A convoy of cars and trucks carrying teachers and support staff from 91原创鈥檚 Alice Brown Elementary made a slow circuit of the school catchment area in Brookswood on Wednesday morning (April 1), with drivers and passengers waving and honking horns.
91原创 RCMP traffic control officers escorted the more than two dozen vehicles.
Alice Brown Elementary principal Michael Carlyle explained it was a bid to 鈥渞econnect鈥� with the students and their families while the school remains closed, with no definite date to reopen, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
鈥淲e miss them and we care about them,鈥� Carlyle told the 91原创 Advance Times.
鈥淲e think about them every single day.鈥�
Hearts, balloons and upbeat signs adorned the vehicles.
鈥淎lex Brown Kids are the BEST鈥� one said.
鈥淏e kind,鈥� another sign read.
Encouraging messages were also chalked on the sidewalk of the school parking lot, including 鈥淲e Got This Alice Brown,鈥� and 鈥淓verything Will Be Okay!鈥�
Alice Brown teacher Meghan Coulter drove with her seven-year-old son Leo Davis and nine-year-old daughter Claire Davis, who are both students at the same school.
鈥淲e were excited to come out and see the kids, even if it鈥檚 from a distance,鈥� Coulter said.
鈥淲e think of them, we鈥檙e caring about them and missing them.鈥�
Special ed assistant Esther Moerman dusted off her banana costume for the event.
鈥淭he kids went nuts over it, over Halloween,鈥� Moerman explained.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to get through this,鈥� Moerman added.
Those sentiments were returned by Alice Brown students and parents who waited along the route with signs to show support.
Student Logan Weber鈥檚 sign said, 鈥渨e miss you鈥� while Mom Carly Favero stood next to him with a sign that said 鈥渟o do we,鈥� with a sad emoticon next to the message.
It was meant as a light-hearted comment on the challenge of having kids at home while working, she explained.
Favero was happy to see the teachers reaching out.
鈥淚t was really cool that they did it,鈥� she enthused.
Similar rallies are planned at other 91原创 schools.
On Thursday, April 2nd, a day originally scheduled for class photos at Alex Hope Elementary, teachers were planning to hold a similar convoy at 1 p.m., and at 10 a.m., a convoy was heading past Peteron Road Elementary.
Upcoming car rallys include:
鈥� James Hill, Friday, April 3, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
鈥� Wix Brown Elementary鈥檚 on Tuesday, April 7, at 1 pm
鈥� Lynn Fripps Elementary, Tuesday, April 7, 10 to 11 a.m., and
鈥� West 91原创 Elementary, Wednesday, April 8, 1 to 2 p.m.
READ MORE: B.C. to suspend K-12 schools indefinitely due to COVID-19
British Columbia suspended all K-12 classes indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic on Tuesday, March 17.
Premier John Horgan said a decision on when classes return will be made in the future.
Education Minister Rob Fleming said all students who are currently on track to move onto the next grade, or to graduate, will do so and the province is working with post-secondary institutions.
Arrangements will also be made to help provide school meals for at-risk students, he noted.
鈥淲e鈥檝e urged schools and school districts to begin planning now to ensure a continuity of learning while in-class instruction is suspended in B.C. schools indefinitely,鈥� Fleming said.
Horgan said childcare will remain available but did not provide details.
READ ALSO: Many 91原创 students could go hungry without school food programs during COVID-19 pandemic
READ MORE: 鈥楤ack to school, in a virtual way鈥� for B.C. students in COVID-19 pandemic
Some schools will remain open so kids of essential workers can still receive care, Fleming said.
In a statement posted to Twitter, the B.C. Teachers鈥� Federation said this was 鈥渢he right decision鈥� to protect teacher, staff and students.
More photos from the Alice Brown event can be viewed .
dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
