Attention Dickens Parents re: Option 4 Students

If you chose OPTION 4 for schooling during the 2020-21 school year, please read the following important notice from parent Kyenta Martins: 

          Hello VSB School PACs,   

On January 20,  we are expecting the COVID funding information and changes to Option 4 updates at the Student Learning and Wellness Committee or Finance Committee meeting. In anticipation of that, we put together some recommendations of what we would like to see from VSB to meet students' needs when there are likely to be disruptions to their in-person education, whether they are in Option 4 or not. We wrote this letter to promote the concept of remote learning for both elementary and secondary schools in Vancouver in the hopes of not losing our places at our schools. Option 4 is the only way the 3,497 Option 4 students in Vancouver can keep ourselves and our families safe during the pandemic and not lose our places at our schools.

In November, when we were first started advocating for a continuation of Option 4 (at that time it was slated to end January 5, 2021), the response from VSB staff and trustees was that they were interested in hearing about our experiences and needs. Superintendent Hoffman stated at a DPAC Executive meeting in November that they were planning on sending out a survey to students and their families to find out more about their experiences. They did send out a secondary survey, however secondary schools don't have Option 4. The survey for elementary was simply "Will you return to school on January 18th?" - so no survey, as was promised, to find out more about Option 4 or what our experiences have been. We emailed to ask her why - and we received no response. 

The responses we are getting now are very different; I've included Carmen Cho's response as a representative of them. They are reminders of what the intention of Option 4 was (a transition program) and that if we wanted to not return to school, we should have chosen VLN. However Option 4 was the only choice that allowed our children to stay at their schools. The only option that didn't force my 9 and 11 year old daughters to choose between my health (I have COPD) or their support networks at school - between their friends or their mom. That is not a choice any child should have to make - and especially not at a time that is already stressful in so many ways. 

This is the link to the letter we are circulating asking people to copy/paste, add to it, and send to education stakeholders (which we have listed at the end of the letter)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1epeScIg5lb5Idwh5h5znb3ccb9Y0qgHEC8NC1tkANeY/edit?usp=sharing

We are asking for your help. If you would be willing to share this message with your school, or at the least with your Option 4 families, we would appreciate it. We are doing everything we can to not be forced out of our schools. 

Thank you for your time and your consideration. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any concerns or questions.

Kyenta Martins

604.671.0504

Founder of Option 4 Families of Vancouver SD#39