From pre-kindergarden, right up to colleges and universities, schooling has most likely changed forever.

It has now become a regular way of life for students to learn via online video and teaching programs, and School District 58 in Merritt has had to learn to adapt.

“In many cases, schools are the heart of the community,” said SD58 Superintendent Stephen McNiven.

In terms of how difficult students have found the transition to online learning, McNiven said there has been a wide range of response.

“I think what is most important to note is that the vast majority of it has been positive. It’s turning our whole education world upside down in many ways, and when you think of people leaving for spring break, and then coming back,we’ve asked our staff, as basically it is across the Province, to turn it upside down and provide learning opportunities in a whole new way.”

In response to the new wat of learning, teachers and staff went through extensive training to continue some sense of normalcy. McNiven said many teachers already had some skills prepared for online teaching and different digital tools, though for many it was an extensive learning curve to keep their students happy and with as little stress as possible.

“I can’t tell you how super proud I am of the work people are doing. So it’s been pretty positive responses overall.”

Assistant Superintendent Jameel Aziz said that there is quite a cross-section in the previous technological abilities of teachers and staff.

“We have folks who have engaged readily with technology, and were probably using it in their classrooms already…to folks who really have more traditional learning styles, and have really had to learn how to us Zoom for example, it’s been a curve for some folks.”

Zoom has been a major player in the online schooling game since the pandemic, a form of videotelephony for teachers to continue their ‘classes’.

Aziz added that despite the learning difficulties, staff has been very willing to figure it out in order to keep their students in the know.

“Just to figure out how to engage, and what will work for their students…everybody has really wanted to make those connections with their students, in whatever ways families find to be the best fit for them.

“So even though, I’d say some of them have struggled a little bit, they have struggled kind of happily. Because they know that they are providing a service to kids.”

All staff involved in the interview, including McNiven, Aziz, and District Principal of Aboriginal Education Shelley Oppenheim-Lacerte and District Principal Student Support Services  Jane Kempston, agreed that the school district’s teachers are missing their kids.

“When you talk about teachers struggles, I think that would be the biggest,” said McNiven. “Just being disconnected from their students in a face-to-face point of view. They have found other tools and strategies to maintain that connection, and we realy focused on the well-being part. And connecting with our kids is so important to do that. But teachers go into teaching for their kids.”

More on the Herald’s interview with the school district staff will be coming in the following weeks.