver School District is looking forward to the return of in-person learning for the 2021-2022 school year. 

On August 24, the provincial government shared new health and safety information for the K-12 education system in anticipation of the return of school. A few days later, an update from the District was shared with families and students. That update provides important measures in place to help keep students and staff safe and healthy this school year. It also outlines the work of District staff to improve ventilation in schools.  

All COVID-19 health and safety details are also available on the District website. Additional information is posted online to help prepare families and students to transition back-to-school. In addition, here are some important details about what to expect this year in Vancouver schools. 

Elementary Schools

• Elementary students will attend classes full time, in-person.
• Families may enrol their children in the Vancouver Learning Network (VLN). Families with children enrolled in VLN in the 2021-2022 school year can request their children be enrolled in their usual catchment school for the 2022-2023 school year. Contact the administrator at your child’s catchment school with that re-enrolment request.
• VLN is a distributed online learning program operating within the District for grades K-12. 
• Families who wish to home-school their children are reminded to register their child as a home schooler by September 30 with their local school.

Secondary Schools

• A new semester schedule will begin September 2021. 
• Secondary students will take four courses from September to January and another four courses from February to June. 
• The adoption of the semester model will see a standard timetable and bell schedule across all secondary schools. School will begin at 8:40 a.m. and finish at 3:06 p.m.
• The new schedule is designed to better meet the needs of learners and is based on feedback received last year from students, families, teachers and other educators.

Adult Education

• Students enrolled in Adult Education will return to in-person learning this year at South Hill, Canuck Family Education Centre and the Gathering Place.
• The Adult Education program provides a variety of structured and self-paced / hybrid courses for students looking to complete their high school education or upgrade courses for college or university.