News Stories

As we welcome students and staff back to the classroom returning from Spring break, we will be following the new Provincial COVID-19 Communicable Disease Guidelines for K-12. Here’s what you need to know about the updated guidelines.

Effective Monday, March 28, 2022, the following will apply in our district: 

At the March 8th public board meeting, the Abbotsford Board of Education passed a motion to approve and formalize the school calendar for 2022-2023. The Abbotsford Board of Education is required to create a calendar that meets the legislated requirements of the School Act, and the Abbotsford Teachers Union (ATU) Collective Agreement.  

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

On March 4, the Provincial Government announced that it is expected in the 2023-24 school year, this new requirement will take effect. Secondary students who are to graduate from B.C.’s K-12 education system will be required to complete Indigenous-focused coursework before they graduate. Students currently in Grade 10 would be the first group to complete this new requirement. 

The Abbotsford Board of Education regularly meets throughout the school year. Agendas and minutes from the public Board Meetings can be accessed through the District's Electronic School Board. Below is a summary of highlights from the meeting. To do our part to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and for everyone's safety, all public meetings of the Abbotsford Board of Education will be closed to the public and held virtually until further notice. The meetings will also be live-streamed.

Dear Abbotsford School District families,

This past week has been a difficult time with the invasion of Ukraine. Children, youth and even adults may experience a range of emotions when they hear about or see images and videos from these deeply upsetting events. I wanted to reach out to share available supports, should you find them of use.

The Abbotsford Board of Education is required to create a calendar that meets the legislated requirements of the School Act, and the Abbotsford Teachers’ Union (ATU) Collective Agreement. The Board of Education is currently seeking public and employee feedback on the proposed calendar for the 2022-2023 school year. The proposed option meets the prescribed minimum hours of instruction that a board must offer for the 2022-2023 school year.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a challenge we must constantly navigate, however, this past week we were able to safely return to in-person instruction for over 19,000 students. As we look forward to the opportunities in the weeks and months ahead, I must again extend a sincere thanks to our staff for getting us through the first part of this school year. What we continue to accomplish in British Columbia, and particularly here in Abbotsford, is truly amazing.

At the end of last week, I shared information around the delayed return to school for students and the implementation of additional health and safety measures. Since that time, more information has become available, and I would like to share an update with you. 

I hope this letter finds you healthy, safe and in the company of loved ones. On Wednesday, Minister of Education Jennifer Whiteside and Provincial Health Officer (PHO) Dr. Bonnie Henry held a joint news announcement regarding the delayed return to school for students for the remainder of the 2021/2022 school year. To allow schools to adapt to the impacts of the Omicron variant that is impacting our province, all K-12 students will return to school on Monday, January 10, 2022.

At an in-camera meeting on November 2nd, the Abbotsford Board of Education deliberated on the implications of a potential proof of vaccine mandate for all K-12 staff. After careful consideration and discussion, and following the K-12 Sector Guidelines for Vaccination Policies document, the Abbotsford Board of Education has decided not to mandate proof of vaccination for staff.