SD62

The Sooke School District will be hiring more bus drivers after it was overwhelmed by 450 last-minute bus route registrations before resuming service on Monday. (Black Press Media file photo)

School bus delays after SD62 overwhelmed by last-minute registrations

450 students signed up Friday alone, district to hire more drivers

The Sooke School District will be hiring more bus drivers after it was overwhelmed by 450 last-minute bus route registrations before resuming service on Monday. (Black Press Media file photo)
Sooke School District superintendent Scott Stinson explains most block classes at Belmont Secondary will be halved. (Aaron Guillen/News Staff)

PHOTOS: An inside look at one of SD62’s schools before students welcomed back

Approximately 1,400 students expected at Belmont Secondary

Sooke School District superintendent Scott Stinson explains most block classes at Belmont Secondary will be halved. (Aaron Guillen/News Staff)
The Sooke School District has awarded a $55.2 million contract to build two new schools to Farmer Construction Ltd. The 500-seat elementary school and 700-seat middle school are set to be completed by September 2022. (Black Press Media file photo)

Sooke School District announces contractor for two new Langford schools

Farmer Construction Ltd. will utilize SD62 students to work on the $55.2 million project

The Sooke School District has awarded a $55.2 million contract to build two new schools to Farmer Construction Ltd. The 500-seat elementary school and 700-seat middle school are set to be completed by September 2022. (Black Press Media file photo)
The Sooke School District is preparing to welcome back students as 82 per cent of families say they will return to in-class instruction on Sept. 10. (Black Press Media file photo)

Sooke School District to welcome back over 80 per cent of students in-person

82 per cent of families say they will return to in-class instruction on Sept. 10

The Sooke School District is preparing to welcome back students as 82 per cent of families say they will return to in-class instruction on Sept. 10. (Black Press Media file photo)
Sooke School District is asking families of students to fill out two surveys about how they can improve their back-to-school plans before September rolls around. (Black Press Media file photo)

Sooke School District asks families for feedback in back-to-school surveys

Survey asks which back-to-school option parents, students prefer

Sooke School District is asking families of students to fill out two surveys about how they can improve their back-to-school plans before September rolls around. (Black Press Media file photo)
Sooke School District 62 Trustee Ravi Parmar says the district will release plans on Aug. 25 for what students can expect when school re-opens on Sept. 10. (Black Press Media file photo)

Sooke School District set to unveil back-to-school plans on Tuesday

Parents invited to attend online SD62 committee meeting on Aug. 25

Sooke School District 62 Trustee Ravi Parmar says the district will release plans on Aug. 25 for what students can expect when school re-opens on Sept. 10. (Black Press Media file photo)
Sooke School District is set to welcome back all students from kindergarten to Grade 12 on Sept. 8 for the 2020-2021 school year. (File – Press Media)

School district set to welcome back students Sept. 8

‘There’s a lot of anxiety out there for parents,’ says school board chair

Sooke School District is set to welcome back all students from kindergarten to Grade 12 on Sept. 8 for the 2020-2021 school year. (File – Press Media)
The province and the Sooke School District purchased a six-acre plot of land along Latoria Road in south Langford for a new 500-seat elementary school. SD62 Trustee and Board of Education Chair Ravi Parmar said the new school site is welcomed as the neighbourhood expands. (Black Press Media file photo)

Province, SD62 purchase six acres in Langford for new 500-seat elementary school

New school site in south Langford, along Latoria Road

The province and the Sooke School District purchased a six-acre plot of land along Latoria Road in south Langford for a new 500-seat elementary school. SD62 Trustee and Board of Education Chair Ravi Parmar said the new school site is welcomed as the neighbourhood expands. (Black Press Media file photo)
Belmont 2020 graduate, Keagan Tait, moves to Ottawa in August to work as a page in the House of Commons. He’s one of 40 students selected from across the country. (Aaron Guillen/News Staff)

Belmont grad to work at Ottawa’s House of Commons

Keagan Tait is one of 40 students chosen from across the country

Belmont 2020 graduate, Keagan Tait, moves to Ottawa in August to work as a page in the House of Commons. He’s one of 40 students selected from across the country. (Aaron Guillen/News Staff)
Spencer Middle student Kylee Booth is making free masks for teaching staff and frontline workers on the West Shore. She’s made over 100 masks since March. (Aaron Guillen/News Staff)

Langford teen sews free masks for middle school staff

Grade 7 student generously makes over 100 masks

Spencer Middle student Kylee Booth is making free masks for teaching staff and frontline workers on the West Shore. She’s made over 100 masks since March. (Aaron Guillen/News Staff)
Grade 3 teacher Michelle Bevan was one of the first staff members that proposed the idea to host a drive-by celebration outside Wishart Elementary. (Aaron Guillen/News Staff)

