As Vancouver Island鈥檚 smallest school district prepares to open schools on June 1 for children to return on a part-time, voluntary basis, schools in Kyuquot and Zeballos will not follow suit.

The Kyuquot Elementary Secondary School and Zeballos Elementary Secondary School will remain closed until the end of the school year.

School District 84 (Vancouver Island West) superintendent Lawrence Tarasoff said the schools will continue with online learning at the request of area First Nations who said they were not comfortable with facilities re-opening.

Tarasoff said that the board complied with the request, adding 鈥渋t was not a huge ask,鈥� considering these communities had sought complete seclusion after the onset of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, schools in Tahsis and Gold River are expecting about 30 per cent of their students to come back when they reopen said Tarasoff. Safety procedures as outlined by the province will be incorporated, and educators will ensure social distancing procedures are practiced.

Parents have also been asked to screen children for symptoms before they come to school and to keep talking to them about not sharing toys and maintaining safe distance while at school.

Online learning will also continue as a supplementary process for secondary students who will come in once a week, and elementary students who will attend school for four half-days a week.

Tarasoff said educators will continue working with students outside of classroom hours, as the limited amount of school hours won鈥檛 suffice for them.