Kootenay Discovery School

Dear Families,

As we begin a new year, we’re excited to share the updated structure for in-person support at our online school. While we remain an online learning community first and foremost—serving over 600 students—this year’s in-person offerings are more intentional, equitable, and sustainable.

Here’s what we’re offering this year:

• Dedicated test-taking blocks for Grades 7–12
• Structured drop-in hours for quick tech help, guidance, and assignment support
• Evening sessions at both sites for added flexibility
• Teaching staff onsite during all open sessions to ensure student safety and well-being

Of course, online access continues uninterrupted. Teachers remain available through:

• Email and messaging
• Booked online meetings
• Pre-scheduled 1:1 support
• Timely feedback and assessment

Our goal is to ensure students, whether learning in person or online, receive responsive, high-quality support.

Why we’ve made this shift

Last year, we kept our in-person spaces open full-time with a “drop-in anytime” model. While this flexibility worked for some families, we also learned that this approach—though well-intentioned—created significant challenges for staff, students, and the learning environment:

• Staffing mismatch: A full-time onsite calendar was managed by a small part-time team, limiting our ability to support and supervise students equitably.
• Online learning impact: Teachers support up to 200 online learners each—and constant in-person demands made it harder to offer timely online feedback.
• Safety and medical compliance: We’re legally required to ensure trained staff are present whenever students are onsite. Unpredictable attendance and part-time staff schedules made this difficult.
• Space limitations: Our sites weren’t built to host large unstructured groups. Noise and crowding became real barriers to learning, supervision, and quiet workspace access.
• Equity concerns: A small number of students were accessing full-time in-person support, unintentionally limiting teacher time and capacity for others.

We’ve spent time listening, reflecting, and researching how other provincial online programs navigate these challenges. What has emerged is a clearer, more structured model—one that honours teacher capacity, ensures student safety, and prioritizes equitable access for all learners.

A colour-coded weekly calendar showing available onsite times at both locations has been linked below and posted to our website. This schedule will be consistent for the entire 2025-26 school year.

Thank you for your continued support as we move forward with care, clarity, and commitment to every student’s learning journey.

Warmly,

Deirdre and the KDS Team