Families, students and school staff celebrated the official opening of Skwo:wech Elementary, which provides a modern learning and teaching environment along with an important meaning in its new name.

Students and staff in Richmond can learn and work in seismically safer schools now that upgrades are complete at Maple Lane and F.A. Tomsett elementary schools. More seismic upgrades are also on the way, with work beginning at James Whiteside and William Bridge elementary schools.

The Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC), is implementing a new graduation requirement.

Families and more pre-kindergarten children will soon have their early learning opportunities enhanced as the Just B4 early childhood education program expands from one to six districts this school year.

Further pandemic supports are coming for B.C. students and schools, with 300,000 rapid antigen test kits to be delivered in phases.

A full return to school for students in kindergarten to Grade 12 will be delayed until Monday, Jan. 10, in order to give public health and B.C. schools additional time to adapt to the impacts of the Omicron variant on communities and schools, and to implement enhanced safety plans to support the continuation of in-class learning.