Whether we are in a physical school or virtual school, our “C” Our Story being all about Christ, Compassion, and Community remains the heart and calling of BC Christian Academy even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As soon as the Ministry of Education announced the closure of schools in mid-March, our Head Principal, Mr. Ian Jarvie, reached out to all families. He assured everyone that BCCA will continue to deliver a robust and excellent education for our K-12 students on a virtual platform while staying safe at home. It was spring break but our school leadership and teaching staff took their vacation time to begin work to plan and prepare for the launch of our BCCA Virtual School by April 1st.
“Thank you so much for all your hard work and communication. “We are blessed to have such a devoted school to put this all in place for the kids.,” “Thank you for your support to our children” -- are few of the comments we have received from parents in high school and elementary.
This isn’t the first time that teachers and staff displayed their dedication to their work and devotion to the Christ-centered mission of BC Christian Academy. The school went through challenging times in the past and BCCA would not be where it is today if not for their resilience and huge and voluntary sacrifices.
Our KIDS CLUB Childcare Centre stayed open even during Spring Break and provided care for the children of parents who are frontliners, healthcare workers, and essential service providers. Ms. Theresa Lee, and her staff, are committed to coming alongside these families during this challenging time.
“What Kids Club is doing now is beyond what I can imagine. Thank you for your tireless work and efforts to keep our children and families safe. Thank you for providing the flexibility to families during this time,” are the thank you messages received from our Kids Club parents.
By March 25th, Mr. Ian Jarvie continued to reassure families that "we are committed to providing the best possible education for our children and the utmost care for families during this time.” The e-learning structure, class timetables, schedule, and online platforms were communicated to the families--giving them a clearer picture of how our BCCA Virtual School will roll out.
On April 1st, our BCCA Virtual School was launched and by God’s grace, we got off to a good start! Attendance was at 100% and the students were so excited to see their teachers and classmates again. The Primary students from Kindergarten to Grade 3 were introduced to Seesaw while the Grades 4-12 used the Google Meet and Google Classroom, as well as other online and digital learning resources. Our goal is not only to engage our students academically but also to make sure they are having fun attending our virtual school! Our message continues to be that we are still figuring this out and learning together, and that connection, not perfection, is our goal.
“I just wanted to say thank you to all the staff and administrators for ‘virtual’ school starting today! It seemed to go pretty smoothly and I think Kieran enjoyed chatting with everyone!” says Lisa Allen, High School parent. “Thanks to the staff for all their hard work to help our kids transition to a virtual learning model,” says an Elementary parent.
Mindful of families that may not have access to digital devices or computers and laptops, the school offered free use of its Chromebooks and laptops. Remembering our students with diverse and special learning needs, our Learning Resources Centre offered to continue their support for our students throughout this time.
“I just wanted to say that my family is so blessed to have found an amazing group of God-fearing, hardworking, committed, loving, and caring Education Assistants who are helping my children.,” says Elisha Thomas, mom of 2 LRC students.
We also utilized our school social media platforms to connect with our BCCA community and to bring uplifting and positive news feeds about our #BCCAVirtualSchool during this crisis. Our daily postings and content are giving our community a glimpse into the e-learning experiences of other students, families, and staff as well as resources to help them during this time. All our Principals are taking turns sharing their video devotions and messages of hope and encouragement from their homes to the BCCA community through our school Facebook and Instagram. We shared how our I.T. Manager and high school teacher, Mr. Gery Speck, made 50 Face Mask Ear Savers to health care workers in Surrey Memorial Hospital. https://www.instagram.com/p/B_NpM8ChN13/?igshid=1af1c4c8j65ka
"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." John 10:11, a devotion from our Head Principal, Mr. Ian Jarvie. May you all be encouraged and embraced by the hope and peace that comes from God. https://www.facebook.com/bcchristianacademy/videos/2427285487582391/
We have a Care Team who are calling and checking on families from week one and have also asked parents to fill out a Parent Survey by the second week to see how everything is going with their child's current digital learning program and what kind of extra support do their families need at this time. We know that it is important to get feedback from our parents so we can improve things for them on a weekly basis.
“I very much appreciate all the teachers who worked so hard to make this happen so quickly,” a comment submitted by a Kindergarten mom.
As some families experience a temporary job loss or work stoppage, the BCCA Board and Administration strongly felt that no family has to withdraw their child on the basis of financial hardship due to COVID-19. We are providing tuition relief to help support families with their child’s tuition and have set up a COVID-19 Relief Fund to assist them further.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought us all to uncharted territory and an era of uncertainty. Thankfully, we know that our God is the ultimate Head of our school and He is sovereign and in control. These unprecedented events have definitely led us to rethink the way we educate and care for our BCCA community.
Now on our third week of our BCCA VIRTUAL SCHOOL, we are blessed to pursue our mission of assisting families by providing a Christ-centered, Bible-based education, albeit on a virtual platform, that inspires each of our students to pursue excellence in all areas. We are glad that our "C" OUR STORY continues--and that learning has not stopped for the children and the warm and caring community of BCCA has not changed even when we are physically separated during this time.
