SURREY/DELTA - After delaying the start of their summer school programs in hopes of an agreement being reached in the teachers' labour dispute, the school districts of Surrey and Delta have been forced to cancel them.
Earlier, the Labour Relations Board ruled that remedial summer school for students in Grades 10 to 12 were essential if those students could not make up the courses in the following school year.In Surrey, district spokesperson Doug Strachan said there were 47 Grade 12 students who fall under the LRB's ruling."So they need credits in order to graduate and qualify for that because they can't come back next year," said Strachan.However, because the number of students is small enough, Strachan said striking teachers would not be brought in to teach them. Instead, district administrators will instruct the students and courses will begin Monday, July 7. As for the cancelling of regular summer school programs, Strachan said the district, like all involved, is disappointed."It's of course disappointing in a whole host of ways when there's job action and lockout taking place in the district and students are affected," he said,"Really, the summer school is just another example of that. I think everybody is on the same page in saying we would like to see it end as soon as possible."No students in Delta fall under LRB ruling In Delta, spokesperson Deneka Michaud said there were no students the district was aware of that would fall into that category.Delta's superintendent Dianne Turner said in an open letter to parents that any students who failed courses would be cared for at the start of the next school year."To mitigate the impact of no summer courses, administrators are developing options for completion of these courses in the fall," she wrote. "We remain committed to supporting our students and will work with affected students and families to ensure successful course completion."cpoon@thenownewspaper.com