Wishart Elementary staff say goodbye to students with drive-by farewell

Car horns, cheers and signs ring in the end of school year

Grade 3 teacher Michelle Bevan was one of the first staff members that proposed the idea to host a drive-by celebration outside Wishart Elementary. (Aaron Guillen/News Staff)
Sooke School District will face a $2 million drop in funding due to lack of international students planning to attend this fall. In a usual year, the school district sees around 300 international students, this fall there are about 60 planning to come. (Twitter/Scott Stinson)

Sooke School District loses $2 million due to lack of international students

Loss of funding not expected to affect classrooms, thanks to reserve funds

Sooke School District will face a $2 million drop in funding due to lack of international students planning to attend this fall. In a usual year, the school district sees around 300 international students, this fall there are about 60 planning to come. (Twitter/Scott Stinson)
Belmont Secondary graduates Jasmyn Loo, Jacklyn Halaburda, Ashley Bilachand Isabella Wheaton celebrate the end of their high school careers. (Shalu Mehta/News Staff)

Belmont Secondary grads celebrate the end of high school

Graduating class attends small group ceremonies on June 23 and 24

Belmont Secondary graduates Jasmyn Loo, Jacklyn Halaburda, Ashley Bilachand Isabella Wheaton celebrate the end of their high school careers. (Shalu Mehta/News Staff)
‘The face of Belmont’: Custodial staff at Langford school pivot to support parents, students

‘The face of Belmont’: Custodial staff at Langford school pivot to support parents, students

Staff serve as point of contact for parents, students with school

‘The face of Belmont’: Custodial staff at Langford school pivot to support parents, students
A Colwood woman has created Adopt a Grad SD62, a Facebook page designed to give the chance for community members to show their support for high school grads with cards, gifts and snacks. (File photo)

Colwood woman launches Adopt a Grad

Facebook page aims to support students during pandemic

A Colwood woman has created Adopt a Grad SD62, a Facebook page designed to give the chance for community members to show their support for high school grads with cards, gifts and snacks. (File photo)
Sooke School District will re-open for optional in-class instruction starting on June 1, with new safety regulations to respond to the pandemic. (Black Press Media files)

What Sooke School District schools will look like on first day of reopening

No water fountains, rotating schedules and face masks not required

Sooke School District will re-open for optional in-class instruction starting on June 1, with new safety regulations to respond to the pandemic. (Black Press Media files)
Kirsten Young is offering free grad photos for Grade 12 students who missed out on their last memories of high school. She’s offering her 30 years of photography until the end of July. (Aaron Guillen/News Staff)

West Shore photographer offers free grad photos for class of 2020

Appointments open to Royal Bay and Belmont Secondary students

Kirsten Young is offering free grad photos for Grade 12 students who missed out on their last memories of high school. She’s offering her 30 years of photography until the end of July. (Aaron Guillen/News Staff)
Grade 12 students will be allowed to have a grad ceremony, but in small groups. They won’t be allowed to bring family members, according to Superintendent Scott Stinson. (Courtesy of Lawrence Herzog, Office of Mitzi Dean MLA)

VIDEO: Sooke School District 2020 graduates get stage ceremony after all

Students to cross the stage in small groups, not allowed to bring family

Grade 12 students will be allowed to have a grad ceremony, but in small groups. They won’t be allowed to bring family members, according to Superintendent Scott Stinson. (Courtesy of Lawrence Herzog, Office of Mitzi Dean MLA)
West Shore mom Wendy Hobbs (left) is asking for volunteers to help her organize a prom for her son, Bryce Hobbs and the rest of the 2020 soon-to-be graduates from Belmont and Royal Bay in summer 2021. (Aaron Guillen/News Staff)

West Shore mom proposes 2021 summer prom for 2020 graduates

Event fully dependant on upcoming provincial health orders

West Shore mom Wendy Hobbs (left) is asking for volunteers to help her organize a prom for her son, Bryce Hobbs and the rest of the 2020 soon-to-be graduates from Belmont and Royal Bay in summer 2021. (Aaron Guillen/News Staff)
Brianna Gruber, a grade 12 student at Belmont Secondary, started a petition to have an in-person graduation ceremony rather than a virtual one. She said she has come up with ideas to ensure the ceremony would follow provincial orders in light of COVID-19. (Shalu Mehta/News Staff)

West Shore student petitions for more than a video graduation ceremony

Online petition receives nearly 3,000 signatures in less than one week

Brianna Gruber, a grade 12 student at Belmont Secondary, started a petition to have an in-person graduation ceremony rather than a virtual one. She said she has come up with ideas to ensure the ceremony would follow provincial orders in light of COVID-19. (Shalu Mehta/News Staff)